Westinghouse ePX3100 vs Sun Joe SPX3000 for Car Washing
In the Westinghouse ePX3100 vs Sun Joe SPX3000 choice, the ePX3100 is the easier washer for most car owners. The SPX3000 is the better pick if you want a 40 degree fan tip and more soap.
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In the Westinghouse ePX3100 vs Sun Joe SPX3000 matchup, the ePX3100 is the easier washer for most car owners. The SPX3000 is the pick if you want a 40 degree fan tip and more soap in its tanks.
Both are corded electric washers, so the choice comes down to how you move, store and feed soap to the machine. We compared the specs, the parts in the box and what each brand says about its washer.
For the full home wash routine, start with the Pressure Washer for Car: The Complete Home Wash Guide.
Westinghouse ePX3100 vs Sun Joe SPX3000: the short answer
The Westinghouse ePX3100 is the better overall pick for a car, since it is lighter, has wheels and carries a 3 year warranty. The Sun Joe SPX3000 suits a soap-heavy wash, with a 40 degree tip and two detergent tanks.
The ePX3100 makes 2300 max PSI and 1.76 max GPM, and the SPX3000 is named for 2500 max PSI. The bigger differences are weight, hose length, soap capacity and tip choice, and you will notice those on every wash.
Close model names can change the answer. Westinghouse also sells the ePX3100s and ePX3100v, and their parts differ, so match the exact name on the box before you order.
Specs side by side
The Sun Joe has the higher max PSI, and the Westinghouse has the longer hose and the lighter body. The three numbers below show where each one leads.
| Product | Best for | Max PSI | Hose | Weight | Our score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westinghouse ePX3100 | an easy-to-move car wash | 2300 | 25 ft | 19 lb | 8.7 |
| Sun Joe SPX3000 | a 40 degree tip and more soap | 2500 | 20 ft | 24.3 lb | 8.4 |
Our score weighs specs, features and buyer feedback against what you're shopping for. The ePX3100 scores 8.7 and the SPX3000 scores 8.4, a close call that tips on weight, wheels and warranty.
Pressure and water flow
On max PSI the Sun Joe is higher, 2500 against 2300, but the gap should not decide a car wash. A wide fan tip and a steady rinse matter more than the top number on the box.
Max PSI is the peak the washer can reach. Rated PSI is the level it is built to hold in regular use, so it is the better number to plan around.
Westinghouse gives both figures for the ePX3100: 2300 max PSI and 1.76 max GPM, with 1900 rated PSI and 1.24 rated GPM. It also says the 1.76 GPM peak comes at the lowest pressure setting.
Sun Joe leads with 2500 max PSI in the SPX3000's name, so compare max with max when you line the two up. Mixing a max figure with a rated one makes one washer look stronger than it is.
Flow is how much water moves each minute, and a steady flow keeps a rinse moving across a panel. The ePX3100's 1.24 rated GPM is the number to plan a long rinse around.
For a car, start with the widest fan tip and keep the spray moving. A stronger spray needs more care near paint that is chipped, peeling or poorly repainted, so keep it off those spots.
A wide fan spreads the spray and is the usual starting point on paint, while a narrow tip cuts harder and belongs on tougher jobs. Keep the 0 and 15 degree tips off paint.
The Best PSI for Washing a Car guide explains how much pressure a car wash needs. If you want a third corded washer to compare, our Greenworks 2000 PSI Electric Pressure Washer Review covers that model.
Hose, cord and reach
The Westinghouse ePX3100 gives you the longer hose, and the Sun Joe SPX3000 gives you the longer lance. Together they set how far you can reach around a car without moving the washer.
The ePX3100 comes with a 25 ft easy-coil nylon braided hose. The SPX3000 has a 20 ft high-pressure hose.
A longer hose means fewer stops to reposition the washer, which matters on a full-size car. Plan your path first, so the hose does not drag the washer across the driveway.
The Westinghouse has a 17.5 inch extendable pro-style steel wand. The Sun Joe has a 34 inch stainless steel lance with brass fittings, so it is the longer tool for reaching across the hood.
The SPX3000 also comes with a garden hose adapter and a needle clean-out tool. Both help at the spigot and when you clear a clogged tip.
The ePX3100 comes with nozzle tips, a hose and the pro-style wand. That is everything you need for a basic rinse once you have water and power.
Cord length is worth checking on the exact model you buy, since it sets how far from the outlet you can park. Follow the maker's manual for all power connections.
If you are still weighing power types, read Electric vs Gas Pressure Washer for Washing a Car first.
Foam and soap options
The Sun Joe SPX3000 wins on soap options. Neither washer comes with a foam cannon.
The Westinghouse ePX3100 has a 20 ounce onboard soap tank, and its quick-connect nozzles include a soap applicator. That lets you run detergent through the wand without a separate cannon.
The Sun Joe SPX3000 has two onboard 0.9 liter detergent tanks, 1.8 liters in all. Sun Joe says that lets you keep two cleaning solutions ready and switch between them.
For a full read on the SPX3000 setup, see our Sun Joe SPX3000 Electric Pressure Washer Review.
Westinghouse ePX3100 vs Sun Joe SPX3000 soap tanks
For a soap-heavy wash, the Sun Joe holds about three times the soap of the Westinghouse. Keep each solution in its own tank, and use car wash soap as the label says.
Never mix chemicals. Put only car wash soap in a tank or a cannon, on either washer.
