Buying task · Foam cannons
Foam cannons
Choose a foam cannon as hardware: the connector version for your wand's outlet, the orifice the cannon or machine maker specifies, and the bottle size and thread.
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Picks that fit
- MJJC Foam Cannon S V3.0 with 1/4 in quick connector adapter (QRFLSV3)Check price on Amazon
- MJJC Foam Cannon PRO V3.0 with 1/4 in quick connector adapter (QRFLPROV3)Check price on Amazon
- SIMPSON 80271 high pressure foam cannon, 1 L, 1/4 in QC plug, 1,600‑4,000 PSICheck price on Amazon
Short answer
Choose a foam cannon as a piece of hardware. Buy the connector version that matches your wand's outlet, use the orifice the cannon maker installs or your machine maker specifies, and check the bottle size and thread. We cover how a cannon connects, not what goes in the bottle.
Picks that fitAll picks and how to choose
What this topic covers
A foam cannon goes on the end of the wand and runs on high-pressure water from the machine. It has a body with a small orifice, a bottle and a connector. This page covers those parts. It does not cover soap, products or mixing ratios, and no source we read measures foam or cleaning results.
Foam cannon or garden-hose foamer
They are different products for different water. A foam cannon connects to the pressure washer's high-pressure outlet. A garden-hose foamer connects to a garden hose and runs at supply pressure, with no pressure washer at all.
MTM Hydro sells the two separately: its PF22.2 high-pressure foam cannon is rated 1,100 to 5,000 PSI, and its GHF1 low-pressure garden-hose foamer 145 PSI.[1] A garden-hose foamer is not made for pressure-washer output, and a foam cannon needs a pressure washer to work.
| Foam cannon | Garden-hose foamer | |
|---|---|---|
| Water source | Pressure washer outlet | Garden hose |
| Example rating | MTM PF22.2: 1,100 to 5,000 PSI | MTM GHF1: 145 PSI |
| Connector | Wand outlet: 1/4 in quick-connect or a brand fitting | Garden-hose thread |
The decisions, in order
1. Your wand's outlet. Most consumer wands end in a 1/4 in quick-connect, but some machines use a brand fitting. Look up yours in the fitting identifier or on your machine's page.
2. The cannon version with that connector. Makers sell one cannon body in several connector versions. MJJC sells its Foam Cannon PRO V3.0 in a 1/4 in quick connector version and in versions for Kärcher K, AVA, Nilfisk/Gerni/Stihl, Bosch/Black+Decker and Lavor/Parkside machines.[2] Pick the version for your machine; the body alone does not tell you. Even within 1/4 in quick-connect the plug matters: MTM's PF22.2 kit includes a 1/4 in M22 adaptor and a 1/4 in plated-steel quick-connect plug, and MTM notes some residential washers need its separately sold Low Profile QC plug, item 24.5006.[3] The foam cannon connections guide covers the versions.
3. The orifice the cannon or machine maker specifies. The orifice works like a nozzle size. MTM's PF22.2 ships with a 1.25 mm orifice installed, which MTM labels size 3.5, and a 1.1 mm orifice, size 3.0, in the kit.[3] MJJC's Foam Cannon S V3.0 with 1/4 in quick connector (SKU QRFLSV3) comes with a 1.25 mm orifice installed and a 1.1 mm orifice in the package.[4] Some machine makers set a minimum. Active's guide for its Active 2.0 electric washer says to use foam cannon orifices of 1.25 mm or larger, because a smaller orifice can cause excessive current draw that may damage the motor.[5] That is Active's rule for the Active 2.0 only, and it means the 1.1 mm spare in those kits is below Active's minimum for that machine. The orifice guide explains both sizes.
4. Bottle size and thread. MJJC describes the PRO V3.0 as holding up to 1,200 ml, with an extra 28 mm thread and a wider bottle opening.[2] MTM's PF22.2 page is inconsistent on its bottle size, so we do not state one.
Foam cannons to compare
Picks that fit4 products
For a wand with a 1/4 in quick-connect outlet, choose MJJC's 1/4 in quick connector version of the S V3.0 (QRFLSV3, 1.25 mm orifice installed, 1.1 mm included) or of the PRO V3.0 (up to 1,200 ml).
More on choosing
SIMPSON's 80271 and Westinghouse's PWFC are each one version per listing: read the connector and rating the maker states and check them against your wand and machine. Use the orifice your machine maker allows. On Amazon, check that 'Ships from / Sold by' shows Amazon.com or the brand.
