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Steam Pressure Washers

Wet Steam for Degreasing, Sanitizing and Stubborn Buildup

Not sure which machine fits the job? Answer a few quick questions and see the machines that fit, right here.

Prefer a person? Give us a call at (219) 327-1138. We are available Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM EST and one of our representatives will help you with what you're looking for.

Takes under a minute. No email needed to see results.

A steam pressure washer is a hot water pressure washer with a second setting: turn the burner up and the flow down, and the water leaves the nozzle as wet steam above 250 degrees. That setting strips gum, grease and caked buildup that hot water at full flow only softens, and it sanitizes surfaces where pressure would do damage, which is why detail shops, food plants and equipment yards ask for it. The 9 machines here carry a steam mode from the factory: the Kranzle Therm electric units and the Pressure-Pro Dirt Laser hot water portables and skids. All ship new from the manufacturer through High Pressure Car Washer, an authorized dealer for both brands. Shipping is free to the lower 48 states, to a dock or terminal on freight machines, and liftgate service is one flat fee.

Steam is a specialist setting, not a bigger hot water machine: for a fleet or a yard, hot water at full flow cleans faster. If the daily job is trailers and equipment, start in hot water pressure washers; if the site has no power, the gas units with a steam mode also appear in gas pressure washers; indoor electric options are in electric pressure washers.

Not sure steam is the answer? The guide under the products explains what steam mode does, where it beats hot water, and which of these eleven machines fits a bay, a truck or a plant.

Hot water unitsElectric unitsGas unitsCommercial rangeKranzlePressure-Pro
Start here: the machine we would put on the truck for each job
Detail shops and dealershipsKranzle K2175TST2,500 PSI hot water or wet steam on 230 volt single phase, no exhaust in the bay.High flow indoor workKranzle K1165TST5 GPM at 2,400 PSI on three phase with a steam mode, for a big bay that washes all day.Trucks and equipmentPressure-Pro SK40005VH4,000 PSI at 5 GPM hot water skid with steam mode, 570cc Vanguard.
Compare the steam pressure washers buyers ask about most
ModelPSIGPMPowerHeatFormBest for
Kranzle K1165TST2,4005Electric 230V 3 phaseDiesel burnerPortableBig indoor bays, three phase
Kranzle K2175TST2,5003.3Electric 230V 1 phaseDiesel burnerPortableDetail shops and dealerships
Kranzle K1165TST2,4005Electric 460V 3 phaseDiesel burnerPortableBig indoor bays, three phase
Pressure-Pro SH40004KH4,0003.5GasDiesel burnerPortableContractors, Kohler engine, portable
Pressure-Pro SH40004HH4,0003.5GasDiesel burnerPortableContractors, Honda engine, portable
Pressure-Pro SK40004HH4,0003.5GasDiesel burnerSkidTruck bed skid, Honda engine
Pressure-Pro SK30005VH3,0005GasDiesel burnerSkidTruck bed skid, 5 GPM
Pressure-Pro SH27003VH2,7002.5GasDiesel burnerPortableSmall trucks, portable hot water
Pressure-Pro SK40005VH4,0004.8GasDiesel burnerSkidTruck bed skid, 4,000 PSI
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What steam mode does

Every machine here is a hot water unit first: a triplex pump, a Schedule 80 heating coil and a burner. In steam mode a valve reduces the flow through the coil while the burner runs, so the water reaches 250 to 300 degrees and flashes to wet steam at the nozzle. Pressure drops to a few hundred PSI. What you get is heat without impact: grease melts, gum and tar release, bacteria die, and the surface underneath is not blasted.

Steam versus hot water

Hot water at full flow and full pressure is the faster cleaner on large surfaces, which is why fleets, farms and contractors buy hot water and rarely use steam. Steam wins on engines and undercarriages caked in grease, on gum and grime in equipment yards, on food contact surfaces that need sanitizing, and on anything that cannot take 3,000 PSI. A machine with both settings covers both jobs; the eleven here are that machine.

Electric steam units for indoor bays

The Kranzle Therm K2175TST runs on 230 volt single phase with a diesel fired burner and is the dealership and detail shop pick. The Kranzle K1165TST high flow units, on 230 or 460 volt three phase, put 5 GPM through a steam capable coil for bigger bays.

