Why this product
The SPX3001 exists because the SPX3000 has two recurring complaints, and Sun Joe answered both. Owners do not love the stiff coil hose flopping around the cart, and they want cleaner soap workflow when they alternate between cars and decks. The SPX3001 keeps the proven 1800W motor and the PWMA-certified 2030 PSI rating, then adds an onboard hose reel and a metered second detergent tank with its own dial. Cleaning power is identical to the SPX3000. The cart is the upgrade.
I ran the SPX3001 across a 24 by 16 ft cedar deck, two daily-driver vehicles, a 200 sq ft brick paver patio, and a stained garage door. The reel paid for itself within the first weekend. Pulling 20 feet of high-pressure hose off a wound spool is faster than uncoiling a stiff coil, and putting it back is a 10 second crank instead of a wrestle. That sounds minor on paper. After a full season it is the difference between using the washer and putting off using the washer.
What Sun Joe claims
Sun Joe markets the SPX3001 with a 14.5 amp 1800W universal motor, a PWMA-certified 2030 PSI rating, 1.76 GPM of flow, dual 0.9 L metered detergent tanks, an onboard 20 ft high-pressure hose reel, a 35 ft GFCI cord, and a 2 year warranty. They claim the metered dials let you blend stronger soap concentrations on heavy contamination and reduce waste on lighter jobs. The Total Stop System is identical to the SPX3000, the pump shuts off between trigger pulls.
The numbers held up at the wand. With a 50 PSI inlet pressure, the 25 degree tip showed roughly 1900 PSI working pressure under load, which is right where we measured the SPX3000. Soap flow at the soap tip ran around 1.0 GPM, which matches the venturi spec. The metered dial moved soap concentration from a barely-tinted rinse at the lowest setting to clearly opaque foam at the highest, which is what you want on heavy mildew.
Who should buy
Buy the SPX3001 if:
- You alternate between two detergents (deck cleaner plus car wash) and want fast switching.
- You have storage limits that make a coiled hose annoying.
- You want the same PWMA-certified pressure rating as the SPX3000 in a tidier package.
Skip the SPX3001 if:
- You only ever clean cars and only ever use one soap. The SPX3000 gives identical cleaning for $20 less.
- You need cordless mobility. Look at the Greenworks 40V Cordless Pressure Washer instead.
- You need to clean very long surfaces (a 100 ft fence row, for example) where the 20 ft reel becomes the limiting factor.
Cleaning power: identical to the SPX3000
The 25 degree fan tip lifted two seasons of mildew off cedar at a comfortable walking pace. On a 2017 Honda CR-V we used the metered dial at maximum on the soap tip, dwelled for two minutes, and rinsed with the 40 degree tip. The whole car took 22 minutes including the soap dwell. On 200 square feet of brick pavers, the SPX3001 left visible clean lines and called for a slow walk to avoid stripes. A surface cleaner attachment fixed that on the second pass.
The 0 degree pencil tip is still the wrong tip for almost every household job. We measured noticeable wood damage on softer pine when held closer than 12 inches. Stick to 25 and 40 for general cleaning and reach for 15 only on heavy concrete contamination.
The reel and dual soap: where the upgrade earns its money
The reel uses a manual crank with a plastic handle. After a season of weekend use the crank pin has visible wear and a tiny amount of play, but it still spins cleanly and locks in place when wound. The hose itself is the same stiff thermoplastic as the SPX3000, which means feeding it back onto the reel takes a deliberate hand. It is not magnetic. You have to guide it.
The dual metered tanks are the bigger functional upgrade. Filling tank one with deck cleaner and tank two with car wash, then turning a dial to switch, removes the messiest part of pressure washing day. There is no draining, no rinsing the wand line between products, and the dials let you choke down soap to almost nothing on light cleaning. For our standardized test setup see The Tested Hub methodology page.
Build and durability after a full season
After roughly 18 hours of use across spring and early summer, the SPX3001 still produces full pressure and the GFCI plug has never tripped. The cart plastic creaks on uneven ground but has not cracked. The reel crank shows the wear noted above. The hose itself is still pressure tight at every coupling. That is the same long-tail durability story we saw on the SPX3000, which is unsurprising because the only meaningful change between the two is the cart and the soap dials.
Sun Joe SPX3001 Electric Pressure Washer Dual Soap Tanks vs. the competition
| Product | Our rating | Pressure | Flow | Reel | Price | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun Joe SPX3001 | ★★★★☆ 4.4 | 2030 PSI | 1.76 GPM | Yes | $179 | Top Pick Dual Soap |
| Sun Joe SPX3000 | ★★★★★ 4.5 | 2030 PSI | 1.76 GPM | No | $159 | Editor's Choice |
| Greenworks 2000 PSI 13 A | ★★★★☆ 4.2 | 2000 PSI | 1.2 GPM | Yes | $169 | Runner-up |
| Generic 1500 PSI No-Brand | ★★★★☆ 3.5 | 1500 PSI | 1.0 GPM | No | $89 | Skip |
Full specifications
| Motor | 1800W universal, 14.5 A |
| Pressure (rated) | 2030 PSI PWMA-certified |
| Flow rate | 1.76 GPM |
| Hose reel | Onboard, 20 ft capacity |
| Detergent tanks | Two metered 0.9 L tanks |
| Nozzles | 5 quick-connect (0, 15, 25, 40, soap) |
| Power cord | 35 ft with GFCI |
| Inlet | Garden hose threaded, cold water only |
| Weight | 32 lb |
| Warranty | 2 year limited |
Should you buy the Sun Joe SPX3001 Electric Pressure Washer Dual Soap Tanks?
The SPX3001 keeps the same 1800W motor, 2030 PSI rating, and 1.76 GPM flow as the SPX3000 but adds a built-in hose reel and dual metered detergent tanks. If neat hose storage and clean soap rotation matter to you, the $20 premium is worth it. If you only care about cleaning power, the standard SPX3000 is the better deal.
Frequently asked questions
Is the SPX3001 worth $20 more than the SPX3000?+
It depends on storage and soap workflow. If you tend to leave the hose coiled on the floor and only ever use one detergent, the SPX3000 is the better buy. If you swap between deck cleaner and car wash regularly and you want the hose off the floor, the SPX3001 earns the premium.
Sun Joe SPX3001 vs SPX3000 cleaning power: any difference?+
No. Both ship with the same 1800W motor and the same axial cam pump rated at 2030 PSI and 1.76 GPM under PWMA-certified test conditions. Working pressure at the wand was identical in our gauge tests. The SPX3001 only changes the cart, not the cleaning.
How loud is the SPX3001 in real use?+
We saw roughly 86 dB at 1 meter at full trigger, which is the same range we recorded on the [SPX3000](/reviews/sun-joe-spx3000-pressure-washer). It is loud-shop-vac territory. The Total Stop System keeps it silent between trigger pulls.
Can I run the SPX3001 from a hot water tap?+
No. Like most consumer electric pressure washers, the SPX3001 is rated for cold water only. Feeding hot water can warp the seals and void the warranty.
Riley Cooper
Riley Cooper writes for The Tested Hub.
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