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Reference

Glossary

Short, plain-English definitions. Each term links to the guides that cover it properly.

A

Adapter · also adaptor
A fitting with a different connection at each end. MTM Hydro, for example, sells an M22 14 mm plug by 3/8 in quick-connect coupler. Read more: Pressure washer adapters: M22, quick-connect and brand fittings, Couplers, adapters and swivels

B

Backflow preventer
Kärcher describes a backflow preventer as a device that stops detergent from getting into the water system. Read more: Pressure washer water inlet fittings
bar · also MPa
A metric unit of pressure. NIST lists 1 bar as exactly 100,000 pascals, about 14.5 psi. Some listings use megapascals (MPa) instead; 1 MPa is 10 bar. Read more: Max vs rated PSI and GPM
Bayonet fitting · also bayonet
A push-and-twist connection. Kärcher's bayonet gun kit uses a Kärcher bayonet for spray wands and a Kärcher-specific quick connect for the hose, neither of which is M22 or a 1/4 in quick-connect. Read more: Kärcher bayonet gun and hose kits
Bend restrictor · also bend protector, strain relief
A sleeve at a hose end that keeps it from bending sharply at the fitting. SIMPSON's MorFlex 40226 has 4 in bend protectors on each end. Read more: Wire braid vs textile braid pressure washer hoses
Brokerage fee · also customs brokerage
A courier or customs broker's charge for clearing goods. The Canada Border Services Agency says these fees are a private charge outside its control and separate from duties and taxes. Read more: Buying pressure washer parts in Canada
BSPP (G thread) · also British Standard Pipe Parallel, G thread, ISO 228/1
British Standard Pipe Parallel (ISO 228/1): a straight pipe thread with a 55-degree flank angle. Swagelok says it is distinct from NPSM, which is also straight but has a 60-degree flank. Read more: NPT vs BSP vs M22 pressure washer threads
BSPT · also British Standard Pipe Taper, ISO 7/1
British Standard Pipe Taper (ISO 7/1): a tapered pipe thread with a 55-degree angle and 19 TPI at 1/4 and 3/8 in. Swagelok says 1/2 and 3/4 in sizes can be hard to tell apart from NPT. Read more: NPT vs BSP vs M22 pressure washer threads
Burst pressure · also burst rating
The pressure at which a part fails, well above its working rating. ProPulse states a minimum burst of three times working pressure for its consumer UberFlex hose; a burst figure is not an operating limit. Read more: Pressure washer hose PSI and temperature ratings

C

Canadian certification mark · also CSA, cUL
A mark such as CSA, cUL or cETL showing a plug-in electrical product is certified for Canada. Health Canada advises not buying plug-in electrical products online without one. Read more: Buying pressure washer parts in Canada, Pressure washer recalls, UL 1776 and ETL
CPSC recall
A recall announced by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission. CPSC's pressure washer listing includes recalls for electrical hazards, such as an August 2026 recall of washers sold on Amazon without an integral GFCI. Read more: Pressure washer recalls, UL 1776 and ETL

D

Depressurize · also relieve pressure
To release trapped pressure before touching fittings. Champion's 100384 steps: engage the trigger lock, turn the unit off, shut off the water, then release the latch and squeeze the trigger; never disconnect the high-pressure hose while the system is pressurized. Read more: Injection injuries, damaged hoses and depressurizing first, Extension wands: ladders, power lines and pressure-off changes
Duties and taxes · also import duties
Charges a country may add to imported goods. Canada's border agency says online purchases may ship from another country and may be subject to duties, taxes and administrative fees. Read more: Buying pressure washer parts in Canada

E

ETL Listed · also ETL mark, cETL
Intertek's ETL Listed Mark, which Intertek describes as proof of product compliance with North American safety standards. Intertek offers an online directory to check products that carry its marks. Read more: Pressure washer recalls, UL 1776 and ETL

