Hot Pressure Washer. Power Washer. Steam Cleaner. Steam Jenny.

These are a few of the names we often hear people calling our products.

But do they all mean the same thing? Are a pressure washer and a power washer really any different? Spoiler alert: they are the same thing.

As it turns out, there isn’t a difference between most of these terms. It is mostly preference and geographic area that determine which term is most prevalent. But there are some who claim there is indeed a difference. With that in mind, we’ll review the debate below! 

Pressure vs. Power

From our perspective, pressure washers and power washers are the same thing. Those who claim they are different say they differ because while both pressure washers and power washers use pressure, power washers mean it uses heat. 

Ultimately, as we said before, no matter your perspective on the terms, both machines use pressure. 

Here at Alkota, we tend to refer to our cold water machines as cold water pressure washers, and our hot water machines as hot water pressure washers. 

Now, what about those other machines?

Steam cleaners are pretty much what they sound like: an alternative to pressure or power washers that deliver a gentler, milder cleansing by using steam rather than full, pressurized streams of water.

Then What is a Steam Jenny?

Steam Jennys, on the other hand, create a bit of a communication issue. They are, in fact, a brand of their own.

Called Steam Jenny because their first invention was the steam cleaner, back in 1927, the company actually produced multiple machines, including both cold and hot water pressure washers.

Today, Steam Jennys are reference to a earlier time. Thus, you may hear people referring to pressure washers or steam cleaners as simply a Steam Jenny. While it might not be the most accurate phraseology, we understand what they’re looking for.

So, what should I use?

If you’re really curious about which type of machine you need to clean your mess, check out this post dedicated to the topic!