Customer Reviews

Campbell Hausfeld PW181000AV 1,800 psi 1.6 gpm Electric Pressure Washer with 25-Foot Hose

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

1800 PSI ELEC. PRESSURE WASHER

This top rated machine worked for one day (one hour). The next day the motor would not start. Customer service and technical support could suggest nothing other than taking the unit to an authorized service dealer. The nearest one is two hours away. If you buy this unit (or any power washer), you had better make sure there is a nearby authorized repair service. Or buy from a store instead of online.

Here's the good - the unit has a small footprint, relatively light, you don't have to deal with gas, oil, etc. and does a pretty good job of cleaning for the DIY.

The mixed blessing is that this is one of the better electric units and will barely make it past the one year warranty, then the pump and motor give out on your leaving you with a useless machine. In a way, you'd be better off with a cheaper unit so you can at least get a refund, new unit etc. when it will predictably fail in 3-6 months.

I have used this unit for 14 months and here are my observations:
1) unit keeps turning on and off. This becomes more frequent as your cleaning session progresses.
2) There seems to be an air pressure issue. Even when the motor and pump are on and water is coming out, there is very little pressure. I have found the best way to relieve this is to take off the tip, squeeze the trigger and let the air purge out, then re-attach the tip.
3) The hose is too stiff so you can never wrap it neatly around the unit - you will have both the power and hose cords spread all over the place.
4) If you put any cleaning or soap solution in the tank it will come out regardless of turning the switch to "off". It also leaks very badly (both tanks) so whatever you have left over will leave a pool of messy liquid near the base of the unit during storage.

Another note: I brought the now broken unit to an authorized dealer. They can not obtain the parts for this unit as the manufacturer does not even sell them. The technician also said that the pump often costs $150 plus labor - you may as well get a new unit. They also told me that most electric washers only last 3-6 months and I was "fortunate" that mine lasted a full year.

If you have any interest in a quality machine, go to gas only - you will be hugely disappointed with every electric.

The QC on this product must be terrible. I've experienced the same failure as the reviewer above. Power washing a bike the unit just quit and would not come back on. In spite of a positive review from a "consumer review" web site this unit cannot meet that positive review's standards if it fails outright within one hour of being removed from the box.

Campbell Hausfeld PW181000AV - pressure hose so stiff there is no way to wrap it as displayed in the picture, pressure pulses off and on.. so sustained washing is impossible. If you use the soap reservoir you will notice the unit always sends a little soap even if the soap is not "selected". Wheels are wobbly.. Ignore web sites claiming to offer editorial reviews of this product as this unit is highly rated yet I cannot find a single function/feature that is not sub-par. I miss my old, lighter, more reliable, cheaper Karcher.

I read a review of this power washer in some magazine that compared it to a bunch of others and recommended it.

It works as promised and is smaller and lighter than a gas powered. It did our vinyl siding and deck beautifully

I bought Model PW1810 - what a dissapointment! After the first use it would not start. Tried different sequences of on/off, reset, trigger, etc. and it sometimes worked so I did not return under warranty. Now after not using for 6 months it will not start at all and I am beyond the 12-month warranty period; Campbell Hausefeld will not extend it. Tells me to drive one hour for repair on my own.

Wish we had read the user reviews before I purchased. The on-line "expert" endorsements must have been paid for by the manufacturer because the machine is junk. Next time I will stick to Sears or other well-known retailer (Lowes, Wal-Mart).

This washer is good for light duty work such as washing cars and driveways. Because it is a lower pressure unit it can be used safely on windows. I like the lightweight portability of the washer. I would reccomend it where you need to transport it up and down stairs. It comes with a good extension cord equiped with a GFI plug but the plastic pressure hose is stiffer than I would like making it difficult to handle and stow after use. A rubber hose would have been easier to handle. Overall it seems to be a good buy for the money.

First one failed after 20 minutes. Had to go to service center two time as they don't stock it to get a second one. Tested it for a minute, put it away for season. Took it out 6 months later, failed in 15 seconds. Let's see if they honor the warranty for a 3rd.

Don't buy, this is junk. Advise looking at the manufacturer's service website before buying a product like this (high end, non-professional). The level of self-help is terrible (trying entering any question into the FAQ and you will see "nothing found", for even stuff like the model number or "doesn't start" or even "start". Nada. Don't buy product from a company that is this disrespectful to customers. I was dumb. Made in China strikes again.

I ordered this product from the Campbell Hausfeld CPO site as a reconditioned unit. It arrived looking like it had been thrown into the box - no packaging whatsoever. I've bought things in better condition at garage sales. It had a broken wheel, which C-H replaced under the 30 day warranty. Both cleaning fluid intake hoses were crimped, so I had to carefully straighten them out. The instructions for assembling the unit are poorly written and illustrated. It is built like a toy. When I filled the cleaning solution container with C-H cleaning fluids, one of the tanks leaked because of a pinhole. Neither of the tanks actually supplied cleaning fluid to the pump. The pressure is not impressive, regardless of which nozzle or setting you use, and we have plenty of inlet pressure from our water supply. It is quiet. I was unable to use the product as intended until after the expiration of the warranty, so my only recourse was to locate a C-H service center ( these are all independent compressor shops ) to repair my unit. I live in a Los Angeles suburb, but there was not a single service center within 25 miles listed on the C-H website that worked on pressure washers. So, what to do? I'm certainly not going to waste any more money on this this piece of junk, so I'll sell it at the next garage sale for $25 and tell the new owner that it works well to blow leaves off your driveway. Other than that, it's useless.

I purchased this to replace my tired unit that was several years and hours old. This unit has been over engineered and made less powerful while adding alot of weight. The water connection is on the wrong side and is very vulnerable to breakage, the extra length of cheaper hose swells up and absorbs pressure. The turbo wand is less powerful. They have even reduced the size of the wand holder holes so you have breakdown the wand to store it. Overall quite a disappointment.