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Westinghouse WPX3200 Pressure Washer Review

With best-in-class cleaning power and surprisingly good maneuverability, this is the best pressure washer currently available
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Westinghouse WPX3200 Pressure Washer Review
Credit: Laura Casner
Price:  $349 List
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Manufacturer:   Westinghouse
By Austin Palmer and Conrad Salonites  ⋅  Sep 28, 2021
74
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#1 of 9
  • Cleaning - 45% 10.0
  • Portability - 30% 5.9
  • Noise - 15% 4.2
  • Ease of Use - 10% 5.0

Our Verdict

The Westinghouse WPX3200 is a beast of a machine, and easily the winner of our admiration for overall performance in a review full of excellent pressure washers. With a 212cc 4-Stroke Westinghouse OHV Horizontal Shaft Engine, this pressure washer cleans surfaces in record time with its cleansing power. One of our favorite features of the Westinghouse WPX3200 is its included extended handle, which coupled with its large wheels, allows this bulky machine surprisingly great maneuverability. While this is our favorite machine to use for light and heavy cleaning jobs, it suffers from the typical drawbacks of gas-powered pressure washers—it's heavy, it's loud, and it requires more maintenance. But for cleaning prowess, it's the best. See our pressure washer review to check out the full lineup of products we tested.
REASONS TO BUY
Incredible cleaning power
Onboard storage options
High cleaning units
REASONS TO AVOID
Loud
Gas engine maintenance
Large

Compare to Similar Products

 
Awards Editors' Choice Award
Best Gas-Powered Pressure Washer
Best Buy Award
Best Bang for the Buck
Editors' Choice Award
Best Electric Pressure Washer
  
Price $349 List
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Bottom Line No job is too tough for this high performance gas-powered pressure washerGood at cleaning and easy to carry, this is a high-value optionWe recommend this device for those that are searching for a pressure washer sans fossil fuelThis electric option is an all-around performer with reasonable powerIf you want a model that performs decently but won't take a toll on your bank account, this model is a great choice
Rating Categories Westinghouse WPX3200 Wholesun 3000PSI Sun Joe SPX3500 Craftsman CMEPW2400 SunJoe SPX3000
Cleaning (45%)
10.0
5.3
6.2
6.0
5.4
Portability (30%)
5.9
8.2
6.2
6.5
7.0
Noise (15%)
4.2
7.2
8.2
6.0
5.0
Ease of Use (10%)
5.0
7.4
6.6
7.5
7.1
Specs Westinghouse WPX3200 Wholesun 3000PSI Sun Joe SPX3500 Craftsman CMEPW2400 SunJoe SPX3000
Measured Pressure 2600 psi 1200 psi 1650 psi 2075 psi 1200 psi
Electric or Gas Gas Electric Electric Electric Electric
Measured Flow 2.3 gpm 1.21 gpm 1.08 gpm 0.96 gpm 1.22 gpm
Measured Cleaning Units 5980 1452 1782 1992 1464
Measured Distance in Bocce Ball Power Test 6.5 feet 3.0 feet 3.0 feet 3.75 feet 3.5 feet
Measured Cleaning Time 2.8 min 4.7 min 6.1 min 5.2 min 5.3 min
Measured Decibels at Machine 83.2 dBa 73.3 dBa 70.0 dBa 78.0 dBa 83.8 dBa
Measured Weight 63.6 lbs 16.3 lbs 42.6 lbs 41.6 lbs 28.2 lbs
Measured Electrical Cord Length N/A 32.5 feet 30 feet 35.5 feet 35.3 feet
Overall Size 38.5" x 25.5" x 19.75" 27" x 10.5" x 9.5" 35.5" x 16" x 15" 36" x 27" x 18" 34" x 13.5" x 17.5"
Measured Length of Hose 25 feet 20.3 feet 20 feet 25.7 feet 20.3 feet
Nozzles Available 0°, 15°, 25°, 40°, soap 0°, 15°, 25°, 40°, and soap 0°, 15°, 25°, 40°, soap Turbo,15°, 25°,40°, and soap 0°, 15°, 25°, 40°, soap
Manufacturer Pressure 3,200 psi 2,150 psi 3,000 psi 2,400 psi 2,030 psi
Manufacturer Flow 2.50 gpm 1.58 gpm 1.48 gpm 1.10 gpm 1.76 gpm
Wheels 12" Plastic 5" Plastic 8" Plastic 10" Hard Plastic Wheels 7.5" Plastic

