Last Updated On June 10th, 2020
Karcher is probably the best-known name in the pressure washer world, offering tools for virtually every cleaning application you can think of. But how on earth do you choose between the Karcher K2 vs K4, or Karcher K4 vs K5, and the K5 vs K7?
There are so many different models on the market, each with their own pros and cons to consider; it’s no wonder that people end up getting confused. Before you go shopping for a new Kärcher device and end up lost in a sea of yellow plastic washers, it’s a good idea to make sure you know what you’re getting into.
While there may be 11 models in the Karcher selection of state-of-the-art pressure washers, there are four that seem to get the most attention in the market. These options come in a range of different models, but you’ll find their names everywhere. The models that we’ll be reviewing today are Kärcher K2, K4, K5, and K7.
Each of these Karcher pressure washers comes with a design carefully chosen to serve a specific purpose. In today’s review, we’ll be looking at how each Kärcher pressure washer performs in various areas to help you make an informed decision. The points we’ll be looking at are:
- Product design
- Lances and accessories
- Cleaning performance
- Pros and Cons
- Final verdict
Let’s get started.
Karcher K2 vs K4 vs K5 vs K7 Compared
Kärcher Pressure Washer Features
As mentioned, each feature will be closely evaluated according to benefits and flaws. In the end, the model that has the most attractive package and well-balanced attributes will be hailed as the winner.
The Kärcher K2 – The Budget-Friendly, Lightweight Option
When you’re considering the Karcher K2 vs K4 or the pricier K7, there’s a good chance you’ll be searching for something budget-friendly, lightweight, and easy to use.
a. Design
The Karcher K2 pressure washer is a 1.4 KW Air-cooled machine with a water flow rate of 360 litres per hour and 110 bar pressure. That means you can cover about 20 square metres of space per hour.
The K2 is available in the following designs:
- Full Control
- Full Control Home
- Premium Full Control
- Compact
Every K2 model comes with a 4-metre hose, aside from the Premium option with a 6m hose. This does mean you’ll need to move the pressure washer around with you as you clean. On the plus side, the K2 washer is the most lightweight of all the models, weighing between 4.1kg and 4.6kg. The K2 model is also perfect for storage, thanks to its small size.
b. Lances and Accessories
One impressive feature of the Kärcher K2 pressure washer is the Vario lance, which allows users to choose between 4 distinct settings to get the ideal clean. The lowest setting is for the detergent application, while the second power setting offers a wider, broader spray. The third setting provides medium power – great for washing your car or patio furniture, and the fourth setting is for hard surfaces like concrete or pavement.
The K2 pressure washer also comes with a T150 patio cleaner for washing large areas of pavement, deck, and patio, and there’s a car-cleaning kit included to get you started. The kit includes a foam nozzle, car shampoo, and soft wash brush.
The Kärcher K2 Full Control Home pressure washer also comes with a targeted pressure-regulation trigger gun.
c. Cleaning Performance:
Aside from the K2 compact, all models of the Kärcher K2 pressure washer include an integrated detergent tank. Some of the specs you can expect are:
- Bar Pressure: 110
- Water flow rate: 360 litres per hour
- Wattage: 1,400 watts
- Hose length: 4 metres
- Surface reach: 20 metres squared per hour
- Portable, lightweight design
- With a handy storage compartment for holding hoses, cables, and more
- Comes with easy-to-use accessories such as patio cleaning tool and car washing kits
- Offers a 2-year warranty
- Hose is a bit shorter than other Karcher pressure washers
- The pressure might not be enough to deal with stubborn areas
Final Verdict
The Kärcher K2 pressure washer is perfect for smaller cleaning applications where you don’t necessarily need a lot of power or hose length. For the price, the unit’s features are very impressive, and more than enough to help you manage simple cleaning applications. You can clean a garage, rinse off your kids’ bikes, or clean the patio furniture.
The main downside of the K2 model is that it’s not quite powerful enough for bigger heavy-duty jobs. You may also find that the hose isn’t long enough for your needs.
