Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

The 4 best pressure washers for cars in 2024

Whether you do your driving with an off-road vehicle, one of the most impressive EVs on the road, or anything in between, the driving experience can be made all the better by knowing you look good doing so. Keeping your vehicle clean isn’t always the easiest chore, nor is it something everyone likes to do. You can make shorter work of it with a pressure washer, and with warmer weather around the corner we decided to round up the best pressure washers for cars in 2024.

The best pressure washers for cars in 2024

  • Buy the if you want the best pressure washer for cars overall.
  • Buy the if you want the best gas-powered pressure washer for cars.
  • Buy the if you want the best handheld pressure washer for cars.
  • But the if you want the best budget pressure washer for cars.

Craftsman electric pressure washer

Best pressure washer for cars overall

The Craftsman Electric Pressure Washer against a white background.
Craftsman
Pros Cons
Easy to maneuver Relatively expensive
Integrated soap tank
Kink-resistant hose

The Craftsman electric pressure washer is one of the most versatile pressure washers for cars on the market. It offers plenty of power with a max PSI of 2,100, and a 25-foot kink-resistant hose eliminates hassle and provides long-lasting performance. The power cord reaches up to 35 feet and 10-inch wheels make this pressure washer easy to move around. Its integrated soap tank makes it a perfect all-in-one choice for keeping your vehicle clean, and our selection for the best pressure washer for cars overall.

Specifications
Power source Corded electric
Max pressure 2,100 PSI

Simpson gas pressure washer

Best gas-powered pressure washer for cars

The Simpson gas pressure washer against a white background.
Simpson
Pros Cons
Easy to startup Heavy and cumbersome
Top notch build quality
Includes Simpson accessories

If you’re looking for ample power when it comes to getting your car spotless, the Simpson gas pressure washer is going to be the best pressure washer for you. Its gas-powered motor can kick out 3,400 PSI of pressure, which also makes this a good option for keeping things like the garage floor and driveway clean. The Simpson gas pressure washer comes with several Simpson accessories, including a high pressure hose and four quick-connect nozzle tips.

Specifications
Power source Gas
Max pressure 3,400 PSI

DeWalt cordless pressure washer

Best handheld pressure washer for cars

Connecting a hose to the DeWalt cordless pressure washer.
DeWalt
Pros Cons
Cordless design Lacks power for large jobs
Draws water from any source
Light and easy to use

You can’t go wrong with DeWalt when you’re looking for high quality tools to put to use around the house, and the DeWalt cordless pressure washer lives up to that reputation. It’s the best pressure washer for cars if you’re looking for a cordless experience, as it runs on the power of DeWalt’s rechargeable batteries. It won’t be able to produce as much power as something like a gas-powered pressure washer, but it’s plenty to get the job of washing your car done, coming in at up to ten times the power of a garden hose.

Specifications
Power source Cordless battery
Max pressure 550 PSI

Westinghouse electric pressure washer

Best pressure washer for a budget

A man washes his truck with the Westinghouse ePX3100v Electric Pressure Washer.
Westinghouse
Pros Cons
Compact and lightweight Might not hold up over time
Stores easily
3-year limited warranty

While pressure washers don’t check in as the most affordable tools to keep around the house, you can manage a decent price point with the Westinghouse electric pressure washer. It doesn’t hold too much back for its price either, as it’s capable of a max pressure of 2,100 PSI. It has a super compact and lightweight design, checking in at just 18 pounds. It stores easily, even with its 25-foot hose. And if you have any concerns about shopping for a power washer on a budget, the Westinghouse electric pressure washer is backed by a 3-year limited warranty.

Specifications
Power source Corded electric
Max pressure 2,100 PSI

How we chose these best pressure washers for cars

Pressure washers have a lot of the same features across the board, and in selecting the best pressure washers for cars we wanted to help you distinguish between them. The best way to do this are by considering how you want to put the pressure washer to use. In this case we’re looking for the best pressure washers for cars. Other factors we took into account were pricing and brand recognition, as we wanted to be sure we’re recommending pressure washers that can get the job done.

