[RickM]

My PW is one of my most useful tools.

Brain dump:

Like other tools you have to purchase according to your needs. I have quite a bit of brick decking around my pool which is cleaned 1-2 times a year. When the pool is empty there's alot of area to clean. Then there's the (wooden) deck and a couple of redwood privacy walls. That said, if you plan on using for larger projects then go with a gas powered PW (5 HP min) with as high a Gallons Per Minute output you can afford. It's not all about PSI. That term is exploited for marketing. Sure you want high pressure but you need a large volume to cover larger areas quickly. Any quality unit will have sufficient HP and PSI to back up the GPS rating.

I purchased my unit from, believe it or not, Harbor Freight many years ago. The trick is to buy a unit with brand name components....namely the engine and the pump. Good pump brands are Giant, CAT, General, Comet and Annovi Reverberi. With engines choose a quality Tecumseh, B&S or better yet Honda.

Also, when choosing a unit insist on non-marking hose. It wont bleed it's color when wet.

BTW, if you just plan on doing occasional work like wheel covers, a small patio etc then you may be best off buying a smaller gas or electric unit.