The Karcher K4 – The Next-Level Home Option
The next step in the Kärcher family is the Karcher K4. When it comes to pitting the Karcher K4 vs K5 and higher models, you’re not getting quite as much power or performance. However, the Karcher K4 is more robust than the K2 pressure cleaner.
a. Design
The Karcher K4 device comes with a powerful water cooled 1.8 KW motor – perfect for reliability and efficiency. Maximum pressure increases to 130 bar pressure compared to 110 bar for the K2, and the water flow rate also increases to 420 litres per hour. This means you can cover up to 30 square meters per hour.
The K4 pressure washer is available in the following designs:
- Full Control
- Full Control Home
- Premium Full Control
- Compact
All of the Karcher K4 models come with a 6-metre hose, although these Karcher pressure washers are quite a bit heavier than the K2, ranging between 10.7kg and 11.9kg. They’re also more effective at dealing with stubborn grime and dirt such as those in your garage or patio furniture.
b. Lances and Accessories
Similarly to the Home Premium version of the Kärcher K2, the K4 pressure washer comes with a Vario and a dirt blaster lances. This gives you more control over a range of ways to get rid of dirt and grime. One major difference between the K2 and K4 washers is that the Karcher K4 features a full-control spray gun, too. There’s a small picture LED display so you can choose the right pressure for every application.
The K4 device also comes with a new and improved patio cleaning device called the T350, which is ideal for vertical as well as horizontal surfaces. Most Karcher K4 kits can come with detergents, cleaning kits, and more.
c. Cleaning Performance:
One major improvement you’ll notice on the Kärcher K4 Full Control is that there is a plug and clean system for detergent use. This means that you simply pour shampoo or detergent straight into the washer and you’re ready to go. It’s that simple.
There’s also a handy hose reel, which means that you can keep the pressure hose neatly out of the way when you’re done with it. Some of the cleaning specs you’ll see include:
- Bar Pressure: 130 bar
- Water flow rate: 420 litres per hour
- Wattage: 1,800 watts
- Hose length: 6-metre hose
- Surface reach: 30 metres squared per hour
- Has a 6-metre hose for good reach in various areas
- Water-cooled motor for better reliability
- With an indicator that lets you know what pressure you’re using
- Comes with a set of durable wheels and handle for movement
- Great compact design complete with compartments for accessories
- Comes with a 3-year warranty
- Noticeably heavier than the K2
- Detergent dispenser could use some improvement
- 6-metre hose may not be long enough for some users with wider patios
Final Verdict
The Kärcher K4 Full Control pressure washer is a step above from the K2, but it doesn’t quite have the power or performance features of some of the higher models. This water-cooled device offers a fantastic and reliable performance, however, particularly for such a compact unit.
The trigger on this power washer comes with a useful indicator that will give you full control over your washing process. Overall, you can rely on this device for amazing cleaning functionality and strong performance. If the K5 or K7 is too expensive and the K2 isn’t enough for your needs, this could be the ideal option.
The Karcher K5 – The Option for Professional Cleaning
When you’re really committed to getting the best out of your power washer, that’s when you start looking at the K5 vs the K7 and beyond. The Kärcher K5 pressure washer isn’t quite as expensive as the K7, but it is a lot more powerful than anything you can get from the K2 or K4.
a. Design
The motor, once again cooled by water, offers a power level of 2.1 KW, and the maximum pressure increases to 145. This means that you can manage an impressive 500 litres of water per hour and cover up to 40 square metres per hour, too. The designs that the K5 device is available in:
- Compact Home
- Premium full control
For functionality, the K5 power washer also comes with a much longer 8-metre hose, which makes it a lot easier to reach various areas. Although the K5 is heavier at 13.6kg, it’s also on wheels, so you can still easily move it around the patio.
b. Lances and Accessories
Unlike some of the earlier models in the Kärcher family, the K5 washer doesn’t come with a range of separate lances to choose from. Instead, you’ll just get one lance capable of many different things. The lance acts as a dirt blaster, detergent applicator and a Vario lance all in one. All you need to do is twist the lance to move to a different mode.
