Best Pressure Washer Surface Cleaners

Pressure washers are a powerful tool that can turn a 5-hour cleaning job into something you can get done in under an hour.

There is just one problem that people run into.

Often, it can be challenging to clean flat surfaces evenly and efficiently with the standard nozzles that come with a pressure washer.

This is where surface cleaners help.

Surface cleaners have a circular frame with small nozzles placed on a spinning arm, allowing them to evenly distribute the high-pressure water onto a larger surface. So what you get is an attachment that covers a larger area (usually 10 inches or more), instead of a focused water flow with a single nozzle.

As with other pressure washer attachments, you have multiple options to choose from, often making it hard to decide which is best.

To help, we created this guide that goes over the best pressure washer surface cleaners available today, including their pros and cons, who each is best for and much more to help you find your fit.

10 Best Pressure Washer Surface Cleaners

With so many surface cleaners available in the market today, it can be difficult to choose which is the best for you. We collected specs, read customer reviews, and did more research to highlight the top 10 options currently available.

Generally, the more powerful your pressure washer is, the larger of a surface cleaner you can use with it.

Here are our picks for the best pressure washer surface cleaners, organized from smallest to largest.

10 Best Pressure Washer Surface Cleaners:

Best 11” Surface Cleaner for Electric Pressure Washers: Greenworks 11″ Surface Cleaner

Rating: 9.2 / 10

  • Type: Electric
  • PSI Range: Up to 2000 PSI
  • GPM Range: Up to 1.4 GPM
  • RPMs: 2000 RPM
  • Warranty: 1 year
  • Weight: 1.8 lbs
  • Water Type: Cold
  • Fitting Type: ¼” quick-connect plug

The Greenworks 11″ surface cleaner is a concise and powerful device that is suitable for electric pressure washers with a ¼ inch quick-connect plug, PSI up to 2000, and GPM up to 1.4.

This surface cleaner is reasonably priced, offering good value for what you’re getting. It is also versatile and works equally well on surfaces of different materials like wood, concrete, or asphalt. Customers that have used the product have found it to be a good purchase and rated it overwhelmingly positively.

However, it is designed for light use and customers have often found that the attachment does not clean as deeply as standard nozzles and spray guns. Additionally, the product is very lightweight in design and some customers have found it to be flimsy.

All in all, this is a great option for somebody looking for a light-duty surface cleaner that is reasonably priced and comes with a longer-than-average 1-year warranty.

Pros

Cons

Best 11” Surface Cleaner for Karcher Models: Karcher 11” Surface Cleaner

Rating: 9.2 / 10

  • Type: For electric Karcher models including K2, K3, K4, K5
  • PSI Range: Up to 2300 PSI
  • Warranty: 90 days
  • Weight: 4 lbs
  • Water Type: Cold
  • Fitting Type: Karcher bayonet

If you own one of the K2, K3, K4, or K5 Karcher models, and you are looking for a surface cleaner, the Karcher 11″ surface cleaner is the perfect answer. It is capable of handling pressure up to 2300 PSI, making it a viable option for light to medium-duty pressure washers.

This surface cleaner comes with an adjustable dial that allows you to choose any position on a scale that goes from “Soft” to “Hard”. When turning towards “Hard”, you get a higher pressure. Along with this, the surface cleaner comes with a 32″ extension wand that will allow you to use it without having to constantly bend over.

However, keep in mind that the Karcher surface cleaner comes with a Karcher bayonet fitting, which means that you will be able to use this only with a select few Karcher models. Additionally, the warranty period is limited to 90 days.

In conclusion, this surface cleaner is a good fit for anyone looking to use the attachment with other Karcher models and is interested in a user-friendly design. If you do not mind the limited warranty and think you’ll use Karcher pressure washers for a while, this is a good option to consider.

Pros

Cons

Best 12” Surface Cleaner for Electric Pressure Washers: Ryobi 12” Surface Cleaner

Rating: 9.6 / 10

  • Type: Electric pressure washers
  • PSI Range: Up to 2000 PSI
  • GPM Range: Up to 1.4 GPM
  • RPMs: 1500 RPM
  • Warranty: 90-day warranty
  • Weight: 2.51 lbs
  • Water Type: Cold
  • Fitting Type: ¼ inch quick-connect plug

With this 12″ Ryobi surface cleaner, you can accomplish tasks up to 4 times faster when compared with regular nozzles. Capable of cleaning your patio, concrete surfaces, and more, this surface cleaner is perfect for outdoor cleaning.

