Briggs and Stratton Pressure Washer Review and Guide

When you need to excavate your truck from under inches of dirt or strip paint off concrete, you turn to a pressure washer. Is the Briggs and Stratton pressure washer up to the job? For starters, these gas-powered pressure washers aren’t too big, but they’re not small either. Thankfully they come with wheels attached to their solid frames, otherwise moving them would be a real hassle.

If there’s one thing we here at Car Repair Life know all about, it’s cleaning up a mess. When we don’t have our heads stuck deep in a greasy car engine, we’re behind the wheel. Getting muddy is part of the fun, and if a Briggs and Stratton pressure washer can help us get our vehicles clean, we’ll pay attention.

What Sets Briggs and Stratton Pressure Washers Apart?

The Briggs and Stratton pressure washer is just one product in a large inventory this company produces. Briggs and Stratton are manufacturers of gasoline engines, and they find a million ways to use them. Whether that’s in a pressure washer or a snow blower or a generator, Briggs and Stratton have it. These guys have been giving us motors for a long time. They go back to 1908 when they started in Wisconsin. If there’s one thing Briggs and Stratton knows, it’s gas-powered tools.

The type of Briggs and Stratton pressure washer we recommend for cleaning your car is a light washer with 2,000 pounds of pressure per square inch but under 3,000. For this job, the Briggs and Stratton Powerflow Plus is the perfect pressure washer. After all, you want to strip away mud and dirt, not the paint job. Most other pressure washers go for pure devastating power, leaving you to control the nozzle flow to keep your car mirrors attached. Either that or they’re so afraid of causing damage that you’ll get more pressure out of your garden hose. Not the Powerflow Plus. It’s a great balance of power and delicacy.

And unlike other pressure washers, this one can mix power spray, soaping, and rinsing into one nozzle. It has an electric starter button to fire up its gas-powered motor, so you don’t have to dislocate your joints yanking on a pull cord that won’t start. Plus, you’ll feel like you’re firing up a Ferrari every time, and that’s cool.

How We Created This Review

To create a fair and unbiased review of the Briggs and Stratton pressure washer, we went to multiple sources. First, we read what Briggs and Stratton had to say about their products. Then we looked at what some of the top technical reviewers in the industry had to say. For this, we turned to the experts at Pressure Cleaner Reviews and Busted Wallet.

After we checked in with the experts, we turned to the real heroes of product reviews: actual customers. For this, we went to Amazon and read through feedback from users. This gave us an idea of how the Briggs and Stratton pressure washer handles in the real world.

Finally, we compared the Briggs and Stratton pressure washer to three other pressure washers from competitors, just to see how it stacks up.

Specifications and Features

Did you know that Briggs and Stratton are the number one producer of small gas motors in the world? They manufacture more than even Honda, and that’s a lot of small engines. They’ve put that same expertise into their power washers, giving us a perfect blend of power, utility, and reliability.

Engine

The engine in Briggs and Stratton pressure washers is the pride of the company. No wonder, considering they’re all about small engines. Most of the light Briggs and Stratton pressure washers have a 140 cubic centimeter engine in them, producing 5 pounds of torque. The engine is gas-powered and has an electric starter button which works flawlessly every time.

Pump

Every Briggs and Stratton pressure washer has a decent pump which can produce between 1,800 pounds per square inch of pressure and 3,500 pounds per square inch. For your car, you’ll want to keep it at 3,000 pounds per square inch or below. Also, there’s a 25-foot hose attached, so you can easily move around your car.

Frame

If you have the perfect engine and a great pump, you’ll want a sturdy frame to keep it all assembled. Briggs and Stratton pressure washers accomplish this with a robust all-metal frame which includes a storage hook for the hose. If there’s one weak point in the frame, it’s the plastic wheels, which can easily break.

Pricing and warranty

Here’s where a Briggs and Stratton pressure wash shines. You get a lot of value at a competitive price. Similar-priced models from competitors don’t have the same reliable engines or the ability to wash, soap, and rinse your car with one nozzle. You can pick up a Briggs and Stratton pressure washer for between $190 and $450. They come with a limited 12-month warranty for parts, and a three-month warranty on the engine block.

Here’s What Reviewers and Customers Said

Reviews of the Briggs and Stratton pressure washer were generally positive. The professionals over at Pressure Cleaner Reviews and Busted Wallet had a good time with these washers. Customers on Amazon were also impressed, although they did report some problems.

Pressure Cleaner Reviews

First up is the review from the experts over at Pressure Cleaner Reviews. They had great things to say about Briggs and Stratton pressure washers. They loved how affordable Briggs and Stratton are, and even mentioned that the company once put out a $125 car! Also, they said these pressure washers are durable, reliable, and easy to maintain.

Busted Wallet

Like Pressure Cleaner Reviews, Busted Wallet was impressed by the Briggs and Stratton pressure washer they tested. The reviewers loved how portable it was, and they were amazed at the nozzle, with its seven power settings and ability to switch between soaping, rinsing, and power washing. They gave it a 9.3 out of 10, making it one of their highest-rated pressure washers.

Amazon customer reviews

Unlike the experts, Amazon customers were harder to impress. They gave the Briggs and Stratton pressure washer 3.8 out of 5 stars rating. Most of them loved how lightweight and portable the machine is, and the water pressure was perfect for almost every task. Unfortunately, a lot of customers had problems with the electric starter button, and a few mentioned that the plastic wheels broke off very early on.

