REASONS TO BUY
Good hose and cord storage
Quick-disconnect from hose to wand
REASONS TO AVOID
Expensive
Lacks power
Powerhouse International no longer makes this pressure washer.
Powerhouse International Platinum Edition Review
It's hard to recommend the Powerhouse International Platinum Edition with its high price tag and unimpressive results
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Our Verdict
We think it's a bit of a stretch to label the Powerhouse International a Platinum Edition, awarding it one of the lowest scores we have seen to date. This model delivered a below-average set of results in our cleaning tests, following it up with a subpar set of scores in our portability metric. It's one of the louder models and we weren't impressed with the quality of the included nozzles. All in all, we generally would recommend you steer clear of this pressure washer.
Our Analysis and Test Results
On top of all that, the unit we tested didn't make the best case when it comes to its long-term durability. This unit's motor started to give off a rather disconcerting smell after running it for about 15 minutes. This didn't necessarily impact performance and it operated without breaking for our entire review process but didn't exactly inspire confidence.
Performance Comparison
The Platinum Edition is far from our favorite pressure washer.
Credit: Ian Pearman
Likes
The Platinum Edition is a fairly run-of-the-mill pressure washer that didn't offer much in terms of noticeable features. It's about average in size for mid-tier electric pressure washers but does have a retractable handle to minimize its vertical footprint. It also isn't overly heavy, tipping the scales at just under 28 lbs.
It isn't too much work to carry this machine around -- something we were thankful for given its wheels mediocre off-road performance.
Credit: Ian Pearman
This machine also includes lots of attachments that you have to buy separately with other models, such as a surface cleaner brush or scrub brush.
Some of the included attachments with the Powerhouse International Platinum.
Credit: Ian Pearman
Overall, we are fans of all the storage options the Powerhouse offers since these products tend to quickly become a tangled mess of power cords and hoses. This pressure washer is one of the only models that we have seen that has a quick-disconnect between the output hose and the wand, which is handy for quick storage. You also have plenty of room to hook up the garden hose and we love the integrated spool holder for the output hose. The crank arm to turn it is a bit of a joke but it isn't too bad to just grab the wheel and turn it.
The Platinum Edition is an electric pressure washer so it has minimal preventative maintenance. The electrical cord storage is also solid, offering you plenty of room to hold the cord and it has a dummy outlet that you can plug the cord in so it doesn't drag when moving this machine around.
The Platinum Edition couldn't compete with the top-tier products in the testing trough.
Credit: Ross Patton
Dislikes
Unfortunately, we found the cleaning performance of the Platinum Edition to be a bit of a disappointment. This cleaning machine put up a mediocre time in our carpet cleaning test, taking 5-7 minutes to remove all the activated carbon from the rug — over twice as long as the fastest products.
Based on our measured pressure of 1050 PSI and flow rate of 1.26 gallons per minute, calculated a rather lackluster 1323 cleaning units for the Platinum Edition — making it anything but a powerhouse in this test. It also didn't do particularly well when it was up at the testing trough, raising the bocce ball a measly 2.75', while the top-tier products lifted the ball to over 6'.
The Powerhouse also has some of the worst wheels we have seen, with its four casters being far more suitable for rolling around in an airport than across any outdoor terrain. It also has a bit of a high-pitched whine while operating and is fairly loud at 84.6 decibels when you are standing right next to it.
These tiny wheels struggled to roll smoothly over even small cracks.
Credit: Ross Patton
Value
We think the Platinum Edition by Powerhouse International is a terrible option if you are shopping on a budget, coupling a below-average set of results in our tests with a higher than average list price — just about the exact opposite you want from a bargain buy.
Conclusion
We found it hard to make a case to purchase this pressure washer and overall think you would be better served by plenty of other options, regardless of whatever your needs and budget might be.
—
Austin Palmer and Ross Patton
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