With its dual rotating, high-pressure water jets system, this 12″ Ryobi model delivers a powerful and streak-free cleaning experience. Attaching it to your pressure washer can be accomplished easily with its quick-connect attachment system.

In terms of its compatibility, this Ryobi surface cleaner can be attached to any light-duty electric pressure washer generating pressure up to 2000 PSI.

What you must keep in mind though is that users have raised concerns about the build quality of the surface cleaner. This is especially concerning since it only comes with a 90-day warranty. If something breaks, you may be out of luck if it’s after the warranty period is over. Additionally, this surface cleaner is not ideal for deep cleaning as it lacks the power provided by standard nozzles.

All in all, if you are looking for a light-duty, 12″ surface cleaner and you do not mind a 90-day warranty period, this surface cleaner is a good option.

Pros

Cons

Best 15” Surface Cleaner for 2000 – 3200 PSI: Karcher 15” Surface Cleaner

Rating: 9.6 / 10

  • Type: Ideal for gas or electric over 2000 PSI
  • PSI Range: Up to 3200 PSI
  • GPM Range: Up to 3.5 GPM
  • RPMs: 1500 RPM
  • Warranty: 1-year limited
  • Weight: 3.8 lbs
  • Water Type: Cold
  • Fitting Type: ¼ inch quick-connect plug

With the Karcher 15″ Surface Cleaner at your disposal, you will be able to clean larger surfaces in a shorter amount of time. Although you can connect this to electric pressure washers below 2000 PSI, it works best with pressure washers generating 2000-3200 PSI. This versatile surface cleaner can be connected to gas or electric pressure washers with its ¼ inch quick-connect plug.

The twin-jet, rotating mechanism ensures that the cleaning is quick and streak-free. The plastic cover that goes around the surface cleaner also ensures that there is no splashing as you use the machine. It is lightweight and has a user-friendly design.

Although a few users have complained about its build quality, it is one of the most highly rated surface cleaners available. Another area where this Karcher surface cleaner edges out competitors is its 1-year warranty.

In case you are looking for a reasonably priced 15″ surface cleaner for a medium or heavy-duty pressure washer and value a good warranty, this Karcher model is a great option. Its performance and value help it make our best surface cleaners list.

Pros

Cons

Best 15” Surface Cleaner for 2000 – 3700 PSI: Simpson 15” Surface Cleaner

Rating: 9.6 / 10

  • Type: Ideal for gas or electric over 2000 PSI
  • PSI Range: Up to 3700 PSI
  • GPM Range: Up to 3 GPM
  • RPMs: 1500 RPM
  • Warranty: 90-day limited
  • Weight: 6.3 lbs
  • Water Type: Cold
  • Fitting Type: ¼ inch quick-connect plug

The Simpson 15” Surface Cleaner is versatile and capable of easing up your cleaning operations significantly. It is compatible with both electric and gas pressure washers in the 2000 to 3700 PSI range, giving you a wider pool of compatible pressure washers.

The build quality of this product is impressive. The nozzles are made of stainless steel, making them corrosion-resistant and durable. The quality assembly also includes a powder-coated steel shroud, adding to this surface cleaner’s sturdiness.

However, this Simpson 15-in surface cleaner is heavier than many competing models. It also lags behind some surface cleaners in terms of the warranty which is only 90 days. While the majority of the reviews are very positive, there have been customers whose units stopped working earlier than expected.

Looking for a reasonably priced, high-quality 15″ surface cleaner that works with many pressure washers? The Simpson 15” Surface Cleaner is a great option to consider if you do not mind the short warranty period offered.

Pros

Cons

Best 16” Surface Cleaner (up to 3400 PSI): Briggs & Stratton 16” Surface Cleaner

Rating: 10 / 10

  • Type: Ideal for gas or electric over 2200 PSI
  • PSI Range: Up to 3400 PSI
  • GPM Range: Up to 4 GPM
  • Warranty: 90-day limited warranty
  • Weight: 3.67 lbs
  • Water Type: Cold
  • Fitting Type: ¼ inch quick-connect plug

This Briggs & Stratton 16″ Surface Cleaner is compatible with many pressure washers including both electric and gas models. With its ¼ inch quick-connect plug, the surface cleaner can be attached or detached with ease and works with a wide range of pressures (measured in PSI).

