When I was in high school, my dad asked me to detail his Bronco. It took me all day, but his truck looked better than the day he bought it. I remember having to really work at it to loosen up the grime, grease and brake dust. I still love the sense of satisfaction from really cleaning my cars, so the Brush Hero detail brush looked like it might make getting into the nooks and crannies easier.
What is it?
The Brush Hero uses water pressure from a typical garden hose to spin a cleaning head, making loosening dirt easier and more fun. It’s intended for cars, patios and grills, gutters, garden tools, pools, pets and even people (with some caveats.)
Hardware Specs
- Heavy-duty plastic construction
- Approximately 13-1/2” long, with cleaning brush attached
- 2-1/2” at its widest
- 8.1 ounces
What’s in the box?
Brush Hero wand
Two removable brush heads, one firmer for “serious muck”, and one softer for “sensitive surfaces.”
User manual
Card inviting persons having trouble with the Brush Hero to call “customer service rock Star Julie.”
Design and features
Brush Hero comes in a transparent plastic box, adorned with their logo, a list of objects suggested to be cleaned and several usage photos including a happy dog being washed.
The user manual is fun to read. I got several chuckles and appreciated the humor, particularly the “Brush Hero is for external use only” comment (use your imagination here 😉 ).
The Brush hero feels tough. I started by attaching a brush head. It goes on with a hefty push and stays on quite securely. The handle is ergonomic, with a grooved surface that will help prevent dropping it when one’s hands are soapy. A thumb-operated off switch/pressure control allows the Brush hero to be turned off without having to return to the water valve. I gave the wand a number of twists and bends and determined it should hold up reasonably well under normal circumstances.
The middle of winter in upstate New York’s snow-belt isn’t a great time of year to give the Brush Hero a proper shakedown, but I gave it the old college try. Firing up a 50,000 BTU kerosene heater and performing a bit of plumbing to give me hot water in my garage, I made an attempt to give my 2008 Smart Car a much-needed bath.
The Brush Hero started spinning as soon as water was flowing. Out of the box, the brush head spins freely, but when in operation, there is a surprising amount of torque, even with my home’s moderate water pressure. Concentrating first on my rims, the Brush Hero cut through brake dust, road salt, and mud effortlessly, fitting into the tightest places, even behind the valve stems. The brush spins relatively slowly, but with ample force to dislodge stubborn dirt. Three nozzles at the base of the brush it clean and prevents the brush from trapping debris that might damage my precious vehicle’s paint. Water flow is well controlled so I didn’t get soaked in my 45-degree garage.
The brush head fits into places that would have been challenging. I was able to clean the openings around the wiper arms, the air intakes and under the gas door without mucking about finding different brushes. Cleaning the door frames without spraying water all over the interior of my car was a bonus.
The pressure/shutoff switch worked flawlessly, completely cutting off the water flow. I noticed little difference in rotation speed, but this may be more pronounced with higher water pressure than my house can provide.
Here’s the before and after of my little chariot.
What I like
- Well-constructed
- Brushes clean well
- Excellent torque
- Doesn’t leak
- The valve cuts water flow completely
- The brush head fits into places fingers can’t
- The user manual is a hoot!
What needs to be improved?
- The manual says a hose quick connect is included, but it wasn’t in the box
- Add an extra external shut-off valve and a few additional quick connect couplings allowing the Brush Hero to be removed and other tools to be installed without the need to turn the water off at the spigot.
Final thoughts
I was initially thinking this was going to be one of those “as seen on TV” type gimmicks. Pleasantly, I found it’s well-constructed works as described, and genuinely fun. I’m looking forward to warmer weather when the Brush Hero will definitely be used more often.
Price: $34.99
Where to buy: Brushhero.com or Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Brush Hero.
Gadgeteer Comment Policy - Please read before commenting
You didn’t fling dirty water everywhere?
No, the brush Hero spins at a relatively low speed. There is some spattering, but not enough to drench the user.
Received one for Christmas. Just used it for the first time today. Very disappointing. Junk. Threw it in the trash. My wife wasted $89.
Sorry to hear that. Mine is still holding up well.
I love detailing my car also. I can see how this device would be great for the rims and possibly inside the gas cover. However I cringed to see you using it under door handles or actual exposed paint on your car. You should only use soft things to clean the painted surfaces of your car or you put micro scratches in the clear coat that really show up over time. Dark colors are the worst about this. I recommend you get yourself a CarPro Wash mitt made out of merino wool. Make sure as you do a section of your car you rinse it out well each time or dirt from one area will etch your car in another. Trust me on this. Get yourself a clay bar, and once the weather clears up and the salt goes away really detail your car (use the brush on the rims). Then I recommend a product called Opti-Seal (paint sealant) for the finishing touch on your car. It is a simple wipe on wipe off product that works oh so much better than a wax. Time for me to go order this brush! Thanks for the great review.
Lynn, good suggestions. I typically use a clay bar and other cleaning objects but it it was far too cold to do the complete detailing job justice. You are correct, I used the stiffer brush during the evaluation, but there is another softer brush head included that the manufacturer indicates is safe for sensitive surfaces.
I ordered two brushes on line. When I received them, the boxes were severly damage. I only received one head for each wand, no instruction manual, and not way to hook up to my hose. I am far from pleased with my purchase
How do you change the brush from white to the black one? Need a demo!
The brushes fit very snugly onto the wand. A firm, steady pull on the brush directly in line with the wand’s center axis removes the brush from the square-ended spindle. Does this help? If not, Maybe a call to “Rockstar Julie” at Brush Hero might be in order.
I hate mine. I spend more time putting the brushes back on. Is there some way to keep the brushes on the handle?