1/4 in quick connector cannon with two orifices
MJJC Foam Cannon S V3.0 with 1/4 in quick connector adapter (QRFLSV3)
1/4 in quick connector version of MJJC's larger cannon
MJJC Foam Cannon PRO V3.0 with 1/4 in quick connector adapter (QRFLPROV3)
Sizes, standards and machines
The two orifices map to nozzle size 3.0 and nozzle size 3.5 in MTM's labeling. The connectors are on the 1/4 in quick-connect and Kärcher bayonet pages. The Active 2.0 page has Active's own accessory rules.
Every page on foam cannons
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Guides
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Key terms
foam cannon, foam cannon orifice, garden-hose foamer, quick-connect plug and bayonet fitting.
Everything in this topic
Guides
- Foam cannon connections: 1/4 in quick-connect or a brand fittingHelps owners order the foam cannon connector version that physically fits the end of their wand.
- Foam cannon orifices: 1.1 vs 1.25 mm and electric washersHelps owners decide whether to keep the fitted 1.25 mm orifice or swap to the 1.1 mm, based on what their machine's maker says.
Shortlists
- Foam cannons by connectionHelps you buy the foam cannon version that connects to your wand and comes with an orifice your machine maker allows.
Common questions
Will a foam cannon fit my electric pressure washer?
If your wand ends in a 1/4 in quick-connect, a 1/4 in quick-connect version attaches. If your machine uses a brand fitting such as Kärcher's, buy the version for that brand; MJJC sells separate connector versions for Kärcher K, AVA, Nilfisk/Gerni/Stihl, Bosch/Black+Decker and Lavor/Parkside. More in Foam cannon connections: 1/4 in quick-connect or a brand fitting
What is the difference between a foam cannon and a foam gun?
Check what it connects to. MTM Hydro sells low-pressure garden hose foamers separately from high-pressure foam cannons; its PF22.2 cannon is rated 1,100 to 5,000 PSI and its GHF1 garden hose foamer 145 PSI. More in Foam cannon connections: 1/4 in quick-connect or a brand fitting
Do I need an adapter for a foam cannon on a Kärcher?
Not if you buy a Kärcher version: MJJC sells one for Kärcher K machines. Kärcher says nozzles go on the wand, not directly on its VersaGRIP or Standard gun, so check whether the cannon mounts on the gun or the wand. More in Foam cannon connections: 1/4 in quick-connect or a brand fitting
Does MJJC sell on Amazon or AliExpress?
MJJC's Where to Buy page points to a country distributor list and does not mention Amazon or AliExpress. We could not tie any AliExpress store to MJJC from its own site. More in Foam cannon connections: 1/4 in quick-connect or a brand fitting
Can I order from MJJC directly in Canada?
MJJC's FAQ lists the United States, the UK, the European Union and Turkey as destinations for its own store; Canada is not on that list. More in Foam cannon connections: 1/4 in quick-connect or a brand fitting
Should I use the 1.1 mm orifice on an electric pressure washer?
Only if your machine's maker allows it. Active says its Active 2.0 needs foam cannon orifices of 1.25 mm or larger, because a smaller one can cause excessive current draw that may damage the motor. That is Active's rule for its own machine; check your maker's guidance. More in Foam cannon orifices: 1.1 vs 1.25 mm and electric washers
What orifice comes with a foam cannon?
It depends on the model. MJJC's S V3.0 (QRFLSV3) and MTM Hydro's PF22.2 both ship with a 1.25 mm orifice installed and a 1.1 mm orifice in the box. More in Foam cannon orifices: 1.1 vs 1.25 mm and electric washers
Is a foam cannon orifice the same as a nozzle size?
MTM Hydro labels them that way: its 1.25 mm orifice as size 3.5 and its 1.1 mm as size 3.0. Nozzle size numbers are flow in GPM at 4,000 PSI, per Cat Pumps. More in Foam cannon orifices: 1.1 vs 1.25 mm and electric washers
Questions
Will a foam cannon work on an electric pressure washer?
It has to connect and the machine maker has to allow its orifice. Active, for its Active 2.0 electric washer, says to use foam cannon orifices of 1.25 mm or larger, because a smaller one can cause excessive current draw. That advice is for the Active 2.0 only; check your own machine's manual.[5]
Which orifice should I use?
The one the cannon maker installs or your machine maker specifies. MTM's PF22.2 ships with a 1.25 mm (size 3.5) orifice installed and a 1.1 mm (size 3.0) orifice in the kit, and MJJC's S V3.0 QC version comes with 1.25 mm installed and 1.1 mm included.[3][4]
What is the difference between a foam cannon and a garden-hose foamer?
A foam cannon runs on the pressure washer's high-pressure outlet; a garden-hose foamer runs on low-pressure supply water. MTM Hydro sells them separately: its PF22.2 cannon is rated 1,100 to 5,000 PSI, and its GHF1 garden-hose foamer 145 PSI.[1]