The standout feature of this surface cleaner is the built-in detergent tank that allows you to deep clean any flat surface. The dome-shaped design stops splashes and ensures smooth movement.

Even though this surface cleaner comes with a short 90-day warranty, it has consistently received great customer reviews. If you have an electric or gas pressure washer that falls between 2200 and 3400 PSI, this 16″ surface cleaner from Briggs & Stratton is a great option.

Pros

Cons

Best 18” Surface Cleaner (up to 4000 PSI): EDOU 18” Surface Cleaner

Rating: 10 / 10

  • Type: Ideal for gas pressure washers over 2000 PSI
  • PSI Range: 2000 to 4000 PSI
  • GPM Range: 1.8 to 6 GPM
  • Warranty: 18-month warranty
  • Weight: 14 lbs
  • Water Type: Cold
  • Fitting Type: ¼ inch quick-connect plug

You can accomplish your cleaning tasks faster and with less effort by using the Edou 18″ Surface Cleaner. With a stainless steel construction and design elements like filters to keep out dirt, this surface cleaner is built to last.

It comes with two 17″ extension wands, a ¼ inch quick-connect plug, and replacement parts. It is also supported on 360° castors, ensuring easy mobility. In addition, the 18 month warranty is longer than almost every other surface cleaner.

The biggest downside is that this surface cleaner is on the expensive side of the price spectrum—which isn’t surprising given its size, quality, and included parts.

All in all, this surface cleaner is a great option if you are looking for a heavy-duty option with a superior build quality and a longer warranty. It is a good performer, durable, and has a thoughtful design.

Pros

Cons

Best 20” Surface Cleaner With Integrated Handle: EDOU 20” Surface Cleaner With Integrated Handle

Rating: 9.2 / 10

  • Type: Ideal for gas pressure washers over 2000 PSI
  • PSI Range: 2000-4500 PSI
  • GPM Range: 1.8 to 4 GPM
  • Warranty: 18 months
  • Weight: 29 lbs
  • Water Type: Hot & cold
  • Fitting Type: ⅜ inch quick-connect plug (with a ¼ inch optional quick-adapter)

The Edou 20″ Surface Cleaner with Integrated Handles can handle pressure up to 4500 PSI and has a sturdy, stainless steel construction that is built to last.

It has some unique design enhancements like a reinforced steel construction, a locking trigger to save effort, and an inlet filter to screen what comes into the surface cleaner. The structure is designed to ensure that no splashing takes place.

The integrated handle is another big feature that stands out with this surface cleaner. The handle allows you to maneuver the unit around with great ease. The main dome is supported by universal castors that allow it to glide along surfaces.

Overall, this Edou 20” surface cleaner is a great buy for customers looking for a sturdy unit to use with a powerful, gas-powered pressure washer. The warranty, design, and build quality are all impressive. However, it does come at a greater cost and is a worthy purchase only if your needs match the offering.

Pros

Cons

Best 20” Surface Cleaner Without Integrated Handle: EDOU 20” Surface Cleaner Without Integrated Handles

Rating: 10 / 10

  • Type: Gas or electric pressure washers
  • PSI Range: 1600 to 4000 PSI
  • GPM Range: 1.8 to 6 GPM
  • Warranty: 18 months
  • Weight: 14.72 lbs
  • Water Type: Cold
  • Fitting Type: ¼ inch quick-connect plug

The Edou 20” Surface Cleaner is built with stainless steel and is very sturdy and durable. This unit does not have an integrated handle like the above option.

The design of this surface cleaner is also user-friendly and it is compatible with a wide range of pressure washers, covering 1600-4000 PSI. The castors supporting the dome enable the surface cleaner to move easily across the surfaces you are cleaning.

On top of the quality build, this Edou model has an 18-month warranty and comes with Edou’s great customer service. There are also spare parts with the package that can be used if any parts break or wear down.

If you are looking for a wide surface cleaner with a long warranty and lots of features, this Edou unit is worth the higher cost.

