So often we don’t do the research we should and as a result go out and buy a low end model that we soon end up regretting while it gathers dust as another …. well another dust collector, Soon,we quickly realize we would be better to spend a few extra bucks on a better model that will be a lot more useful for us in the future.
So that’s why today I am going to be reviewing for you the AR Blue Clean AR383 here at Pressure Washer Reviews HQ.
The initials AR stand for Annovi Reverberi ,this is a very well respected company in the high pressure pump business and as such have carried over their 50 plus years of experience in to AR Blue Clean ,a branch of their company to serve the pressure washer market.
Cleaning Power
The first thing I will talk about is the PSI on this machine.It packs a tough 1,900 pounds per square inch of grime removing power.This is the upper scale for PSI on an electric pressure washer.This directly translates to efficient stain removal for you the owner and not wasted time spent trying to clean your drive way.
Next up is the gallons per minute or GPM,With 1.5 gallons of water leaving the tip of the spray head this ensures a faster delivery of the 1,900 PSI I mentioned in the last paragraph.Once again this translate to faster cleaning for you.Most lower end models will be around the 1.25 gallons per minute area but the AR383 is at the higher end of the scale in this category.This mean the machine has 2,850 cleaning units which is not common to see at this price range.
If you need more information explaining what cleaning units mean you can read it here.
Pump
At the heart of this machine is the axial pump.Since these pumps are produced by AR themselves and with the high standards they are recognized for in the industry you can be sure you will be getting a very high quality piece of machinery.
Accessories
The hose length is 20 feet which combined with the 30 foot power cord and the wheels on this machine gives you a nice neat portable machine.
Something important to remember is that the included hose reel is intended for storage only.When you plan to use the hose you will need to unwind the hose completely off the reel and then use it ,I personally don’t use the hose reel as i have found the plastic hose has a mind of its own and will try and stay compacted up into small coils just like its still on the reel so most of the time I leave it wound into larger coils over the handle of the pressure washer instead.This saves a lot of headaches and I find it to preserve the hose for longer.Ideally the hose is made of rubber but this usually only comes included in high end washers.
Another topic I should warn you about is some other users have mentioned removing the gun handle from the hose to store it onto the reel.As i said already I don’t like doing that because of the coils but another reason is there is o rings.The main job for the o rings is to stop leaks.These are located inside the connectors that if you are not careful can fall out,then when you connect it back up again to clean your drive suddenly the gun leaks.This is most likely because the o ring has fell out somewhere.
I personally have not had any problems with the supplied garden hose connection.I believe the reason some people do is they have attempted to use it the wrong way round,So make sure you have all your connections in the right order and facing the right way.We are all guilty of skipping the instructions sometimes once in a while.
But if you still continue to have a problem you can try using teflon tape to shore up the joint .
What quite a few people have mentioned is go to a hardware store and buy a brass fitting as a replacement.Just be aware though that the AR Blue Clean AR383 uses metric fitting and not American fittings.Again this will make your washer does not leak like a sieve if you get this wrong.
People often mention the plastic fitting being flimsy , this is certainly true compared to a brass fitting but extra should be taken with either a plastic or brass fitting to ensure you always keep the hose leading into the washer straight… any other direction will put stress on the connection and most likely snap it in half.
Included in the box is also a soap dispenser…. this is exactly what it is .. a dispenser only.. some people think they are getting a high pressure water mixed with soap,It dispenses the soap at a similar pressure to a normal garden hose… you then let it soak and after a few minutes you will need to use the high pressure washer to do the heavy grunt work.
Some other reviews have mentioned that after switching between the accessories they find the water leaks out from the connection, AR have said that you need to push the lance into the spring loaded insert at the end of the gun handle and then twist it.Otherwise the the lance will just keep turning around .So make sure it is fully locked in place and wont have any movement or else you will be getting the wash and not your driveway.
A nice feature of this machine is the that whenever you release the trigger on the handle the pump turns off ,so you are not only saving energy but also saving wear and tear on the pump , also this makes it quiet when your busy doing other jobs.
When I making this review I had a stat that i needed clarifying.The AR blue clean customer service were very helpful in answering my questions and other reviews have mentioned the customer service they received was impressive.I think this reflects the trust AR have in their products.
And Finally
Would I recommend this pressure washer.. Definitely….
Would I recommend it for using every day , Maybe…. there is some little niggles I had with it like the hose reel but over all I feel this is one of if not the best machine for around the home.With a top quality pump and high amount of cleaning units for a machine in this price range there’s not much jobs in the home that this machine cant tackle.