Makita HW132

The Japanese company Makita has been specializing in the production of household and professional power tools for more than a dozen years, thanks to which it has shown large volumes of sales of its products around the world. The HW132 washing unit has high characteristics, as for a household appliance, and a considerable cost of $ 330, which put it in the category of top models of high-pressure mini-washers. Let's see if the Makita HW132 deserves the title of niche leader.

Ergonomics

The sink attracts attention with its ergonomic shape, small dimensions and well-thought-out arrangement of components. On the body in the assortment there are compartments for nozzles, brushes, a gun, a hose reel with a convenient handle for rotation. Wheels and a fixed handle make it convenient to transport the unit from place to place, but this is not always necessary, since 8 metres of hose is enough to bypass the car from all sides, clean up a vast area of the yard or terrace. At the same time, you don’t have to worry that the sink will fall — the weight of 15.5 kg gives the structure additional stability.

There are also disadvantages in ergonomics. If there is a reel for the high pressure hose, there is absolutely nowhere to put 5 metres of power cord. Another upsetting moment is the protruding connector for connecting water. A fine water filter is screwed onto it, which further increases the protrusion. The connector is plastic, it is easy to break it off by catching on a corner or a door jamb. On the other hand, an additional external filter extends the life of the internal one, so its presence is clearly not superfluous, but you should be doubly careful during operation so as not to break the connector.

How to use?

The sink is equipped with a durable aluminium alloy pump and is capable of supplying 420 liters of water per hour, which allows you to wash various objects with high quality, while saving engine life, thanks to the TTS (Total Stab System) system. It turns off the motor when the gun trigger is released.

Dirt can be cleaned from anywhere, thanks to a 140 bar pressure jet and convenient nozzles — fan and mud. An additional washing brush is useful for a more thorough washing of the car, siding. The effect will be more noticeable if you use warm water up to 50 °C and detergent. But there is no function of taking water from the tank, so the model is not suitable for summer residents who do not have a centralized water supply on the site.

Summarizing, we note the high performance, reliability of the HW132 washer and its cost-effectiveness. On the other hand, there are shortcomings, the presence of which, at a rather high price of the unit, makes its purchase not entirely expedient. The same Bosch Universal Aquatak 135, for example, costs less and weighs less, and there is a foam gun in the kit.