Pros

Cons

Best 24” Surface Cleaner (Up to 4000 PSI): BOCOM 24” Surface Cleaner

Rating: 9.2 / 10

  • Type: Ideal for gas pressure washers over 2000 PSI
  • PSI Range: 2000 to 4000 PSI
  • GPM Range: 1.8 to 8 GPM
  • RPMs: 2500 RPM
  • Weight: 32.4 lbs
  • Water Type: Cold
  • Fitting Type: ⅜ inch quick-connect plug

The BOCOM 24″ Surface Cleaner is one of the best surface cleaners currently available. It covers a large surface area, making cleaning jobs much faster. It is capable of delivering a commercial-like performance and works with a wide range of pressure washers.

The quality of this attachment starts with its all stainless steel construction, which makes it sturdy and durable. The three-way nozzles also provide for a unique design feature that makes this surface cleaner a highly potent device.

Although it weighs around 32 lbs, this surface cleaner has attached handles that allow for easy maneuverability, and the castors attached to the dome ensure that it glides over surfaces smoothly.

If you are looking for an adaptable, compatible, and mean surface cleaning machine, this model delivers it all. It has a sturdy design and performs well. Do keep in mind that these features come at a premium price and it is wise to consider your requirements before you make the purchase decision.

Pros

Cons

How Pressure Washer Surface Cleaners Work

Surface cleaners are designed to make your cleaning jobs easier and quicker. They can help you save time and effort while delivering a more consistent outcome. All the magic happens inside the dome-shaped frame that makes up the majority of the unit—so let’s flip it over and see how surface cleaners actually work.

Most surface cleaners have 2-3 spinning arms that are connected to a central spinning axis on one end and small nozzle jets on the other. When the surface cleaner is put to work, the central axis rotates at high speed (usually between 1500-1800 revolutions per minute) and the nozzles release water at high pressure. The rotation, combined with the high pressure, ensures a smooth cleaning process.

Pressure washer surface cleaners are ideal because they clean evenly as opposed to more-focused nozzle tips that clean in straight lines. Common surface cleaners are between 10 and 24 inches in diameter.

Along with quicker cleaning, the rotational jet system ensures streak-free cleaning, helping you avoid the dark and light patterns that develop on your pathways while using regular nozzles.

A good surface cleaner is typically very easy to operate as well. You can simply attach it to your wand and start cleaning. You have to be careful not to leave the surface cleaner over a spot for too long, as this might cause the concrete to chip off. But otherwise, you do not have to worry about holding it too close to a surface or using too much pressure as you would have to for a regular nozzle.

The dome structure of surface cleaners is finished off with brushes all around its diameter. These brushes ensure that there is no splashing of water or mud. As you move the surface cleaner along, the dirty water is slowly released, with some of the impurities getting caught in the brush so you do not have to worry about cleaning that too.

What to Consider When Buying a Pressure Washer Surface Cleaner

1) Compatibility with your pressure washer

The first thing you need to narrow down your selection is to consider what types of surface cleaners your pressure washer is compatible with. Here are some of the specific things to look for:

PSI Range
The pressure generated by a pressure washer is a big factor in choosing your surface cleaner. Say you are using a large diameter surface cleaner (18”+). You naturally need more pressure to ensure that the pressure of the water distributed amongst the different nozzles is high enough and you are able to clean a surface thoroughly.

Similarly, if you are using a small diameter surface cleaner (say 10″) with a machine that falls under a higher PSI count than recommended, it might result in damage to the surface being cleaned or to the surface cleaner itself

The aim is to keep within the range recommended and get the best out of the surface cleaner.

GPM Range
Gallons per minute is a measurement of the amount of water that runs through the pressure washer. The higher the GPM, the faster the job can be accomplished. Similar to the PSI range, a surface cleaner has a defined GPM range and works best within it.

The larger the GPM of your pressure washer, the bigger the diameter of the surface cleaner you can use. This is because the water flows in enough quantity to ensure that a wider surface is cleaned.

Using a pressure washer with a lower GPM will result in an underwhelming performance, whereas one with a higher GPM than advised, might result in damage to the surface cleaner.

Connecting Mechanism
Most surface cleaners come with a ⅜” or ¼” quick-connect plug (or both). It is important to check the connections on your pressure washer before making a purchase. If you do not consider this factor, you might have to purchase an additional adapter.

Max water temperature
Like pressure washers, surface cleaners work with either hot or cold water. Hot water surface cleaners come with the benefit of deeper cleaning. However, most pressure washers (and therefore surface cleaners) operate within the cold water range.

