2022 Renter's Review: No Pressure Rental

Rental Publisher Sean Dunphy breaks down his experience renting a pressure washer at a local hardware store.

Sean Dunphy
Sean Dunphy

No pressure rental

For this year’s Renter’s Review, Rental Publisher Sean Dunphy recently rented a pressure washer at a local hardware store over one spring weekend.

He remarked that because the rental was so inexpensive—only $40—he wondered why anyone like him would spend the money to buy one. He also noted that the customer service experience was quick and easy. 

Of the overall experience, Dunphy said:

“The guy who ran the rental operation was named Hank. I said ‘Hardware Hank? I bet you’ve never heard that before.’ He didn’t think it was as funny as I did. He explained the machine and how it worked and helped me load it into my car.

There was no discussion of safety other than to make sure the tip was completely on when used because it will shoot off at high speed otherwise. This was especially important because the tip quick release did not work properly. Some of the ball bearings in the mechanism were seized up so it was hard to get the tip on and off completely. 

Other than that, it was a good experience. I will rent equipment there again and there is no reason ever to buy and maintain an item I can rent that quickly and easily. Returning it to the store was also easy.”

In addition to pressure washers, the location also rents out full-sized trenchers, a stand-on skid-steer, and it also had a pretty good selection of equipment for a homeowner of small contractor.

Lessons Learned from Past Renter’s Reviews:

2021: Trailer Rental Goes Off Without a Hitch

The backstory: Previous Rental Editor Alexis Sheprak rented a car trailer to help her father pick up his Triumph convertible four hours away.

The lessons:

1. Emails don’t work when it comes to renting equipment, but rental companies should be sure inquiries don't go unanswered.

2. Be sure to rent the proper equipment for the job at hand.

Read the full story here.

2019: A+ Rental Marred by Lack of Accountability

The backstory:  then-Editor Jenny Leschohier rented a walk-behind trencher for her coworker’s son, who wanted to install 50 feet of gas and electric lines from his house to his garage. The rental went smoothly, but the return process was odd. Leschohier noticed she never received a receipt (though her credit card was charged), never signed a rental contract and the machine wasn’t picked up two days after the company said it would be. 

The lessons:

1. Be sure that all paperwork and contracts are in order.

2. Confirm pickup times and be sure to stick to them.

Read the full story here.

2018: Beware the ‘YouTube Effect’ – A Cautionary Tale

The backstory: Leschohier investigated repairing her old and uneven asphalt driveway, specifically an 8-foot by 4-foot area. In her research, she stumbled upon YouTube videos on using cold patch asphalt. She thought it seemed simple enough, so she set out to rent a plate compactor. However, at her local hardware store, where she learned that her “simple” project wasn’t so simple after all.

The lessons:

1. Be wary of the YouTube effect, a phenomenon where an end user determines a rather complicated task to be simple because it looked that way on a video.

2. Rental stores need to match the DIY market levels of services, advice, and instruction that are often found at local hardware stores. 

Read the full story here.

2016: A Tale of Two Rentals

The backstory: Leschohier helped a friend who wanted to build a playset in their backyard and needed a post hole digger. The rental experience turned sour when the machine was literally held together with duct tape and gasoline leaked from a taped-together gas cap. 

The lesson:

1. Maintenance is everything, and equipment should be in tip-top shape. 

Read the full story here.

2013: Can You Handle the Homeowner?

The backstory: Leschohier rented a concrete grinder to remove worn-out sealant used on her patio. Switching gears, she instead decided to rent a compact stump grinder to remove some stumps from her patio landscaping. After a few more challenges, a few more turn-downs from rental businesses, she used the rented stump grinder found to help her neighbor grind down a tree stump in his yard, as Leschohier’s stump couldn’t be removed.

The lessons:

1. Sometimes you need to say no to your customer.

2. All rental businesses, particularly those with a large homeowner customer base, must ask questions to qualify the rental. 

Read the full story here. 

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