The Kärcher K Mini pressure washer vs. pigeon poop
19/7/2021
Translation: Veronica Bielawski
The Kärcher K Mini promises to be a small, space-saving pressure washer that still thoroughly cleans your balcony. And it delivers on that promise – at least with one of the nozzles.
Rain. Hail. Windstorms. Thunder. More rain. We’ve seen it all these past few weeks – except for sunshine. This weather has left its mark. My balcony is littered with leaves, soil and other debris. Now that the weather is finally July-worthy, it’s time to do some cleaning. The Kärcher pressure washer is supposed to make my balcony spiffy once again.
Small but mighty?
Kärcher has released a small, portable pressure washer called the K Mini. It’s supposed to be especially suitable for balconies and terraces, all while being easy to store and transport. Sounds perfect for my city apartment. I just hope it’s strong enough.
The package contains few separate components, and they’re self-explanatory: there’s a five-metre high-pressure hose, a spray gun, two additional nozzle attachments, a garden hose connector adapter and a clip-on accessory holder. The pressure washer itself is quite small and correspondingly light. It weighs just 3.9 kilogrammes (4.7 kilogrammes with accessories). In addition, it comes with a power cable and an on/off switch. Nice and simple.
Connecting the K Mini to my water supply proves more tedious. Since I don’t have an outdoor tap, I have to connect the pressure washer to my kitchen faucet. This requires an adapter. Confident as I am, I’m certain I can just wing it. (Un)surprisingly, I fail. I have to watch the tutorial video, after all. It’s actually very simple: unscrew your current water filter, attach the new one with the attachment and, finally, clip on the plastic adapter.
Slightly stronger than a watering can
Once both the water and high-pressure hose are attached, all the K Mini needs is electricity. I start with the simple nozzle without pressure regulation. I turn on the faucet, turn up the knob and prepare for recoil – but there is none. The water gently splashes out of the nozzle rather than shooting from it. I can barely rinse the delicate petals off my balcony.
For my second attempt, I decide to try the pressure regulation. You need the second nozzle for this, which you attach onto the first one. I can set the K Mini to either «soft» or «hard» by turning the knob. Learning from my failed first attempt, I immediately go for «hard» mode. I cross my fingers and, sure enough, I feel pressure in my right hand. This is what it’s supposed to feel like! The K Mini blasts the petals over the edge with a good amount of pressure.
Boss level: pigeon poop
Once I’m done with the balcony, it’s time for my window ledges. They’re covered in pigeon poop and have been a real thorn in my side for some time. A pigeon researcher pointed out to me that the droppings can spread disease and that I should wear gloves when scrubbing them off. So, I’ve just let the poop be until now. I’m really looking forward to pointing my K Mini gun at it.
The pressure regulating nozzle erases spot after spot from the ledge – a truly satisfying feeling. Light-brown water trickles down three floors and lands in the courtyard. Thankfully, I had made sure no one was standing there. I’m suddenly glad it’s raining.
Learn from my mistakes
My work is done! In a frenzy of joy, I pack up the Kärcher and carry it into the kitchen; with a «click», I detach the hose. Two seconds later, I realise this was an exceptionally bad idea. A puddle forms on my floor. The ‘pressure’ gets to me – I make things worse by clumsily bringing the hose to the sink. Even more water trickles out. I’ve successfully flooded my kitchen. Hence my advice to you: remove the hose outside. Being the quick learner I am, I empty the high-pressure hose through the spray gun and manage to remove it without further incident.
Verdict
After a good 30 minutes, the kitchen is finally mopped up and I’m ready to give my final thoughts. I like the simplicity of the Kärcher K Mini. There are no unnecessary switches, no app, no bullshit. The small size and accessory holder make the device easy to store in a closet or on a shelf.
In terms of water pressure, it’s nowhere near that of a large pressure cleaner. But that’s also not at all what Kärcher is trying to sell. The K Mini removes light dirt well, but it stands no chance against stubborn dirt, such as dirty stone slabs. But be warned: you need to use the pressure regulation nozzle. Without it, the K Mini is nothing but a glorified watering can.
My life in a nutshell? On a quest to broaden my horizon. I love discovering and learning new skills and I see a chance to experience something new in everything – be it travelling, reading, cooking, movies or DIY.