Like the Karcher K4 Full Control Home pressure washer, there’s a full-control trigger gun which allows you to manage the water flow of your pressure device. Additionally, the K5 device comes with a T350 patio cleaning tool and a litre of three-in-one detergent.
c. Cleaning Performance:
Just like the K4 Full Control Home pressure washer, the K5 also comes with a plug and clean detergent system and has an integrated hose reel for easier storage. The cleaning specs you can expect include:
- Bar Pressure: 145
- Water flow rate: 500 litres per hour
- Wattage: 2,100 watts
- Hose length: 8 metres
- Surface reach: 40 metres squared per hour
- Built with attractively convenient design
- Complete with a storage compartment for accessories
- Durable water cooled motor
- Easy plug-in detergent
- 8-metre cable and LED trigger notification
- Longer warranty period of 5 years
- Considerably bulky and heavy to move around
- Way more expensive than K2 and K4
Final Verdict
If you’re looking for something to deal with the heavier cleaning applications that your K2 just can’t handle, then the powerful K5 machine could be just the thing for you. Ideal for flushing some of the toughest points around and outside of your home, the K5 model is an excellent solution for any homeowner.
Although the K5 power washer isn’t as lightweight or as budget-friendly as the K2 and K4 pressure washers, it does deliver a lot more functionality. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide whether you’d rather have something that was going to cost you less in the short-term or something that will be able to handle a wider range of jobs. However, if you’re not looking for something to deal with particularly tough dirt and grime, then the K4 would be able to do most jobs just as well without the extra hit on your bank account.
The Karcher K7 – The Premium Option
Finally, we come to the very top of the Karcher pressure washer range.
When you’re comparing the K5 vs K7 washers and beyond, it’s safe to say that the Karcher K7 Premium Full Control is the number one choice if you’re not really worried about your budget. It’s a lot more expensive than the other models in the Kärcher family, but it offers performance unlike anything else, too.
a. Design
The water cooled motor comes with a 2.8 KW power rating – making it twice as powerful as the K2. Additionally, you’ll get a maximum of 180 bar pressure and a water flow rate of 550 litres per hour. For area coverage, you can expect to manage about 60 square metres per hour. What’s more, you get a much longer hose on the K7 Premium Full Control pressure washer than you do anywhere else. The hose is 10 metres long.
If you’re worried about maximum water feed temperature, then the K7 also goes higher here – at 60 degrees compared to only 40 degrees for all of your other models. It’s really the number one choice for professional use.
b. Lances and Accessories
Like the K5, the powerful K7 model comes with a state-of-the-art lance that covers all of the functionality you need in one. You can change between different kinds of sprays with a simple twist of the nozzle, and you can adjust the detergent flow and water pressure using the LCD touch display.
Unlike other models in the Kärcher family, the K7 is the only option to come with an advanced T450 patio cleaner. This is a compelling accessory for flushing decks, patios and other large surfaces. Additionally, the T450 model comes with a power nozzle that will help you to get into awkward corners and edges too. The kit comes with 1 litre of multi-purpose detergent.
c. Cleaning Performance:
This premium pressure washer is most ideal for extensive and professional cleaning jobs. Like the K4 and K5 models, the K7 comes with the plug and clean detergent system and a reel for storing your pressure hose when you’re not using it. Some of the cleaning performance stats you can expect to see are:
- Bar Pressure: 180
- Water flow rate: 550 litres per hour
- Wattage: 2,800 Watts
- Hose length: 10-metre hose
- Surface reach: 60 metres squared per hour
- Unbeatable water cooled motor
- 3-in-1 lance and T450 surface cleaner
- 10-metre hose and LCD touch controls
- Guaranteed to withstand constant use
- Has a 5-year warranty
- Quite heavy
- More expensive than other options
Final Verdict:
The K7 pressure washer is the premium solution for people who need a state-of-the-art machine to help with cleaning larger areas or tackling tough jobs. If you run a professional cleaning business, then this is the kind of machine that you’ll be looking for. The high-pressure nozzle can dislodge dirt with ease, and you’ll have no problem getting big tasks done fast.
