We tested the SPX3000 and concluded that every homeowner needs one

The BestReviews Testing Lab examined four electric pressure washers, and none performed as well and with as excellent a user experience as the Sun Joe SPX3000. This is a common experience with Sun Joe products. The company is well known for offering high-performing goods at surprisingly affordable prices. 

For the SPX3000, that means very high water pressure and a selection of five nozzles to adjust the angle of the spray. We would suggest it to any homeowner considering a pressure washer for exterior cleaning and maintenance, with one caveat. Like most electric washers, it isn’t strong enough to clean the toughest messes. For that, you need a gas-powered washer like the Simpson Clean Machine 3400.

Why we like it

• This electric pressure washer performed the best of all the models we tested.
• The two soap-dispensing containers are easy to use, with plenty of suds.
• This tool looks and feels much sturdier than its price tag would suggest.

What we don’t like

• Some setup steps can be tricky without the right tools.
• The soap containers can be difficult to get in and out of position.
• The pressure hose is a little short, though the long power cord mostly makes up for this.

The 60-second scoop

The Sun Joe SPX3000 is so strong that it took the testing team less time to clean.

Product Specifications
Maximum Pressure: 2,030 psi | Dimensions: 19.5” L x 15” W x 22” H | Weight: 24.3 lb | Hose Length: 20’ | Gallons per Minute: 1.76 max

The Sun Joe SPX3000 is a mid-range electric pressure washer for use by homeowners. It's larger and heavier than most others at nearly 2 feet tall and over 24 pounds, but it has wheels and an ergonomic handle that make it easy to move around.

Its pressure peaks at just over 2,000 psi, helping it blast tough messes off a home’s exterior. It includes four nozzles to direct the pressure, all of which we found performed exceptionally well, plus a fifth nozzle for directing soap suds.

It can use more water than other electric pressure washers, with a peak of 1.76 gallons per minute, but its performance is strong enough that it takes less time to clean than other models. However, it is loud, peaking at 94 decibels (which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is about as loud as a motorcycle engine). Wear ear protection if you need to use it for extended periods.

Price and where to buy

The Sun Joe SPX3000 Electric Pressure Washer retails for $169. You can find it on Amazon and Walmart.

Setup

In rare instances, detergent can come through the line even when the dial is switched off.

Setting up the Sun Joe power washer takes a little time. Several pieces need to be screwed into place, including the large handle. The box does include the screws you need, but it doesn’t include any tools. Some of the screws fit down a long, narrow hole, so you’ll need a long, thin screwdriver to put it together.

Other than this, the setup is about the same as that for other electric pressure washers. You connect your garden hose and pressure hose to the main body, screw in the pressure hose to the spray wand and then plug the tool into an outlet.

Pressure and cleaning performance

The Sun Joe was so mighty we could even remove some rust from old cast iron.

The Sun Joe SPX3000 has higher pressure than other electric washers we tested: 2,030 pounds per square inch when first pressing the trigger. This lets you blast away dirt and grime, especially with the 0-degree nozzle that jets out water in a narrow stream. The three other nozzles spread the pressure out over a wider area so you can clean more delicate things. 

We found it was able to clean almost everything we needed it to, including removing some rust from old cast iron. The only place it faltered was trying to strip old smoke stains from a brick exterior. For old, tough messes like this, you need the pressure provided by a gas-powered pressure washer.

Design

Some screws go down a deep, narrow hole, so you’ll need a long, thin screwdriver to put the pressure washer together.

We’re big fans of the general design of the Sun Joe power washer. The large, ergonomic handle and wheels make it easy to move around. The controls are crystal clear, too, with a central on/off dial and a dial on the handle for selecting one of the soap containers that sit between the handle and the main body. Hooks hold the spray wand and power cord on the power washer for storage. The only issue someone might have with the design is the vivid green color.

How does it compare to other pressure washers we tested?

The Sun Joe SPX3000 comes with five nozzles, the most of all the pressure washers we tested, to adjust the angle of the spray.

