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Submersible pumps are one of the most common methods of pumping water for both home and industrial use due to their powerfulness and ability to push water from depths of up to 400 feet.
They’re perfect for private well owners, but they also have other applications. This makes submersible pumps a versatile option. They’re also highly efficient and convenient, making them a better choice compared to most other types of pumps.
In this article, we’ve covered the best submersible pumps on the market right now. The second section provides a depth of information you need on choosing the best submersible pumps. If you’re not sure what a submersible pump is or whether it’s the right option for you, we recommend skipping to the second section. If not, keep reading for our top 6 submersible pump options.
Superior Pump 91250 ¼ HP Thermoplastic Submersible Utility Pump
7 used from $41.11
- CSA Certified
- Operates well at 115V
- Split capacitor for maximum performance
- Great for draining swimming pools
- Pumps up to 30 GPM
- Water and replaceable power cord
- Short power cord – 10 ft
The Thermoplastic Submersible Utility Pump from Superior Pump is a powerful device with the capacity to pump up to 1800 gallons in one hour.
It comes equipped with a suction screen to filter out large debris from entering the impeller with ease, reducing clogging and prolonging the life of the pump. It also operates at 115V, ensuring continuous flow of work without any interruptions.
We were really impressed by the thermoplastic construction of this unit which is resistant to corrosion. It offers excellent durability, and years of performance and reliability.
All the components in this pump are made of high-quality materials which are 100% factory tested. It comes with electronically controlled split capacitors, solid copper motor windings, heavy duty stainless steel jacket shaft seals and double o-ring seals on the motor plate. The base of the pump is specially designed to fit a standard 6-inch floor drain and you’ll find it’s easy to set up and maintain.
The only downside we noticed was that its power cord is only 10 feet in length which can be too short for some applications. Other than that, it’s a top-quality product that’s built to last.
Customer Review:
“So far so good. Bought this to empty my hot tub every 4 months for cleaning. 440-gallon hot tub was emptied in about 30 minutes. Not noisy. Came with garden hose adapter so it was plug and play for me”.
WAYNE 57729-WYN1 EEAUP250 ¼ HP Automatic ON/OFF Electric Water Removal Pump
10 used from $122.95
- iSwitch Technology for automatic function
- Removes down to 1/2” water
- Affordable
- Can be left unattended
- High flow rate
- Voltage: 120V
- Garden hose adapter
The Wayne EEAUP 250 is a submersible utility pump labeled as an electric water removal pump. It’s excellent for window wells, basements and any other areas that are prone to flooding.
This pump comes with a 100-volt corded ¼ HP motor with a maximum flow rate of 3,000 gallons per hour. The pump can remove water to within 1/2 inches of a surface. Since this is an automatic pump, it doesn’t require any monitoring when removing water. It automatically turns on and off depending on the water present, so you can leave it unattended.
We were very pleased with this pump, especially its auto ON/OF functionality and how easy it is to install. It’s small, reliable and affordable with a large pumping capacity and is made to deliver dependable performance for years to come. Use the convenient carrying handle to place this pump anywhere and remove water easily without any issues.
One of the most important things to remember when using this pump is that it can’t be left outside all year round. During cold weather, the Wayne is prone to feezing (or at least the water around it will freeze), cracking the thermoplastic case and breaking both the pump as well as the impeller.
Customer Review:
“We used this pump for a crawlspace at our cottage. We tested it out and it works very well, quickly taking out most of the water. We like the fact that it has a water sensor that turns on and off automatically”.
WAYNE WWB WaterBUG Submersible Pump with Multi-Flo Technology
10 used from $75.84
- Multi-flo technology
- Assembled in the US
- Should be turned ON and OFF manually or it will overheat
- 30 ft Max head
- Removes water to 1/16” of surface
- High flow rate – 1257 GPH
- Affordable
Here’s another high-quality submersible water pump from Wayne that’s designed for water removal from any flood-prone area with a maximum flow rate of 1,257 gallons per hour, shutting off at 30 feet.
The WaterBug is a manual pump which means and will require monitoring as it doesn’t shut on/off automatically. There are several unique elements in the design of this pump that we really liked. It has the largest maximum head at 30 feet which means that it can be installed in deeper water environments like short wells or deep sump pump pits and continually removes water without interference. It’s also very easy to install.
However, we didn’t enjoy having to stand by the WaterBug to turn it on and off. If you feel the same, you could always buy and attach a sump pump or utility pump controller which is an automatic float switch which turns the pump on and off whenever necessary. The motor of this pump is water-cooled which means that without water it will overheat and self-destruct so it’s important to keep in mind.
Overall, with its affordable price, this device performs excellently which makes it one of the best bargains on the market.
Customer Review:
“A must have for hot tub owners. Beats draining from bottom garden hose outlet. Also can double as a pool cover pump when you open the pool in the spring. … Or just anything that needs pumping out water”.
