You can blast water at a spider web all day and not get rid of it with any stream of water.Its just a freak of nature kind of thing I just bought a new gas powered pressure washer to replace my old electric model. I used my old one for these jobs and will use the new one for the same things. 1.My deck I apply a water sealer once a year.There is nothing to remove the sealer is basically gone each year.But I use the pressure washer to remove the dirt and the discolored aged look.The pressure washer removes that aged grey color and brings the wood back to a new look just like new.I have to be careful not to splinter the wood.I use a deck cleaner that helps remove any mold or dirt that is set in.I scrub it lightly with a brush on a long handle not down on my hands and knees. 2.I have white vinal siding that I like to see remain white.On the north side and areas where it does not get sun.I get a green mold if let go.I use the pressure washer to remove this mold.I scrub what I can reach with a bleach and soap mixture to kill the mold.Then pressure wash off the mold and grime.Makes it snow white again.I then spray on a sun and weather protectant product and rinse it off with the pressure washer. 3. I have a lot of grass out here to mow.The bottom side of my mower decks get a lot of grass manure like build up that can rot out a mower deck.I remove the mower decks from the lawn tractors scrape the access out that comes easily.Then pressure wash the deck clean to the metal.I allow it to dry and touch up any places where the paint is gone.I do not blast water into the bearing mandrels and I do grease the fittings to push out any water that could have entered.I have never had a bearing problem and I have had some old well used equipment.Never had a rusted out deck problem because of this practice. 4.I pressure wash my BBQ grill a few times a year.Also maybe a extra time or two.If were having a cook out with friends or family and neighbors.Would not want some guest saying my grill was dirty or greasy.I take out the brickets and grates.Pressure wash the grill grates seperate.Pressure wash the complete grill.Use a degreaser allow it time to work.Then pressure wash it clean.Its amasing the grease dirt and grime that comes out of these things.Its a wonder people do not get food posioning Yuck!Does anyone really take there grill apart and clean it after each use like they recomend?If I had to I would not grill out ever. 5.Outside lawn furniture gets dirty grimey and can get moldy.So I pressure wash it down a time or two a year.I scrub the cushion and things with soap and then blast it away. 6.My garbage cans get nasty inside.So I pressure wash them out a few times a year during warm weather. 7.I wash off the windows outside on the second story with a blast of water a few times a year.Does not replace hand cleaning them and removing them however.But im not doing windows on the second story very often anyway.OK maybe im lazy but thats to bad I do not look out of them much these days up stairs anyway. 8.Window screens get nasty.I take them out and pressure wash them you have to be careful.Unless there the alluminum screen wire type.But a srcreen is like a filter amazing the grime that washes away.I admits a garden hose is maybe just as affective however. 9.I forgot to mention I have high concret block foundation.Thats looking a little shabby with mold.I plan to see if I can brighten the blocks up a little this summer. 10.Garage floors you just can not beat a pressure washer to clean them.If I ever get a garage with a concrete floor I will have this use also.My floor is gravel old garage. 11.I have a inside Sheltie dog.But during warm weather he likes to spend time in his 10x12 kennel that has a rubber mat perferated floor.That has a poly plastic dog house.Hard telling what kind of critters fleas bugs live in there.If not cleaned disinfected.So I use it to pressure wash the flooring and the dog house.I use bleach and soap on the dog house and pressure wash it clean.So he does not bring who knows what into the house. Thats about it for me.I might find more uses and have better results now that I have a gas model.More PSI and GPM and no more stringing the electric cord and standing around water.Should be a improvement over my old 1600 psi electric model.My new one is only 2500 psi and 2.3gpm but I do not want to splinter wood and cut or blow holes in my siding or get the back side wet.So I think I will be happy with the results as I was with the old one. You do have to hand scrub just about anything you do with a pressure washer.To loosen it up.But it does make the job easier and with better results.Just like washing a car you still have to loosen the grime before its really clean.A pressure washer and soap alone will not cut it.If it was that powerful you would not have any paint left and I bet it would still not be clean.

I did buy the unit from Sam's and as you mentioned the hosed keeps getting kinks in it. Is quite annoying. But no more than I will use it, guess I will just put up with it since I do not want to spend mega-bucks. Just not that big of a priority for me. Another thing is the unloader keeps sticking when I first begin to use it. The pressure just stops suddenly. After a couple of minutes of running though it is fine. Read about a fix on the internet, but do not want to tear into it until the warranty is over. Seems like they said it needed more grease on the unloaders. Thanks for the replies, Brad

After reading all of the posts here, i wonder how in the world our relatives cleaned things up without a pressure washer!! Why, they used a broom or mop, with liberal use of soap and muscle! Never had to worry about the things breaking--oh, maybe a mop handle, or the broom lost some bristles, but they never had to borrow the neighbors fancy power washer, which weren't available 40 years ago, except for commercial use. Seems to me, there's a sucker born every minute, reinforced by the stories of all the troubles apparently inherent with powered pressure washers! And--if the thing ain't made by an American company, don't buy it! and especially not if it has Chinese made parts! Back when i was a kid (the 30's) toys were imported from Japan, that were of such inferior quality, the stores sold them really cheap! And, the only thing that came from Japan that we took notice of was Pearl Harbor! Rusty

For value - an $80. 1800 psi Karcher unit would be hard to beat and will easily tackle the tasks you've outlined. I have both a gas unit - for big cleaning jobs - and an electric Karcher, bought from HD back in the early-90s. The kart model on wheels, with a liquid solution dispenser. It still looks good and hasn't lost it's punch - convenient, relatively quiet and environmentally friendly. I use it mostly for my marina-slipped boat - a good-neighborly choice to ensure friendly dockmates. I've noticed some here have bashed thes pressure washer. But as with any power tool - follow directions, use common sense and it should last a long time and do the work it's intended for.