F

Female thread
A thread on the inside of a fitting, like a nut. A matching male thread screws into it. Read more: Pressure washer fitting types explained
Flat-fan nozzle · also fan nozzle
A nozzle that sprays a flat, fan-shaped jet at a fixed angle, as opposed to a turbo nozzle that spins its jet. Read more: 0, 15, 25, 40 degrees and soap: nozzle colors and angles
Foam cannon · also foam lance
A bottle and mixing head that attaches to a pressure washer's wand. MTM Hydro sells high-pressure foam cannons for pressure washers, such as the PF22.2, separately from low-pressure garden hose foamers. Read more: Foam cannon connections: 1/4 in quick-connect or a brand fitting, Foam cannons
Foam cannon orifice
The small insert in a foam cannon that meters water into the mixing head. MTM Hydro ships its PF22.2 with a 1.25 mm (size 3.5) orifice installed and a 1.1 mm (size 3.0) one in the kit. Read more: Foam cannon orifices: 1.1 vs 1.25 mm and electric washers
FPT and MPT · also female pipe thread, male pipe thread, FNPT, MNPT
Female pipe thread and male pipe thread. Suttner, for example, lists most of its spray guns with a 3/8 in FPT inlet and a 1/4 in FPT outlet. Read more: Choosing a replacement pressure washer trigger gun, NPT vs BSP vs M22 pressure washer threads
Free return (AliExpress) · also Free Returns
AliExpress's Free Returns terms apply only to items showing a Free Returns icon and to registered buyers who meet its requirements, not to every item. Read more: Buying hoses, guns and adapters on Amazon and AliExpress, Buying pressure washer parts in Canada

G

Garden-hose foamer
A low-pressure foamer that runs on a garden hose rather than a pressure washer. MTM Hydro's GHF1 is rated 145 PSI. Read more: Foam cannons
Garden-hose thread (GHT) · also GHT
The thread on garden hoses and on a pressure washer's water inlet. Dixon lists 3/4 in GHT as 1.0625 in male outside diameter with 11-1/2 threads per inch. Read more: Pressure washer water inlet fittings
GFCI · also ground fault circuit interrupter
A ground fault circuit interrupter, an electrical safety device that cuts power when it senses a ground fault. CPSC recalled YERYORK YE-006 electric pressure washers sold on Amazon.com in August 2026 because they lack a built-in GFCI and an adequate-length cord. Read more: Pressure washer recalls, UL 1776 and ETL
GPM (US gallons per minute) · also gallons per minute, L/min
US gallons per minute, the flow a pressure washer or part is rated for. NIST lists one US gallon as about 3.785 liters, so 1 GPM is about 3.785 liters per minute. Read more: Max vs rated PSI and GPM, Which nozzle size fits your machine's PSI and GPM
Gutter wand · also gutter attachment
A wand with a hooked end for spraying into gutters. Westinghouse includes one in its PWEXT kit, with a metal gun, a 30-degree angle wand and a five-piece quick-connect nozzle set. Read more: Extension wands and lances: connections, ratings and reach

H

Hose assembly
A length of hose with its end fittings already attached, sold as one part. Read more: How to choose a replacement pressure washer hose
Hose inside diameter (ID) · also ID
The diameter of the bore the water runs through. It is not the same as the stem size of the hose's fittings. Read more: Pressure washer hose diameter and length
Hose outside diameter (OD) · also OD
The outside diameter of a hose, including its reinforcement and cover. Read more: Pressure washer hose diameter and length
Hose reel · also reel
A drum that stores hose. Its rating is not the hose's: Reelcraft's PW81000 OHP is rated 5,000 PSI and 212°F and sold without hose, while its 5635 OLPSW5 pre-rinse reel is rated only 125 psi. Read more: Pressure washer hose reel ratings

