After several years of drought and water restrictions here in California, things have gotten a little dingy. In some cases, really, really dingy. And there are some clean-up jobs for which a broom or the jet spray of a hose just aren’t sufficient.

A pressure washer can make these jobs quicker and easier and also save water compared to using a regular hose.

I was happy to put the Sun Joe SPX3000 Electric Pressure Washer to the test cleaning up my redwood deck and teak garden furniture.

Specifications

Rated Voltage 120 V ~ 60 Hz
Motor 14.5 amp (1800 W)
Max. Water Inlet Temperature 104°F/40°C
Max. Water Inlet Pressure 0.7 MPa
Max. Rated Flow 1.76 GPM
Rated Pressure 1450 PSI
Max. Pressure 2030 PSI
Hose Length 20 ft.
Power Cord Length 35 ft.
Weight 31 lbs.

All components are conveniently and compactly housed on the washer for easy access and storage.

Assembly

The Sun Joe Pressure Washer comes almost completely disassembled with close to two dozen separate parts. Assembly isn’t difficult, however; the manual is well written and I was able to put it all together in under 30 minutes.

The pressure washer comes with everything you need except detergent (you need to use detergent that is specially made for pressure washers) and a heavy-duty garden hose to attach it to (at least ½ inch internal diameter).

Compact, Self-Contained Design

The only other pressure washer I’ve used had a canister design, which meant you ended up dragging the canister around behind you. The Sun Joe has a design I like much better because it’s a stand-up cart on two wheels with a handle that’s about waist-high (no bending to move it around!).

It moves easily over concrete, wood decking, or lawn but is stable once it’s parked.

All the parts of the washer, including the spray wand, nozzles, and detergent tanks, store on the cart itself. Even the washer hose and the electric cord have holders to hang on. There’s no reason for parts to end up going astray.

Operation Setup

Once the pressure washer is fully assembled, you can set it up for operation. Attach your heavy-duty garden hose to the water inlet at the front of the washer. Make sure the garden hose adapter is screwed in tight to the washer and that the hose is screwed tightly into the adapter or water will leak when you turn on the hose. (The first time I used it, it took me three tries to get this tight enough to stop the leakage.)

The two detergent tanks should only be filled with detergent made for pressure washing.

If you intend to use detergent for your cleaning job, fill the two detergent tanks with pressure washer cleaner.

Plug the power cord directly into a grounded outlet or into an extension cord (14 gauge or higher) that is no longer than 25 feet. The unit’s power cord is 35 feet long so with an extension cord you can have up to a 60-foot range for the pressure washer, and the 25-foot hose gives you even greater reach.

With the trigger lock set, attach one of the five nozzles onto the end of the spray wand. The nozzles lock into place easily (and can also be removed easily by pulling back on the Quick-Connect collar at the end of the spray wand—the nozzle will pop right off).

With the nozzle attached and the washer plugged in, you can turn on the tap and switch the power dial at the front of the machine to On. Unlock the trigger and you’re ready to begin washing.

To use detergent, turn the dial to use the left or right detergent tank and adjust to set the concentration.

Choosing the Right Nozzle for Each Job

The Sun Joe Pressure Washer comes with five nozzles, each with a different spray pattern. The 40° nozzle has a wider spray for gentle cleaning of surfaces that could be damaged by a stronger spray. The 25° nozzle is intended for general cleaning, 15° for tougher cleaning, and 0° for spot cleaning or tight spaces. The last one is the Soap nozzle for cleaning with detergent.

Five nozzles are housed on the washer unit. Four give a different angle and pressure of spray; the fifth is used to apply detergent.

Nozzles snap on easily. To detach a nozzle, just pull back on the quick-connect collar and the nozzle pops off.

For fragile or brittle plastics or other materials or for painted surfaces where you don’t want to chip the paint, start with the 40° nozzle. For most other surfaces, you can start with 25° nozzle and move up to the 15° nozzle if needed.

I found the 15° nozzle was good for cleaning my teak Adirondack chairs that had gotten weathered and mossy-looking. The flooring of my redwood deck, however, needed more and I ended up using the Soap nozzle with detergent, followed by a rinse with the 15° nozzle. (Always rinse after using the detergent; some surfaces could be damaged if the detergent is left to dry.)

The 15° nozzle removes the mossy growth and cleans the teak without detergent.

Safety

The Sun Joe Pressure Washer has a trigger lock to keep the spray wand from spraying accidentally, which could damage some surfaces or injure someone if hit with the high-pressure spray up close. You should engage the lock when changing nozzles or really at any time that you aren’t actively using the spray wand. You should also be careful to keep the power cord out of the water as you’re working.

Engaging the trigger lock keeps the spray wand from accidentally discharging high-pressure spray that could injure or cause damage.

Maintaining the System

To prolong the life of the pressure washer, be sure to empty the unit’s hose of water each time you finish using it. You should also empty the washer of all fluid in the winter and store it someplace where temperatures will not go below freezing.

Replacement Parts

If needed, you can order replacements for the five-piece set of nozzles, the pressure washer hose, and the connector that attaches the garden hose to the washer.

Warranty

Sun Joe offers an appealing two-year warranty for the pressure washer. If it stops working or a part breaks, they will either send you a free replacement part or send you a new or comparable product at no charge. I don’t think I’ve seen another warranty as good on any other product I’ve used in the garden.

Recommendation

I was pleased with the Sun Joe Pressure Washer. It is easy and comfortable to use. The trigger handle is lightweight, easy to control, and didn’t make my hand ache. The whole system is easy to maneuver and move around the garden and I particularly like the product design that keeps all the parts contained on the unit. Because the unit is more vertical than horizontal, it has a fairly small footprint—a big plus if, like me, you have limited storage space.

I would have liked slightly more power for cleaning my redwood deck but for every other job, the pressure was sufficient. And it’s possible that using higher pressure to clean my deck may have damaged the wood.

I still have a long list of jobs to get to with the Sun Joe, including washing window screens and mini blinds, and cleaning a concrete walkway to prep it for painting. There are so many uses for a good pressure washer like this that I wonder how I ever got along without one!

Where to Buy

The Sun Joe pressure washer is listed for purchase on the Sun Joe website at the price of $149.00. It’s currently unavailable in green but you can buy it in red or blue for $159.

It is also available at Amazon.com ($142.99), as well as The Home Depot ($151.57), QVC and Target.

For the detergent I used Krud Kutter Multi-Purpose Pressure Washer Concentrate with Sweet Odor, which is available on Amazon.com ($10.28/gallon).

Price Reduction

Sun Joe Electric Pressure Washer

The Sun Joe Electric Pressure Washer is easy and comfortable to use, with a lightweight, easy-to-control trigger handle, an upright wheeled design that makes it easy to move, and onboard storage for all parts.

$169.00
−$20.00
$149.00

See it on Amazon