Sun Joe’s SPX3000 and SPX3001 are two pressure washers that have absolutely blown up in sales. I recommend the SPX3000 over the SPX3001 because it won’t topple over as easily.
And you are in the market for a new pressure washer. The Sun Joe SPX3000 seems to be the most popular pressure washer of all time, but right before you check out…..what’s this?
The SPX3001? Is it better? Do I need it? Let’s settle this once and for all.
Jump ahead:
The Sun Joe SPX3000 vs 3001: Breakdown
I am going to repost a bit from our full review of the Sun Joe SPX3000, because, well, all of the specifications are the same on the SPX3000 as they are on the SPX3001. Meaning they will be an absolute TIE in every category (except for one major difference, and not just the additional “1” in the name).
Usability and attachments
The Sun Joe SPX3000 comes with five different attachment tips. A zero degree, fifteen degree, twenty five degree, forty degree and soap tip. The larger the degree of tip you have on the front of this pressure washer, the weaker the spray and the larger the area of coverage.
If you are pressure washing an outdoor metal fence, you can use the zero degree tip to blast away anything that is not metal. If you want to clean off your car, try the forty degree or soap tip as to not hurt the paint or any of the trim features.
This Sun Joe SPX3000 and SPX3001 also have a twenty foot hose, allowing you to extend your work over a modest sized difference.
The SPX3000 and SPX3001 + soap
This pressure washer has two different detergent tanks that you can use to infuse the water in the pressure washer with soap. This means you can easily switch from your car (normal soap) to your deck (a bleach mixture).
Noise and the auto-stop feature
If your neighbor has ever used a pressure washer, well you would know because it is overly loud and obnoxious. I was walking with my wife in our neighborhood and could hear a neighbor about seven houses down using his pressure washer. As we approached his house, he stopped using the pressure washer and tried talking to us.
We were basically screaming at each other in the middle of the street until my wife faked a massive diarrhea attack and we took off to avoid the conversation (this is a lie).
The beauty of the Sun Joe is that it is a relatively quiet piece of equipment. For whatever reason, gas pressure washers are loud when they are in use and somehow loud when not in use.
The SPX3000 and SPX3001 have a feature that turns off the whole machine, then turns it back on when you squeeze the trigger. This feature is super similar to a car that turns off at red lights and kicks back on when you press the gas. While not a huge selling point, it makes a difference with your ears and with your neighbors.
Storage and maintenance
This product only weighs about 28 lbs, meaning it will fit into just about any portion of your garage, shed, or even inside your house. Being an electric device means that very little maintenance is required. You simply plug it in and it will do its thing, unlike gas powered pressure washers that rely on…gas.
The Sun Joe SPX3000 and SPX3001 are both super light, making them easy to store and maintain.
These pressure washers also come with a full two year warranty. While this is great, keep in mind that folks usually only use their pressure washer a couple of times per year. Make sure to get as much use out of it as possible for the two years are up in case anything is going to go wrong.
Sun Joe SPX3000 vs SPX3001: Final ruling
So…what is up with the 1? Should I make the upgrade?
It depends. The real difference between the SPX3000 and the SPX3001 is the hose reel attachment that comes with the SPX3001. Basically, the 3001 has this little hose reel attachment at the top that allows you to reel in the hose and pull it from that spot.
Hose reel attachments are great…..if they work. Sadly, the 3001 has the hose reel at the top of the piece of light equipment, so most pulls on it are going to topple it over. Frankly, this is pretty useless when pressure washing, but is nice for storage.
My final verdict: save a few bucks and go with the SPX3000 unless storage is a really big deal to you.
Knock it off your weekend checklist and grab it on Amazon. I’ve included the blue one below (which is just over $100).
Check out the best deal we found on Amazon.
Honestly though, there’s one that’s even better – the Sun Joe SPX3500 is by far the best version of their electric pressure washers.
Why we review electric pressure washer
The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site.
As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something.
Things to consider before buying a pressure washer
Some common considerations for those looking for a pressure washer include the following:
- Ability to add soap to the hose instead of schlepping around a bucket with soap
- Multiple nozzle types for whichever job you need
- Length of pole (if cleaning exterior of house, not having one of these could limit how high you can reach)
- Storage capability and maintenance requirements
- PSI level for either commercial or residential use
What to look for in a pressure washer
When looking for a pressure washer, you want to have a good understanding of the jobs you want to get done. Most people use pressure washers to deep clean their patio, porch, driveways, windows, or other external surfaces around the house. Most pressure washers are good for these jobs as they are relatively light work and do not require excessive force.
For those of us cleaning the spray paint off of our cars from our crazy ex-girlfriends, you might want one that has a little more “umph” behind it. Something with 3000 PSI with a wide nozzle that is gas powered like this Dewalt one.
About Mr. Joe and his sun equipment
Sun Joe produces electric lawn and home care equipment. They are popular for their super convenient and inexpensive dethatcher (you wouldn’t believe how satisfying it is), and of course their pressure washer. You likely found out about the pressure washer because it has more reviews than I thought humanly possible on Amazon. As of today, it has almost 45,000 reviews and 73% of them are five stars.
People love the SPX3000 but I can tell you right now, it is not for everyone. While one of the least expensive items on the pressure washer market, it certainly has a target demographic. I’ll break down who the target audience is and why this is so popular.
We did a video review of the SPX3000 – check it out!
