Best Pressure Washer For Driveway – Buyers Guide

Say hello to your home’s curb appeal and goodbye to the tough stains with the best pressure washer for driveway. 

Why Use A Pressure Washer For Cleaning Driveways?

Pressure washers are great for getting rid of black mold and algae stuck to the ground as the high-pressure stream will wipe them off completely. You can use these powerful machines to clean driveways, patios, porches, or really any concrete surface you desire.

A driveway isn’t as fine as a poolside, so you can’t just clean it with a mop and some detergent; it just won’t cut it. The difference a pressure washer can make is immense. Unlike a mop, brush, and bucket, the sheer power of a pressure washer is enough to wash away any dirt or debris you want.

But how do you choose the best pressure washer for the driveway if required? Which nozzle is most appropriate for this task? All your burning questions will be answered in this guide as we have rigorously tested and compiled the list of the very best options out there. Let’s begin.

10 Best Pressure Washers for Driveways in 2022

We’ll give you a rundown of the best options on the market, from high-powered washers to more budget-friendly options to pressure wash driveways. We’ll also give you some tips on how to choose the right pressure washer for your needs in the last section.

So whether you’re looking for a powerful pressure washer to clean your driveway or a more budget-friendly option, we’ve got you covered. Read on for the best pressure washers for driveways in 2022.

1. Simpson Megashot Cleaning MSH3125 – Best Pressure Washer For Driveway – Honda Powered

Simpson’s renowned quality and brand image shine bright with this unit. The GC190 Honda Engine mixed with the 8000CU efficiency ensures commercial-level performance that will clean even the nastiest of driveways and vinyl sidings easily. This unit gets our seal of approval.

Honda GC-190 Residential Engine

The MSH3125 is a premium package that offers no-compromise features. It comes with a heavy-duty steel frame build and pneumatic tires which scream quality.

The Honda GC190’s 3200 PSI max pressure and 2.5 GPM are more than enough for cleaning driveways. This unit is mobile, durable, reliable and an all-around fantastic machine that can get any job done.

Quick Connect Nozzles

We used all 5 stainless steel nozzles that come provided with this machine and connect extremely easily to the wand. Although not meant for cleaning driveways specifically, each of them still offered an incredible stream perfect for certain tasks like cleaning encrusted gunk, washing the concrete with soap, and doing the general 25° wash.

MorFlex Hose to Move Easily

The included hose felt extremely durable and did not leak even once in our testing and because of its flexible nature, we were able to move around this unit freely even on a rough driveway.

Even under full pressure, not that you’ll ever need it, this machine did not flinch and provided an even cleaning experience like none other.

OEM Axial Cam Pump

The OEM Technologies axial cam pump that comes with this unit is one of the best out there. Not only is it highly reliable, but it requires little to no maintenance at all.

Simpson Cleaning MSH3125 has a thermal relief system built in to let warm water inside the pump escape when need be.

All in all this Honda-powered gas pressure washer is the best pressure washer for driveways as well as performs great if you want to power wash your deck yourself.

2.  Westinghouse WPX2700 – Top Machine For The Best Pressure Washers For Driveways

The highly accessible nature of this unit combined with its value makes this our number 1 choice for homeowners looking to stay under a budget. You won’t ever be held back with its 2700PSI max pressure and 2.3 GPM flow rate.

On-Board Soap Tank

The WPX2700 is extremely easy to set up, you’ll be up and running with this washer in a matter of minutes! It comes with all the accessories you need out of the box including 4 different nozzles—0°, 20°, 40°, soap— and a built-in 0.5-gallon detergent tank so you don’t have to lug around one yourself.

212cc Gas-Powered Engine

Powered by a gas engine, the 2700 PSI pressure proves it’s no joke. It can clean any surface you want and that too with ease. It creates a concentrated stream that can be easily maneuvered with the provided nozzles.

Great Price to Performance Ratio

In our testing, we found its flow rate of 2.3 GPM combined with the max pressure sufficient and it never overdrew from our hose.

The standard 20° nozzle cleaned our driveway quickly and with the 0° tip we were easily able to get the age-old tar in the crevices of the driveway pulled out effortlessly. It has more than enough power and will get your surfaces cleaned effortlessly.

