The Craftsman CM1800 is an excellent pressure washer in terms of cleaning performance, and it is very easy to use. In many ways, it's a better machine than our top pick, the RYOBI RY14122, particularly regarding assembly and power cord management. However, a shorter warranty ultimately kept it from claiming the top spot. As of the writing of this review, the Craftsman CM1800 costs about $140, which is more expensive than the $120 average of the models we tested.
Among the pressure washers we tested, the Craftsman CM1800 is the only one that matched the RYOBI RY14122’s cleaning performance. It quickly powered through mud when we washed a car and did just as well on a driveway oil stain. The machine’s 1,800 PSI maximum pressure isn't the highest we've seen in an electric power washer, but the cleaning test results speak for themselves.
This is one of the easiest machines to use. In fact, it's the only pressure washer that comes fully assembled. All you need to do when you take it out of the box is attach the handle to the pressure hose.
It's worth noting that this is the only pressure washer we tested that has reels for both the hose and power cord – you simply crank their respective handles when putting the machine away after a project. However, we found it difficult to keep the 25-foot hose straight as we reeled it in, resulting in some frustration when we had to rewind it. The power button on the front of the power washer is large and has a satisfying click when you turn the machine on or off.
The Craftsman CM1800’s spray gun has a trigger lock to prevent it from accidentally spraying water when you set it down momentarily. However, it's most useful when storing the wand to protect the trigger from damage. When we measured how loud the machine gets with a decibel meter, the CM1800 reached 88 dB, tying it for third loudest.
Our testers liked the Craftsman CM1800’s long handle and wheels, since they make it easy to move around a project site. This is good because it is the heaviest power washer we compared, at 36.3 pounds. The machine’s two-year warranty is longer than average but doesn't match the three-year coverage on the RYOBI and WORX products we tested.
We also liked was this model’s nozzle storage area, located on the back of the machine. It has a place for each of the four nozzles that come with the CM1800 as well as a handy diagram that shows common uses for each one. This power washer has two separate detergent tanks, and you can switch soap mid-project using a dial on the front of the machine.
