Okay, so I finally got my hands on one of those portable pressure cleaners. Been meaning to try one out for ages. My car gets filthy, especially the wheels, and dragging out the big, corded pressure washer is just a pain sometimes. Plus, my patio flags looked grim.

Getting Started

So, I picked one up. Not gonna lie, when I first unboxed it, I thought, "Is this little thing gonna do anything?" It felt pretty light, mostly plastic, but solid enough. Mine came with a battery, a charger, a hose that looked like it could suck water from a bucket, and a couple of different spray nozzles. Looked simple enough.

First thing, I charged the battery fully. Took a couple of hours, maybe? While that was happening, I read the instructions, which were okay, kinda basic. Figured the best way was just to try it.

First Use - The Car Wash

I decided to tackle the car first. Didn't want to mess with hooking it up to the main tap yet, so I grabbed a clean bucket. Filled it up with water. Then, I attached the hose thingy to the cleaner, stuck the filter end into the bucket, and clipped the battery in. Felt a bit weird, relying on a bucket for water.

• Attached the wider spray nozzle first.
• Pointed it away, pulled the trigger. Took a few seconds to prime, sucking the water up.
• Then, whoosh! Water came out.

The pressure? Honestly, it wasn't like my big corded washer. Not even close. But, for rinsing off loose dirt and dust, it worked alright. I sprayed down the whole car. It was definitely easier than just using a regular hose nozzle, gave a bit more force.

Then I switched to the more direct, pinpoint nozzle for the wheels. This was better. It had enough kick to blast away most of the brake dust and grime caked in the corners. Still had to get in there with a brush for the really stubborn bits, but it made the job faster. Handling it was super easy because it's light and no cord to worry about tripping over.

Trying it on the Patio

Next day, I thought I'd try the patio flags near the back door. They get green and slippery. Used the bucket method again. This time, I used the stronger nozzle setting right away.

It definitely cleaned them! You could see the difference where I sprayed. It took a while though, because the spray pattern is quite small on the powerful setting, and the pressure means you have to go slow to really lift the grime. The battery lasted maybe 20-25 minutes of pretty constant use. Enough to do a small section, but you'd need multiple batteries for a big job.

My Thoughts So Far

So, what's the verdict? It's handy. Super portable is the main thing. Being able to just use a bucket of water is great if you don't have a tap nearby, like cleaning the bins down the drive or maybe rinsing off muddy boots.

It's not a replacement for a proper, powerful pressure washer if you need serious cleaning power for large areas or really tough grime. The pressure is decent for its size, especially with the direct nozzle, but not amazing.

I found myself using it for quick jobs: rinsing the car between proper washes, cleaning the wheels, doing small patches of the patio, cleaning the garden chairs. It's good for those tasks where the big machine feels like overkill.

The battery life is okay for quick tasks, but you'd definitely want a spare if you plan on using it for longer. The bucket feed works, but it can be a bit awkward making sure the hose stays submerged.

Overall, I'm keeping it. It fills a gap. It's convenient for small, quick cleaning jobs where portability is key. Just gotta be realistic about its power level. It does what it says on the tin, mostly.