Selecting the best parts washer for your garage is a great way to maximize the life of car and motorcycle parts and is a great help for restoring an older vehicle. Whether you’re looking for the best aqueous parts washer or the best petroleum based parts washer, we’ve checked out the specs and done the research. We’ve gathered reviews on the best parts washers, forum posts to compare user experiences and more. We selected the best parts washer cleaners according to safety, effectiveness, ease of use, and overall value.
Our top pick, the OEM TOOLS 24805 20 Gallon Mobile Parts Washer, is an easy-to-use portable parts washer with casters and a removable drain pan for convenience. Read on for more of our top parts washer picks and other quality tools in the market.
Top 6 Best Parts Washers
#1 OEM TOOLS 24805 20 Gallon Mobile Parts Washer
Award: TOP PICK
WHY WE LIKE IT: Among the most durable and easy to use, this portable aqueous parts washer is made of durable powder coated steel, has a leak resistant basin and two convenient shelves plus a removable drain pan.
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- Very durable & easy to use
- Fire safety construction & 20 gauge steel basin
- Caster wheels for maneuverability
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- Upper tray not removable
- Not recommended for use with mineral spirits
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This aqueous parts washer is great for use in your home garage or at the shop, or anywhere space is a priority. It comes with locking 4” caster wheels for easy maneuverability and repositioning. It also has a convenient removable drain pain for easier cleaning, and two shelves for sorting or storing parts, helping make the work flow smoother.
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The OEM Tools 24805 portable parts washer also excels when it comes to durability, thanks to a 20-gauge steel basin that’s powder coated for good corrosion resistance. It has a fusible link lid for fire safety and a decent sized 12-gallon working capacity. While it’s not our first choice for petroleum based parts washer solvents, it’s among the most convenient and dependable aqueous parts washers you can buy. Your garage may also be in need of the best mig welder as well.
#2 Black Bull PWASH35 Parts Washer
Award: HONORABLE MENTION
WHY WE LIKE IT: A compact bench top parts washer with fusible lid for safety and a high performance 120V pump to make quick work of washing smaller parts.
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- Best bench top
- Removable drainage tray
- Fire safety lid
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- Too small to wash larger parts
- Its plastic pump to nozzle fitting less robust than steel or copper fittings
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This budget friendly parts washer is a great way to clean up smaller parts. It fits on top of a work bench and has a 5-gallon tank that gives a 3.5-gallon working solvent capacity, plus a powerful 120V pump motor driving a 60Hz water pump and a moveable nozzle that gives full tank coverage so you can clean and degrease parts of all different shapes.
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It works well with parts washer cleaner such as simple green or other water-based or aqueous solvents. While it’s not rated for use with mineral oil, some users report having no problems with mineral oil based cleaners in this parts washer. A good parts washer is as essential to a garage as the best socket organizer.
#3 Bike Master Parts Washer
Award: BEST PORTABLE
WHY WE LIKE IT: This lightweight, insulated and corrosion proof portable parts washer is insulated and has a center plug to prevent spillage. It’s also easy to move from spot to spot.
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- Best for motorcycle parts
- Quiet, smooth running pump
- Corrosion proof construction
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- Not as spill resistant as the OEM Tools parts washer
- Lid lacks seal for splash control
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This 3.5-gallon parts washer is designed for motorcycle, ATV and car parts and fits in the shop or the garage without taking up too much space. While it doesn’t have the capacity for fully submerging larger parts, it does have a strong, smooth running pump and comes with scrubber bristles so you can effectively degrease smaller parts.
While it does make use of durable corrosion proof construction and has a sturdy drain plug so it won’t spill when you’re moving it around, the lid of this portable parts washer isn’t fully sealed, so at certain angles you may get more splashing than with a sealed top parts washer. Wash those parts so that whether you have the best wrench or an old one, your job is easier.
#4 Goplus 40 Gallon Automatic Parts Washer Cleaner
Award: BEST QUALITY
WHY WE LIKE IT: This heavy duty 40 gallon parts washer cleaner has automatic solvent circulation, a powerful 5.28 gallon per minute pump and robust, fire safe construction.
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- Solid welded steel for leak resistance
- Fire safety construction
- Large, deep tub to fit bulky parts
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- More expensive than bench top parts washers
- Lacks caster wheels for moving around
- Not for use with petroleum based solvents
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Made of powder coated welded steel, this heavy duty parts washer has a high flow pump that helps circulate solvent automatically, plus a flexible nozzle and a capacious, 23” deep tub so you can fully submerge parts like differential covers, exhaust headers and valve covers.