I

Impulse life
How many pressure pulses a hose is rated to survive. ProPulse rates its consumer UberFlex at more than 100,000 cycles; that is a maker rating, not an independent test. Read more: Pressure washer hose PSI and temperature ratings
Independent measurement
A measurement made by someone other than the maker or seller, such as a lab or a standards body. This site does not test products and says so when no independent measurement exists. Read more: Max vs rated PSI and GPM
Injection injury · also spray wound
An injury where the spray, or a leak, forces water through the skin. Sun Joe warns the spray can cause serious injury if it penetrates the skin, and the CDC says such wounds may first look minor. Get medical attention at once. Read more: Injection injuries, damaged hoses and depressurizing first
Inlet filter · also inlet screen
A screen at the water inlet that catches debris. For a Kärcher washer with no pressure, Kärcher lists removing and cleaning the water-inlet filter among the owner checks. Read more: Low or pulsing pressure: nozzles, inlet filter and supply first, Pressure washer water inlet fittings

K

Kink
A sharp fold in a hose. Champion warns that a kinked or damaged hose can leak and cause injection injury, and says to stop and replace a hose whose outer covering is damaged. Read more: Injection injuries, damaged hoses and depressurizing first, Wire braid vs textile braid pressure washer hoses

L

Lance · also wand, spray wand
The rigid tube between the gun and the nozzle. SIMPSON's MSH3125 lance, for example, is 16 in long with an M22 male end and a 1/4 in quick-connect outlet. Read more: Extension wands and lances: connections, ratings and reach, Extension wands and lances
Live swivel
A swivel that turns under pressure so the hose does not twist. MTM Hydro's SGS28 gun has an integrated stainless steel live swivel on its 3/8 in FPT inlet. Read more: Live swivels and swivel fittings: what their ratings cover
Low trigger force (LTF) · also LTF
A gun design meant to need less force to hold the trigger. Suttner says its LTF guns, such as the ST-2600, need 90% less holding force and 40% less trigger force than typical guns; that is Suttner's own claim. Read more: Choosing a replacement pressure washer trigger gun

M

M22 14 mm · also M22-14, M22x1.5 - 14mm
An M22 fitting whose inner stem is 14 mm. It has the same outside thread as the 15 mm version, so the two screw together, but AR Blue Clean says a 14 mm stem in a 15 mm bore will leak. Read more: M22 14 mm vs 15 mm pressure washer fittings, Couplers, adapters and swivels
M22 15 mm · also M22-15
An M22 fitting whose inner stem is 15 mm. AR Blue Clean says a 15 mm stem will not fit into a 14 mm bore, even though the outside threads of the two sizes match. Read more: M22 14 mm vs 15 mm pressure washer fittings, Pressure washer adapters: M22, quick-connect and brand fittings
M22 x 1.5 thread · also M22, M22x1.5
A metric screw thread found on pressure washer hoses, guns and wands. The M means metric and 22 is the outside thread diameter in millimeters; Swagelok lists M22 x 1.5 with a 1.5 mm pitch, the distance between adjacent threads. Read more: M22 14 mm vs 15 mm pressure washer fittings, NPT vs BSP vs M22 pressure washer threads
Maker claim
A figure or feature stated by the maker and not checked by anyone else. This site attributes those figures, as in 'the maker lists'. Read more: Max vs rated PSI and GPM
Male thread
A thread on the outside of a fitting, like a bolt. It screws into a matching female thread. Read more: Pressure washer fitting types explained
Maximum output · also max PSI, max GPM
The headline PSI and GPM a maker lists, which are often not one operating point. Sun Joe's SPX3000 maximums are 2,030 PSI and 1.76 GPM; Greenworks Canada lists the GPW2303A at max 2.3 GPM but rated 1.2 GPM. Read more: Max vs rated PSI and GPM
Minimum bend radius
The tightest curve a hose can be bent to without damage, as its maker lists it. Read more: Wire braid vs textile braid pressure washer hoses