CARB Compliant Pressure Washer For Driveways 

Apart from having a 3-year warranty, the WPX2700 follows the CARB guidelines to meet contemporary emission standards.

The unit is less pollutive than others on the market and will create less harmful toxins which will lead to better air quality.

3. Mrliance 3600PSI 1800W Electric– Best Pressure Washer For Driveway 

The sheer power of this machine provides an incredible cleaning potential on top of the portability aspect allowing you to be very mobile with it while washing your dirty and stained driveway.

The unit is built well and offers a nice sleek profile that doesn’t take up much space on your driveway. We recommend this for its overall versatility in its feature set and capabilities.

Highly Portable

The lightweight nature of this machine allows it to be carried around everywhere, it’s so light that you can actually even pick it up and take it around with you! The included power cable is long enough to accommodate mobility and the 25-foot hose is perfect for cleaning long driveways.

Power Washer Potential

The mrliance 3600PSI is so powerful that it can even be labeled as a power washer because of its incredible maximum pressure, especially considering it’s a residential unit.

It comes with an 1800-watt electric motor to accommodate that max pressure and that’s how it can achieve 2.4 GPM at 3600 PSI-the best PSI to clean concrete driveways, resulting in an efficiency of 8460 CU.

Safe and Sound Operation

The TTS in this unit will automatically turn off the pump when you’re not using the pressure washer saving electricity. On top of that, the GFCI and IPX5 protection give you that extra peace of mind and ensure longevity.

Trouble-Free Assembly 

It requires minimal assembly out of the box and that too is a straightforward process. The hose reel is built into the top of the washer itself saving you the hassle.

All you have to do is connect the hose to the pump, connect the trigger gun to the hose, choose your nozzle and get to cleaning!

4. BLUBERY 3500PSI 212CC – Best Driveway Cleaner Machine

The sleek black profile of this unit provides for a great look on top of its monstrous 50-foot long hose and 3500 PSI max pressure. This is the most heavy-duty pressure washer on our list because of its incredible ruggedness and powerful features.

50-foot Hose For More Out-Reach

Where pretty much every other pressure washer comes included with a 25ft or at best a 30ft hose, this unit includes a monstrous 50-foot long hose. Such a length ensures that you’ll be able to get to every single corner of your driveway with ease and never have to worry about getting a longer hose which will add to your expenses.

13″ Pneumatic Tires For Easy Maneuvering 

Another feature that advocates for the sturdiness of this unit are its huge 13″ pneumatic tires. You rarely see pneumatic tires packaged with a residential washer unless it’s a high-end unit.

The sheer size of these tires also makes sure that the washer will always stand up firmly and move against the concrete like a champ.

2.6 GPM Flow Rate With 3500PSI Makes It Perfect For Driveway

The flow rate of this unit is sure to satisfy even the most demanding of users. Any kind of grime or dirt on your driveway can be easily leached away with the mighty 2.6 GPM flow rate, combined with the 3500 PSI max pressure, that this machine offers.

The gas-powered engine is made to withstand heavy-duty usage and can even do power washing on top of regular pressure washing!

5. Sun Joe SPX3000 2030 – Best Pressure Washer For Driveway 2022

This #1 best seller on Amazon packs a punch above its weight offering great features at an extremely affordable price. The electric operation is perfect for homeowners looking to get a silent, lightweight, and versatile pressure washer than clean concrete driveways within a budget.

Steal Of A Deal – Best Pressure Washer For All Purpose

The amount of features and performance you get out of this machine for its price is honestly an unbelievable value. The unit is built well and can endure against concrete without any issues.

Sunjoe Spx3000 got a lightweight profile that makes it incredibly portable and perfect to lug around everywhere. The 2030 PSI max pressure alongside the 1.7 GPM flow rate is enough to power to cleanse any concrete driveway you want.

2.8 Litre Twin Detergent Tanks

Another feature that separates this from the rest is its high detergent storage capacity. The Sun Joe SPX3000 comes with two detergent tanks that can carry different types of detergents that you can mix together for even more potent cleaning. You won’t need to worry about changing the soap tanks or mixing the detergents beforehand anymore as the washer will do it for you!