How It Stacks Up to Other Pressure Washers

By now we know that the Briggs and Stratton pressure washer family comes with innovation, expertise, and great prices. But how does it compare to the other pressure washers on the market? There are quite a few from which to choose.

Because you need something with 3,000 pounds per square inch or less, it’s best to look at light pressure washers. In this case, the Generac SpeedWash pressure washer, the Sun Joe pressure washer line, and the Simpson Cleaning pressure washer are the best models to compare with a Briggs and Stratton pressure washer. They have many of the same features, and their prices are somewhat similar.

Generac SpeedWash pressure washer

First up in our comparison is the Generac SpeedWash pressure washer. Generac had the honor of inventing the first home generators back in 1959, and then the first power washer in the 1960s. Because Generac manufactures all of their products in the U.S., they describe themselves as All-American.

The Generac SpeedWash pressure washer is very similar to the Briggs and Stratton Powerflow Plus pressure washer. It produces 2,900 pounds per square inch, has a 196 cubic centimeter gas-powered motor, and a 30-foot hose. The nozzle has four pressure settings, and it comes with two separate nozzles for different uses. For instance, there’s a “Turbo Nozzle” for extreme high-power, and a soaping nozzle for your car. The Generac SpeedWash costs between $275 and $325 and comes with a 3-year warranty on parts and a 2-year warranty on labor.

Customers on Amazon gave the Generac SpeedWash pressure washer 3.5 out of 5 stars. Many customers found the spray was powerful and cleaned dirt and grime off their car without any problems. One small engine mechanic took apart the engine and was pleased with how well-built everything is. Unfortunately, quite a few customers had a problem with the plastic nozzles which screw on to the wand. They snapped easily or vibrated off, and it was a recurring theme through many reviews.

Sun Joe electric pressure washer

Next in our comparison is a pressure washer from New Jersey-based company Sun Joe. If the name of the company isn’t catchy enough for you, then consider their snowblower brand, Snow Joe. Sun Joe is a newer company. They opened in 2004 and immediately became popular, so much so that they opened a massive 270,000 square foot distribution center in New Jersey in 2018!

The Sun Joe pressure washer features a 14-amp electric motor which can generate up to 2,100 pounds of pressure per square inch. It has a five-setting nozzle for different water pressures and a “Total Stop System” trigger which completely disables the unit when you take your finger off it. It also has dual detergent tanks and a 20-foot hose. The Sun Joe electric pressure washer costs between $150 and $180 and gets backed by a 2-year warranty on parts and labor.

If customers had mixed reviews about the Briggs and Stratton pressure washer and the Generac SpeedWash pressure washer, they were positively excited about the Sun Joe electric pressure washer. Amazon customers gave it 4.3 out of 5 stars. People loved that it works instantly and turns on easily. The pressure is perfect for cleaning cars and patios. Some of the problems people reported were plastic connectors that break easily.

Simpson Cleaning gas pressure washer

Finally, we threw in the Simpson Cleaning MS60763-S gas-powered pressure washer to show what a monster washer looks like when compared to the Briggs and Stratton pressure washer. Simpson Cleaning is established, giving us power washers and generators for nearly 50 years. This company is a favorite among commercial operators because their machines are so powerful.

The model we’re looking at is a little above the maximum we recommend for a car cleaning, with 3,100 pounds per square inch of water pressure. Still, this was one of the weakest Simpson Cleaning machines on the consumer market. This beast can fire nearly two-and-a-half gallons of water a minute at whatever you point the nozzle at. And unlike other pressure washers, this machine uses mostly metal for its parts. It is noisy and big, but very effective. This unit costs between $450 and $550, but only comes with a limited 90-day warranty.

That may be one reason Amazon customers only gave it 3.6 out of 5 stars. Many customers reported that this machine was extremely powerful and blasted away anything they put in front of it. The engine fires up loud and angry every time, which some people loved, and others hated. Some of the problems reported included rubber seals around the hose attachments leaking, and the wheels breaking off.

Briggs and Stratton Pressure Washer Pros and Cons

Before you rush out and buy a Briggs and Stratton pressure washer, consider the fact that there are several cons to go along with the list of pros this washer has.

Pros

• Versatile
• An innovative nozzle that can clean, soap, and rinse
• Powerful motor and pump
• Strong frame
• Great price

Cons

• Plastic wheels break easily
• Electric starter button prone to failure
• Weak warranty

One thing we should mention is that the warranty for the Briggs and Stratton pressure washer isn’t the best. Because warranties are a sign of how confident the manufacturer is in the quality of their product, we take warranties seriously. Briggs and Stratton gave the frame and parts a decent 3-year warranty period, but they only covered their motor for 90 days. To us, this is almost a deal-breaker, especially from a company which prides itself on its heritage of small engine expertise.

Should You Buy?

All in all, yes, you should buy a Briggs and Stratton pressure washer. When it comes to the perfect balance of power and precision, you can’t find a better gas-powered pressure washer. Especially for this price. The Briggs and Stratton pressure washer is the best washer on the market for this price range.

That said, the Sun Joe is one of America’s most beloved electric pressure washers. We loved the great customer reviews that Sun Joe receives, and they have a fantastic warranty. If you don’t care whether or not your pressure washer is electric, then get a Sun Joe. However, if you want a gas-powered washer for the ease of use, convenience, and raw power it provides, we recommend the Briggs and Stratton pressure washer.