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CLEANING a muddy patio with a brush and some elbow grease is hard graft.
And if it's a job you loathe, you may want to consider investing in a pressure washer.
These efficient machines can make light work of a deep clean, whether you are sprucing up your patio for BBQ season, cleaning your car, garden furniture or the kids' trampoline.
Most have concentrated water jets which will save you hours on these heavy-duty tasks and they are incredibly satisfying to use on dirt and grime.
But with so many on offer, which will do the best job without costing you a fortune?
I put eight pressure washers to the test to find out.
The instructions were not terribly clear on how to put this together, but once I found a YouTube video, it was quite simple.
It has a simple on off switch and couldn't be easier to use. It was quite loud compared to some of the other machines, but no worse than a lawnmower.
It was reasonably effective at getting grime off the patio but the real joy of this one was how well it got rid of dirt and moss from in between paving slabs.
This made a huge difference to the end result.
It did vibrate a bit in the hand whilst I was using it which made it a little uncomfortable to grip after a while.
It is quite pricey too, retailing at nearly £170.
Lightweight, easy to set up and easy to manoeuvre, but the water pressure on this Flymo isn't very strong.
You could barely notice a difference when I used it on the patio and for the price, I would have expected better results.
However, it was a great option for cleaning the car and the kids' trampoline as it's not as big as some of the other models, which is also handy if you're short on storage space.
It has three different nozzles allowing you to use it different angles and long and short range.
It's battery powered so you need to charge it up before use.
Incredible value, I felt this washer was very sturdy, well-built and the power was reasonable.
It has a six metre hose, one of the longest, and 110 bar for pressure, which was less than some but enough to do a decent job.
One of the best bits about this was the five different accessories which all came in handy, including a vario nozzle, power nozzle, patio cleaner, foam sprayer and extension lance.
I'm not sure it is built to last as long as some of the others, but it does come with a three-year warranty.
There are quite a few fancy features on this considering it's only £109.
Super easy to assemble, this washer is powered by a tough carbon brush motor with a thermal protector to prevent overheating and for safe use, a total stop system allows for the washer to be instantly shut down when needed.
The pressure can be adjusted between 90 and 130 bar which made it quite versatile for tackling different jobs such as the patio or car.
It had an extra long five metre hose and five meter power cable so may be a good option if you need a long reach too.
Overall I thought this was excellent value for money.
Karcher is the name that springs to mind when you think 'pressure washer'.
It worked well, shifting dirt quickly, even without detergent, making it a great choice for blitzing grime before BBQ season.
I did have some initial trouble getting it all connected properly and suffered some leaks and it didn't seem as well built as some of the others in our test.
However, it is light to carry and more compact than some of the others if storage is an issue.
This was at the higher end of the price bracket but both a powerful and practical pick.
SUNNIER days and warmer weather will leave many of us wanting to kit out gardens and outdoor areas.
Sun Savers Editor Lana Clements explains how to get a great deal on summer essentials…
It pays to know how to bag big savings on the likes of hot tubs paddling pools, egg chairs and outside bars.
Many retailers have flash sales across entire ranges – often this ties into payday at the end of the month or Bank Holiday weekends.
Sign up to the mailing lists of your favourite brands and you’ll be first to know of special offers. It can be worth following retailers on social media too.
Keep a close eye on the specialbuys at Aldi and middle of Lidl drops which drop a couple of times a week and usually mean great value seasonal items such as beach gear and paddling pools.
If you are not in a hurry to buy an item, try adding it to the shopping cart and leaving it for a couple of days.
Sometimes big brands will try to tempt you into the sale by offering you a discount.
Always check if you can get cashback before paying. It’s especially worth using sites such as Topcashback, Quidco and app Jamdoughnut when buying bigger ticket items such as garden furniture as you’ll get a nice kickback.
Not only was this among the cheapest washers in our test, it was also the most powerful.
It did the best job of cleaning the most stubborn dirt and grime from the patio. You could see a visible difference instantly.
It didn't have the fancy features that others had so it was one lance, one power setting, and a simple on and off.
But it was easy to set up and use and definitely the best option for the most stubborn dirt.
I didn't do very well with this. The instructions were basically a set of diagrams which I couldn't make head nor tail of.
I set it up and hardly any water was coming out. It took me some time (and assistance) to get it working.
It was light and easy to manoeuvre and might do for basic jobs, but it wasn't powerful enough to clean much and I didn't think it was worth the money.
I felt is's the kind of item that just ends up taking up space in the shed.
My best buy and the pressure washer I'm choosing to keep in the shed, although it is on the pricier side.
Small and neat it has no wheels but it has a low, rectangular design which makes it easy to pick up and carry around with you.
It has a strong, steel-reinforced hose, a detergent bottle and two nozzles - turbo and vario.
One of the most outstanding features was the telescopic 'zoom' lance for reaching into tricky to reach corners and higher spots.
When putting it together you did need to add a small metal clip which I didn't see in the instructions, but once I got it working, it was powerful and efficient.
With an operating pressure of 120 bar it cleans powerfully and well, tackling grubby patios and cars with ease. It's good value and comes with a 10-year guarantee.
