How good is the WORX Hydroshot for car cleaning and detailing? We put it to the test in this review!
How cool is this little invention from the guys at WORX? The answer is, very cool. It’s the first truly portable, lithium-powered pressure washer.
Let’s get one thing straight here. This isn’t a replacement for your corded pressure washer. They run at around 120bar compared to the Hydroshot’s max output of 22bar, but the Hydroshot isn’t trying to compete in this sector! It’s a portable washer, and when compared to the competition in that market it kicks some serious arse. Take Karcher’s OC3 portable washer for example (which is more expensive); the Hydroshot has four times the power! Do we have your attention now? Thought so.
What makes this relevant to us? Well, where do we encounter a limited water and power supply? That’s right, at almost every car show we attend. The Hydroshot is far more portable than a 12v washer, especially helpful when boot space is at a premium. But does it work? Let’s find out…
IN THE BOX
You can buy the Hydroshot in a number of different kit forms, from the full-fat kit that consists of extra car care accessories (collapsible bucket, wash brush, detergent tank and so on) for £149.99, to the body only option of £79. We tested the £129 option that consists of everything you need to get started; Hydroshot gun, 20v battery pack, charger and 6m hose.
It’s worth noting that other accessories are available too. The water bottle attachment is worth purchasing for when there’s no access to running water, as is the soap dispenser, and a 4Ah battery will double the runtime.
The washer gun breaks down into three sections; the gun, extension lance and short lance with multi-spray nozzle – which allows you to alter the pressure with a simple click-rotation. You’ll get the full fat 22bar when using the extension wand with the multi-nozzle set to max and the gun on high power. We’d recommend the second most powerful setting on the nozzle as this provides a wider water spread while maintaining good pressure. It’s an absolute doddle to put together and break down – ease of use was definitely on WORX’s tick list when designing this kit.
FAST CAR’S VERDICT
I think it’s critical to manage your expectations with this product. If you buy it to replace your mains-powered pressure washer to clean your mum’s patio, you’re going to be disappointed. That’s not what it has been designed for. But we are car guys. We’re definitely not interested in cleaning patios. But for cars, the Hydroshot is absolutely perfect as a portable cleaning device and it’s in its element at car shows where a constant water supply and boot space is at a premium. It has ample pressure to remove road grime and brake dust build-up. The adjustable head is a godsend when it comes to changing the pressures of the waterflow from high to low.
We tested it at Japfest our our 350Z and it did the job perfectly. There’s none of that arm pumping you need from a manual washer and it destroys the 12v portable cleaner competition in terms of power and ease of use. We jet-washed the car, hand washed it, then rinsed it off using the Hydroshot and there was still three bars of power left. WORK state that it has a 16 minute run time on at high power and we have no reason to doubt that from our test.
A top piece of kit that takes away the usual hassles of cleaning your car at a show. In a nutshell: a must have product for your car show kit bag!
Price £129.99
TOP FEATURES
• 20v Li-Ion battery
• 22bar pressure
• 5-in-1 pressure nozzle
• 20-minute run time
• 6m hose
• 3 year guarantee
