A pressure washer is a machine that uses a powerful stream of water to clean objects. Hard water is sprayed at high velocity to remove dirt from surfaces. This is ideal for quickly and effectively cleaning large areas such as decks, fences, and vinyl siding, but traditionally requires carrying a large, noisy tank.

I was given a Dewalt battery-powered high-pressure washer in 2022 when I told a friend about the stains on the second-floor balcony of my apartment building. Since then I have found this high-pressure cleaner useful for a variety of tasks. Most recently, I used it to shoot down a hive of carpenter bees.

Of course, it is not as powerful as a gas or outlet-powered high-pressure washer. But it's great for a quick refresh or car wash of an outdoor living area. Plus, it's surprisingly portable for the price, making it worth buying and keeping in the car or garage for anyone, not just homeowners.

This 10-pound pressure washer is two feet long. This is long and thin enough to shove into the most difficult crevices while still being easily transportable anywhere. I grew up lugging around a heavy compressor-powered high-pressure washer at my parents' house in the summer, so I find this all-in-one wand to be a godsend.

Batteries are both its greatest strength and weakness. On the one hand, they are no match for gas- or electric-powered high-pressure washers, but they also free up the washer itself. It allows me to hit all four walls while standing on my small balcony. It's compact, so I can use it from almost any angle, and it comes with 15-, 25-, and 40-degree nozzles so I can adjust my aim.

I can easily carry this up the stairs to my second-floor apartment and use a bucket of soapy water as a cleaning source. A strong detergent like dishwashing detergent can help make up for this cordless power washer's lack of power; the Dawn Platinum blend is a multi-purpose soap that works well for washing decks, house siding, and mildew.

DeWalt claims that the water flow of a cordless high-pressure washer is 10 times stronger than that of a garden hose. But its 550 PSI does not produce as big a kick as the average 3,500 PSI-powered high-pressure washer. Still, that didn't stop it from cutting through the pollen that had accumulated on the plastic sheathing of my roof, the dirt on the vinyl siding, and the mud on my truck.

The cleaning power isn't quite as high, so it has enough power to remove the stains while still allowing the cleaner to continue cleaning for a bit longer without worrying about stripping the surface. Make no mistake, it is still not pleasant to run this cleaner at full capacity.

Dewalt's power really shined when he sliced through a Carpenter beehive like butter from over 10 feet away. This beehive had grown huge over two weeks ago, and I needed a quick way to get it off the roof. I cranked the wand up to maximum speed and cut it off in less than 30 seconds in the bushes under the balcony. The bees were not satisfied, but I was able to regain my outdoor living space without waiting for an exterminator.

This powerful stream of water cleans a variety of surfaces, including metal, vinyl, and wood. Besides the vinyl in my apartment, it deep-cleaned the salt in the six-foot cargo bed of my F150, washed away stains on my wicker outdoor furniture, and cleaned other tools.

As an added bonus, the batteries are much quieter than gas or electric models, so I can clean after dark. However, because this high-pressure cleaner runs on batteries, the maximum usage time is only about 20 minutes before the batteries need to be recharged.

For larger amounts of cleaning, such as an entire patio or a large area of fencing, a conventional pressure washer is a better choice.

But when you have smaller jobs or need a pressure washer for hard-to-reach spaces, the DeWalt cordless pressure washer makes deep cleaning easier and more accessible. The stand-alone wand has solid power with everything you need built in, from the adjustable nozzle to the removable soap bottle, so you can keep the battery full and ready to go when you need it.