I know there is a lot of confusion when it comes to purchasing a power washer.

Lets discuss some of the different types of power washing units on the market. The direct drive unit, sold at most of the big box stores, is cheaper but doesn't last as long as some of the other types of units. On a direct drive unit the water pump turns at the same RPM's as the engine even though it could run at much less RPM. This coupled with the fact that the pump is also more susceptible to vibration from the engine lessens the longevity of the pump.

A belt driven unit is more expensive but will last for years if maintained regularly. The pump on a belt driven unit receives almost no vibration and operates at much less RPM's than the direct drive unit. This is because the water pump is rotated by a belt and pulley system powered from the engine. The size of the pulleys can slow down the RPM's coming from the engine before it gets to the water pump and the belt absorbs most of the engines vibration. These factors make a belt driven unit more expensive but they notoriously will last much longer than a direct drive.

There are also gear reduction power washers that try to achieve the same results as the belt drive but they aren't as reliable. If a gear tooth breaks you're in trouble, and there always seems to be problems with the gear case gasket leaking.

Most professional reputable cleaning contractors will use the belt driven units for reliability. They are used and abused almost daily, so the extra cost is well worth it.

For most homeowners that aren't going to be using their units everyday, the more affordable direct drive unit is probably the best choice. Like stated, this is the type of units that are sold at the big box stores.

How fast you can clean something depends on the gallons per minute the unit puts out. This is the water flow that the pump will put out show as a number followed by GPM. A small unit would be anywhere from 1-3 GPM. Most of the direct drive units sold will be in this range. Basically the more GPM the more efficient the washer but also the more expensive. A 3 GPM direct drive unit will set you back around $1000.

Most contractors use units of 5 GPM and more. For a homeowner a unit with a 2-3 GPM rating will be sufficient. I do not recommend anything less. Most of the smaller units like 2 GPM or less are electric and just don't last, even if not used that often. They also clean so slow that you'll just get frustrated.

Honda engines are by far the best and most any brand water pump on a smaller unit will do fine if taken care of. Three tips to help extend the life of your pump; 1) Be sure to change the pump oil once a season or more often if you use the unit a lot. 2) Always have a running water hose connected to the inlet side of the pump before you turn the engine on. 3) Never let the unit run for more than a minute without pulling the trigger on the pressure wand. This allows cool water to circulate through the pump, otherwise the pump could burn up. The power washer will have a bypass on it but regardless, if it runs for more than a minute the water in the pump starts to heat up.