Karcher K7 Compact
VerifiedMPN: 1.447-055.09 reviews
Recently purchased a K7 Compact pressure washer. My previous pressure washer was a Gerni "Compact" that expired after 20 plus years of good service together with an occasional repair. After using the K7 for the first time on a concrete block wall, I had some reservations when I compared its performance to the Gerni. Initially, I noted that one of… Read more · 1
the delivery wands did not have the impact I was expecting. The "blade" of the water was wider than the Gerni but appeared to have less grunt. However, I found the wider blade of water was more effective when adopting a slower pass. The result is the K7 is actually quicker than the Gerni. To my surprise, the other wand supplied was ruthless in its destruction of grime, dirt, discolouration and removal of lichens etc. It was so effective in fact that the wall top coping (which is a softer concrete compared to the face) had a layer of concrete blasted away. So, I reverted to using the wider blade for the coping and the "swirling" blade for the face. I have to say, that I was delighted in the end with its performance and effectiveness. The true test will be how long (in terms of years), it will perform. I remain hopeful it will endure many years of hassle free performance. Highly recommended with an A+++
This is the 3rd Karcher we have owned and it is not the best. The pressure washing is very good but the hose and hose storage are a pain in the butt. The hose is very inflexible and I spend most of the time fighting with the hose that continually twists into knots. More frustrating time is spent at the end of the cleaning job fighting to wind the… Read more
hose back onto it's storage holder which is far too small for the amount of hose. Now that I have used and fought with this K7 Compact several times, I would not recommend purchasing one unless you have plenty of time and patience.
- +1
It’s The Goods – I’ll start by saying that the Karcher K7 Compact pressure washer is The Goods. I’m sure that if you wanted something more powerful it would have to be a commercial machine. This is clearly top of the range for domestic use. Everything in the box was easy to understand and click together. The K7 Compact is surprisingly heavy, but it has wheels and… Read more · 1
a telescopic handle so it can be rolled around easily like carry-on luggage. Water is precious out here in regional Queensland. We are on tank water only so I was a bit concerned about the volume of water the pressure washer would use. There was no need to worry though. I got thick, sun-baked on mud off the 4x4 without too much trouble - we switched the regular wand to the eco! booster 180 to very effectively “wipe” the stubborn bits off the mud flaps. The trailer looks good as new. The Karcher K7 Compact didn’t use much water to give a big result. I’m very impressed. The trigger part is light and easy to use. Just point and go. You can really feel the water pressure in the handle as you use it, but it’s easy enough for small hands to manoeuvre. The Karcher K7 Compact pressure washer can also be fed water from a bucket which is awesome because I was able to pull apart and clean out the house water filtration system properly. Normally that is just a something we can only tap to clean the bulk off since the water has to be turned off to take the filter apart. Now we just put the other end of the hose in a bucket of water and it takes literal seconds to rinse the filter. This was the most exciting part for me. Cleaning will increase the life of the water filters, so the Karcher is also saving me money. I’m really happy to have received this little pocket rocket through the Ambassador Program. I wouldn’t have known about the K7 Compact pressure washer otherwise and I definitely need it. I’ve used a Karcher pressure washer a few years back, but this is an entirely different machine. The difference in the water pressure is phenomenal - especially with the eco! Booster 180 accessory to just peel dirt off. I’m definitely keen to get a couple of the accessories available on the Karcher website if they fit the K7. I’ve got my eye on the right angle wand so I can do the gutters and water catchment without a ladder. There was a list of jobs I just haven’t been able to do around our home that I’ve now marked off in a single afternoon with the Karcher K7 Compact pressure washer. I’ve made quick work of the 4x4 and trailer, the water filtration system, and cleaned the windows without having to get up a ladder. I’m stoked. Highly recommend if you’re into getting things done without having to hire equipment or get a labourer.