N

Nominal size
The size name of a thread, not a measured dimension. Dixon explains that in '1/2-14 NPT' the 1/2 in is the pipe's nominal inside diameter, while the M number of a metric thread is its nominal outer diameter in millimeters. Read more: NPT vs BSP vs M22 pressure washer threads
Non-marking
A maker's term for a hose cover meant not to leave marks. SIMPSON calls the MorFlex 40226 cover non-marking, and ProPulse uses 'non-marking' for its UberFlex; both are the makers' own words. Read more: Wire braid vs textile braid pressure washer hoses
Nozzle color code
Colors makers use to mark nozzle tips. Generac's manual names red for blast, green for clean, white for wash and black for detergent; the colors are maker conventions that mark the spray angle, not the flow size. Read more: 0, 15, 25, 40 degrees and soap: nozzle colors and angles
Nozzle size number · also orifice size, nozzle number
A number that equals the nozzle's flow in GPM at 4,000 PSI, Cat Pumps explains; it is separate from the spray angle. Cat Pumps and General Pump publish nozzle number = GPM x the square root of (4,000 / PSI). Read more: Pressure washer nozzle sizes: the orifice number, not the color, Which nozzle size fits your machine's PSI and GPM
NPT · also National Pipe Taper, NPTF
The US tapered pipe thread, covered by ASME B1.20.1. Swagelok gives it a 60-degree thread angle and says tapered pipe threads seal on the threads and always need a sealant. Read more: NPT vs BSP vs M22 pressure washer threads, Choosing a replacement pressure washer trigger gun
NRTL · also Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory
A Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory, OSHA's term for a lab it recognizes to certify products. OSHA recognizes each NRTL only for a defined scope of test standards. Read more: Pressure washer recalls, UL 1776 and ETL

O

O-ring
A rubber ring that seals a straight-thread or quick-connect joint. Sizes are set per part: ProPulse lists its consumer UberFlex hose O-rings as 14 mm OD x 10 mm ID x 2 mm. Read more: A leaking fitting: wrong bore, worn O-ring or a hose to replace, M22 14 mm vs 15 mm pressure washer fittings
Operating point · also working point
A pressure and a flow measured together. Greenworks Canada lists the GPW2303A with a maximum flow of 2.3 GPM and a rated flow of 1.2 GPM, so its headline PSI and GPM are not one operating point. Read more: Max vs rated PSI and GPM
Operating PSI and GPM range · also operating range
The span of pressure and flow a part is listed for. SIMPSON lists its discontinued 80165 surface cleaner for cold water from a minimum of 2,200 PSI and 2.3 GPM up to 3,700 PSI. Read more: Surface cleaner fit: inlet, PSI and GPM range, cold water
Orifice
The opening in a nozzle or foam cannon insert that the water leaves through. Read more: Pressure washer nozzle sizes: the orifice number, not the color
Orifice diameter
The equivalent diameter of a nozzle's opening. General Pump's chart lists one in inches for each nozzle size; size 2.5, for example, is 0.039 in. Read more: Pressure washer nozzle sizes: the orifice number, not the color

P

Pressure drop · also friction loss
Pressure lost to friction as water runs through a hose. Cat Pumps' table shows about 180 PSI per 100 ft of 1/4 in hose at 2 GPM against 25 PSI for 3/8 in, and the loss scales with length. Read more: Pressure washer hose diameter and length
Pressure regulating valve · also unloader
The valve that governs system pressure. Cat Pumps says worn nozzles are the most frequent cause of low pressure and warns never to adjust the pressure regulating valve to make up for them, because that can over-pressurize and damage the pump; replace the nozzle with the proper size. Read more: Low or pulsing pressure: nozzles, inlet filter and supply first
PSI · also pounds per square inch, psi
Pounds per square inch, the US unit of pressure on pressure washer specs. NIST lists 1 psi as 6,894.757 pascals. Read more: Max vs rated PSI and GPM
Pump outlet · also high-pressure outlet
The high-pressure connection on the pump where the hose attaches. On the Champion 100386 it is a female quick connector with a sliding metal collar that takes the hose's male end. Read more: Identify your pressure washer's connections

