Halfords HP1400

* Eleven pressure washers tested * All budgets covered * machines from 50-260...

Halfords HP1400

Halfords HP1400
Price: 59.99
Where: Halfords.com

Ease of use:
The HP1400 is a small, light machine that's easy to put together apart from requiring a spanner (not supplied) to bolt the hose to the trigger unit. However, once you find a spanner, the machine can be assembled and ready for action within minutes of emerging from the box.

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Operation:
It hasn't got the muscular blasting power of the larger models, but it is certainly up the job of keeping your car clean. While it struggles to blast off ground-in grime on your car without some additional scrubbing, it is a handy tool to speed up the process.

The external detergent tank attaches to the trigger unit and is reasonably efficient. Additional brushes and nozzles would have made this pressure washer more attractive.

Halfords HP1400
Max water pressure: 70 Bar
Flow rate : 340 Litres/hr
Hose length: 5 metres
Motor Power: 1400 Watt
Storage
There's no hose reel or holder for the lance, but the power cable can be wound on to the side of the washer. The bolt-on hose means it can't easily be removed for storage away from the machine. However, its small size means it won't take up too much space in the garage.

What Car? says...
Despite being at the budget end of the market, the HP1400 is perfectly adequate for car-washing duties and the unit can be easily carried in one hand while you wash with the other. It's also up to the task of maintaining medium-sized patios and garden furniture, but a brush would have been a useful accessory for many of these jobs. Overall, budget-buyers might be better off with the cheaper, but more effective, Hozelock Pressure Washer 100.