Compact with impressive performance – I've used pressure cleaners for 30 years, mostly a green coloured brand, the Karcher K7 proves not all pressure washers are created equal. The first thing you notice is the weight of the K7 Compact. You could be forgiven for thinking Compact meant light on power or performance but this isn't the case here. Every aspect of the K7 Compact, from… Read more · 1
its long, heavy duty hose with industrial fittings thought to its solid body construction indicates it ready for business.
It's performance, pressure and range of accessories out of the box cover all the cleaning requirements on our farm. From blasting off mold build up off the southern side of the shed, a more gentle wash down of our John Deere 5105 tractor thought to the walkways and steps to the farm house, this thing hits the mark.
The only criticism, if it is one, it's weight. It stacks in about 15kg. If I've learnt one thing owning farm equipment and machinery, weight is usually a good indication of quality.
You can see by my photos, it gets a workout. It's now a permanent fixture in our service ute.
Need a serious pressure cleaner, I couldn't recommend the Karcher K7 Compact high enough.
Small but mighty unit – So this is the first pressure washer I’ve ever used, so I had to spend a bit of time (more than most, perhaps?) reading the user manual. Maybe it was just me, but it wasn’t as clear as it probably could have been - but in the end I did find all the information I needed. Opening the box and setting the unit up was very easy. The unit is a little… Read more · 1
bit heavy (as expected) so whilst I was able to do it alone, some people may require assistance (and the outer carton indicates that the unit is 16.1-35kg, so consideration should be given to obtaining the assistance of another individual or a mechanical aid when lifting the unit).
The wheels on the unit are quite large, and the height-adjustable telescopic handle (once installed) is easy to hold, so manoeuvring the unit is quite easy. Attaching the hoses and getting ready to use the unit doesn’t take long at all - even for a newby like me. It was pretty much ‘plug and play’. Which was good because I was really looking forward to using it.
As I was wanting to clean the moss and grime on the concrete slab under the carport, I used the spray lance with dirt blaster first. That did not disappoint (and I never knew using a pressure washer could be so fun!!).
I attempted to attach a photo of that first session (mid way) showing the spiral pattern the lance (sprayer) uses to lift the grime. It’s fascinating to watch it in action (or is that just me?). There was some small vibration as I was holding the gun part, but that was to be expected, and not uncomfortable or difficult to manage.
I tried to use the Vario Power spray lance also, to see if that had the same result, but it did not lift as much of the grime as the dirt blaster. So I continued with the dirt blaster for this task. Alas, just nearby, I had some actual moss that I inadvertently sprayed and it just caused the moss and the soil under it to explode in the direction I was spraying. Whoops! (It lead to mud and moss being splattered on the fence!) Note to self - prepare the work area better before I start!)
Next, my car needed a wash. I’m not a big fan of chores like this, so it’s usually months between washes for my car, and this time was no exception. So I vacuumed the inside first, then set up the pressure washer, this time leaving the dirt blaster lance alone (don’t want to damage the paint!) and used the Vario Power spray lance. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it has a really good variance between the soft / slow spray and the hard / fast spray. And it’s really easy to adjust it one way or the other (or anywhere in between). Now let me clarify here: before this, I’ve only ever used a garden hose for this job. And I never knew what I was missing! The Vario Power spray lance was able to remove a layer of pollen which seems to be stuck to my car each spring. I’d noticed that even before I applied the shampoo. Wow!
What had amazed me most though, was the water left on the grass near the car when I’d finished. When I have previously washed my car with just the garden hose, I’d be left with a large puddle on one side (the land is slightly sloped in that area), because of the volume of water used. Yet using this pressure washer has achieved a much better clean, with significantly less water. And, because the initial rinse had removed the surface layer of pollen and dust, the bucket of suds was also less dirty than usual too. I knew then, why so many people in my life now only wash their cars with their pressure washer. It reduces the effort, it saves water, and almost (almost!) makes this chore hating person want to clean the car again next weekend.