Read the soap label before you fill either tank, and follow the mix it gives. Household cleaners are not car wash soap, so leave them out.
The Westinghouse tank holds 20 ounces, so expect more refills on a large vehicle. The Sun Joe holds more, but with two tanks you have to remember which one holds which soap.
The Westinghouse tips are 0, 15 and 25 degrees plus a turbo tip and the soap applicator, so its 25 degree tip is the widest fan it offers. Start there on paint.
The Sun Joe tips are 0, 15, 25 and 40 degrees plus a soap tip. The 40 degree tip is its widest fan, and a wide fan is the usual starting point on paint.
Keep the 0 and 15 degree tips off paint on either washer, along with the turbo tip. A cannon is a separate buy for both, so check that its fitting matches the wand before you order.
A simple routine works on both machines. Rinse loose dirt off first, apply the soap and let it sit as the label says, then rinse from the top of the car down.
Work one panel at a time so the soap does not dry on the paint. Paint that is chipped, peeling or poorly repainted can be damaged by any pressure washer, so keep the spray off those spots.
Weight, wheels and storage
The Westinghouse ePX3100 is the easier washer to move. It weighs about 19 pounds and rolls on four quick-lock wheels.
The wheels turn 360 degrees, and Westinghouse says the low center of gravity gives it an anti-tipping design. That helps when you roll it over a driveway lip or a garage threshold.
The ePX3100 measures 14 by 13.5 by 16.5 inches, so it takes little floor space in a corner. The SPX3000 weighs 24.3 pounds and measures 19.5 by 15 by 22 inches.
Weight matters most on stairs, in a second-floor garage, or when you lift the washer onto a shelf. The lighter machine is the one you will move more easily every time.
In a small garage, the ePX3100's compact footprint and 16.5 inch height make it easier to park against a wall. That leaves more floor for the car, the hose and the bucket.
Store either washer with the hose coiled loosely so it does not kink. Keep the wand and tips together, and the SPX3000's needle tool with them, so nothing goes missing between washes.
Look over the hose and the wand connection for cracks or loose fittings before each wash. A small leak at a fitting is easier to fix before the car is wet.
Match the exact Westinghouse model first
Westinghouse uses close model names, so the exact name on the box matters more than the product family. This post covers the ePX3100, which makes 2300 max PSI and has an onboard soap tank.
The ePX3100s and ePX3100v make 2100 max PSI and come with a foam cannon, and the ePX3100s carries a 2 year warranty instead of 3. Parts and specs differ across the three, so check the model number before you order.
If you found the ePX3100v, our Westinghouse ePX3100v Pressure Washer Review covers that model on its own.
The ePX3100 pump stops automatically when you let go of the trigger. Westinghouse says that saves energy and helps protect the pump and motor.
Warranty and support
The ePX3100 has the longer warranty, at 3 years against 2 years for the SPX3000. Westinghouse says its coverage includes service, labor and parts, with a nationwide customer service and support network.
A limited warranty sets the rules for any claim, so read the terms before you buy. Each brand posts its details on the Westinghouse website and the Sun Joe website.
Keep your order record with the terms, since a claim usually needs proof of purchase.
Which to buy: Westinghouse ePX3100 vs Sun Joe SPX3000
Pick the Westinghouse ePX3100 if you want wheels, less weight, a longer hose and a 3 year warranty. Pick the Sun Joe SPX3000 if you want a 40 degree fan tip, more soap capacity and can handle 24.3 pounds.
For the Westinghouse ePX3100 vs Sun Joe SPX3000 decision, start with how you move and store the washer, then check your soap plan.
If you wash often, wheels and weight add up over a season, so the ePX3100 is the better default. If you run heavy soap jobs and want more fan options, the SPX3000 is the better tool.
The ePX3100 suits a car owner who rolls the washer out of a garage or shed each time. It also suits a small garage where floor space is short.
The SPX3000 suits a wash that runs more soap, with two tanks ready. It also suits someone who wants the 40 degree fan tip and can lift 24.3 pounds.
Skip the ePX3100 if you need the 40 degree tip or a bigger soap tank. Skip the SPX3000 if you move the washer often or store it on a shelf.
If you are shopping on a budget, see Best Budget Electric Pressure Washers for Washing a Car. For a wider set of options, read Best Pressure Washers for Washing Cars at Home.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better for a car, the ePX3100 or the SPX3000?
For most car owners, the ePX3100 is the easier washer to live with, since it weighs about 19 pounds, rolls on four wheels and has a 3 year warranty. The SPX3000 fits better if you want a 40 degree fan tip and more soap and can handle 24.3 pounds.
Do both come with a foam cannon?
No, neither the ePX3100 nor the SPX3000 comes with a foam cannon. The ePX3100 has a 20 ounce soap tank and the SPX3000 has two detergent tanks, so a cannon is a separate buy, and its fitting has to match the washer's wand.
Which one is lighter?
The Westinghouse ePX3100 is lighter, at about 19 pounds against 24.3 pounds for the Sun Joe SPX3000. It also has four quick-lock wheels, which help when you roll it to the driveway, but weight is only part of the choice.
How are the Westinghouse ePX3100 models different?
The ePX3100 makes 2300 max PSI and has an onboard soap tank, while the ePX3100s and ePX3100v make 2100 max PSI and come with a foam cannon. Warranty and parts differ too, so match the exact model name before you order.
