Originally Posted By: bubbatime
This one is my area of expertise:
1) NO vertical pumps. They are garbage.
2) You want a horizontal pump
3) Honda GX200 or clone engines.
4) If confused, please read #3 again. These engine run, and run, and run, and run, and almost never break, and when they do, you can buy parts for them for $10. New coil? $10 Need a new carburetor? $10. They are CHEAP to keep running, and easy to keep running. Best engines in the world for a home owner pressure washer.
5) A real Honda GX200 with a real Cat pump will set back $750 to $1000 ish.
6) The clones are almost just as good.
7) Absolutely avoid ANY Honda GC engines. They are not durable enough for a pressure washer and you WILL break the plastic camshaft within 100 hours. DO NOT BUY a pressure washer with a HONDA GC engine.
8) Do not buy a pressure washer with a Subaru engine.
9) You really cant go wrong with the Harbor Freight or Northern Tool (horizontal shaft engine) pressure washers, for the price.
10) Pump is not all that important. Why? Because the cheapy horizontal pumps will give you hundreds of hours of use before they die. And then, if that happens, you go buy a replacement CAT pump, slap it on your perfectly fine engine, and then you are back in business for another 15 years.
11) Generac sucks. Avoid.
12) Definitely use ethanol free gas in them if you have that in your area. And store it with Stabil fuel stabilizer. Pressure washers get stores a lot more than they get used, and you don't want the ethanol fuel gumming up your carburetor.
Good deals for the money, with Honda GX200 clone engines:
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200664483_200664483
https://www.harborfreight.com/lawn-garde...-iii-62200.html
The real deal, good stuff, if you want to spend the money(try to find a GX200 instead of the lower power GX160 though):
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200594736_200594736
How does this look? https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200664483_200664483?cm_mmc=Google-pla&utm_source=Google_PLA&utm_medium=Pressure%20Washers%20%3E%20Gas-Cold%20Water%20Pressure%20Washers&utm_campaign=Powerhorse&utm_content=750143&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIj9nA0trr2gIVj7bACh1XPw4QEAQYAyABEgI5wvD_BwE