Kärcher · the entry step, and what it buys
Is the K 3 bundle worth double the K 2, or is the cheaper machine enough?
Ten bar apart, and the two machines answer different questions. One tells you what it moves; the other gives you the accessory that decides the finish.
| Compared on | K 2 Universal Edition | K 3 FJ Home |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum pressure | 110 bar | 120 bar |
| Flow rate | 360 l/h | Not stated in the listing |
| Area performance | 20 m²/h | Not stated |
| Hose | 3 m | Longer, not stated |
| Surface cleaner included | No | Yes — T 1 |
| Markets verified | Six | Five |
A tick marks the better answer on that line only. Counting ticks does not decide the page — the two verdicts below do, because these machines answer different questions.
Buy the K 2 if the work is a bike, a car and garden furniture within a few metres of a tap — and because it is the only one of the two that tells you its flow rate.
Buy the K 3 FJ Home for a terrace: the T 1 head in the box is worth more than the ten bar, and it is the difference between an even finish and a striped one.
Because litres per hour decide how long a terrace takes, and pressure does not. The K 2 publishes 360 l/h; the K 3 publishes nothing, so the two cannot be ranked on cleaning speed at all.
On a balcony, no. On a drive it means moving the machine every few minutes and pulling it over by its own hose, which is what kinks a hose at the gun and eventually splits it.
110 bar · 360 l/h · 20 m²/h · 3 m hose
The smallest Kärcher that still publishes its flow rate — and the cheapest honest way into the range.
Best for: A balcony, a bike and garden furniture — occasional work within a few metres of a tap
≈ $105 / 60 €
120 bar · Foam Jet nozzle · T 1 patio cleaner included
The entry Kärcher, sold as a bundle with a patio head — which is the part that decides whether the machine gets used.
Best for: A small courtyard, garden furniture and bikes, where the machine is used a few times a season
≈ 150 €