Very Easy To Put Together 

You only need to assemble the handle with 4 screws, a couple of small things like the wand holder and click the detergent tanks in place and you’re all set! The machine is small and quiet because of its electric motor so you can store it easily wherever you want. It’s not heavy therefore allows for a lot of portability, you can pick it up and carry it with you around your driveway as well.

6. TACKLIFE 3200PSI 2.4GPM – Best Pressure Washer For Concrete Driveway

An all-around great option for amateur homeowners because of its excellent efficiency and performance capable of shining even the darkest of driveways. The included accessories make sure you won’t have to buy any after-market attachments and the deep cleaning power of this unit will never leave you wanting more.

Powerful And Stellar Pressure Washer

This is a high-quality unit capable of deep cleaning all sorts of stains and smudges that have been encrusted into the surface for years.

The 3200 PSI gas engine tackles every cleaning situation eloquently and the 2.4 GPM was enough water to wash away all that nasty mold stuck in our concrete driveway. You could even use this on a smaller commercial level and be absolutely fine with its great performance.

Assembled Out The Box

This unit practically comes fully assembled for you in the box. All you need to do is fill the oil tank and throw in the gas. Apart from that, just a single screw to connect the gun holster and a few clip-one will get you up and running.

The instructions are simple and easy to follow for everyone including beginners. We found the customer service to be quite helpful and welcoming in this regard too.

Robust And Easy To Move 

The steel tube frame is built well and feels professional. It is assisted with giant 11” textured tires that provide extra traction on concrete. This unit never proved to be a nuisance in our testing since it stayed in place firmly and allowed us to be rough with the hose without worrying about tripping the washer on concrete and damaging it.

7. WHOLESUN 3000PSI – Best Driveway Pressure Washer 

A compact electric pressure washer that can take care of your driveways and help in other cleanings around the house too. With its 3000 PSI max pressure and 2 years of warranty, you can set your worries aside and expect a sanitized driveway every time.

Compact & Handy Electric Pressure Washer

Coming in at just 19 pounds, this pressure washer is almost feathery, everyone can pick it up no matter how inexperienced they are.

It’s versatile with its capabilities and size so you can wash your driveway and other things like your fence, deck, and roof as well. With its 33-foot long hose, you will never run out of length and feel limited in your mobility.

Reduced Vibration & Noise

The 1800W electric motor installed in this unit ensures that there will be almost no noise at all. Gas-powered engines often produce a lot of vibrations but the WHOLESUN counters that with its powerful electric motor.

In our testing, the washer remained stable wherever we parked it on our concrete driveway so you can expect the same.

ETL Certified

This pressure washer has ETL certification which means it is tested under harsh conditions for various things like environmental benefits, safety, and health. All in all, the safety standards dictate that this is a completely harmless and properly assembled machine that does not skimp out on any safety mechanisms.

The GFCI protection on top of the IPX5 water protection further constitutes this point so you don’t have to worry about external water running this pressure washer’s lifespan.

8. Powerhouse International Platinum Edition 3000 PSI – Best Power washer For Driveway

An extremely feature-rich power washer that gives even gas-powered pressure washers a tough time. With many added conveniences, this is the perfect pressure washer for homeowners looking to buy and invest in a good washer once and not spend a single dime again.

Accessories To Easly Clean Concrete & Driveways

This pressure comes with a whole plethora of add-ons that make sure you won’t ever have to buy after-market accessories ever again. You get an angled nozzle and a turbo nozzle to fulfill all your cleaning needs along with 5 standard nozzles, 0°, 15°, 25°, 40°, and watering.

Additionally, you get a stainless steel lance to connect those 2 proprietary nozzles, a soap/foam sprayer that connects externally, and a soft bristle brush.

Removable Cart

You get a 4-wheeled detachable cart that you can connect when you want to move around the washer but once you want to secure it in place, just lock the wheels and the washer will stand securely on the concrete without moving.

Furthermore, you can even entirely detach the cart for more efficient storage or if you want to carry around the washer with the retracting handle. This single feature is so helpful that makes this machine one of the best pressure washers for driveways.

