Madmountainman
Registered user
So, what're you all using? THe Jury's out on whether to pay a couple of hundred on a Nilfisk, or one of it's badged Husqvarna/Stihl derivatives and simply replace when it goes wrong, or do I get a Kranzle?
An £80 K'Archer. Had it 10 plus years. It goes the patio/paths for about 8hrs a year. Never failed me...cue another saying his K'Archer was shit....
If I were replacing, I'd happily get another but with a wind up hose etc...
My experience is limited but do try to prevent the thing getting frozen if left in shed / outdoors.... Drain out the hose and lance too.
An £80 K'Archer. Had it 10 plus years. It goes the patio/paths for about 8hrs a year. Never failed me...cue another saying his K'Archer was shit....
If I were replacing, I'd happily get another but with a wind up hose etc...
Another good tip is dont connect it to very hot water as it buggers um up.
Unless its one that is designed for hoy water use of course
HTHY
Get one with a good flow rate, litres per minute
1500psi isn't worth a light, if it only has a poor flow rate
I use a commercial Karcher, the flow through the pump is huge and therefore to shift dirt, I don't need pressure - in fact I turn it right down and avoid getting pressured water where I don't want it on the bike
Being an ex fireman, you'll know about flow rate
I've asked as I bought a Stiga HPR550 last year, but sent it back as it would never syphon from the detergent tank. That one had super pressure and a decent flow rate, but with the syphon issue, I couldn't snow-foam the van and you can't fit an aftermarket applicator to the lance.
I've heard the Karcher reliability stories, but also know of their great spares availability. However, I have borrowed my neighbours cheapo Karcher and found it didn't give sufficient flow or pressure for my needs.I also have the luxury of a heated and insulated shed to store it in, so no freezing worries.
If I go mid-range i.e. Nilfisk, I still only get an aluminium pump, but reasonable reliability and attachment choice. I do like quality kit though, and will spend a reasonable amount of the toy fund to get good kit. Kranzle appear to be the best, with full spares backup like Karcher and have a multitude of attachments, brass pumps with adjustable pressure, steel reinforced hose on a substantial winding reel and are highly regarded. Unfortunately, they cost a lot of toy money, so just looking for feedback on all the options before making a commitment.