Check what kind of water your pressure washer uses and make sure that is ok for the surface cleaners you are considering.

2) Width of the surface cleaner

Want to clean a large surface area in a shorter amount of time? The larger the diameter of your surface cleaner, the more ground you can cover with each swipe. But is bigger always better?

If you use an electric pressure washer—especially a light-duty one—it is best to go with a smaller diameter surface cleaner (10” to 15”). This is because an electric pressure washer will not generate enough pressure or provide enough water to clean a wider area effectively. Gas pressure washers are more powerful and can be effectively used with wider surface cleaners.

You must also take into consideration the size of the surface you want to clean. For example, using a big dome over a narrow path will result in obstructions and improper cleaning, as the dome cannot cover all the nooks and corners.

On the other hand, using a small diameter surface cleaner over a large surface will defeat the main purpose of the surface cleaner, to accomplish the job quickly. It is also possible that using a smaller surface cleaner can cause damage to property and over splash from the large amounts of water being released.

3) Integrated handles vs. non-integrated handles

Integrated handles are a good feature to have in a surface cleaner. They allow you to gain more control over the movement of your surface cleaner, with a much lesser amount of effort. These surface cleaners often come with trigger handles that can be connected to the pressure washer and squeezed to release the water.

Surface cleaners with non-integrated handles can be directly connected to the spray wand. Doing this turns the spray wand into your handle to guide the surface cleaner around. Many surface cleaners come with extension wands too to make the spray-handle longer.

Even though the integrated handles might sound like the clear choice, you have to consider that integrated handles are expensive, occupy a large chunk of space in storage, and are heavy. If you won’t be using the surface cleaner regularly, it might be best to go with a surface cleaner without integrated handles

4) Wheels vs. no wheels

Some pressure washers come with wheels that allow the surface cleaner to glide easily over the surface being cleaned. These wheels also provide additional support to the cleaning assembly. Some surface cleaners come with stainless steel castors, that make it sturdy and allow for 360° movement of the dome.

However, surface cleaners with wheels as supports are more expensive than their counterparts without wheels. Surface cleaners without wheels are stable as well and might be a better option if you are looking for something that costs less and your cleaning jobs are smaller.

5) Customer reviews

Customers that have used the product are a great source to learn about the hard realities of its performance. We have scanned through customer reviews to give you an idea of actual users’ experiences when it comes to all the surface cleaners mentioned in this guide.

You may be able to find out a lot more about the durability and the performance of the product by going through customer reviews. For example, one of the things we discovered was that lightweight and light-duty surface cleaners are often made with plastic and can feel cheap.

Additionally, some surface cleaner companies deliver good customer service whereas others can be a little more difficult to deal with.

Pressure Washer Surface Cleaner FAQs

There are surface cleaners designed for electric pressure washers, gas pressure washers, and both. Gas pressure washers typically work best with surface cleaners with larger diameters whereas electric pressure washers often pair best with smaller-diameter units.

Surface cleaners perform at their best when they are used with pressure washers that match their GPM and PSI range. Before making a purchase, you should be aware of the GPM and PSI of your pressure washer.

Additionally, you should ensure that the attachment can be connected to your pressure washer assembly. The two common connections are a ⅜” and ¼” quick-connect plugs. Some surface cleaners come with both attachment options.

Yes, detergents can be used with some selected models of surface cleaners. Before making a purchase, you should check whether that particular surface cleaner model has a detergent tank attached, or if it can connect with the detergent tank given on your pressure washer.

It depends. Hot water can be used with select surface cleaners but you will have to make sure the one you are considering does. Since most pressure washers use cold water, most surface cleaners do too.

Surface cleaners work best on flat surfaces. Keeping this in mind, you can either use them on a horizontal surface or a vertical surface, as long as it is flat. Just keep in mind that using a surface cleaner on a vertical surface requires much more effort.

Surface cleaners use the same amount of water per minute as your pressure washer does. Now if you factor in that surface cleaners get the job done in much quicker time than regular pressure washer nozzles (up to 8x faster in larger units), you end up saving a lot of water

Since surface cleaners are used to clean surfaces that contain grime, dirt, and debris, and are designed to avoid splashing, some dirt and grime often gets lodged inside it. For example, the bristles around the surface cleaner may collect this debris. So from time to time, you might want to clean the attachment to keep it clean. However, aside from this, surface cleaners do not require much maintenance.

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