Flow rate against a pressure dial
Thirty-five litres an hour, or the ability to reduce the pressure?
Both publish their flow rate, which already puts them ahead of most of the market. The difference is philosophical: more water, or more control.
| Compared on | K 5 FJ | Core 140-6 PowerControl |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum pressure | 145 bar | 140 bar |
| Flow rate | 500 l/h | 465 l/h |
| Adjustable pressure | No | Yes — PowerControl |
| Nozzles supplied | Vario Power, dirt blaster, foam | Soft, rough, rotary, foam sprayer |
| Hose | Not stated | 6 m Ultraflex |
| Nozzle cleaning needle | No | Yes |
| US availability | Absent | Absent |
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 Kärcher if the job is mostly hard outdoor surfaces and you want the shortest possible afternoon.
Buy the Nilfisk if the same machine has to do a car, shutters and a drive. The dial is what makes one washer safe on all three.
Not on its own. Thirty-five litres an hour is inside the range where technique dominates. It is worth having, and it is not worth giving up a pressure dial for.
Because most damage domestic pressure washers do — to render, decking, seals and paint — happens at full pressure, since full pressure was the only setting available.
145 bar · 500 l/h · 40 m²/h · 6.3 kg
Five hundred litres an hour and a fixed handle: the point in the range where the machine stops being carried and starts being wheeled.
Best for: A long drive, a large terrace or several vehicles — where flow rate, not pressure, sets the finishing time
≈ 250 €
140 bar · 465 l/h · 40 m²/h · 1 800 W
The machine in this group that publishes every figure it should — pressure, flow, area and power — and lets you turn the pressure down.
Best for: Mixed jobs — a car one weekend and a terrace the next — where being able to lower the pressure matters
≈ £195 / 165 €
