Product test
Kärcher mobile medium-pressure washer: not much included
by Simon Balissat
Kärcher EcoBooster review: does this jet nozzle make cleaning more efficient?
24/6/2024
Translation: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson
Clean faster without using more water – that’s Kärcher’s promise if you use their jet attachment for high-pressure washers. The nozzle makes cleaning feel like you’re using a highlighter.
There’s something satisfying about removing dirt from a surface with a pressure washer. Like when the jet turns stone slabs in the garden from murky and mossy to light grey, as if they’d just come out of a hardware store. Ah, what a delight!
So far, only the standard spot jet nozzle and dirt cutter attachment that came with my small Kärcher have given me this kind of satisfaction.
For larger areas, however, I quickly reached the limit with them. The jet’s just too narrow for the glass roof of the conservatory or the garage door. So it was perfect timing that Kärcher provided me with the new EcoBooster attachment for testing purposes.
The attachment’s available in three versions – depending on the Kärcher model you have. For the K4 you need the 130 mm jet pipe, for the K5 model the 145 mm and for the K7 the 180 mm. In case you were wondering, the figure refers to the maximum pressure the Kärcher generates and which the pipe for the attachment must be able to withstand.
For me this means upgrading first, as I’ve been using the entry-level K2 model to date. That’s why I’m testing the new EcoBooster with the K4. This enables a pressure of up to 130 bar. The smaller models are obviously too weak with a maximum of 110 bar. Or maybe it’s just a clever Kärcher upselling trick.
The EcoBooster set consists of two parts: a jet pipe and the actual attachment. You attach the pipe to the device like any other by turning it. Removing it again is done by pressing and turning. This is standard Kärcher convenience for changing attachments.
The water jet is a wide line
I carry out the second test on the garage door. According to Kärcher, this is the EcoBooster’s forte. Why? Because compared to a spot jet nozzle, it’s less ham-fisted and gentler on surfaces. That’s perfect, as I just want to remove dust from the door, not the paint. Indeed, it works like a charm. Above all, I’m significantly faster than with the other spot jets.
In my third test, the EcoBooster attachment’s pitted against the cover of our BBQ bowl. It’s made of solid stainless steel. In this case, I’m not worried about damaging the material and can get very close.
I work on one half of the round lid with the spot jet nozzle and the other half with the EcoBooster. Both are clean when I’m done, but I’m faster with the EcoBooster. It allows me to blast the flat jet at a slight angle. This way, I can experiment with line widths – like you would with a highlighter. Being a paper pusher myself, I love this. I work on heavily stained areas with the edge of the jet and go for the whole width for lighter stains.
After the test, I start seeing surfaces that could do with a clean everywhere – from the car to the wall of the house. Only a rain shower can stop me now.
In a nutshell
Clean larger spaces faster
The EcoBooster’s a useful addition to my range of Kärcher attachments. It lets me cover larger areas in the same amount of time without using more water. However, I feel Kärcher’s claim that the nozzle increases efficiency by 50 per cent is a bit of an exaggeration. But with an output of around 2,000 watts, every minute counts if you’re keeping an eye on power consumption.
Pro
- easy to attach and quick to change
- wide cleaning jet that’s gentle on surfaces
- good cleaning results on large and sensitive surfaces
Contra
- combination nozzle attachment only compatible with specific Kärcher models
Header image: Martin Jungfer
Martin Jungfer
Head of Content
Martin.Jungfer@digitecgalaxus.chJournalist since 1997. Stopovers in Franconia (or the Franken region), Lake Constance, Obwalden, Nidwalden and Zurich. Father since 2014. Expert in editorial organisation and motivation. Focus on sustainability, home office tools, beautiful things for the home, creative toys and sports equipment.
