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- Verified Buyer
This is a review of the Simpson model MSH3125-S with the Honda GC190 engine.The short of it is the unit’s easy to setup and use, starts easy (really, it’s just one pull) and has great cleaning power. The container of engine oil provided with the unit is just the right size, pour it all in the crank case, add gas to the large fuel tank and you’re ready to go. The Honda engine has tons for power and the unit is a blast (pun intended) to use. I’ve already used it to clean my patio, the eaves and house siding. I also purchased a soap lance to use while washing my cars which worked great. My wife was a bit skeptical when I told her I was buying a power washer but after seeing the result with the patio and eaves she’s sold.Definitely 5 stars, if you want to know why read on…I shopped around beforehand and looked a multiple brands, size units and features before deciding on this model. Boy, am I glad I did.If you plan to do any heavy cleaning of decks or prepping a house for painting stay away from the electric units or lower (2000) PSI gas units, you’ll want the 3000+ PSI this size engine puts out.I would also like to note that I read the reviews for this unit and saw a lot of complaints about poor customer service. I figured I’d take the chance since I was purchasing through Amazon and if there was a problem with the unit when received Amazon is good about accepting returns. When I received my washer the plastic spray wand was broken. The unit had shifted in the box and the front bumper on the unit pushed against the wand cracking it and breaking a chunk out of the handle. I called Simpsons customer service the next day and a nice lady took my name and confirmed the model and serial number on my unit and then shipped me a replacement spray wand. The whole ordeal took about 5 minutes, done.While trying to decide on a power washer I went to two of the big chain hardware stores and looked at power washers they had on hand. I was looking at the craftsmanship, features and materials the various units were made from.1) One of the first things that attracted me to this unit was the Honda engine. Honda is well known for their small engine reliability. I love Honda engines; my car, motorcycle, lawn mower are all Honda.2) All the other high PSI units costing about the same as this unit had plastic bumpers and plastic hose and spray wand mounts. They were pretty colors and looked nice but almost all the display models had their plastic spray wand mounts broken off. Obviously no plastic parts was top of my list. This Simpson unit is all heavy gauge metal that will hold up to abuse.3) The units with vertical crank shaft engines had the water pump mounted underneath. This made the units taller, less stable, and made it difficult to reach down and connect hoses. This Simpson unit has a horizontal engine shaft with the pump mounted in the rear where it’s easy to get at.4) Another big plus is that the metal frame on this unit completely surrounds the engine and pump housing protecting them from accidental damage. Units with the pumps on the bottom are susceptible to being damaged when pulling them up stairs or across rough terrain.5) One unit I looked at had the muffler mounted next to the hose storage and water pump. There were numerous complaints in the review section about melted hoses. This Simpson unit has the hose storage and pump in the back and the muffler up front. The muffler also has a head shield around it. Definitely no problem there.6) The majority of units I saw had aluminum pump heads. This unit, like the larger more expensive units, has a brass pump head which will hold up much better than the aluminum units. A harder metal means no soft threads to strip and brass, unlike aluminum does not oxidize.I purchased this machine for general maintenance around my home. I choose this machine because it had the power and features I was looking for at a favorable price and a solid value. It rose above the other units for three reasons: Honda power, there's not a more reliable engine brand out there for this kind of application. Manufacturer, Simpson manufacturers a full line of commercial and residential pressure washers and has been in business manufacturing these products for many years, technology and performance from more expensive models trickles down to this one. Finally, it came with all basic accessories needed.This machine works great, is easy to use and store, I had no complications of any kind. Delivery was early and it was packed well for shipping.This is a great power washer with nice high pressure and quality components. The Honda engine fired right up and ran for a bit over an hour before running out of gas. I have around ten hours of use on it and so far no complaints. It is a bit quieter than others I have used but still loud. I used it with a turbo nozzle for removing paint from exterior siding and trim. It really speeds up the prep work and blows the loose paint away. It can definitely damage the old wood though if you are not extremely careful. also great for restoring decking and washing my truck.I'm giving a good-faith review based on the quality that I believe is