Quick verdict
A commercial-grade cold-water washer pairing a Honda GX200 engine with a CAT industrial triplex plunger pump rated at 3400 PSI and 2.5 GPM, on an aircraft-grade aluminum frame with 10 inch pneumatic tires. It suits contractors doing deck cleaning and wood restoration, and homeowners who want a machine that will outlast several consumer washers. The price of that is cost and weight, and it is 49-state only.
Strengths
- Honda GX200 commercial engine with a strong service network
- CAT triplex plunger pump with thermal relief, rebuildable rather than disposable
- Maker-rated 3400 PSI and 2.5 GPM, about 8,500 cleaning units
- Aluminum frame resists corrosion and keeps weight down for its class
- 5/16 inch by 25 ft Monster hose and a pro gun with safety lock-out
- Five quick-connect tips including 25 degree
Weaknesses
- Costs considerably more than a consumer 3200 PSI machine
- Pneumatic tires can go flat in storage
- 49-state compliant, not sold in California
- Weight is not stated in the listing
The overall YardToolLab Score is out of 100. Section scores are out of 10.
Who this washer is for
Consumer gas washers share two weak points: an axial cam pump that is thrown away when it fails and a steel frame that rusts where the paint chips. The Simpson Aluminum Series ALH3228-S answers both with a CAT industrial triplex plunger pump and an aircraft-grade aluminum platform, driven by a Honda GX200 commercial engine. Simpson pitches it at contractors doing deck cleaning and wood restoration, and it is also the machine for a homeowner who is tired of replacing a washer every few seasons.
This review is based on the maker’s published specifications and on recurring owner feedback. We have not run this product ourselves.
What you get
The box holds the washer, a Monster 5/16 inch by 25-foot high-pressure hose, a 16 inch steel wand, a professional spray gun with a safety lock-out and five quick-connect tips: 0, 15, 25, 40 degree and soap. The pump-to-hose connection is quick connect. The listing does not mention an onboard soap tank, which is normal for commercial machines, and it does not state the weight. The unit is 49-state compliant and not sold in California.
Pressure, flow and cleaning power
At the maker’s 3400 PSI and 2.5 GPM the ALH3228-S has about 8,500 cleaning units on paper. The number that distinguishes it from a consumer 3200 PSI machine is not the extra 200 PSI but how long it holds its rating: a triplex pump keeps delivering its pressure hour after hour, where an axial pump heats up and fades. For deck work the 25 and 40 degree tips at a steady distance strip gray wood without furring it; the 15 degree tip is for concrete and the 0 degree tip is best left in the holder. Owners of CAT-pump Simpsons generally describe the output as consistent and the hose as the stiffest part of the kit when cold.
Engine and pump
The Honda GX200 is the engine that half the rental fleet in the US runs on. It is a commercial-series horizontal-shaft engine with a reputation for first-pull starts and a parts counter in every town. The CAT triplex plunger pump has thermal relief protection to prevent overheating when the gun is closed, and unlike an axial cam pump its oil is changed and its seals and valves are replaced with kits rather than binning the pump. Simpson notes that the fuel level should stay half an inch below the bottom of the filler neck to avoid spillage, a small habit worth keeping.
Hose, gun and nozzles
The Monster hose has a 5/16 inch bore rather than the 1/4 inch of consumer kits, which helps it flow freely over 25 feet and resist kinks, and the gun has a trigger lock-out for safety between passes. Five quick-connect tips cover the full range, including the 25 degree tip that cheaper kits sometimes skip. Many contractors add a 50-foot hose and a surface cleaner; the pump has the flow and pressure to drive a 15 to 20 inch cleaner, which is where a driveway job becomes fast.
Build, frame and mobility
The platform is aircraft-grade aluminum with brushed extruded tubing, so it does not rust where a steel frame would after a season outdoors on a trailer. The 10 inch pneumatic tires roll over turf and uneven ground more gently than never-flat wheels, with the usual tradeoff that pneumatic tires lose air in storage; check them before a job. Weight is not stated, and the engine and triplex pump make this heavier than the consumer machines, so plan on a ramp rather than a lift into a pickup.
Living with it
Treat it like any commercial engine: fresh fuel with stabilizer, oil changed after break-in and on the hours in the Honda manual, air filter checked, and pump oil changed on CAT’s interval. Run pump protector before any freezing weather. Simpson and CAT both publish service parts widely in the US, which is the point of buying into this tier. Warranty terms are not stated in the listing and should be checked on the product page.
Alternatives to Consider
The Simpson PowerShot PS3228 pairs a similar Honda engine and triplex pump with a steel frame at a lower price if corrosion is not a worry. The Simpson MegaShot MSH3125 is the homeowner alternative with a Honda GC190 and an axial pump for light annual use. For a contractor who needs to drive a wide surface cleaner, a 4 GPM machine such as the Simpson PowerShot PS4240 is the next step.
Verdict
Buy the Simpson ALH3228-S if you clean decks, fences or concrete for pay, or if you want one washer for the next decade and are willing to pay for a Honda GX200 and a CAT triplex pump. Skip it if you wash a driveway twice a year, where a consumer 3200 PSI machine does the job for far less, or if you are in California.
Full specifications
Simpson Aluminum Series ALH3228-S 3400 PSI 2.5 GPM Gas Pressure Washer with Honda GX200 Engine FAQs
A CAT triplex pump runs cooler, holds pressure longer and can be rebuilt with seal kits. An axial cam pump on a consumer washer is sealed and replaced when it fails. For weekly or paid use the triplex is the cheaper pump over its life.
Owners of GX-series engines generally report first or second pull starts with fresh fuel and the choke set. Keep the fuel level half an inch below the filler neck, as Simpson notes, to avoid spillage.
The listing does not mention an onboard tank. Commercial washers usually apply detergent through a downstream injector or the soap tip from a bucket siphon instead.
A 5/16 inch bore flows more freely than the 1/4 inch hose on consumer washers, which helps hold pressure over 25 feet and makes the hose less prone to kinking.