Convenient Power Cable

The included power cable is 35-foot long making it very easy for you to plug in once and not worry about moving with the pressure washer freely. There is a handle on the side of the washer to tow your power cable securely into, that came in very handy when we rolled up our power cable back and wanted to store it in a safe place.

9. MOOSOO 1800W 3000PSI – Best Power Washer Driveway 

This highly versatile unit provides very easy installation and offers a great price-to-performance ratio that a gas-powered unit simply can’t. A great machine for amateurs diving into their first experience with a pressure washer without breaking the bank.

Safety Motor With TSS

The MOOSOO 3000PSI features a great safety precaution. It’s electric motor can detect when the washer has gotten too hot and to prevent any damage to the washer or you, it shuts itself off automatically. In our testing, upon reaching almost 100°, the motor shut off to cool everything down.

3000 PSI Max Pressure To Blow Away Dirt From Driveways

This is a fairly powerful machine. The 3000 PSI max pressure combined with the 2.3 GPM flow rate allows for decent efficiency and provides a lot of cleaning potential. Even with the 1450 PSI pressure under a typical load, we were able to clean moss, algae, mold, and even some age-old oil stains by using different provided nozzles.

For cleaning concrete driveways, this unit is more than enough to fulfill your needs.

34” Wand For Better Reach

The included gun lance has a length of 34 inches which was long enough in our testing for us to not bend over while cleaning. A lot of pressure washers include shorter wands that force you to sit or bend to reach some of the crevices in your concrete but not this unit! The 35ft power cord is also a nice touch to ensure freedom of movement.

10. PowRyte Elite 4500PSI 3.5GPM – Best Pressure Washer For Driveways

This behemoth of a pressure washer houses a 4500 PSI max pressure and 3.5 GPM flow rate inside an electrical body that is portable yet durable. You can eradicate the dirt from existence with this washer and your concrete driveway will shine as it has never before. We highly recommend this one to power users looking to get more out of their pressure washers.

 

Monstrous Power To Clean Concrete Driveways

This unit packs in an 1800-watt electric motor that is capable of outputting a max pressure of 4500 PSI, that too at an insane flow rate of 3.5 GPM.

That level of performance is overkill for residential needs, in fact, it’s so overly excessive that you can get a lot of commercial work done with this as well.

The price at which all this power can be yours is what’s really enticing and you won’t be able to find a more powerful residential unit than this, regardless of the price range.

Extreme Cleaning Potential

We put this washer through its paces and found out just how much of a beast it was. We simulated a 25-year-old concrete driveway in our testing and this cooler was able to tower through it with all the provided nozzles.

All the nasty dirt washed away with the 3.5 GPM flow rate and we never found ourselves wanting more power.

Light-weight

Even though this unit packs a punch unlike any other on our list, it still manages to keep its weight limited to just 26 pounds because of its electric motor, making this portable under many scenarios.

Best Pressure Washer For Driveway Buyer’s Guide

Before you choose which pressure washer to buy for cleaning your concrete driveway, consider the following things:

The Power:

This is indicative of simply how much performant your pressure washer is. You can judge the power of a pressure washer by its maximum PSI, or Pound Square Per Inch. The higher the PSI, the stronger your stream of water will be.

For cleaning concrete driveways, you need at least 2000 PSI but not more than 3000 PSI. While having the extra headroom is great, you have to be careful with the pressure. Too much pressure can actually strip or damage your driveway. Use the nozzles to your advantage and control the PSI that way.

The Efficiency:

Along with PSI, another important number is the flow rate which is calculated in Gallons Per Minute (GPM). This represents how much water will be sucked from your garden hose every minute. Obviously, a higher number will mean more water coming out the nozzle but you have to be cautious about not overdrawing from your hose.

Also, higher GPMs will utilize more water so if you want to be more conservative and save water then opt for a low GPM unit.

Both PSI and GPM multiply with each other to form the efficiency which is denoted by CU (or Cleaning Units). There is a sweet spot for this and that’s 8000 CU. Anything in this ballpark will offer optimal performance while not wasting water simultaneously. Go purchase a pressure washer that isn’t lower than 7000CU or higher than 9000CU.

