Giraffe Tools Grandfalls Pressure Washer review – Powerful spiffy cleaning without the setup fuss!

REVIEW – Pressure washers are both a blessing and a curse. They perform very well cleaning up a muddy or bug-goo-covered vehicle, keeping a garage floor squeaky clean, or flushing a hard winter’s grime away from vinyl siding, but… setting them up can be time-consuming and cumbersome. Thankfully, Giraffe Tools has addressed nearly all of my pressure washer issues with their Grandfalls Pressure Washer! Awww Yeah!

What is it?

The Giraffe Tools Model P106-G30 Grandfalls Pressure Washer is a wall-mounted pressure washer with an integrated 100-foot hose, and a 2200 PSI water compressor.

Hardware Specs

• Dimensions: 519 x 487 x 353mm (20.4 x 19.2 x 13.9 inches) without pressure gun attached, 593 x 880 x 353mm (23.4 x 34.6 x 13.9 in) with pressure gun attached
• Weight: 20kg (44.13lbs)
• Maximum pressure: 2200PSI
• Pressure hose length: 30 meters (100 feet)
• Pressure hose diameter: 0.5 inches (12.7mm)
• Motor: brushed type, 1800 Watts
• Power: 120 volts, 60Hz,
• Low: 2.1GPM (8LPM)

What’s in the Box?

• Pressure hose reel with 100 ft hose
• High-pressure gun
• Wall mounting bracket
• Bubble spray bottle
• Water inlet adapter
• Self-tapping screws (4) 8 x 70mm
• Expansion anchor bolts (4) 12 x 60mm
• Quick-connect nozzles (0°, 15°, 25°, 40°)
• SFT supply hose
• Owners manual

Design and Features

Pressure washers are wonderfully handy tools. I have a portable Ryobi pressure washer and use it frequently, but there is a drawback: To use it, there are three connections – the inlet hose, the pressure hose, and the electrical connection. Truthfully, I would use it much more if it weren’t so cumbersome to assemble and disassemble. To ready the Ryobi pressure washer takes about 10 – 15 minutes and involves completely unwinding a garden hose, attaching it to the spigot and washer, unreeling the pressure hose, and connecting it to the washer and pressure gun, then unwinding the power cord and plugging it in.  Because I like things put away neatly, the reverse process can take an additional 15-20 minutes. I’ve always liked the results, but I find I’m often not motivated enough to endure the preparation process, or unwilling/unable to expend the time or effort, particularly in colder months when pressure washing means icy water and stinging hands. Now, Giraffe Tools has addressed virtually every criticism of using a pressure washer.

The Giraffe Tools Model P106-G30 Grandfalls Pressure Washer arrived in a heavy-duty cardboard box. Unpacking was uncomplicated.

The manual is excellent with outstanding instructions, illustrations, and warnings. Because you’ll be working with water and electricity and using a device that can hurt you, hurt others, or damage properly, please read the warnings.

The Giraffe Tools Model P106-G30 Grandfalls Pressure Washer is provided with a wall mounting plate and mounting hardware. In my case, I had an outlet and spigot near where I wanted to mount the washer.

Because the body weighs more than 40 pounds, mounting the base firmly to the wall is essential. The kit comes with anchor bolts needing a 12mm or 1/2 –inch drill bit (not included), but I was able to mount one side to a wall stud so I only needed to use them on one side.

The washer body fits onto the bracket solidly

The pressure washer’s plug is equipped with a GFI (ground-fault interrupter). This device makes the plug somewhat bulky but protects the user from shocks. The GFI is capable of detecting tiny leakages of electrical current through the pressure washer’s cord, water flowing through or around the body, and turning off electrical power. The performance should be periodically verified using the “Test” button and is resettable by pressing the “Reset” button.

Like conventional pressure washers, the Giraffe Tools Model P106-G30 Grandfalls Pressure Washer requires a supply of water. A five-foot supply hose and female-female connector are included and connect between a typical garden hose spigot and the side of the pressure washer using the adapter. If your home doesn’t have a conveniently located spigot, any common garden hose will work. I decided not to use it, favoring rigid copper.

I had some trouble seating the adapter but was able to get a replacement locally for just a few dollars. The picture below is the adapter that is included with the kit. I didn’t use this part either.

Because I intend to leave the Giraffe Tools Model P106-G30 Grandfalls Pressure Washer permanently installed (except for bringing it indoors for winter storage) and give it a neater appearance, I elected to connect the adapter using an ½” copper pipe. You don’t need to do this. I just like the clean look. The ivory box against the wall isn’t part of the pressure washer, it’s just an old phone jack I should remove.

Mounted to the wall and ready to go!

