Kärcher UK is this year celebrating the 75-year anniversary of the HDS hot water pressure washers. These products have trailblazed Kärcher’s strong legacy of innovation and helped the company to achieve a Guinness World Record™ as the current best-selling pressure washer brand. This milestone further cements Kärcher’s global leadership in a category that is unmistakably associated with the brand.
The development of HD/HDS
In 1950, Alfred Kärcher was the pioneer of a breakthrough in cleaning technology: the development of Europe’s first hot water high-pressure cleaner, the DS 350 steam jet. The forward-thinking heating design created for the DS 350 remains the foundation of all Kärcher burner technology today. This revolutionary innovation paved the way for the HDS range that continues to evolve 75 years later.
Kärcher continued to modernise in the 1960s, exploring further technological refinements with the development of cold-water cleaners. The foundations of today’s HDS models were strengthened in the 1970s and 1980s as Kärcher advanced its high-pressure pump technology and developed more energy-efficient heating systems. In the 1990s, Kärcher officially introduced the HDS pressure washers as we recognise them today, establishing a professional range that remains essential across multiple industries.
In 2025, Kärcher’s HDS hot-water pressure washer range is available in four distinct performance classes, offering professional users a clear good, better and best choice depending on their cleaning requirements.
The Compact Class, represented by machines such as the HDS 6/12 C, provides a highly portable and easy-to-use solution ideal for smaller workshops and environments where manoeuvrability is essential. For more demanding applications, the Middle Class, including models like the HDS 7/10-4 M, delivers increased pressure, higher flow rates and the resilience required for regular cleaning tasks across construction, manufacturing and automotive settings. At the top end of the category, the Super Class offers maximum performance and extended run times, with machines such as the HDS 13/20-4 S engineered to tackle the heaviest industrial dirt and the most challenging large-scale environments.
In addition, the Upright Class is available. This includes machines such as the HDS 5/11 UX which are designed to impress with excellent manoeuvrability and easy transport. This range showcases superb mobility and is a perfect economical alternative for diverse workshops, small garages and cleaning service providers.
Across all classes, Kärcher’s eco!booster accessory further enhances the range by enabling the same powerful cleaning performance while significantly reducing energy, water and chemical consumption. This helps support both operational efficiency and long-term sustainability for professional users.
The importance of HDS technology
The hot water technology pioneered by Alfred Kärcher ensures that cleaning efficiency is improved. Users can achieve greater hygiene standards with less reliance on detergents, lowering operating costs by reducing both cleaning time and chemical usage.
The HDS range plays a vital role across key professional sectors such as construction, industry and automotive, where tough dirt, grease, paint residues and industrial deposits demand high-performance cleaning solutions.
Kärcher’s commitment to innovation is further demonstrated through the eco!booster accessory. Early case studies in the automotive sector show substantial reductions in water, electricity and diesel usage, as well as significant CO₂ savings, helping businesses enhance sustainability while reducing costs.
Sustainability remains crucial to Kärcher’s engineering approach. Increased efficiency and reduced detergent use allow the HDS range to support the company’s ambition to lead the industry in sustainable cleaning technology.
For more than seven decades, the HDS range has played a vital role in shaping modern professional cleaning. The technology first pioneered by Alfred Kärcher laid the groundwork for machines that remain indispensable across countless industries today. From improving hygiene standards and reducing operational costs to enabling businesses to work more efficiently and sustainably, the legacy of these hot-water pressure washers continues to influence every new innovation.