The Pump:

Pressure washers need a pump to operate and that pump could be driven by either an electric motor or a gas-powered engine. Electric motors are more efficient, less noisy, and also lightweight. They’re great for the amateur homeowner who doesn’t want to spend their time on maintenance.

Gas-powered engines are more heavy-duty, they’re louder, and offer more performance than an electric unit. However, they require gas to operate and can be a nuisance to be portable.

But, if you want sheer power and reliability then gas engines can wash your concrete driveways better than anything else.

The Extras:

While this attribute doesn’t matter significantly, it’s always nice to be conscious of the consumer and provide accessories in the box. These could be extra nozzles, a hose reel, a detergent tank, and so forth.

This is entirely up to you, if you fancy the free add-ons then go for a unit that offers valuable extras out of the box, saving you some money on your end.

How To Clean Driveway With Pressure Washers

Prerequisites:

Before you power on your pressure washer. First of all remove all decorations, toys, ornaments, really anything that’s in the way from your driveway, get the driveway entirely cleared.

Next, make sure to cover up your plants or shrubs on the side with a large cloth to protect them from any kind of detergent splash or the washer itself.

Moving on, use a leaf blower, if you can, to clean the small surface-level debris like dust, leaves, etc… If you don’t have a leaf blower, just use a rack but whatever you do, don’t leave the debris as is.

Lastly, if you have age-old stains that you know would be difficult for the washer to clean then spot-treating them with a concrete detergent is a great idea to make sure they’re properly washed away.

The Main Event:

Get your detergent mix and attach it to your washer. Connect your pump inlet to the garden hose, connect the power cord accordingly and make sure everything on the washer including the hose, wand, and nozzle, is connected and ready to go.

Turn on the washer and press the trigger for 30 seconds to let all the air out from the pump. Because we’re using detergent to deep-clean our driveway, we used the provided soap (black) nozzle.

Start cleaning your driveway from the top, or the part closest to your house, and make your way down to the bottom, the part closest to the road. Wash in small instances to make sure that the soap doesn’t dry out and everything gets washed evenly.

Use an angled nozzle, at 20° to get the dirt out of all the crevices and cracks. If there is an area in your driveway that’s hard to access or has some really nasty gunk stuck to it then the 0° nozzle can do the job, just keep in mind that nozzle is the highest pressure one possible so be careful with it.

Be confident with the washer, and you will be done with the cleaning in no time.

Post-Treatment:

If you have a surface cleaner then now is the time to let it do its job. The best way to utilize a surface cleaner would be to instantly use it after you’re done with one part of the driveway.

Now that the driveway is riddled with soap, use the surface cleaner to rinse from side to side and then move on to the next part of the driveway accordingly.

Once you’re done. Just make sure everything is looking nice and even and there are no uneven or dirty spots visible. Pack everything up and store it back in its place.

Finally, use a sealant and apply it over the top of the entire driveway. That will allow the driveway to remain cleaner for longer and it will also make your next pressure wash easier.

FAQs – Best Pressure Washers For Driveways

How many psi to clean the driveway?

In general, though, you'll need a pressure washer that produces at least 2,000 psi to clean your driveway effectively. But if you have a particularly large or dirty driveway, you may need a pressure washer that produces 3000 psi. Do not exceed this limit.

Is 2000 psi enough to clean the driveway?

2000 psi is enough to clean your driveway. In most cases, you won't need more than 2500 psi to get the job done. It is not recommended to clean your driveway with a pressure washer that has a PSI (pounds per square inch) of less than 3000 psi.

Final Verdict

It can be a pain in the neck to clean your old, dirty driveway. Who knows what kind of gunk lies within the crevices of the concrete driveway? With the use of the best pressure washer for the driveway, you can say goodbye to all your worries and let the machine do the talking.

With our list of the very best options out there today, you can choose any machine for your driveway without worrying about broken promises or sub-par quality.

We put each of the units in harsh conditions and wholeheartedly abused them to make sure they can withstand the test of time and that they were up to the standards of cleaning our driveway.