Gas steam units for trucks and yards

The Pressure-Pro Dirt Laser hot water portables and skids carry a steam mode on a gas engine with a diesel fired burner: 2,700 to 4,000 PSI at full flow for the daily wash, steam for the engine bay, the gum and the grease. The SK series skids bolt into a truck bed; the SH series roll on wheels.

Steam pressure washers we recommend by job

Four picks, one for each place a steam unit lives.

Kranzle K2175TST for detail shops and dealerships

The Kranzle K2175TST Therm runs 2,500 PSI and 3.3 GPM of hot water, or wet steam, on 230 volt single phase with no exhaust in the bay.

Kranzle K1165TST for high flow indoor work

The Kranzle Therm K1165TST moves 5 GPM at 2,400 PSI on three phase power with a steam mode, the machine for a big bay that washes all day.

Pressure-Pro SK40005VH for trucks

The Pressure-Pro Dirt Laser SK40005VH is a 4,000 PSI 5 GPM hot water skid with a steam mode and a 570cc Vanguard engine, for a truck bed and a full day of equipment.

Freight, delivery and returns on machines

Free freight to the lower 48. Machines ship new from the manufacturer by freight carrier at no charge to a commercial address with a loading dock or forklift, or to the carrier's nearest terminal for pickup. Orders are prepared within 0 to 1 business days and delivery takes 5 to 8 business days.

Liftgate service, $95 flat. No dock or forklift? Choose liftgate service when you add the machine to the cart. The carrier calls ahead to schedule, brings the crate to your address and lowers it to the ground with a liftgate. It lands at the curb or driveway, not inside the building. One flat fee per order, whatever the machine weighs.

On delivery. Inspect the crate before signing. Note any damage on the delivery receipt and photograph it. We file the claim with the carrier, and if a replacement is needed we ship it.

Returns. Unused machines in original packaging can be returned within 30 days of delivery. A 20 percent restocking fee applies and return freight is the buyer's responsibility, and a refused freight delivery is handled the same way, which is why we would rather confirm the model before it ships: send the job, the water and the power on site through the form on this page and we check the spec against the machine. Full terms are on the shipping policy and return policy pages.

Not sure which machine fits the job? Answer a few quick questions and see the machines that fit, right here.

Prefer a person? Give us a call at (219) 327-1138. We are available Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM EST and one of our representatives will help you with what you're looking for.

Takes under a minute. No email needed to see results.

Steam Pressure Washers questions, answered

What is a steam pressure washer?
A hot water pressure washer with a steam setting. Reduced flow through the heating coil raises the water above 250 degrees so it leaves the nozzle as wet steam at low pressure. Every machine here also runs as a normal hot water pressure washer.
Is steam better than hot water for cleaning?
For grease on engines and equipment, gum and tar, and sanitizing, yes. For large surfaces like trailers, floors and concrete, hot water at full flow cleans faster. Buy a steam capable unit if you need both.
How hot does a steam pressure washer get?
Hot water mode runs 180 to 250 degrees. Steam mode runs 250 to 300 degrees at the coil, with wet steam at the nozzle. The specification on each product page lists the maximum.
Can I use a steam pressure washer indoors?
The Kranzle Therm electric units run indoors on 230 volt or three phase power; their diesel burners need a vented bay. The Pressure-Pro HN natural gas units connect to a building gas line and are built for plants and kitchens. The gas engine units belong outdoors or on a truck.
Do these machines sanitize?
Wet steam above 250 degrees kills bacteria on contact, which is why food plants, dairies and kitchens use steam capable units on equipment and floors. Check your sanitation standard for contact time.
What pressure does steam mode run at?
A few hundred PSI. Steam mode trades pressure for heat, so it is safe on surfaces that cannot take full pressure and slower on surfaces that can.
How does shipping work on a pressure washer?
Shipping is free to the lower 48 states. Machines ship new from the manufacturer by freight carrier to a commercial address with a dock or forklift, or to the carrier's nearest terminal for pickup. No dock? Choose liftgate service when you add the machine to the cart, a flat $95 per order, and the carrier calls ahead and lowers the crate to the ground at your address. Orders are prepared within 0 to 1 business days and delivery takes 5 to 8 business days.
Are these machines sold by an authorized dealer?
Yes. High Pressure Car Washer is an authorized dealer for BE Power Equipment, Cam Spray, Kranzle, Makinex, Pressure-Pro and Simpson, and every unit ships new from the manufacturer with its factory warranty.