The Sun Joe SPX3000 is hands down our favorite electric pressure washer of the four we tested for several good reasons.

Overall performance

Its overall performance is an easy 4.5 out of 5. It has excellent pressure, better than most of the other electric washers. All five included nozzles are also superb, and their angles let us clean the toughest and most delicate items, and everything in between, with ease. This was a standout feature since most of the other washers only come with two or three nozzles.

Noise level

The Sun Joe’s noise level is about on par with other electric pressure washers. Our decibel meter measured in the 85- to 90-decibel range, with a peak of 94 — and, according to the CDC, prolonged exposure to that noise level can damage hearing. We recommend wearing earplugs or other hearing protection if you plan to use the power washer for an extended period.

Maneuverability and ease of use

The Sun Joe power washer’s portability was superb, though we had no real trouble in this area with any of the electric pressure washers we tested. The Sun Joe has two large wheels and an ergonomic handle that comes up to about waist height, so you don’t have to bend down to reach it.

Its ease of use was equally good. All of the nozzles use a quick-connect feature on the spray wand, so you can swap nozzles in seconds. There is a little shelf on the body that holds the nozzles for quick access and storage. There are also hooks and small handles for storing the cables, hoses and spray wand. Finally, the soap containers pop in and out of a small shelf, though this takes some effort.

Soap application and dual detergent feature

The Sun Joe SPX3000 uses two plastic soap containers that sit on the body of the washer.

We want to draw extra attention to just how well the soap and detergent features of the Sun Joe work.

It differs from the other three electric washers we tested in that the Sun Joe uses two plastic soap containers that sit on the body of the washer. The other power washers use a bottle that attaches to the spray wand, and most of these did a poor job of mixing soap and water.

The Sun Joe has a tube in each bottle. You turn a dial to select the soap container you want to use or leave the dial set in the middle if you don’t want to use any soap. The soap is sucked up into the washer, mixed with water and jetted out through the nozzle. When using pressure washer detergent, we found the solution to be exceptionally sudsy. For the best performance, make sure to use the soap nozzle.

The only issue we had with the soap containers was that very occasionally some solution would get mixed in with the water when the dial was turned off.

How we tested the Sun Joe SPX3000 Pressure Washer

The nozzles are color-coded, making it easy to grab the right one at a glance.

Testing the Sun Joe pressure washer amounted to cleaning various surfaces with each nozzle.

0-degree nozzle

Combined with the high pressure of the Sun Joe, the 0-degree nozzle shot water out like a bullet. It was able to clean the cracks in a one-square-foot section of brick exterior in about two minutes. It was also able to strip some paint off an old cast iron chair.

15-degree nozzle 

This nozzle dropped the pressure enough to not strip as much paint off the cast iron chair, but some paint still came off. When combined with an application of detergent, it was also able to spray off most of the grime from a gas grill. Cleaning the grill took about five minutes.

25-degree nozzle

This nozzle worked best on more delicate surfaces that still required some power to clean. It took off some ingrained dust from a cast iron chair, without stripping the paint, in about two minutes. We also cleaned an average-size window in about one minute.

40-degree nozzle

This was the gentlest nozzle for cleaning the most delicate objects. We didn’t have anything to clean that matched that need because everything we cleaned was fairly tough. It would be a good nozzle to use to clean a car, however.

Soap nozzle

The spray from this nozzle is about as wide as that from the 40-degree nozzle. It did an excellent job of spreading suds over a gas grill that needed a good cleaning.

Should you buy the Sun Joe SPX3000?

The testing team found the Sun Joe SPX3000 delivered high quality at an affordable price.

The Sun Joe SPX3000 is a superb electric pressure washer in almost every respect. Even the few issues it does have are minor, such as rare instances of detergent in the line when you don’t want it and a slightly difficult setup out of the box. We would recommend it to any homeowner who is considering a pressure washer to help clean surfaces around the house, especially because it performs so well for its $170 price tag.