Kärcher K5 Premium, 1.4 GPM Pressure Washer with Hose Reel, Vario Power & Dirtblaster Wands - 2000 PSI

I’m a typical suburban home owner and after tons of research it was clear that the K1700 is the best choice for an around-the-house pressure washer. Check out Matt’s review of this unit on the Obsessed Garage YouTube channel for a very detailed performance test and rundown of its features. He personally tested around 30 electric pressure washers and found that he K1700 actually had more flow (1.45 GPM) than the competition, including more expensive models and even more than Karcher’s K4 and K5. Due to its performance and features he chose the K1700 exclusively to carry in his own store of heavily curated cleaning products and if you know Matt, that says a lot. The Obsessed Garage name is VERY fitting for his whole operation.My experience using it:I had it assembled in under 5 minutes without any tools, which only involved installing the wheels, handle, hose, and gun. Everything snapped or screwed together easily and all the parts fit perfectly and without issue. I read the manual in about 2 minutes and was power washing within 15 minutes of opening the box. Using it is as easy as a garden hose and works great for the things I purchased it to do. To be clear, this is not going to remove years old stains on concrete or strip paint from old cars but it did make quick work of my pollen and bird poop stained deck, mud stained brick foundation, grass stained Cub Cadet riding mower, and the bug covered front grill on my car. The unit is light weight, rolls easy, and has a nice long power cord so maneuvering it around the yard was very easy and low impact. After 2 hours of work around my house everything is looking basically brand new. Seriously, the bang for the buck here is incredible. Putting it away was as simple as disconnecting the garden hose, running the motor for 30 seconds to spray out any leftover water inside it, and coiling up the power cord and sprayer hose.Build quality:This is a sturdy feeling machine. All the plastic is nice and thick, the handle is metal and extremely easy to attach/detach. I almost went with the K1800 for the folding handle but that’s really not a necessary feature since the handle on the K1700 can be removed in 10 seconds without tools by just pressing two spring-supported metal balls. While feeling well built, it weighs under 20lbs so you can easily pick it up (or roll it) without breaking a sweat. The garden hose attachment point is metal and Karcher includes a metal swiveling female-to-female adapter for that connection as well.The best thing about the K1700, and a major advantage over the K4 and K5, is that this unit uses industry standard M22 threads and 1/4” quick disconnects on the hose and spray gun. That means you can purchase any brand of hose, gun, attachments, nozzles, swivels, quick disconnects, etc. as you expand your setup. I went ahead and bought a MATCC foam cannon and a set of various spray pattern nozzles ($17), a 50’ hose ($24), a 180 degree swiveling quick disconnect ($12), and an assortment of stainless steel quick disconnects ($8). All of them fit perfectly and work great on the K1700 and with the new quick disconnects I can snap everything together in different combinations on the fly (without needing to turn off the machine) like Lego pieces.Con?:If I had to pick one shortcoming on this machine, and this is literally the only one I can think of, it’s that the hose is too short for car washing. I highly recommend picking up a 50ft hose along with the various quick disconnects needed so you could attach the two hoses together for a total of 75ft if needed. I found 50ft to be more than enough for washing 2 cars parked in the same driveway without needing to move the machine but having the option for 75ft will be perfect when I get on the roof to clean out the gutters.Conclusion:Overall I’m extremely happy with this purchase. It makes pressure washing so easy that I can’t wait for things to get dirty so I can have a reason to use it again. I’ve been spending $20-30 per month at the car wash so the K1700 should pay for itself in car wash savings alone over 4-5 months. That’s not even counting the gas or time I use to drive and wait in line at the car wash.Setting up, using, and putting away the K1700 is so quick and easy that I wouldn’t hesitate recommending this unit to anyone, young or old, as an around-the house pressure washer. Even if you have no interest in cleaning your home/deck, this makes car washes so easy (and FUN with the foam cannon) that anyone that likes to keep their vehicles clean should pick up one of these. I even caught my neighbor sneaking a peek out his front window when I was foaming my car and then grabbing his wife to show her how cool it was. Anyone that lives in a typical suburban middle class neighborhood knows the joy making the neighbors jealous!

The media could not be loaded. I’ve been a fan of Karcher pressure washers for years — my previous one lasted a long time and handled plenty of cleaning jobs without a hitch. This new model continues that legacy. I’ve used it a few times so far, including one session that ran for nearly an hour non-stop, and it performed great with no issues.The hose connector is made of aluminum and should definitely be attached using a thin layer of thread seal tape (the kind used for plumbing, sometimes called Teflon tape) to avoid leaks — once sealed properly, the connection is tight and reliable.Overall, the unit is lightweight and easy to move around. The water pressure is moderate, which is actually a plus for me — it’s strong enough to clean windows, vehicles, and general outdoor surfaces without risking damage. If you’re looking to strip paint or clean concrete, you might need something more powerful. But for regular home use, this is excellent value for money.

Have only used it once but it works well. Only warning is to be sure you screw the hose adapter in correctly, Although both sides seem to screw in only one is correct, and not attaching it correctly (it will screw in partly in reverse) will lead you to believe that there is a large leak. Other than that one warning the assembly is very easy. Also the hose attachmnent and the varous nozzles are in the machine under the electric cord, not in the box with the wheels. Also the literature states there is a three year warranty, not just two.

Worked great! Didn't get much foam action, but I think I just need to play with the mixture that I'm using in my Blue Clean pressure washer with built-in soap dispenser and nozzle. I diluted quite a bit - maybe 10 to 1 water to soap and it still cleaned up great. Rinse, soap, wipe, rinse. Pretty simple for decent results. Cheaper and better for your car than the carwash...