Sometimes the old washcloth and bucket of water won’t cut it and you need something industrial grade for cleaning. Enter the Generac 7132 electric start pressure washer! At 3100 PSI this is a whole lot of cleaning in a mobile package… but does it measure up to the hype? In today’s article we are going to talk about what to look for in an electric pressure washer and then give you our review on the Generac 7132. Is this the pressure washer for you? Stick around with us and find out!
What should I look for in an electric pressure washer?
Before we get into our analysis of the Generac’s capabilities we need to go over a few basics in regards to what you should look for when selecting a pressure washer. While there are a number of variables, these are going to be the points which you will want to focus on:
- Power – The important factor is going to be a value called ‘CU’, short for cleaning units. While you will generally see PSI and GPM listed (pounds per square inch and gallons per minute, respectively) if you don’t see the cleaning units listed then just multiple the PSI by the GPM and you’ve got it. The higher, the better, simple as that.
- Electric or Gas – While electric is good for smaller jobs, Gas is all about the power. You can do professional grade cleaning with a good gas pressure washer and if you are going to invest in one then why get something that is going to force you to do extra work? Get it right the first time with GAS.
- Is it portable? – You need to be able to get your washer where it is needed and there is an easy way to ensure this. Go to the store and wheel it around a bit. This will show you right away if it is going to be a hassle hauling it around when it comes to be cleaning time.
- Hot or cold? – For using around a farm or for a professional cleaning service then a hot water washer is going to be better. It cleans more thoroughly when you are soaping down large areas. For home and general use, however, cold water is just fine. It generally requires more pressure. For the record, the Generac is a cold water pressure washer.
- How good is the warranty? – Be sure to check out the warranty that comes with your unit so that you know that your investment is protected!
Now that we have gone over some of the basics, let’s get to the review! We’ll let you know what we liked and what we didn’t like. First let’s talk about everyone’s favorite topic: the power.
Power
The Generac does come packed with power. At 3100 PSI and 2.5 GPM you’ve got about 7750 CU. Generally when you are talking Pro-levels of cleaning it is going to be anything over 3000, so this is certainly a mark in the Generac’s favor. There is also an adjustable dial that is on the wand itself so that you can adjust power with ease while you are using it, with easy-peasy settings of concrete, wood, car, and soap. The gas engine in this unit also means that you are going to be removing pesky debris or stuck-on matter much easier than you would with an electric gas pressure washer. We give this unit a thumbs-up on power.
The electric starter
Many gas powered pressure washers do NOT come with an electric start and this is a nice feature that every washer should have. When you want to use your Generac you can start it at will and save yourself
“You won’t have to be constantly recharging your starter,”
a little time and frustration. Oh, and it is a lithium ion battery, so you won’t have to be constantly recharging your starter, it should last about 18 months before it needs a recharge. How’s that for low-maintenance?
Nozzles
Power is good but you need to be able to get to what you are cleaning. The Generac doesn’t disappoint here, with a 25 ‘ hose and 4 nozzles that make it easy to get to those hard-to-reach places. The Generac 7132 comes with the following nozzles:
- 0 degree nozzle
- 15 degree nozzle
- 45 degree nozzle
- Soaping nozzle
The Cons
As far as cons, we really didn’t find many. This unit is a great deal overall. We did notice that moving the unit around is slightly trickier with the rear-facing hoses and so there might be a potential for a problem here if you don’t pay attention to that. It is a little noisy, although this is to be expected from gas models and its part of the price that you pay for power. Also, while it is easy to get the Generac around when you have it already in a location and are ready to clean, it is still a large machine and so getting it from one site to another can be a little bit taxing. Not a dealbreaker, in our opinion, but a factor to consider.
Warranty note
The Generac 7132 comes with a 2 year limited warranty. The quick version of the legalese is that this warranty covers the engine as far as its major components, which include:
- Block
- Head
- Crank
- Cam
- Rods and pistons
- Pump (not covered in the second year, but only the first)
The final verdict
We liked the Generac 7132. It’s got a lot of power, it is easy to use, and it is going to get the job done. We hope that the information that we have provided will help you to decide if this is the right pressure washer for you. Just keep it gassed and it’s going to take good care of you. We can promise you that!