Karcher k2 - opinions sought.

[jac]

Thinking of getting one for general domestic duties, cleaning steps, patio, car and maybe GRP decks!

Anyone got one? Worth paying for? Anything better for the money? £75 ish

 

[VicS]

Thinking of getting one for general domestic duties, cleaning steps, patio, car and maybe GRP decks!

Anyone got one? Worth paying for? Anything better for the money? £75 ish

I think at 110 bar a but only 360l/hr that it will be too small .. by far.

Pressure may be OK but the volume of water delivered will make for such a small spray that cleaning a surface of any size will be like antifouling the boat with a 1/2" paintbrush.

Mine is similar (375l/hr) Next to useless

Actually cheap ( about£45 IIRC) and totally useless because the oil leaks out of the gearbox which has no provision, other than by dismantling, to refill it

 

[theoldsalt]

I prefer and purchased the K3. Plenty of water and the pump is water cooled which means it runs continuously without cutting out. I think the K2 pump is air cooled. My last pressure washer had an air cooled pump and kept cutting out due to overheating when run for long periods. My K3 has never cut out.

 

[DannyB]

I've got the K4, very impressive, does everything I want

 

[ip485]

I have another issue with Karcher which is that they never seem to last. You might get a year or a bit longer depending how much you use it but sure enough the plastic pump case will start leaking which you then find is a complete pain to replace (assuming you can be bothered) because the case is secured with the most awkward hex bolts presumably to dissuade anyone but a service agent from replacing it.

Kranzle are a lot more costly but if I had purchased one first time up I would be quids in.

 

[theoldsalt]

The only real problem I have heard of with Karcher (which would apply to most if not all makes) is that they have not been drained properly before winter storage and have been allowed to freeze which has caused damage.

 

[Sybarite]

Pp

I have another issue with Karcher which is that they never seem to last.....

+1. My third one stopped working last week. I have a B&D one which I keep for the boat. So far no trouble, cheaper than a K but maybe not used as much.

 

[ip485]

Yep heard that and made a point of always draining last two, did make a jot of difference.

 

[BERT T]

Karcher? Steer clear and buy a Nilfisk.

 

[Beyondhelp]

I have a K5.55. Paid good money for it, and it doesn't get used much. I say this as a mechanical/electronic engineer that its a pile of utter steaming ****. Its failed AGAIN for the third time. Of all the power tools I own its by far the least reliable, with cracked heads pulsing, lack of pressure etc etc.. I hate it.. Parts whilst easily available are not that cheap either with a typical repair costing around £50.

I thought I had frozen mine the first time and put it down to bad luck. then it did it again a year later when it had never got that cold. I've pretty much given up on it now. Shame really as when it did work it was really good.

 

[Marine Reflections]

I tend just to have the smaller lower pressure ones, (up to your knees) less noisy and easily fixable with new seals etc, motors work fine, they are light and easily transportable, usually get 2-3 years out of a small Karcher.

One thing different to my set up however is that I have a further 10m extension on the lance hose, comes in handy as you don't have to reposition the washer often.

 

[gjgm]

Karcher? Steer clear and buy a Nilfisk.

I don't own a Nilfisk, but they seem to get extremely well reviewed, and there are some great deals on the net if you nose about.

 

[Halo]

I thought Karcher was one of the house elves off Harry Potter ???

 

[jac]

I tend just to have the smaller lower pressure ones, (up to your knees) less noisy and easily fixable with new seals etc, motors work fine, they are light and easily transportable, usually get 2-3 years out of a small Karcher.

One thing different to my set up however is that I have a further 10m extension on the lance hose, comes in handy as you don't have to reposition the washer often.

I had been thinking to go fairly small as just not sure I would need a big one. Looking at Nilfisk now based on comments here - the 120 looks a reasonable mid size machine

 

[jwilson]

I have had 3 pressure washers in 15 years: first an Alto, lasted about 4 years, then a larger but cheap B&Q own-brand Macalister that did about 10 getting steadily noisier and noisier before expiring with a death-rattle last summer in a puddle of compressor oil halfway through cleaning a paved area.

Ran out and bought a Karcher K2 as it was the only cheapish one available locally. So far so good and better than I'd expected for cleaning power, and very light compared to the other two.