Draper Pressure Washer 230V review

This is a collaborative post in partnership with Draper

Spring is almost here, and for lots of us that means it’s time to spruce up our outdoor spaces.  Having spent more time in our gardens than ever before over the last year, and with this year looking like it’s going to be a similar situation, I’m sure an outdoor spring clean is on a lot of to do lists right now.

When it comes to outdoor jobs, top of my list has been tackling dirt which has built up on outdoor surfaces over winter.  A pressure washer is the ideal candidate for this kind of job. We’ve been using the new 230V pressure washer from Draper for our outdoor cleanup.

Draper 98677 pressure washer

The Draper 98677 pressure washer retails at around £167.95.  It delivers 2200W of power and 165 Bar pressure.  This positions it at the higher end of the market for both features, making it a powerful option for general domestic use.  Draper say this model is ideal for cleaning patios, cars, caravans or worksites.

The following accessories are supplied with the pressure washer.

• 6m high pressure hose with integrated storage reel and winding handle
• Spray nozzle which delivers a fixed jet of water for precision cleaning
• Turbo nozzle which delivers a variable fan-shaped jet that can clean a larger area
• Spray lance with safety locking button to prevent accidental operation
• Fixed brush which attaches to the lance and can be used to remove stubborn dirt
• Integrated detergent bottle
• Cleaning pin to deal with nozzle blockages

Assembling the Draper 98677 pressure washer

Out of the box, there is a small amount of assembly required.  This is very straightforward, and took about 20 minutes.

Using the Draper 98677 pressure washer

We put the pressure washer through it’s paces on a number of different surfaces.

Paved patio

Our patio always needs some attention after winter.  Because we don’t use it as much, dust and dirt tends to build up more, and the grouting is clearly a nice home for moss and algae.

You do need to be a bit careful when using a powerful pressure washer to clean grouting.  If you hold the jet too close you risk dislodging the grouting completely.  We took our time and kept the lance at quite a distance, and used the turbo nozzle to create a wider spray rather than concentrate the jet in a small area.

The Draper pressure washer tackled the patio with ease, giving it a new lease of life ready for spring.

Concrete driveway

Our concrete driveway was a great test for the Draper pressure washer.  We live close to a river, and the dampness in the air makes the drive accumulate a layer of mossy grime – lovely!

We used the variable fan-jet turbo nozzle to tackle the driveway.  It made the job so much quicker, and got rid of all the dirt very effectively.  As you can see from the picture, the difference was really noticeable – there’s something very satisfying about seeing just how much muck you’re getting rid of.

Cars

We used the fixed brush in combination with the detergent bottle to clean our cars.  

The detergent bottle is integrated into the pressure washer.  I like this because it means we don’t need to find somewhere to store it, and we can’t lose it!

To use detergent, you simply fill the bottle, remove the spray nozzle or turbo nozzle from the lance, and attach the brush.  The detergent and water streams then automatically mix together.

The brush attachment did a great job, and really cut down on the amount of time it took to clean the car. It was particularly good for tackling dirt in tricky areas such as window seals and handles.

Bins

We used the turbo nozzle to clean the outside of our wheelie bins. The powerful jet dealt with three bins in less than five minutes. We’ll also use the pressure washer to clean them inside when they’re empty.

Trampoline

Our trampoline sits under a large tree which birds love to frequent, and as a result we need to clean it regularly.  In the past we’ve used a bucket and cloth to tackle this job, which is time-consuming and pretty grotty.  We decided to try the pressure washer on the bounce mat and surround, and it did an amazing cleaning job in a fraction of the time we’d normally spend.  We had to be careful with the powerful jet to avoid damaging the padded surround, but we quickly got the hang of this.

What I like about the Draper 98677 pressure washer

Having used this pressure washer on pretty much every outdoor cleaning job we could think of, I’m really pleased with the performance.

Here’s a quick list of the main features that impressed us.

• It’s very powerful, making it easy to do a thorough job
• The main unit and accessories feel very solid and well-made
• It’s not too heavy, and reasonably compact
• The large wheels and carry handle make it easy to move around
• The push-fit hose connection makes it easy to attach your hosepipe
• 6m hose length is generous
• The lance handle is comfortable to hold during use
• It’s quick and easy to switch nozzles
• All the basic tools you need are included
• The tools all store on the unit when not in use
• The hose winding handle and cassette make it much easier to store the pressure washer neatly.
• This model is fitted with Draper’s Auto Control Total Stop Device.  This causes the motor to start and stop when the trigger is activated, so it isn’t running continuously when you’re not operating the spray.  As you can imagine, this feature reduces how much water and electricity are used, as well as cutting down on the amount of time you can hear operation noise.

In terms of negatives, we only had a couple of niggles.  I know pressure washers are noisy, but we felt this particular model was on the noisier end of the spectrum.  I presume this is mainly due to it being really powerful.  We also found it a bit tricky to wind the hose back onto the reel, because the high pressure hose is by nature quite rigid.  I’m sure we’ll get the hang of this as we use the machine more.

Our verdict

We’ve used a few different brands of pressure washer in the past, and in our experience this Draper model out-performs the more well-known names you associate with this product category.  It’s powerful, well-designed, and easy to use, and it tackled our outdoor cleaning effectively and efficiently.  If you’re looking for a powerful pressure washer for general domestic use, I think it’s a great option.

You can find out more about local and online stockists of the Draper 98677 pressure washer here.

Draper supplied me with the 98677 pressure washer for review purposes.  All comments and opinions are honest and based on my experience of using the product.