How powerful are pressure washers?

How powerful are pressure washers?

Pressure washers dramatically outperform a standard garden hose, which typically delivers only 40–60 PSI. Consumer electric models start around 1,300–1,900 PSI — already 20–30 times a hose’s pressure — while gas-powered residential units commonly reach 2,700–3,400 PSI. Professional and commercial machines operate in the 3,000–4,500 PSI range, and specialized industrial equipment can exceed 40,000 PSI for tasks like cutting through concrete or metal, though that’s far beyond anything used for cleaning. GPM (gallons per minute) matters alongside PSI, since it determines how much water — and therefore how much loosened dirt — actually gets carried away. Together, these numbers explain why pressure washers can strip paint, etch concrete, or cause serious injury if mishandled, despite looking, at a glance, like a slightly stronger garden hose.