Kärcher K 5 Classic pressure washer
Image published by Kärcher.
Pressure washers

Kärcher K 5 Classic

8/10The most real power, in a light package

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$256.70

See on Amazon

Price retrieved automatically from Amazon every day. It may have changed since.

120 bar and 402 l/h rated, the highest hydraulic power in the comparison, from a machine weighing 5.6 kg without accessories. Its price per kilowatt sits mid-panel, and it draws from a tank.

What its figures are worth

  • Rated hydraulic power 40 %1,340 W · 10/10
  • Price per hydraulic kW 25 %191.6 USD per kW · 6/10
  • Sound power LwA 15 %92 dB(A) · 6/10
  • Weight 10 %5.6 kg · 9.5/10
  • Hose length 10 %8 m · 7.5/10

Every criterion in the scale could be calculated. Weighting: Rated hydraulic power 40 %, Price per hydraulic kW 25 %, Sound power LwA 15 %, Weight 10 %, Hose length 10 %.

Choose it if

  • Stripping a patio, a render or a crusted concrete mixer.
  • Working from a water butt, with no mains pressure.
  • A machine that is easy to lift into a car.

Skip it if

  • Noise: 92 dB(A) guaranteed sound power.
  • A weight published without accessories, lower than in real use.

Check the price on Amazon

Cleaning a garden path with the Kärcher K 5 Classic
Cleaning a garden path with the Kärcher K 5 Classic.

Published specifications

Retrieved from kaercher.com. Quoted from the page: « Pression (bar/MPa) 20 - max. 145 / 2 - max. 14,5 · Débit (l/h) max. 500 · Rendement surfacique (m²/h) 40 · Température d'admission (°C) max. 40 · Puissance nominale à l'entrée (kW) 2,1 · Poids sans accessoires (kg) 5,6 · Flexible haute pression: 8 m · Matériau de la pompe: Aluminium · Aspiration de l'eau | Notice : Hauteur d'aspiration (max.) m 0,5 · Pression de service MPa 12,0 · Pression max. admissible MPa 14,5 · Débit, eau l/min 6,7 · Poids opérationnel typique kg 7,0 · Niveau de pression acoustique LpA dB(A) 77 · Incertitude KpA dB(A) 3 · LwA dB(A) 89 · Niveau de puissance acoustique garanti LWA,d dB(A) 92 »
SpecificationStated value
Rated pressure120 bar
Rated flow402 l/h
Advertised maximum pressure145 bar
Advertised maximum flow500 l/h
Input power2,100 W
Motornot published on the page we consulted
High-pressure hose8 m
Draws from a tankyes, up to 0.5 m
Guaranteed sound power LwA92 dB(A)
Sound pressure77 dB(A), distance not stated
Weight5.6 kg (without accessories)

Before you pull the trigger

  • Never at a person, an animal or electrical equipment. A jet above 100 bar can pierce skin and inject water beneath it: that is a medical emergency, even when the wound looks small.
  • Eye protection and closed shoes. The jet throws grit, joint fragments and moss up to face height.
  • Never on old fibre-cement roofing or cladding. Older sheets can contain asbestos, and high pressure releases the fibres.
  • A socket protected by a 30 mA RCD, an outdoor extension lead fully unwound, and connections kept out of puddles.
  • Render and timber: try a hidden corner first. Old render, crumbly pointing or soft wood erode quickly. Keep the nozzle back and start with a wide spray.

What the maker shows

Frequently asked questions

Where does this machine's score come from?

It is calculated, not awarded. Five measurable criteria are weighted, and each value is mapped onto a scale relative to the other machines in the comparison. For this machine, 100% of the scale could be applied: criteria the maker does not publish drop out rather than being replaced by an estimate.

How much pressure does a patio or a render need?

Look at rated pressure and flow rather than the box figure. For a slabbed patio or a render, rated hydraulic power of around 1 kW, for example 110 bar at 330 l/h, does a clean job; below that, the machine suits garden furniture and bikes better. On render or soft timber, nozzle distance matters, not maximum pressure.

Can a pressure washer work without a mains water supply?

Yes, if it can draw from a tank: most of this panel can, up to 0.5 m of lift, with a suction hose fitted with a filter. That helps on a plot with no connection, using a rainwater butt. Each machine's page says whether the maker publishes it.