no politics- what do I look for in electric pressure washer?

[bluebayou]

I want to buy an electric power washer.  It cannot be gas because it is for my mother.  I will benefit by using it first to clean brick foundation and concrete porch, patio, carport, etc.  She will use it for cleaning siding on house and RV.  I know jack about pressure washers.  Figure that lower PSI, 1800 or so, would be good for brick/mortar and our other uses. 

What do I need to look for?
Any tips?

[crustaceous]

to me it sounds like something I'd try to rent. Rent a good gas one for the weekend, blast everything I needed to, then return it.

[Glanceblamm]

to me it sounds like something I'd try to rent. Rent a good gas one for the weekend, blast everything I needed to, then return it.

Good advice as those gas models (especially a rental) can make a lot of pressure and you will have a fair amount of concrete & foundation to blast.
Watch using (any model) on the house vinyl siding as the newer stuff can be brittle. Most all of the pressure washers are adjustable though so this wont be a concern.

[Dee]

I have a gas model. Electricity and water scare me. Mine is a 2100 psi, and I use it on my vinyl siding and deck, and am very careful with it on automobiles. It will take the paint off a license plate.
It works VERY WELL on siding, and I have had no damage to the siding at all.
As I said, dragging an electric chord around along with a WATER HOSE, EEK! is a scary proposition to me. No doubt they work, and no doubt folks use them, but a very minor crack in the insulation of an electrical extension chord can spell disaster for the user, or anyone whom steps in the wrong place.

[Glanceblamm]

Make sure that All of your outdoor circuitry is protected by a GFCI outlet. These can be placed (first in line) on any existing circuit and will provide protection for regular outlets downstream of this. They will trip out the circuit at a (sensed) loss of 1/5th of one milliamp and most models have a test button on them. I agree with keeping those cords away from water but you can have other situations ranging from the elect pump on your pool to exterior christmas lights to outdoor power tool usage or something as simple as a corded radio being left out overnight by sunbathing family members that get neglected and are found on the dew filled grass the next morning.

[-Shaggy-]

I bought this Karcher model at Walmart. http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=8728004 It works great, had plenty of pressure to clean my dirty deck, cleans siding ,cars, driveway, tools, fish pond, everything I have needed done. Wish I had bought one years ago.

[Oldtimer]

I had a Karcher that I bought last year, but did not drain it after I used it, so when I tried to use it this year, it was out of commission.  I took it to an authorized shop and they told me it was cheaper to buy another one than to try to repair the one I had.  I saw a remanufactured one in an ad for Value City for $79.85 and am going to pick one up this week.  The shop owner told me that the pump needs to be drained after each use, not just for winter storage.