Often listed among top forum picks for best non flammable parts washer, it uses aqueous solvent and features robust metal pipe fittings along with a lid that automatically welds itself closed in case of fire thanks to a fusible link. If you’re looking for a smaller alternative, check out Goplus’ 20 gallon version of this product, which is smaller but still efficient with a high flow rate of 4.4 gallons per minute. You may also be interested in the best socket set for your projects.
#5 Eastwood 40 Gallon Parts Washer
Award: BEST FOR LARGE PARTS
WHY WE LIKE IT: This heavy duty 40-gallon parts washer has a deep enough capacity to clean valve covers and other large parts, plus comes with a powerful, durable electric pump, storage shelf and basket.
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- Massive 40 gallon bin & heavy duty build
- Deep 10” tub
- Includes removable shelf
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- Bulky and takes up more space than most bench top parts washers
- Requires a larger upfront investment in solvents
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This large capacity parts washer cabinet tub is made of 14 gauge steel and powder coated for corrosion resistance. It features an electric pump, moveable nozzle and a fire safety lid with fusible link. It also has a convenient shelf for sorting and storing parts.
Probably the most important benefit to this parts washer is that with its 41.75 x 19 inch opening it allows you to submerge and fully clean large, bulky parts that you can’t fit in other parts washer cabinets or portable parts washers. If you need to wash gunk off a valve cover, oil pan cover or intake manifold, this is more likely to fit the bill. As of when Amazon’s Best Sellers list for parts washers was last updated, this impressive product ranks 7th. The best engine hoist will help with engine maintenance as well.
#6 Torin Parts Washer Cabinet
Award: BEST BUDGET
WHY WE LIKE IT: This bench top parts washer comes with robust fire safe construction and a 1/2 gallon per minute washer cleaner pump.
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- Lightweight yet durable steel construction
- UL/ CSA approved for fire safety
- 13.5-inch deep work basin
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- Limited volume
- Not for use with petroleum based parts washer solvents
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One of the lighter bench top parts washers on the market, this Big Red parts washer uses a 110V electric pump that pushes 1/2 gallon per minute, which is plenty for the 3.5 gallon working capacity of this unit. It does offer a generously deep 13.5” tub, so that you can usually submerge parts such as carburetors and brake calipers.
It also comes with a moveable nozzle so you can aim solvent in different directions, though it lacks a flow through brush or a built-in removable shelf. It is relatively easy to transport, though. Perhaps most importantly, this parts washer is UL and CSA approved for fire safety and has a fusible link steel lid. Like the best bench vise, a parts washer is very handy in the shop.
How We Decided
In order to narrow it down to the best parts washers on the market for your home garage or shop, we focused on safety features, durability and capacity, as well as value for the money. We only included parts washers with fire safe lids and corrosion resistant construction. Typically that means at least 20 gauge thickness powder coated steel or solvent-safe plastics. UL certification for fire safety was considered a must.
We looked at parts washer cabinets with built-in storage and convenient features like drain plugs and removable basins for easy cleaning. We also looked at the quality of pumps and nozzles. A built in flow through brush was considered a nice bonus but was not deemed a deal-breaker if absent. A moveable nozzle and at least 1/2 gallon per minute pump are necessities for the best parts washer however.
We included both portable parts washers and larger parts washer cabinets, and for the latter we required a tub of at least 10” depth so that you can submerge and fully degrease parts like carbs, brake calipers, wheel bearings, ball joints, differential housings and valve covers.
Best Parts Washer Buyer’s Guide
Features to Consider
- Size
The best portable parts washers tend to strike a compromise between capacity and how much space they take up. In order to select the best benchtop parts washer for you, make sure the washer can fit in the space you have in mind for it, and then consider the maximum size of parts you’ll want to use it for. If you want to be able to submerge a valve cover, you’ll want a large parts washer cabinet with a 20-40 gallon solvent capacity, whereas if you mostly want to clean smaller parts you may be fine with a 5-gallon bench top parts washer. - Solvent Type
Parts washer cleaners roughly fall into three main categories: aqueous or water-based solvents, petroleum based solvents and bioremediation. Parts washers are typically made to handle a particular kind of solvent, and most these days use aqueous cleaner for cost and environmental reasons. - Fire Safety
When deciding on the best parts washer, make sure you pick one that has a fire safety rating appropriate to the kinds of solvents you’ll be using. UL or CSA certification is helpful, and look for features like a fusible link in the lid to prevent flame spreading to the surrounding garage. - Nozzle and Pump
Look for a parts washer with a moveable nozzle. The more angles you can get, the easier it will be to get gunk off of parts.
