What is it?
Whether it's cleaning your car or bringing back a sad-looking patio to life, a pressure washer can be an incredibly handy bit of kit to have at your disposal. Corded models though can be a faff - not only have you got to connect your hose up to one, but you've got the extra hassle of getting power to it as well. And depending where you're working, that can mean extension leads to contend with. Not being able to get to a power point at all means that it's sometimes impossible to get to some locations with a pressure washer. That's why cordless, battery-powered pressure washers are so appealing.
The HPE2000E is EGO's first pressure washer and sits somewhere between a powerful domestic machine and a light commercial product, with a 450ltr/hr water flow rate and a maximum pressure of 135bar / 2000psi.
The EGO HPE2000E is based around the brand's 56V ARC Lithium battery - the same powerful battery used in its premium range of gardening equipment, including the EGO 1701E mower we tested. It also means that you can use your existing batteries in the HPE2000E or vice versa.
This is worth remembering as to buy the kit which includes two batteries (and it'll only run when both are installed) and charger will set you back £1,199. If you've already got a couple of batteries with another EGO product, then the HPE2000E can be bought as a standalone item for £649.
What's it like?
Out of the box and there is a little bit of self-assembly required, and while the set-up guide could be more helpful, it doesn't take too long at all. Putting it all together makes you also appreciate how well it's been made. While there are some plastic elements, there's also lots of mental used and everything goes together with a reassuring click.
The EGO HPE2000E comes with a 2.5m hose, siphon (with filter), gun and a selection of five nozzles that connect to the gun via a bayonet system. The 40 degree nozzle is designed for general cleaning that includes windows and cars, the 25 degree nozzle is good for things like wheels and decking, while the 15 degree nozzle is suited to driveways, bricks and concrete. If that doesn't do the job, there's also a Turbo nozzle for use on hard surfaces. It also comes with a foam cannon, though other accessories such as telescopic lance, 60 and 0 degree nozzles, hose reel, detergent tank and premium surface cleaner can be bought separately.
You'll obviously need to charge the batteries before you can get started and with only a single charger supplied, you'll have to charge them one after the other. Luckily charging times are pretty quick - you can expect a battery to be topped up in about 30 minutes, so after about an hour you'll be good to go.
With the batteries installed, connect your hose (or you can siphon water if you prefer/need to) and you can fire the HPE2000E up. As well as the different nozzles, you also have three different power settings - Low, High and Max, which can be set on both the unit itself as well as the handle if you prefer. The power setting you choose will dictate how long you can use the pressure washer. Using the supplied 7.5Ah batteries will see a run time of 75 minutes on the Low setting, 37.5 minutes on the High and just under 19 minutes at Max power.
How does this translate to the real world? We happily cleaned a family-sized car using the foam cannon, 40 degree and 25 degree nozzles and had ample battery life left, while a double driveway at high power required us to take a break for a battery charge. And what about the 135 bar pressure? In our time using it it never felt unpowered - stubborn grime on patios was easily blasted away for example, while the ability to easily tweak the power means you can tailor it to the surfaces your cleaning. You won't want to be aiming it at your car's paint at Max power for example.
At 15kg (without batteries) you're not going to want to have to lift this around too much, but it comes with a decent set of wheels and telescopic handle that makes it easy to move around when in use.
Should I buy one?
This will really come down to your specific needs. There's no question that this is a quality pressure washer that is built to last (it also comes with a five year warranty for domestic use), but the price means that there are more affordable options out there (both corded and cordless) that will do the job. However, if you're after a durable and highly spec'd pressure washer that you can use pretty much anywhere as long as you've got access to water and can justify the price (or you've already bought into the EGO battery system), then you're not going to be disappointed with the EGO HPE2000E.