Our Analysis and Test Results

The WPX3200 created 2600 PSI of pressure in our tests, enough to cut a can.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

We put the Westinghouse WPX3200 through a rigorous testing process, engaging its cleaning power, portability, volume, and ease of use. What really sets the Westinghouse WPX3200 beyond its competition is its ability to produce incredible power, while nonetheless still being relatively portable and easy to use. Moreover, this machine is designed with user convenience in mind, with easy-to-access connections, detachable appendages, and comfortable to utilize handles.

Performance Comparison


westinghouse wpx3200 pressure washer - the westinghouse wpx3200 is a beastly machine that can do any...
The Westinghouse WPX3200 is a beastly machine that can do any pressure washer job.
Credit: Laura Casner

Cleaning


Those on the market for a pressure cleaner need a thorough cleaning job; thus, our cleaning metric accounts for 45% of the total score. The Westinghouse WPX3200 dominates the competition with high-performance showings in our subjective deep cleaning tests, pressure gauging bocce ball test, and calculated cleaning units.


To measure cleaning capabilities, we brought out our testing carpet, covered in activated charcoal. When the Westinghouse WPX3200 cleansed our test carpet in under three minutes, we were impressed. When it did it again, there was only one way we could think of describing the Westinghouse WPX3200: “beastly.

westinghouse wpx3200 pressure washer - keeping a bocce ball suspended at 6.5 feet really showcases the...
Keeping a bocce ball suspended at 6.5 feet really showcases the Westinghouse WPX3200's power.
Credit: Austin Palmer

To aid in comprehending the Westinghouse WPX3200's power, we tried it out on our bocce ball test. This test helps narrow the pressure washer's focus, and visually illustrate the machine's power in keeping a bocce ball suspended on our angled trough. The Westinghouse WPX3200 kept the Bocce ball suspended at 6.5 feet, over double the distance of many pressure washers we tested.

westinghouse wpx3200 pressure washer - a whopping cleaning unit calculation of 5980 (higher than any other...
A whopping cleaning unit calculation of 5980 (higher than any other model tested) showcases this pressure washer's incredible power.
Credit: Laura Casner

We crunched the numbers behind the power of the Westinghouse WPX3200, and they empirically highlight what distinguishes this pressure washer as the top product in our tests. With a whopping cleaning unit score of 5980, this washer surpasses the second-highest by 1300 points. For those on the market for their first pressure washer, a cleaning unit score is the product of the washer's pounds per square inch (PSI) and gallons per minute (GPM), in this case, 2600 and 2.3, respectively. We calculate this data using an inline pressure gauge to identify the PSI, then weigh the amount of water released after a minute. Essentially, this calculation measures a pressure washer's efficiency, and the data for the Westinghouse top the pack.

Portability


The Westinghouse WPX3200 is not the most portable pressure washer we tested. However, it makes up for its weight and bulk by being remarkably easy to move around, thanks to two large wheels and a well-balanced design. If you have a smaller vehicle, transporting the Westinghouse WPX3200 will be a logistical challenge, but maneuvering on the ground is remarkably easy.

Despite its weight, the WPX3200 proved surprisingly easy to maneuver because to its wide wheels.
Credit: Natalie Kafader


There is no getting around the fact that this is a big pressure washer. Weighing around 64 pounds, the Westinghouse WPX3200 presents its own unique challenges for both transporting and storing. Although when operating it stands at over three feet tall, this pressure washer thankfully features a removable handle, which can bring the machine height down to a slightly more manageable two feet. However, being over two feet long and almost two feet wide means that this is an incredibly dense machine. We would highly recommend that you do not store the Westinghouse WPX3200 inside, but rather secure it snugly under a workbench in your garage.

westinghouse wpx3200 pressure washer - there is no escaping the fact that the westinghouse wpx3200 is a...
There is no escaping the fact that the Westinghouse WPX3200 is a very large pressure washer.
Credit: Laura Casner

