Best in test – Nomad 18 V

At the most premium end of the market we have the Nomad 18 V Cordless Mobile washer, the king of battery life. Yes, it is expensive, but the Nomad 18 V Cordless feels like a class apart from the rest of the group. The materials and finish all feel rugged and built to last, with solid clasps and a proper fast-charge battery charger. The 14 L tank can be quickly removed for easy filling or dunking in a water source, and at full power still lasted over 5 minutes, easily enough to clean two bikes on one fill. The 18 V battery, like those used on power tools, keeps the pump running for a whopping 54 minutes, delivering over 10 full tanks on the same charge – perfect for multiday trips. The ergonomic spray gun delivers a powerful 2.6 L/m flow rate that is very efficient at cleaning even the most tenacious of grime from your bike, the most effective in the test. The premium feel of the Nomad 18 V Cordless continues through to the design, with a comfortable rubberised handle and slick integrated neoprene pocket for the hose, and all the fixtures and fittings feel like they will last more than one season. There’s space to store an additional 18 V battery should you wish to start a business washing bikes.

While large, the neat integration and hidden hose means that the Nomad 18 V Cordless doesn’t take up too much space in your car boot or van, and if you want to do multiple fills, the filter sock means you dunk the reservoir into even the most leaf filled water sources. In testing the Nomad 18 V Cordless has shrugged off abuse well; we stood on it, chucked it round the back of the van and dragged around trail centre car parks. At this price longevity is key, and unlike some of the other washers, Nomad sell spare parts on their website to keep you rolling should things go wrong. The Nomad 18 V Cordless is not quite perfect, the lack of a 12 V direct power supply (Nomad state it will not give enough pressure) means you cannot run it from a vehicle, but in use we found it had ample battery life to keep 2 bikes clean over a full race weekend or extended trip.

If you are looking for a powerful washer that can be used for extended multi-day trips or races, without being tied to the 12 V supply of your car, then the long run-time and powerful jet of the Nomad 18 V Cordless is unbeatable – a firm team favourite and Best In Test with ease.


Tops
  • Powerful spray
  • Amazing battery life
Flops
  • Expensive
  • No 12 V

Price £ 185
Info nomadwasher.com