The Review

Maintaining a clean area around your home is often a difficult and never-ending task. Fortunately, there are a variety of tools available to help us with our required maintenance. The Schafter ST5 pressure washer is one such tool that can help to reduce some of the time required for these cleaning tasks. Schafter is renowned for making durable and high-quality products, without charging their customers an arm and a leg when compared to similar models across brands. If you’re interested, see our comparison of some of the best affordable power washers you can purchase for under $400.

Although we can always hire someone to do the “once in a long while” tasks that require professional expertise, we would spend a fortune if we did the same thing for jobs we can handle ourselves (as long as we have the correct tools). Not all cleaning jobs require the big commercial pressure washers you see companies using to clean entire houses. Small jobs such as cleaning decks, patios, caked on mud, or foundations can be easily and cheaply accomplished with your own personal pressure washer. You don’t even have to deal with the noise and fumes that often accompany the super-powerful gas variety.

Electric pressure washers, such as the Schafter, put out enough pressure to make these small to medium sized cleaning jobs a breeze. Moreover, electric washers are often lighter and less maintenance. Moving the washer from home to office is often as simple as putting it in the back of your truck or SUV and since it weighs so little, that’s a one-person job. Gas power washers also require quite a bit of maintenance to ensure they are working properly. Electric washers can be stored with little issue, there is no gas/oil to worry about, and cleaning is a breeze compared to their gas-powered cousins. Read the below Schafter ST5 review to find out if this is the tool that fits your needs best.

Powerful, Easy to Use, and Safe

The Schafter ST5 provides ample power to ensure it can clean almost any tough mud, grime, or mold. The motor generates 1800 watts of power that can generate a maximum of 3000 PSI of water pressure. The water flow rate of 1.8 GPM is very impressive for an electric pressure washer when compared to similar units. This helps the Schafter reduce the time required to clean tough stains by projecting a powerful stream that is spectacular at accomplishing those household chores that usually require quite a bit of manual labor.

One would think that a tool that produces so much power would be difficult to operate unless you are experienced with this kind of equipment. Fortunately, this is not the case as the Schafter pressure washer is easily operated and lightweight. Simple hook-ups and an easy trigger help with usability all while being light enough to be moved from place to place without any issues. The simple operation lends itself to fewer problems and a much more efficient cleaning experience, thus reducing total cleaning time in most cases. Furthermore, you will not need to search for some new and exotic power source as the 33 ft power cord easily plugs into most external power outlets. The power cord is long enough that it gives you plenty of room to maneuver without the constant need to unplugging and plugging the cord into a new outlet.

The Schafter ST5 also includes Schafter’s proprietary technology safety system, the Total Stop System (TSS), to improve safety and conserve energy and electric bills. The Total Stop System automatically shuts the system down when not in use. This improves the life of the unit, saves on electricity, and ensures it is as safe as possible for any potential users of this device.

Nozzles and Accessories

The Schafter ST5 also comes with a variety of nozzles to ensure you can clean almost any surface you may come across. As this is a portable device, that could be quite a high number of different surfaces! Each nozzle has a slightly different angle for different cleaning jobs. The different angles are intended to work on cleaning tasks of varying degrees of difficulty. For example, the “soap” nozzle is specifically designed to assist with removal of oily or greasy stains. The nozzles are made of quality material and bring confidence to the entire unit of its construction value.

The spray gun, the detergent bottle, and the wand can all be kept clean and stored safely. When you are done washing, a “holster” for the wand is available that keeps it away from dirt or other substances. A roller lets you easily roll the hose up to avoid any tangles or mess. The roller does a good job at keeping the area tidy and is simple to manipulate. Unfortunately, it is often the case that tools with a roller to keep a water hose nice and organized, are of low quality and work poorly. The pressure washer seems to have perfected the design and this unit does not demonstrate any of those drawbacks.

Portability and Easy Installation

Another point in the Schafter’s favor is the fact that it is portable. Compared to the gas-powered models, the electric pressure washers are much lighter. The Schafter ST5 only weight approximately 18 lbs., so it is easily moved from cleaning area to cleaning area. If you just don’t feel like picking up that 18 lbs., don’t worry because there are also wheels to help you just roll it wherever you want. Furthermore, since it is so lightweight, straps and buckles are available to strap it to your back for some real mobility while you clean. Since the power cord is so long (33 ft.), this comes in very handy as you navigate the areas around your home effortlessly cleaning with 3000 PSI of pressure. If, on the other hand, you have a remote location (office, parking lot, etc.) that needs a good clean, it can easily be loaded and taken wherever you desire without much fuss.

In addition to portability, this pressure washer also provides for simple assembly and setup, unlike the Sun Joe SPX3000’s sometimes confusing assembly process and lengthy setup time. The installation is straightforward and only has a few items that require attachment. Instructions are provided (more below) to help you with assembly, but for most users, they are not even necessary as the attachments are fairly intuitive.

Problem Areas for the Schafter

There are a few common issues that are associated with the Schafter electric pressure washer that should be noted. First, this is not a commercial pressure washer. Commercial pressure washers are much more powerful than their consumer grade brethren. If you need something to do those heavy-duty commercial jobs (i.e. thorough cleaning of second story homes), you may need to look for the more expensive and powerful versions. Ensure you understand the right tool you need for the job at hand.

Another problem that crops up, although minor, is that the ST5 doesn’t really take into account what to do with wide range of nozzles when not in use. It would be nice to have an area dedicated to holding the nozzles, but this is a problem easily solved by whatever system you currently use to organize your tools. Additionally, the wand doesn’t really have anywhere for you to hang it, outside of putting it back in its designated holster. While this isn’t much of a problem, it can be annoying if you just want to set the wand down for a split second and don’t want it to be in the dirt.

Final Verdict

The Schafter ST5 is very good at what it does…accomplishing small to medium-sized cleaning tasks without destroying your bank account. This electric washer puts out a strong flow of water, saves you money, makes little noise, has no fumes, and is versatile enough to accomplish most tasks facing everyday people. Additionally, it is lightweight and portable to ensure you have a powerful tool at your disposal, wherever you may need it. Cleaning your home or detailing your car by yourself, the ST5 can make your work easier and faster.

While there are a few minor issues that have been reported, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. Schafter is well known for producing quality products at budget prices, and the ST5 does a good job of continuing that tradition. As long as you aren’t expecting this unit to compete with commercial units, you will be pleasantly surprised at the performance and durability of the Schafter ST5 electric pressure washer.