Kärcher K550M Plus
Price £179.99
Tel 01295 752 200
Web www.karcher.co.uk
Motor power 2000W
Max pressure 120 bar
Max flow 420 litres/hour
This is the first machine in the line-up that we can honestly say feels semi-professional. The 7m hose, free-moving storage reel, large integral detergent reservoir, and excellent cleaning power lends itself to anybody with several cars and caravans to clean in one go. The impressive flow rate is great when used with the rotary power jet supplied; even the grubbiest block paving will soon come up like new.
Ultimately, though, its cleaning power is not drastically better than the significantly cheaper, but just as well equipped, K2-97MB model. But we like the handle, which doubles as a convenient storage rack for the lance and standard accessories.
Verdict This is a bargain price for a machine that is almost professional level.
Rating: * * * *

Draper PW2111AK
Price £124.95
Tel 02380 266 355
Web www.drapertools.com
Motor power 1900W
Max pressure 120 bar
Max flow 450 litres/hour
Thanks to an irritatingly rorty motor, using this pressure washer for any length of time could test your relations with neighbours. But it's hard not to like this model. Cleaning power is far better than you'd expect from such a small washer, and the hose is a pleasing 6m long. The lance is rather odd to use. Set to full width, you get a super-wide 12in fan. In some way, this dilutes the pressure down too much for really effective cleaning, but it's handy for fragile parts of your van. Draper provides a flow-through brush and a separate detergent sprayer. The lack of a rotary power jet rules out returning your drive to its former glory though.
Verdict This mighty midget performs far better than you would expect.
Rating: * * *

Makita HW130
Price £187.93
Tel 01908 211 678
Web www.makitauk.com
Motor power 2100W
Max pressure 130 bar
Max flow 480 litres/hour
Makita is new to the pressure washer market, but this is quite a fine first attempt. Just like their class-leading power tools, this machine is extremely well put together and boasts several professional features. The 8m-long hose is wrapped around a free-moving reel, and the lance is just long enough to keep you from being splashed as you work. The cleaning power is almost on a par with the excellent Halfords machine. Makita has been fairly generous with the extras, too, which include a rotary brush, a rotary power jet, and even Makita branded detergent. But, as with the Halfords model, the detergent has to be used with the clip-on spray bottle, rather than through the brush.
Verdict This unit is an impressive first attempt from the power tools giant.
Rating: * * * *

Halfords HP150
Price £129.99
Tel 08457 626 625
Web www.halfords.com
Motor power 2300W
Max pressure 150 bar
Max flow 420 litres/hour
Top pressure of 150 bar is a big claim for a unit costing £130. But its performance is so good it beats our Choice. While there's plenty of space for its accessories, there isn't anything as convenient as JCB's hose reel. The hose is 6m long, so moving this unit around can be fairly tricky. It comes with a rotary power jet, a rotary brush and a separate clip-on spray bottle for detergent. This means you can't use the rotary brush and detergent together.
Verdict Loads of power, well priced, but not as good a package as JCB's PW9TSS
Rating: * * * *

Erbauer 37227
Price £179.95
Tel 0500 414 141
Web www.screwfix.com
Motor power 2000W
Max pressure 130 bar
Max flow 450 litres/hour
Mail-order giant Screwfix Direct's Erbauer brand is another newcomer to pressure washers, and it has got a lot of this machine spot on. This model is beautifully finished, but, more important, its cleaning power is excellent, easily on a par with this month's award winners. There's plenty of room for stashing the lance, hoses, and accessories on the unit. The hose is a generous 8m long, and there are two integral detergent tanks, although the instructions don't really explain why. However, two factors let the side down. First, that ultra-long pressure hose is very prone to kinking. Second, at this price a rotary power jet ought to be included.
Verdict A good-quality machine, but it's just too dear compared to similar rivals.
Rating: * * *

Michelin 12180
Price £139.99
Tel 01980 676 400
Web www.caeurope.co.uk
Motor power 1300W
Max pressure 100 bar
Max flow 360 litres/hour
Everything on this unit seems beautifully engineered and extremely well put together. The lance is second in quality only to those on Karcher's entries, and this is easily the quietest unit here. But, as much as we like good engineering and durability, this model is not very impressive. The top flow rate and pressure seem pretty low for a unit of this size. We also feel that a price of £140 is too much for a machine with only average cleaning ability, especially when the only extra component included is a clip-on bottle. Extra accessories are available, but they won't be hanging up in your local DIY store, the way extras for more familiar brands do.
Verdict Solid, quiet, and smooth running. It could do with more cleaning bite and extras.
Rating: * *

