Two supply arrangements, not one performance class
A mains washer uses a socket and tap; a portable cleaner uses a battery and finite tank, with the two water routes drawn separately.
Mains
Check both continuous water supply and an appropriate electrical connection.
Portable
Plan battery, clean-water capacity and refills together.
Task
Choose for the surface and location rather than the voltage label.
Cordless removes the power lead, not the need for clean water or refill planning. Conceptual schematic, not a product image or scale drawing.
Identify the kind of cordless tool
“Cordless pressure washer” can describe a handheld rinsing tool, a tank-based outdoor cleaner or a higher-pressure battery machine. These are not one performance class. Read the exact pressure, flow and water-source arrangement rather than assuming a battery voltage identifies cleaning strength.
A concrete UK example is Bosch Fontus 18 V, an outdoor cleaner with a 15 L tank and maximum pressure of 20 bar. It is not equivalent to the EasyAquatak 120 mains washer merely because both spray water. Nor does that example establish that every battery machine has the same limitation.
Follow the water as well as the power
Mains equipment needs a suitable electrical supply and permitted water source throughout the job. Cordless equipment removes the mains lead at the worksite, but it does not remove the need to carry or obtain clean water. For a tank machine, count refills as part of the job; for a suction-fed machine, verify the allowed hose, filter and suction height.
A 15 L tank holds about 15 kg of water before the machine’s own mass is added. That is arithmetic, not a measured transport weight. Think about lifting into a vehicle, stairs and where you will refill. Do not assume a full tank and a charged battery will run out together; water use and battery consumption depend on settings and trigger time.
Match the tool to the surface and dirt
For fresh loose mud on outdoor equipment, a portable rinse may be all that is needed, particularly where no tap or socket is available. For established dirt over a large hard surface, evaluate a mains machine and its approved surface-cleaning attachment instead of expecting a low-pressure portable cleaner to behave identically.
Neither machine grants permission to spray bearings, electrical connections, damaged paint or seals directly. Lower pressure is not a universal guarantee against water ingress. Use the object’s cleaning instructions and a restrained spray pattern; sometimes a brush and cloth are the better tool.
Count what is missing from a bare kit
Check battery and charger inclusion by product code. The UK Fontus 06008B 6102 is a bare-tool selection, while another kit may include a battery and charger. Existing batteries help only if their exact platform and capacity are approved. A physically similar pack or matching “18 V” label is not enough.
For both options, list the water hose or tank, filters, detergent attachment and storage needs. The Fontus manual requires clean water in the tank and uses a separate approved detergent accessory; the tank is not a bucket for any car shampoo you own. An attractive package price can change once the missing essentials are included.
Make the choice with a working-day example
Picture one complete outing, beginning with permission to clean the object. A muddy bicycle is not automatically a job for a portable pressure cleaner: Trek prohibits high-pressure washing, and lower pressure alone does not establish approval for your bicycle. Follow its maker and use the permitted gentle water, brush and cloth method where required before loading it into a car. For an object whose instructions do allow the intended portable rinse, lack of a tap may make portability useful. For paving beside reliable water and electrical supply, the mains machine’s reach, flow and approved accessories may matter more than avoiding a lead.
If the tasks are mixed, choose for the frequent job and use a simpler manual method for the occasional one. Do not buy an underspecified cordless cleaner solely to avoid setting up a hose, or a large mains machine that cannot be supplied where you actually work.