Despite its bulk, the Westinghouse WPX3200 nonetheless surprises us by being gracefully easy to push and pull across both compact dirt and paved ground. Although it does not handle grassy terrain as deftly, despite its larger wheels, we nonetheless find it to be doable. A big plus for moving the Westinghouse WPX3200 by hand was its above-average handle height, allowing us to pull it through all of our tests without having to be hunched over. Our biggest appreciation, however, was how well balanced this pressure washer is. Despite its hefty weight and cumbersome size, we rarely felt concerned that the Westinghouse WPX3200 was in any danger of falling over.

westinghouse wpx3200 pressure washer - the bulky westinghouse wpx3200 is surprisingly easy to maneuver...
The bulky Westinghouse WPX3200 is surprisingly easy to maneuver across most surfaces despite its large size and heavy weight.
Credit: Laura Casner

Noise


The noise metric is where the Westinghouse WPX3200 shows that it is a gas-powered machine. This pressure washer is one of the loudest we tested, falling in the lower percentile at both a close and distant decibel measurement.


Our noise metric separates the electric from the gas pressure washers, and the Westinghouse WPX3200 falls indisputably into the latter category. We took decibel measurements both right beside and twenty-five feet away from the machine, and the prognosis was loud. Alongside the Westinghouse WPX3200, the washer outputs an average reading of 83 decibels, less than two decibels short of the “harmful for human hearing” threshold. From twenty-five feet away, the volume is more manageable, lowering to a more modest 68 decibels. For reference, from twenty-five feet away, this pressure washer has a comparable volume to being nearby a vacuum cleaner.

westinghouse wpx3200 pressure washer - although quieter than some other poorer-performing pressure washers...
Although quieter than some other poorer-performing pressure washers, the Westinghouse WPX3200 is still a loud machine.
Credit: Laura Casner

Ease of Use


In terms of being a pressure washer, the Westinghouse WPX3200 is a fine piece of machinery, which the designers went out of their way to ensure a fluid user experience. However, in terms of being a gas-powered machine, all the usual pitfalls are, unfortunately, unavoidable.


Hose connections on pressure washers are often uncomfortably close. The Westinghouse WPX3200, however, has very comfortable spacing, allowing for significantly easier connections. The hose included with the Westinghouse WPX3200 is twenty-five feet long and is simple to wrap up and store, thanks to a large plastic hook on the back of the machine. Moreover, storing the nozzle is incredibly easy thanks to a divot atop the handle.

westinghouse wpx3200 pressure washer - hose connections on the westinghouse wpx3200 offer plenty of room.
Hose connections on the Westinghouse WPX3200 offer plenty of room.
Credit: Laura Casner

However, where the Westinghouse WPX3200 primarily suffers is due to its gas engine. Oil changes, gas refills, carburetor cleaning, and all the other small engine maintenances are tiresome, yet required, additions to the Westinghouse WPX3200 experience. Another, admittedly milder, inconvenience involves the onboard soap container. We found that the medium-sized intake hole suffers slightly from the pull-starter partially blocking the entrance.

The Westinghouse WPX3200 brings with it all of the extra work...
The Westinghouse WPX3200 brings with it all of the extra work required of a gas engine.
The intake hole competes for space with the starter, so larger soap...
The intake hole competes for space with the starter, so larger soap containers may have an issue.

Value


High-quality pressure washers are traditionally not very cheap. However, for a better price than some of the other products we reviewed, the Westinghouse WPX3200 vastly outperforms all of them. Although some of the electric competition offers some long-term maintenance convenience, the power and performance of the Westinghouse WPX3200 is nothing to balk at and makes an excellent addition for anyone needing a high-quality machine for any pressure washing requirements.

Conclusion


Offering incredible power and performance, the Westinghouse WPX3200 is by far the best pressure washer we tested. Although it took some hits for its bulk and the required maintenance of gas-powered machinery, this washer is ideal for anyone looking for a long-term investment. The Westinghouse WPX3200 is the ideal pressure washer for those who want to ensure the job gets done the first try.

No matter the type of grime...
No matter the type of grime...
... the Westinghouse WPX3200 will make quick work of it.
... the Westinghouse WPX3200 will make quick work of it.

Austin Palmer and Conrad Salonites