Karcher K4 Compact Power Washer Review

Is the Karcher K4 Compact Power Washer any good?

The short answer is yes. Let’s take a look at what is probably the most popular Karcher pressure washer in Ireland today – the Karcher K4 Compact model.

This has been one of the biggest selling Karcher power washers for good reason – but is it for everyone? To help you weigh up if this is the right model you need to consider what sort of jobs you want to do with this.

The vast majority of people need a good quality power washer to clean patios, pavements and driveways along with cleaning the car and mud off bikes. This is exactly what the K4 has been designed to do. There are two K4 models from Karcher – there is a K4 Power Control model that has variable power control and this model which the K4 Compact version.

This Compact version doesn’t have the variable power control setting feature but you can still control and manage the water using the trigger and distance from your target. This is particularly important if cleaning the likes of older cars – if you are too close then the water stream will be powerful and has the potential to damage paintwork or older bodywork. This is a risk of using any pressure washer of course.

It is ready to go within a few minutes of getting it out of the box and really easy to move about. Karcher build quality is well renowned and this K4 Compact model sits more or less right in the middle of the Karcher range.

Getting started:

There is no drama involved in getting this up and running. Once you unbox it and go through the connections you will be up and running in literally a few minutes. It includes a garden hose adapter as standard.

Using it:

It couldn’t really be any simpler to use – just point and wash. Over time you can see how you can control the trigger and nozzle to get your job done. The maximum pressure is 130bar and a maximum flow rate of 420 litres per hour.

You can easily move this around when using it thanks to the wheels and also move it like luggage with the extendable handle – just raise that up and wheel it behind you. It is 11kg so should be manageable by most people.

When you are done you can just tidy up the power cable around the front of the unit and place it back into storage.

What it is good for?

It is a proven model for all of the standard household jobs – cleaning the patio and pavements a few times a year, blasting mud off bikes and washing the car are all the types of tasks that this model has been designed to do.

One of the major benefits is the small size. As it is a compact model it is great for storage in sheds and garages and really won’t take up much space at all. It is 52cm x 30cm x 28cm so there is bound to be somewhere suitable for it to be stored around your home.

You can use the Karcher Foam Nozzle with this along with the Karcher 3-in-1 Foam Cleaner.

It can be used with the Karcher add-ons like the T5 Surface Cleaner for larger paving areas and the Telescopic Spray Lance for cleaning areas that are out of reach too.

Downsides:

If you need something heavier duty for industrial or commercial use then this isn’t really for you. You should consider one of the more powerful models which may be petrol powered or the likes of the K7 model from Karcher.

Overview:

The Karcher K4 Compact is just a great all round unit for typically household use. We rarely (if ever) see any customer issues with Karcher models and they have proven to be reliable, durable and robust. Yes there are cheaper power washers out there but this Karcher model will stand to you for a long time and if you are deciding on an investment like this then you may as well go for quality.