( 6 reviews )
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Posted: Jul 2 2009
As other reviewers have said, the box came damaged although the machine didn't seem to be affected. Assembly was not difficult but disassembly would be very hard because of hidden screws. The PW181000AV has good power and the turbo nozzle works very well. After about 1/2 hour of use, pressure falls off significantly and I have to stop using it for about a 1/2 hour, presumable so the motor can cool down. That's annoying.
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Posted: Jun 6 2009
Here's the good - the unit has a small footprint, relatively light, you don't have to deal with gas, oil, etc. and does a pretty good job of cleaning for the DIY. The mixed blessing is that this is one of the better electric units and will barely make it past the one year warranty, then the pump and motor give out on your leaving you with a useless machine. In a way, you'd be better off with a cheaper unit so you can at least get a refund, new unit etc. when it will predictably fail in 3-6 months. I have used this unit for 14 months and here are my observations: 1) unit keeps turning on and off. This becomes more frequent as your cleaning session progresses. 2) There seems to be an air pressure issue. Even when the motor and pump are on and water is coming out, there is very little pressure. I have found the best way to relieve this is to take off the tip, squeeze the trigger and let the air purge out, then re-attach the tip. 3) The hose is too stiff so you can never wrap it neatly around the unit - you will have both the power and hose cords spread all over the place. 4) If you put any cleaning or soap solution in the tank it will come out regardless of turning the switch to "off". It also leaks very badly (both tanks) so whatever you have left over will leave a pool of messy liquid near the base of the unit during storage. Another note: I brought the now broken unit to an authorized dealer. They can not obtain the parts for this unit as the manufacturer does not even sell them. The technician also said that the pump often costs $150 plus labor - you may as well get a new unit. They also told me that most electric washers only last 3-6 months and I was "fortunate" that mine lasted a full year. If you have any interest in a quality machine, go to gas only - you will be hugely disappointed with every electric.
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Posted: Mar 29 2009
I used a neighbor's pressure washer about a month ago and fell in love with the concept. My neighbor had a gas powered 2850psi unit which REALLY did a job!!!!! I didn't want to pay as much for one so, I researched around and found the CH to be adequate for a lot less. Well, to make a long story short....it isn't close !! If you want to wash the car, clean gutters and light duty stuff like that, it is OK. Now, when I say wash cars, I mean that you STILL have to have a pail and brush to wash it. SO, I guess I mean you can use the CH to get the car wet and rinse it. I use the detergent tank for dispensing a wax that makes the car look nice. Make sure to dilute the wax first!! Another thing that prompted me to buy this one is that it is Made in the U.S.A. Kinda disappointed on that one. Everything is so-so until it comes to the hose. Now I can see why people buy imported stuff. Why make a quasi nice machine and put such a cheap hose on it. I hate using it because you have to fight with the hose from kinking and twisting every which way. Why can't an American company make something they can be proud of?? All-in-all, buy the better machine systems, you will be glad you did. I wish now that I had.