The K7 comes with an amazing surface-cleaning accessory and a 10-metre pressure hose which makes it easier to get around without dragging your device wherever you go. However, it is a lot heavier than some of the other washers in the Kärcher family. Additionally, it’s a very expensive model that’s only really necessary if you want a professional clean. If you’re just looking for something to tackle simple jobs, there are cheaper models that can do almost as well.
Choosing the Perfect Karcher: Premium or Compact?
Depending on which Karcher pressure washer you’re looking at, you’ll notice that many come with different model types available. For instance, you can get a “Premium” version of the Karcher K5 pressure washer, or a compact version which is intended to give you more freedom to move around with the device.
For the most part, the specs on the Karcher pressure washers are exactly the same, regardless of whether you go for the “Premium” or “Compact” options. The main difference is how the model is designed. For instance, with a premium model of the K5, you’ll find on-board storage for the attachments, along with a place that you can store your trigger gun too.
Premium or home models also come with a hose reel where you can store your pressure hose when you’re finished using it. Obviously, there’s extra weight to consider if you’re not choosing a compact model. However, to some extent, the extra weight can also make the device feel more robust too. Alternatively, while the compact model will leave you searching for somewhere to store attachments and extras, you’ll have an easier time carrying it around.
Which Karcher Pressure Washer Should You Choose?
When it comes to deciding between the Karcher K2 vs Karcher K4, K5 or K7, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. The option that’s right for you will depend on what you’re looking for out of a new pressure washer. With that in mind, here are our top picks:
Best All-Around Karcher
If you’re looking for something that can do basically everything, without totally blowing your budget, then the Karcher K5 pressure washer is the number one choice. It’s well-built to handle anything from large cleaning jobs to smaller tasks.
Additionally, there’s an extra-long hose to provide you with plenty of room to work. The K5 device also features one of the best cleaning accessories on the market in the form of the T350. In the choice of the Karcher K4 vs K5, it’s a no brainer.
Best for Heavy-Duty Cleaning
Alternatively, if you’re looking for something professional, perhaps to help with your new cleaning business, then the K7 can’t be defeated. It gives you the freedom to tackle virtually any job that comes your way. Plus, the Karcher K7 pressure washer comes with all the power that you could ask for, and a huge hose length, too! It’s not a budget-friendly option, but it’s the go-to for heavy-duty cleaning, particularly if you’re looking at the K5 vs K7 models.
Best for Lightweight Performance
Finally, if you’re looking for something simple and lightweight that you can rely on not to break the budget, go for the Kärcher K2. When it comes to choosing between the Karcher K2 vs K4, there’s not too much difference to speak of – particularly if you’re not looking for heavy-duty cleaning. However, if you’re looking for something to use more regularly, the Karcher K4 might be slightly more durable.
Overall Pressure Washer Winner
With utmost consideration to efficiency, convenience, durability, and cost – the Kärcher K5 model takes the cake! Although, it’s more costly than the first two but the cutting edge technology of the K5 makes the price tag more than reasonable. Top it off with the superb cleaning performance and a 5-year warranty, it’s a device that’s quite hard to ignore.
Take Your Pick
There you have it, everything you need to know to make an informed decision about the best Karcher pressure washer for your needs. Remember, all of the Karcher items are easy to use and robust. So, you should be able to rely on them to stand the test of time. However, if you’re looking for something particularly strong that you can take with you on business calls – then you’ll need something with a little more strength – like the K5 or K7.
The best thing to do is decide how you’re going to be using your pressure washer, and what you need it for. That way, you can make sure you’re picking the solution that’s best-suited for you.