PSI is a measure of the power output of a pressure washer, driven by a motor. There are two main types of jet wash equipment that this applies to, petrol and electric pressure washers.
What Does PSI Stand For?
PSI stands for pounds per square inch, and you might also have seen it on a machine to inflate your car tyres. It’s a way to standardise pressure, and is used (normally) on a simple gauge or digital display. Fortunately, you’re rarely going to come across it in a setting that you need a highly precise reading, so an at-a-glance reading is fine in this setting.
Understanding that PSI affects the cleaning power of your machine is important, but it’s really quite straightforward. Typically you will divide the market into two – anything under 2000PSI and you’ll likely be interested in electric powered machines, above that number the petrol driven motors are more attractive.
That Sounds Easy, Then!
Of course, there are exceptions (aren’t there always? Nothing’s ever straightforward, is it?). For example, and we touch on this in out comparison of plug in vs fuelled washers, you may not want to use the machine near a socket, so petrol is your only option.