At a glance A bombproof, rugged portable 18V pressure washer perfect for cleaning two very muddy bikes per 14 litre water tank at locations without power or tap water
Tested by
Claire Maxted
Performance
You know the feeling. You've just hammered down that final rush of singletrack to finish another awesome day of mountain biking, but taking the edge off that perfect day is a cold, wet and windy queue at the bike wash. Or worse, no bike wash area and a very muddy car.
Cue the 18V Nomad portable pressure washer. They say it's, "the world's first pressure washer to be powered by a removable rechargeable battery, giving you the ultimate portability." This opens up a whole new world of bike cleaning locations that aren't right next to your nice clean car.
We felt smug bypassing the bike wash queue at our latest adventure race to clean our mud-caked bikes next to a stream in the finishing field. This was a good 10 minutes walk from the ram packed car park but the fully charged 18V battery meant we didn't have to lug the quick release, detachable 14 litre water tank anywhere once filled. Although, if you do need to carry the whole thing anywhere, the padded shoulder strap makes this easier.
We have seen tanks of 17 litres on other portable pressure washers, but we found 14 litres was heavy enough to carry and provided plenty of water for two very muddy bikes. Moreover, seeing as you can do your cleaning right next to your water source instead of lugging the water tank back to the car, it's pretty easy to get a quick refill for those extra 3 litres.
Once away from your car, you don't need to worry about battery life. The washer comes with one large 18V battery stored in the base, with room for a second which you can buy for £39.99. This 18V battery will shoot out three to four of the 14 litre tankfuls on one single charge; enough to clean at least six very muddy bikes. Double that if you buy another battery. You can also purchase a 12V in-car charger for the 18V battery for £34.99 and the unit does come with a 12V car lead to power the whole shebang directly.
So let's explain about the stream that we filled our water tank in. Weren't there fish in there? Frogspawn? Weeds and random muck? Well, ours was fishy gunk free thanks to a filter sock over the neck of the water tank. We haven't seen this on any other brand of portable pressure washer and it saves you from having to make your own, or attempting to dodge the pond goo if you can't get to a tap.
The whole unit is made of strong, highly durable plastic, which does make it heavier, but it did mean we were happy to stand it on the muddy, rocky shore of the stream without worrying that it would be damaged any time soon. We have seen other versions with wheels, but wheels only work on hard, flat, clean surfaces, so on this more off-road version, they would only get filled with mud and become useless. Think of this device as the army tank of the pressure washer world. It will go anywhere with you and still perform, however rugged and dirty.
Happily cleaning away beside our stream with the super long (20ft) abrasion resistant hose which connects easily and securely to the base, we tried out the adjustable nozzle. This can be adjusted from, "a jet stream for power cleaning to a soft mist for rinsing." We found that somewhere in the middle, a sort of semi-powerful mist spray was the most effective at getting the stubborn, grit-flecked gunge to slither off our bikes. The jet was most effective at spraying any mates trying to oust you into the stream. The pressure is 98 PSI, spot on for bike cleaning as it is just enough to remove mud without stripping the grease from your bearings. Having variable pressure options by twisting the nozzle means the Nomad is also useful for cleaning other dirty things too; cars, surf boards, horses, dogs, kids...
The only other slight drawback to this highly durable, portable washer is that there is no way of telling how much water you have left. All of a sudden the spray will conk out to a dribble and it's time to refill if you're half way through cleaning. Of course you could just time how long it usually takes you to get through 14 litres and plan your washing accordingly, but a water gauge or transparent strip in the tank would be useful.
All in all, you get a bombproof, very portable pressure washer for your £170. If you want to use it primarily for bikes, at muddy, crowded events or places without washing or water facilities the Nomad is perfect. It's about £20 more than its nearest equivalent on the market, but for that you get a rugged, tank-like design that will see you through a life time of bike cleaning in obscure locations, able to use a wide variety of water sources.
Buy from: www.nomad-direct.co.uk
Nomad says:
The Nomad 18 volt cordless is the first pressure water that has a removable rechargeable battery, giving you the ultimate in portability. What's more, it has space inside to store an optional second battery, coupling that with the optional 12V in-car charger. It truly is extremely versatile away from home and car. A mains charger is supplied as standard. The detachable water tank with padded shoulder strap makes it very easy to fill up at a tap or you can submerge it in a lake, pond or stream; the removable neck filter allows only clean water into the tank. So if you're looking for total freedom on the go, look no further than this brilliant piece of quality engineering.
Find out more www.nomad-direct.co.uk