Utility

There are a lot of pressure washers out there, and while many of them boast massive PSI pressure and all the power you could need, washing a car doesn’t necessarily require all of that. There are pressure washers that are best put to use washing RVs or siding on your house, and there are options that make the best pressure washers for cars. Our selections are the latter, as we kept our focus on features and qualities that are tailored to washing a vehicle.

Pricing

The best pressure washers for cars fall into a general common price point. There are super expensive pressure washers out there that are meant to remove paint from decks and clean industrial spaces. We stayed away from those, as they likely could be tailored to suit a vehicle wash, they’re overkill in both performance and pricing. We made our selections with the wallet of the general vehicle owner in mind.

Brands

While brand recognition isn’t always an important factor, we feel it is when it comes to pressure washers. These are highly pressurized tools with lots of different moving parts, especially in the case of gas-powered pressure washers. We took into account brands that have been in the business awhile and favored brands with recognizability to their name. Shooting straight to the top, of course, were brands like Craftsman and DeWalt, which have been making power tools, lawn mowers, and other household equipment that has a lot of crossover with pressure washers.

This article is managed and created separately from the Digital Trends Editorial team.

Andrew Morrisey

Andrew Morrisey is an independent writer and filmmaker with a love for tech. You can read his books, blog, and other stories on his website.

Alpine sale: Up to $160 off speakers and subs for your car
alpine speaker sale crutchfield march 2024 car and amp setup on table

If you’re looking to kit your car out with some superior speakers or a subwoofer, Crutchfield is the place to go today. Right now, there’s a huge sale on Alpine subwoofers and speakers with nearly 50 different items forming the sale. As there are so many options, the best idea is to hit the button below to see what’s around. If you don’t know where to start though, read on while we take you through some great items in the sale.

What to shop for in the Alpine sale
Buying the best aftermarket car speakers are important for anyone who spends a lot of time on the road and is currently dealing with a mediocre sound system. One good starting point in the Alpine sale is the 2-way speakers for $104 instead of $130. You get two 2-way speakers with a polypropylene/glass fiber/mica woofer with a specialized rubber surround. There’s a one-inch silk dome tweeter with speakers able to handle up to 80 watts RMS with 240 watts peak power. The grilles aren’t included but the factor ones should be fine for most purposes.

Read more
The 5 best car subscription services in 2024
A Porsche driving down the road.

Owning and leasing a vehicle used to be the two primary ways to get behind the wheel. However, that's starting to change with the advent of car subscription services. These plans essentially take leasing to the extreme, covering every aspect of car ownership aside from the cost of fuel. That means you won't have to worry about unexpected expenses related to insurance or maintenance, as your single monthly payment takes care of all those headaches.

If you plan on driving a single vehicle for a long time, owning a car is undoubtedly a more frugal option. After all, there's nothing better for your wallet than having a paid off car. But if you can't be bothered to worry about the stresses of modern car ownership -- or you love checking out a new vehicle every few months -- car subscription plans are a nice alternative.

Read more
The 5 best smart motorcycle helmets in 2024
Quin McQ open face smart motorcycle helmet on road

Riding a motorcycle without a helmet is dangerous. But sometimes they just seem inconvenient, for lack of a better term. That might put you off wearing one, which is unfortunate. You need a helmet, and you need to protect your head. What if we told you there was such a thing as a smart motorcycle helmet that included innovative tech to make the helmet much more useful? They're already practical, yes, but smart helmets are also incredibly powerful. With things like built-in cameras, like a dashcam in a car, intelligent noise suppression, Bluetooth wireless, and a bevy of other tech, they can make every ride so much more enjoyable. In the spirit of free riding, let's examine some of the best smart motorcycle helmets and what they have to offer.
The best smart motorcycle helmets in 2024

Buy the Forcite MK1S if you want a well-rounded and intelligent option.
Buy the Sena Stryker if you want excellent audio quality.
Buy the Quin McQ if you want an open-face helmet design.
Buy the CrossHelmet X1 if you want visibility enhancements.
Buy the Torc T15B if you only care about Bluetooth connectivity.

Read more