inherent in this product, despite the fact that I received two different shipments of this product that were clearly destroyed and/or tampered with.For the first delivery and I had to use all of my body weight to get the frame to align enough to be put together. The box was heavily damaged. The stickers were removed from the spray gun- I don't even know if it was the correct spray gun that should come with it. I ended up returning it for another one that I hoped would be in new condition.The second one arrived on my doorstep with oil leaking through the box. It too, had clearly been tampered with. The heat shield on this one had a gigantic dent in it, and when I went to try using it, smoke soon began pouring out from under this area. I decided to donate this one to someone with experience fixing pressure washers, and give up on ordering one from Amazon. There is a clear problem when it comes to being able to order a quality version of this from Amazon, in my area at least. It should be investigated and the people responsible for harming the packages in the shipping/storage process should be fired and held accountable.No brainer! this is the best tool in the shed. First use saved me over a rental and we are still impressed with it. I will use this ALL THE TIME! Trucks, cars HOUSE, shed, barbaque, Cast iron... you name it. Great tool and super reliable.NO ISSUES WHATSOEVER!After reading countless bad reviews, I still went ahead and purchased this pressure washer. I was kind of expecting something bad to happen. Much to my surprise, it was a gem. Threw the oil in, hooked up the hose, voila....more pressure than most. No vibrating nozzles, no leaking oil, no hard starts....all good! I think Simpson has come a long way with this one and listened to the customer complaints. Even the shipping was good...no oil drenched box, no parts missing....NOTHING WRONG! Even my neighbour came over and asked what kind it was because he was so impressed with the pressure I was getting out of it.If you are like me and are hesitating because of the bad reviews from the past...don't. This thing has tons of power and works like a charm. Dependable Honda engine to boot!I would highly recommend this pressure washer to anyone that needs this kind of power.My only complaint is the handle is a bit short...so if you are 6 foot something like me, you need to bend over while walking to haul it around. No biggie and I am sure I can rig something up to extend the handle.Simpson has some confusing product numbers, this is actually MSH3125-S. It’s been updated with pneumatic wheels and an increased pressure to 3200psi from the last version. I went through three big box store machines in a week before buying this one, having found the others to be built like Chinese crap. This machine is amazing! Great engine, good pump, attached to a nice and simple frame which is solid. The gun and wand seem to be high quality, and the hose is nice as it will actually straighten out, unlike others. For the negatives....the handle rattled like crazy, sounding more like a bag of tin cans being dragged behind my truck. I solved this by wrapping some duct tape around the frame and installing the handle over it. Fixed. It’s also quite low to the ground for me, but whatever, it’s manageable, and might even be preferred by many for storage. Also, the wand is super short, 15”. I ordered a 31” extension for my Karcher 15” surface cleaner because my back is sore as I write this. All in all, an incredible, serious machine for the homeowner who uses these things a few times a year. Steer clear of the Chinese junk in your favourite box store and buy one of these. Trust me.Do not whatever you do but anything from Simpson. Here’s a little story recap. I buy two for personal use, race track and home use. The first ones comes quickly and looks in good shape I start it and it pour gas out of the carb all over. I shut it down contact amazon and they ship another. It gets here and after using it 6/7 times it starts shutting off and I have now found out the head gasket is out of it. So now I’m stuck with two of these costing 500+ per unit and they both are junk do not buyBought this because it was pretty much the best for the money. Maintain it and it will last a very long time. Very powerful, light and easy to move, Honda engine. But damn is it loud. Need ear plugs when in use. Almost makes me regret not buying electric and dealing with breaking and replacing every 2 years. Lol.Update: 2 years of using and still going strong.Have had this Simpson Gas Pressure Washer for only one year. Worked well the first summer. Was emptied of all fluids and stored in the basement for the winter. This spring (2019), at first use, the machine began leaking at the "Onloader." Finding a local service agent in the Ottawa, ON area was a major challenge. Subsequently learned from the service agent that this is a common defect with this product. The US manufacturer tried to imply that the leakage was caused by improper care and maintenance, but eventually agreed to honour the warranty and replace the defective component. One month later, the part has still not yet been received! Would not recommend this product to the Canadian purchaser.