And whilst rain has been abundant in my area in recent years, I know that won’t necessarily continue, so my water consumption (and conservation opportunities) are always on my mind. So this, to me, is absolutely worth the investment. I kinda wish I learned this lesson a bit sooner now. But, better late than never.
Packing down and putting away the unit is easy. The ability to wrap the hose around the front panel on the unit, and tie it down with the included band makes it so easy to store, even in smaller spaces. And the ability to keep the spray lances on board, to keep everything together means I won’t be looking for them the next time I go to use it. But the thing about its ability to be packed down for storage is a conundrum for me, because I don’t want to store it yet, I want to keep it out so I can use it again!
There’s plenty of statistics already available online, so I won’t repeat them here. But will finish with this: this pressure washer surpassed my expectations with ease of use, maneuverability, water consumption (or lack of), and travel and storage convenience.
- +3
Karcher K7 Packs a Mighty Punch for a Compact Size! – I've been using the Karcher k7 Compact version for a few weeks now and I've generally been impressed by the output for such a compact unit. It definitely has some weight about it, feels and looks like a quality unit. But, it's definitely compact in size compared to previous pressure washers we've owned without the loss of power output and cleaning… Read more · 1
power.
We had a few problems areas around the house that were way outside the scope of the garden hose with a pressure nozzle, broom and cleaning products. These areas were mainly the driveway and outdoor living area which consists of white porous tiles and cement grout.
Firstly the driveway, we have a large area where a hedge borders the driveway. The hedge leaves a black stain similar to mould. Using the hose, broom and products, this area I wasn't able to get this cleaned. Enter the Karcher K7 Compact. For this first run over I used the Eco-Booster header which can be viewed within this review in the attached video. I used the EcoBooster as the driveway has a painted surface. It was literally a no brainer for the Karcher K7 and the black mould basically wiped away in seconds. I then continued onto the very discoloured concrete section towards the end of our driveway and again, it was stripped away with the Karcher K7. Again, I used the Eco-Booster attachment before trying the two higher pressure included attachments with the K7. Once dried, I realised I didn't need to use the higher pressure nozzle as the driveway was spotless.
My next test for the Karcher K7 was out outdoor entertaining area with porous white outdoor tiles. This outdoor area is covered with a roof, but exposed to 3 sides which allows a decent amount of dirt to settle. In the past I have used a combination of detergents, hard bristle broom and high pressure hose. This generally cleans the area but I had never been able to remove the deeper stains or clean the grout properly. I have attached a video of the Karcher K7 and after shot of the cleaning once the grout had dried. The Karcher K7 made short work of this task and I would say I cleaned the outside area in a quarter of the time compared to using the broom, hose and cleaners. The one very important note here, the grout lines were back to how the house was when it was brand new. I would say this would be at least 95% of the job. There a few areas where the grout has been broken away over the years of use and some deep dirt and mould have settled in deep and I was unable to get those deeper stains out. This was used with water and pressure only, no cleaners were used in my testing.
Given these two tests, I would have no issue recommending the Karcher K7 Compact. Very Compact Unit that can be stored in a small space. Very good pressure and cleaning for a small unit. Simple setup, up and running within minutes. Easy to move around with the extension handle and wheels.
Things to consider. Unit is quite heavy, lifting and carrying around would suit the youngsters, not the elderly (wheels and handle, totally fine to wheel around) Hose was a bit painful and got tangled a few times. I solved this by fully unwinding the hose then using. When trying to use and allowing the hose to unfold itself it caused a few issues.
Overall, the Karcher K7 for us had been a great little unit to use, so much pressure and such a time saver cleaning the outdoor spaces around the house.