The pressure gun attaches to the hose with a screw-on connection.

Once the power and connections are completed, water can be turned on.  A large switch on the side turns the pump on and off.

The 100-foot hose takes a few moments to pressurize. While this is happening, the pump motor may cycle for a few seconds. This is normal. After all of the air is expelled through the pressure gun, the motor should turn on only when the pressure gun’s trigger is being squeezed. While in operation, the motor is relatively loud, but this didn’t come as a surprise. There is an integrated latch to prevent accidental use.

The Giraffe Tools Model P106-G30 Grandfalls Pressure Washer includes four pressure tips, 0°, 15°, 25°, and 40°. The larger the angle, the wider the sweep of water exiting the pressure nozzle.

The pressure gun’s barrel has convenient storage for the tips. I love this!

Tips are installed and removed by pulling the gun’s spring-loaded quick-connect toward the grip.

Here’s where caution is very much warranted – The sweep of the wider angle tips disperses water over a wider area resulting in less force. The smaller the tip angle, the greater the force of the water. Please be careful. The force coming from the 0° tip is substantial and can easily punch holes through vinyl siding, rip trim away from your car’s body, cut channels into driveway asphalt, and cause SERIOUS bodily injury. Please, for the love of God, be careful and read, read, read those safety precautions and NEVER point the sprayer at a person or animal. Treat it like a firearm. And if you are curious, no, I am not kidding. Pressure washers are not toys

As a quick illustration of the power of the 0° tip, the “clean line” in the following picture was made with a single, rapid pass (less than 1/2 second) of the pressure gun. There is no mistaking the power, but as such, much respect for this tool is a requirement.

The 0° tip had no trouble reaching the roof of my raised-ranch home with tremendous force.

I found the 15° tip worked well for cleaning my garage floor. It might not look like it to you, but I assure you, it hasn’t looked this good in many moons.

Now that we have the caution stuff out of the way, next is the fun part! The pressure hose smoothly and easily unwinds from its storage spool similar to a retractable cord on a vacuum cleaner.

A traverse guide ensures the hose doesn’t tangle or kink as its being extended. This mechanism is fascinating to watch, spinning to the ends and then reversing direction.

A latch engages the hose at any length. It works great and I had no trouble extending and retracting all 100’. At full length, I was able to reach the south and west sides of my house by going through the front door, and the east and north sides through the back.

When using the Giraffe Tools Model P106-G30 Grandfalls Pressure Washer, I found it was best to start with the widest angle and work down. For example, the 40° tip does a fine job sweeping away dirt from the sidewalk and garage floor. Results were outstanding. Can you tell which side is “before” and “after” in each picture?

Over the next four hours of its maiden voyage, I happily washed cars, cleaned tools, and found the 15° tip worked great for vigorous scrubbing of bricks surrounding my garden and cleaning the siding of my home. To keep me from needing to be on a ladder, I switched to the 0° tip while washing my vinyl siding above 12-feet and it performed admirably, but it was FAR too much force to use at close range.

The Giraffe Tools Model P106-G30 Grandfalls Pressure Washer includes a bubble spray bottle. It’s great for washing outdoor furniture and cars. Hmmm, I might need to reconsider my monthly car-wash subscription. If I canceled my subscription and decided to use the Giraffe Tools sprayer to wash my cars, I could save about $75 a month and recoup its value in less than five months. Something to think about.

There”s storage for the pressure gun on the back of the body.

Returning the pressure hose to the spool was trouble-free. After turning off the switch and emptying the water in the hose by holding the pressure gun nozzle until the water was no longer expelled, a gentle tug sent the hose back to its resting place. Allowing the hose to freely wind on the spool wasn’t “out-of-the-box” perfect, but delightfully efficient and satisfying.

Another lovely feature is onboard storage for the pressure gun and bubble spray bottle. I appreciate not needing to search for parts when I need them!

What I Like

• Once it’s installed, pressure washing is so fast and easy!
• Quality construction
• The hose retraction mechanism works very well!
• Onboard storage

What I Would Change

• The motor is somewhat loud, but that’s been common to all pressure washers I’ve ever used.

Final Thoughts

Being able to use a pressure washer in seconds rather than the time-consuming juggling of hoses and cables is utterly fantastic! As a bonus, the 100-foot hose on the Giraffe Tools Model P106-G30 Grandfalls Pressure Washer reaches completely around my house.  Now with the rapid deployment speed of the Giraffe P106-G30 wall-mounted pressure washer, I’m radically more apt to use it on many more occasions, and in the week I’ve had it, have used it multiple times. Well done, Giraffe!

Price: $309.70 (but less on Amazon)
Where to buy:  Giraffe Tools and Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was supplied by Giraffe Tools.