Q

Quick-connect · also quick disconnect, QC
A push-and-lock fitting that joins two parts without threading them together, such as a nozzle to a wand or a hose to a pump. It comes in a male half and a female half. Read more: 3/8 vs 1/4 in pressure washer quick-connects, Pressure washer fitting types explained
Quick-connect coupler · also socket, female QC
The female half of a quick-connect, with a sleeve or collar that locks the plug in. Champion's 100386 pump outlet is a female quick connector with a sliding metal collar; Dixon's industrial couplers hold the plug with locking balls under the sleeve. Read more: 3/8 vs 1/4 in pressure washer quick-connects
Quick-connect plug · also nipple, male QC
The male half of a quick-connect, which pushes into the coupler. Dixon calls it the nipple in its H-Series industrial couplings; the terms carry over to pressure washer quick-connects, but Dixon's industrial ratings do not. Read more: 3/8 vs 1/4 in pressure washer quick-connects

R

Rated output · also rated PSI and GPM, working output
The PSI and GPM a machine delivers under typical load. Sun Joe lists the SPX3000 at 1,450 PSI and 1.24 GPM rated, against 2,030 PSI and 1.76 GPM maximum. Read more: Max vs rated PSI and GPM, Which nozzle size fits your machine's PSI and GPM
Reinforcement · also braid
The layer inside a hose wall that holds the pressure. ProPulse's consumer UberFlex uses a textile braid for reinforcement under a thermoplastic cover. Read more: Wire braid vs textile braid pressure washer hoses
Release collar · also sleeve
The sliding ring on a quick-connect coupler that is pulled back to insert or release the plug. Champion describes a sliding metal collar on the Champion 100386's pump outlet coupler. Read more: 3/8 vs 1/4 in pressure washer quick-connects

S

Seller of record · also sold by
The business that actually sells an item on a marketplace, shown as 'Sold by'. It can differ from the brand and from the business that ships it. Read more: Buying hoses, guns and adapters on Amazon and AliExpress
Short gun · also compact gun
A compact gun used without a long wand, with the nozzle or attachment close to the hand. McKillans' swivel gun, for example, has a 3/8 in male inlet and a 1/4 in female quick-connect outlet, at a maximum recommended 3,000 PSI. Read more: Short pressure washer gun vs gun and wand
Soap nozzle · also detergent tip, black tip
A low-pressure tip for applying detergent. Generac's manual marks it black and says detergent can't be applied with the high-pressure tips. Read more: 0, 15, 25, 40 degrees and soap: nozzle colors and angles
Spray angle · also fan angle
The width of a nozzle's fan, such as 0, 15, 25 or 40 degrees. Cat Pumps says spray angle does not affect nozzle flow; the flow depends on the nozzle size and the pressure. Read more: 0, 15, 25, 40 degrees and soap: nozzle colors and angles
Spray bar · also spray arm, jet pair
The rotating arm under a surface cleaner's deck that carries its nozzles. SIMPSON describes the 80165 as having two rotating jets with stainless steel nozzles. Read more: 12, 15, 18 or 20 inch surface cleaners: what the makers list
Surface cleaner
A round deck with rotating jets for flat surfaces, attached in place of a nozzle. RYOBI's RY31SC12, for example, is a 12 in, 2,300 PSI surface cleaner that attaches with a 1/4 in quick connect. Read more: Surface cleaner fit: inlet, PSI and GPM range, cold water, Surface cleaners
Surface-cleaner deck · also shroud
The housing over a surface cleaner's spinning jets. SIMPSON describes the 80165's as a powder-coated steel shroud. Read more: 12, 15, 18 or 20 inch surface cleaners: what the makers list
Swivel nut
The free-turning nut on a hose end that threads onto a fitting. Dixon states that female NPT thread is not available on hose swivel nuts. Read more: Live swivels and swivel fittings: what their ratings cover, NPT vs BSP vs M22 pressure washer threads