- +2
WOW.Amazing machine – Full disclosure. I was sent the machine to test and review however I have not modified my honest opinion to produce this review. I've never set up a pressure washer before so it took just over 10 minutes to work out how everything goes together out of the box. It does come with instructions but I had trouble working out which way around the… Read more · 1
pressure hose installs. The images aren't very clear on this one point. It comes with everything you need to start using the appliance however I have Hoselink watering equipment at my home. It's a VERY simple matter to fit the hoselink fitting to the machine and you're all set. (You'll need a hoselink tap fitting with the "small tap" adapter fitted.) It comes with a wand which is adjustable from soft to hard pressure. Soft pressure is REALLY soft, it would water the garden but not much else. It's infinitely adjustable but on full hard pressure it will clean your concrete paths. The second included wand is high pressure. It blasted 12 years of dirt and weathering from my patterned concrete without damaging the concrete. It also removed the weeds from the expansion joints and cracks. It doesn't require strength or patience to do. It took around 15 minutes to do about 10 square metres. I highly recommend this pressure washer. It's certainly not a cheap alternative but as with most things in life, you get what you pay for.
I also suggest you consider the extra cost of the ecoboost wand. It works almost like the high pressure wand but apparently uses less water. I have no way of verifying the water saving but it certainly appeared to be using a more concentrated output which should therefore use less water. It's not vital to the operation of the pressure washer but if it saves water it saves money. I have a review elsewhere on product review.
A sure winner! – I have used other pressure washers in the past, but the Karcher K7 really kicks a punch for such a compact unit. Heavily sturdy yet easy to wheel around, this unit is easy to hook up to the power and water outlets, with a long enough hose attachment to make it all the way around a car. Cutting car washing time in more than half, without any need… Read more · 1
for elbow grease was amazing! You can see years of built up dirt on hubcaps wash off in seconds returning them back to their former gleaming glory! As for window cleaning, it was a breeze washing away cobwebs & grime. The only gripe I have is that there doesn't appear to be enough space to be able to wrap the hose and power cords around anything to keep the unit neat and tidy when not in use, but this is a small niggle. Otherwise, the unit is a sure winner in the cleaning stakes!
Perfect balance of size and power – We needed a pressure washer for around our home but we were put off by the size of some of them. The Karcher K7 Compact is perfect - powerful but easy to store or throw in the car. One of the things I love most about this beast is that it is solid with a simple on/off dial rather than electronics that could potentially fail. The quality is top… Read more · 1
notch, as you would expect from something engineered in Germany.
The instruction manual is a little lacking but there are loads of videos online which I would recommend watching before you start. Assembly is simple, just push in the extendable handle, attach the pressure gun, screw on the hose nozzle and click the anti-twist hosing into the machine. The unit sucks water in through a standard garden hose or you can buy an attachment to suck out of a bucket. It has a built-in inlet hose that you can pull out and put in a container of detergent. It will suck the solution up and mix it with water.
Before you start pressure washing you are advised to run some water through the gun with no high pressure attachments. This lets you get rid of any air and primes the machine. You are also supposed to vent the machine after use by turning off the hose and letting water run through the hand gun.
The unit comes with two wands or “lances”. One is a dirt buster which lives up to its name. It is a very concentrated, high powered jet which blasts dirt out of paving or brick walls. Avoid using this on delicate surfaces.
The other attachment is a vario pressure lance. You can adjust the pressure from very low to high. This makes it very versatile on pretty much any surface.
If you are keen to buy extra attachments I can highly recommend the eco!Booster 180.
Performance of this little unit is great. I was able to blast away a 30 year build up of dirt on our bricks in seconds. I’ve also used it on my car, outdoor furniture, garage door and pergola.
The unit packs up neatly for storage after use and would be brilliant for a car detailer to throw in the back of the van. It is reasonably heavy to lift at nearly 18kg if you have strength issues but the wheels make it easy to move around.
The Karcher K7 Compact is everything we were looking for in a pressure washer. Excellent power, great versatility and easy to store. It is well-constructed with solid controls. Highly recommend.
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Hi George, We are sorry to learn of your recent… Read more (+1 reply)