SIP Tempest T480/130/S
Price £281.91
Tel 01509 500 300
Web www.sip-group.com
Motor power 2300Wa
Max pressure 145 bar
Max flow 480 litres/hour
This machine goes beyond semi-professional; it feels like it would work happily all day. The Tempest easily displays the best cleaning power of any model on test. Even with its fan setting turned to a stonking maximum 18in wide, it has plenty of muck- shifting bite. The long 1m lance keeps you well away from all the water and dirt, too. Clip on the rotary power jet, and you'll be amazed how quickly the biggest areas of block paving can be rejuvenated. To be fair, this is the sort of performance you'd expect from a machine at this price. And, in a way, SIP falls down by being mean with the extras. Just one solitary clip-on detergent bottle is provided other than the rotary jet.
Verdict A professional machine, at a typically professional price.
Rating: * * *

Kärcher K2.97MB Pressure Washer
Price £99.99
Tel 01295 752 200
Web www.karcher.co.uk
Motor power 1500W
Max pressure 110 bar
Max flow 340 litres/hour
Given the performance and price of this model, it's not hard to see why Kärcher is the number-one brand in pressure washers. In so many ways, this does what far more expensive models can. The power lead and hose are about as long as on top-bracket models, and its cleaning power follows close behind. The machine's design provides adequate on-board storage for all the bits that come with it. These include a flow-through brush, a rotary power jet and an integral detergent reservoir. The lance is slightly disappointing, being shorter than most at 72cm. But this is offset by the pressure control that's built into the nozzle end, which is very handy when cleaning close to seams.
Verdict This is comprehensively equipped, and cleans better than its figures suggest.
Rating: * * * *

Kärcher K 090
Price £49.99
Tel 01295 752 200
Web www.karcher.co.uk
Motor power 1400W
Max pressure 100 bar
Max flow 330 litres/hour
This may be the cheapest machine here, but Kärcher has applied its know-how to develop a basic unit that's definitely usable. As you'd expect, the cleaning bite is much lower than those offered by bigger machines in our test. But good results are achievable with patience, despite the lance being permanently set to a 4in-wide fan jet. One ingenious cost-cutting measure is a tube that can be dunked into a bottle of suitable detergent. This means you get all the benefits of reservoir based cleaning, but without inflating the price. It's no surprise that extras are not bundled in. But, the massive selection of accessories available from most DIY outlets will fit the K090, too.
Verdict Cheap and cheerful, it comes with few features, but works well for price.
Rating: * *

JCB PW9TSS
Price £149.99
Tel 0500 144 444
Web www.jcbshop.com
Motor power 2300W
Max pressure 150 bar
Max flow 420 litres/hour
This well-thought out package is from a brand that knows a thing or two about shifting dirt, albeit on a grander scale. The impressive on-paper spec translates into very impressive cleaning ability. JCB has worked hard on the practicalities, too. The hose and power lead are both 5m long. The 80cm lance keeps you reasonably clear of the action at the wet end. Of course, long hoses and leads could make this unit a nightmare to move and store. But fortunately there are enough reels and slots to store all components easily, including the rotary power jet and rotary brush, which are supplied. An integral detergent tank is yet another bonus.
Verdict This well-designed unit is powerful, and supplied with several useful accessories.
Rating: * * * * *

Draper PW2210
Price £218
Tel 02380 266 355
Web www.drapertools.com
Motor power 2200W
Max pressure 140 bar
Max flow 480 litres/hour
This and SIP's model have a lot in common. Both are a step up from the average semi-pro units, but neither feels like especially great value for money. In the cleaning stakes, the Draper is impressive but doesn't quite have the awesome ability of SIP's unit. The 7m hose and 1m long lance do give a professional feel though, and suitable storage places for them are built into the casing. We're also pleased to see that the designers have included an integral detergent tank. But the PW2210 loses points for exactly the same reason as the SIP: it falls short in its provisions of useful accessories as standard, and, at this price level, that omission is a serious faux-pas. It doesn't even include a rotary power jet. Verdict A good all-rounder, but it doesn't have enough accessories to justify the price.
Rating: * *

Erbauer 93987
Price £99.95
Tel 0500 414 141
Web www.screwfix.com
Motor power 1750W
Max pressure 120 bar
Max flow 360 litres/hour
The second Erbauer in our selection looks every bit as smart as the first. The brand should be commended for the high-quality finish of its new range. Oddly, the hose supplied with it, although shorter than that on the 37227, is actually much more kink resistant than the one bundled with the bigger machine. The biggest drawback, in reality, is the price. The unit doesn't seem overly expensive, but Karcher's K2.97MB costs the same. And that has more cleaning bite, an integral detergent tank, and both a brush and rotary power jet supplied. In contrast, this comes with a single clip-on detergent sprayer, and the relatively short lance means you get a bit closer to the wet action than is desirable.
Verdict A good unit, but it's just too dear compared to its peers.
Rating: * *