T

Telescoping wand · also extension wand, extension pole
A wand that extends for reach. Westinghouse's PWEXT has a 1/4 in quick-connect outlet and a 4,000 PSI maximum; its manual gives a 6 to 9 ft wand length, while the product page lists 10.5 ft assembled. Read more: Extension wands and lances: connections, ratings and reach, Extension wands: ladders, power lines and pressure-off changes
Textile braid · also polyester braid
Hose reinforcement made of braided fiber rather than wire. SIMPSON's MorFlex 40226 uses a polyester braid, and ProPulse's consumer UberFlex a textile braid. Read more: Wire braid vs textile braid pressure washer hoses
Thermal relief valve
A valve that lets out water that has heated up inside the pump. Briggs & Stratton lists one on its 020681V electric pressure washer. Read more: Max vs rated PSI and GPM
Thread pitch · also pitch
The spacing of a thread. Swagelok defines pitch as threads per inch for fractional and pipe threads, and as the distance between adjacent threads for metric threads. Read more: NPT vs BSP vs M22 pressure washer threads
Thread sealant · also thread tape, thread seal tape, pipe dope
Tape or paste applied to a thread to seal it. Swagelok says tapered pipe threads always need a sealant, while straight threads seal with a gasket, O-ring or metal contact, so sealant is not required or recommended on them. Read more: NPT vs BSP vs M22 pressure washer threads, A leaking fitting: wrong bore, worn O-ring or a hose to replace
TPI (threads per inch) · also threads per inch
The pitch of an inch or pipe thread, counted as threads per inch. Swagelok lists 1/4 and 3/8 in NPT at 18 TPI and the same sizes of BSPT at 19 TPI. Read more: NPT vs BSP vs M22 pressure washer threads
Trigger gun · also spray gun
The handle with a trigger that the high-pressure hose connects to and the wand attaches to; it opens and closes the flow. Read more: Choosing a replacement pressure washer trigger gun, Trigger guns and short guns
Trigger lock · also trigger safety latch, trigger lock-out
A latch that stops the trigger from being squeezed. Champion says never to use a spray gun with a damaged or altered trigger lock and to engage the latch whenever spraying stops. Read more: Choosing a replacement pressure washer trigger gun, Injection injuries, damaged hoses and depressurizing first
Turbo nozzle · also rotating nozzle
A nozzle that spins its jet in a circle. Cat Pumps rates each rotating and turbo family for its own range; its 7616 rotating nozzles, for example, cover 500 to 2,300 PSI and 1.5 to 4.2 GPM. Read more: Turbo and rotating nozzles: orifice size and rated range

U

UL 1776
UL's safety standard for high-pressure cleaning machines: portable, stationary and fixed machines with a hand-held discharge line for household, farm and commercial use. Its scope excludes products that make steam in a heated vessel. Read more: Pressure washer recalls, UL 1776 and ETL
Unknown compatibility · also not confirmed
A fit that no maker document states. This site shows it as 'Not confirmed' rather than guessing from the brand, a photo or a similar model. Read more: Identify your pressure washer's connections, Pressure washer connection finder
US gallon · also gallon
The gallon used on US specs. NIST lists it as 0.003785412 cubic meters, about 3.785 liters. Read more: Max vs rated PSI and GPM

W

Water inlet · also inlet
The low-pressure connection where the supply hose feeds the pump. Kärcher's 2.645-221.0 garden hose quick connect kit fits the inlet and cannot be used on the high-pressure outlet. Read more: Pressure washer water inlet fittings
Wire braid · also steel braid
Hose reinforcement made of braided steel wire. Obsessed Garage describes its 3/8 in pressure hose as wire-braided, with steel-wire reinforcement under a nitrile cover. Read more: Wire braid vs textile braid pressure washer hoses
Working pressure · also maximum working pressure
The highest pressure a part is rated to run at in use. Flexzilla's hose table gives each hose a maximum working pressure, not a burst pressure, so the two numbers should be kept separate when comparing hoses. Read more: Pressure washer hose PSI and temperature ratings