The 5 Best Cordless Power Washers for When Portability is Key

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Pressure washers streamline the cleaning process, helping to cut away grime around the home, on buildings, or even in parking lots, all by pointing a hose. But if you don’t need their robust power for more than a quick cleanse or to wash the car, a cordless unit is the way to go.

Much quieter than corded options, cordless power washers rely on batteries instead of electrical outlets or gas, making them compact and low-maintenance (and, by design, less powerful). They remove harsh contaminants from your vehicle—so all you have to do is touch it with a microfiber cloth—or wash away light grime from decks and patio furniture.

Read on for quick info on the best cordless power washers, followed by things to consider as you determine which is right for you, plus our full reviews.

Need more car car gear? Check out our picks for the best car cleaning kits and carpet cleaners.

The Best Cordless Power Washers

• Best Overall: Worx WG644 Hydroshot

• Best Performance: DeWalt DCPW550P1

• Quietest: Craftsman CMCPW350D1

• Most Affordable: Black & Decker BCPW350C1

• Most Versatile: Ryobi RY40PW15VNM

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What To Consider

GPM vs. PSI

The amount of water a power washer can put out is measured in gallons per minute (GPM), while the amount of pressure is measured in pounds per square inch (psi). The age-old car washing question is: Which metric is superior? The straightforward answer is that both are equally important, though the ultimate choice may be one of preference.

Consider a garden hose. Putting your thumb over its nozzle releases slightly less water (GPM), only at a higher pressure (psi). Letting it go produces more water with weaker pressure.

A higher GPM makes car washing quicker. If you prefer speed, aim for a higher GPM output. On the other hand, a higher psi is better on tough stains and grime, but pressure that’s too high can damage delicate machinery, like your vehicle. A higher psi may sound great on paper, but remember that using quality soap may be more critical.

Some power washers list a cleaning unit (CU), which is a claim that indicates the amount of force applied to a surface. This is found by multiplying psi and GPM. Generally speaking, the higher the CU, the better a power washer is at cleaning. But again, it’s better to rely on soap to bust dirt and grime.

Soap

The effectiveness of your cordless power washer can also depend on the type of soap you used. Strong detergents can compensate for a cordless power washer’s lack of oomph. A multi-purpose soap is perfect for washing decks, home siding, and mildew.

Obviously, you should use car-specific soaps for vehicles. According to Katherine Keeler, Assistant Testing Editor at Car & Driver, these are gentler, often pH-balanced, and designed to lift water-soluble contaminants like dirt and road debris. “Regular dish soap and other detergents are harsher,” she says, “and they contain degreasers or other chemicals that can strip dirt and debris and any protective coating on your car’s paint.” Avoid using soaps with extremely high Ph, as these strip protectants from your car, leaving your clear coat vulnerable.

Per Keeler, the two categories of carwash soaps are traditional wash, which is sudsy and dissolves water-soluble contaminants, and wash + protectant, which adds protectant to your car’s paint. Both types are safe for vehicle use, though find some of the latter if you’d like an additional benefit of wax protection.

Noise

For the sake of your eardrums and neighborhood relationships, don’t overlook how loud a washer can be. Cordless units are marginally quieter (and less powerful) than the regular variety. Despite the disparity between noise and performance, you can relax knowing that these models put out less than a mild 85 decibels, similar to the volume of a hair dryer.

Battery Life

The power that a battery provides for one hour is measured in amp-hours, listed as Ah. While a high flow rate and pressure lead to more cleaning power, it comes at the cost of runtime. Bigger batteries extend the run time but are heavier and more expensive. Our advice: Having two smaller batteries you can swap out is always better than one big one. Be mindful that not every product on this list includes a battery.

Every power washer we tested ran for 15 minutes or less, whether off of one larger battery for 15-minute use or two at 7 minutes each.

Weight / Weight Distribution

While conventional power washers tend to be bigger, have a built-in tank, and don’t have every component packed around the spray wand, cordless units don’t have that flexibility. Weight is vital for ensuring your power washer is easy to use. Equally important is the distribution of that heft, which lightens the load to precisely position the stream of water. Most of the weight of a cordless power washer is held in its battery and handle, much like a string trimmer.

How We Selected

The initial writer of this guide, Test Editor and resident automotive expert Matt Crisara, evaluated noise, battery life, and ease of use for four power washers on this list. He chose that pool for testing based on technical specs (GPM, psi, claimed runtimes), popularity from retailers (Amazon, Lowes, Home Depot) and trade publications (Car and Driver), and brand reputation (Who doesn’t trust a DeWalt?).

We haven’t tested the final model on this list, the Ryobi RY40PW15VNM, though its specs look promising based on Crisara’s prior experience—if you’re willing to sacrifice portability. Although still cordless, it’s a hefty machine we included for its versatility, tank capacity, and power.

For testing, Crisara employed a calibrated decibel meter, fired up each unit to its strongest power mode, held the instrument 1 foot away, and took three noise readings. Then, he averaged the results to get a single decibel measure for each power washer. He tested for battery life, setting each power washer to its highest mode, pulling the trigger, and waiting with a stopwatch to see how long each unit ran.

He also tested each for ease of use by washing his car. Among the key factors he considered here were the weight of each unit and where the weight is distributed. Aside from balance, he gauged setup, charging, and attachments.

Our Full Pressure Washer Reviews

Despite specs indicating the Worx WG644 is one of the loudest and heaviest power washers we considered, it proved that many of the products we test are better than the sum of their parts.

Delivering the best mix of performance and reasonable price, the WG644 clocked the longest runtime and respectable cleaning power. The WG644 may be hefty, but most of the weight is placed near the handgrip with two battery packs—one on each side. This puts much less stress on your wrists than other units that have more weight toward the front. The WG644 was also the only power washer that has a battery indicator, which is very useful for timing cleans.

While the Black & Decker is the most affordable power washer we tested, it doesn’t feel cheap. It’s also the lightest, and the weight of the included 1.5-Ah battery sits right below the pistol grip, making for a supremely balanced package.

It can’t match the runtime of its more expensive compatriots, but an additional 1.5-Ah battery and charger is only another $50. Generic battery replacements can be found for less, but we recommend buying straight from B&D to ensure compatibility.

The DCPW550 was the best handheld performer. With class-leading water delivery at 0.9 GPM and 550 psi in its highest mode, it cleared away hefty dirt and grime without us breaking a sweat.

However, in the case of cordless power washers, performance often adds weight, and this DeWalt is no exception, tipping the scales at just under 10 pounds. But, fitting it with a 5-Ah battery, Crisara had more than enough runtime to wash his car and a few bikes.

While this Craftsman can’t match the cleaning power of the other units here, testing revealed it’s easily the quietest. Thankfully, its relative lack of power never proved a significant issue while washing our tester’s car. The included foam cannon was a great bonus, letting us spray down the vehicle with a dense layer of car soap before touching it with a wash mitt. The only downfall of the Craftsman was its weight distribution, which proved to be quite low-slung, making one-handed use tricky.

The priciest cordless power washer on our list is also the largest and most powerful. With 1,500 psi and a whopping 1.2 GPM output, this electric washer is gentle enough for vehicles but can ramp up the power for cleaning parking lots, decks, and siding.

It’s fairly hefty—its body is more similar to that of a traditional pressure washer—but that heft translates to power. In this case, it facilitates that high psi and allows for a larger detergent tank than others here. Plus, it comes with a siphoning hose, giving it the ability to use bodies of water (lakes, buckets, even pools) as a replacement source for a garden hose.

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