Red Lion 14942402 Submersible Deep Well Pump
1 used from $310.16
- 3-year warranty
- Stainless-steel case
- Thermoplastic discharge and motor bracket
- Built-in suction screen and check valve
- Powered by industry standard 2- or 3- wire motors
- Requires precise installation
The Red Lion Submersible Deep Well Pump is one of our top choices because of its build, quality and durability as well as the fact that it comes from a trusted company that has been in the well water industry for generations.
This pump is perfect for rural homes and farms with 4-inch diameter drilled wells and it can be used for wells up to 250 feet in depth. It features a suction filter screen which is a coarse, mesh filter that protects the pump from large particles found in the reservoir that can cause clogging and it also has a built-in check-valve to prevent backflow of water and ensures system pressure.
One of the best features of this submersible pump is the stainless-steel housing which houses all its components safely. Since the structure is made from stainless steel, it’s corrosion-resistant and there’s no danger of rusting.
The device is powered 2- or 3-wire motors, depending on the model you purchase. It’s also available in 12 GPM and 22 GPM and is made from high quality material, built to last for years.
Another advantage of this pump is that it’s extremely quiet when operational. Although it’s more on the pricey side, its high standard performance makes it well worth your money.
Customer Review:
“Bought this one mostly for spring flooding issue in our backyard. This was a major amount of water, and this pump owned it! Clean out was very simple. My only complaint really was that it took a little longer than I’d hope, but I had 200ft of garden hose to run, so really it did well enough”.
SumpMarine SM10102 Dirty/Clean Water 1/2HP Submersible Pump
- Pumps up to 2,000 GPH
- Delivery height of up to 23ft
- Durable oil-cooled electric motor
- Operates on 110V/115V
- Extra-long cord
- Suitable for pumping freshwater, rainwater, mains water, chlorinated swimming pool water
- Not for pumping drinking water
- Not for use with liquids containing abrasive materials
- Quiet operation
The SumpMarine SM10102 is a powerful, submersible water pump with ½ HP and boasts a maximum flow of 2,000 gallons per hour. It can be submerged to a depth of 16.5 ft and comes with an extra-long cord and a maximum delivery height of 23 ft.
One of the best things about this pump is its portability since it doesn’t have to be permanently installed anywhere. Weighing only 5 pounds, it’s lightweight and easy to carry around wherever you want.
The SumpMarine also has a higher base plate which ensures the prevention of debris collection in the sump pit which is a plus point that’s not found in most other submersible pumps.
The overall construction of this unit is reliable, durable and sealed well to prevent the occurrence of any electrical short circuits whenever it’s submerged in water. It’s also affordable, easy to set up and the box includes a float switch and various fittings for outflow as well.
One User Says:
“I received the pump quickly and it was easy to install. However after about an hour, it stopped draining my pool. I returned it an exchange it for the same product. Received it the next day and this one worked great and I was able to finish draining my pool. Thank you for the hassle free and quick exchange”.
Simple Deluxe 1056 GPH UL Listed Submersible Pump
- Highly durable
- Aluminium Oxide Ceramic Impeller Shaft
- Aluminium oxide polished body
- New 3 threaded nozzles for faster pumping
- Waterproof electric cord
- Circulates and aerates water
- Heavy duty
- No instruction manual
If you own a fish tank, fountain, aquarium bond, aquaponics or hydroponics, this Simple Deluxe 1056 GPH UL Listed Submersible pump could be just the thing for you.
This pump is sturdy, durable and corrosion-resistant due to its Aluminium Oxide Ceramic Impeller which is 3 times as hard as stainless steel. The Epoxy Resin Encasement of the internal motor components prevents unwanted conductivity, making it shock-proof so that’s it’s safe for use even in fish tanks.
The Simple Deluxe pump comes with a pre-filter included to prevent debris from entering the pump, thereby extending its life and increasing its durability. It has the capacity to pump up to 1056 gallons per hour at a maximum lift height of 12ft. Equipped with a ceramic shaft, this pump is also excellent for use in salt water.
We loved the versatility of the Simple Deluxe Submersible Pump and were impressed by its top-notch performance. However, we were disappointed that it didn’t come with a detailed instruction manual which makes installation rather complicated.
Customer Review:
I found it was somewhat of a challenge to change out the the supplied fitting to attach to my fountain hose. In the end after I put several fittings on the pump in order to make it fit my application it made the pump too high to fit inside the fountain.
What is a Submersible Pump?
A submersible pump is a water pump with a sealed and air-tight motor, which allows the pump to be fully submerged in water. The motor is also close coupled to the body of the pump, meaning that they are fixed close together as one unit. This makes the unit compact and ideal for a variety of applications which require the pump to be submerged in water.
Submersible pumps are designed to be placed within a reservoir of water that needs to be pumped out, making them ideal for drainage in floods, emptying ponds, sewerage pumping or even as pond filters.
Most submersible pumps work automatically and don’t require monitoring however this depends on the model.
Pros of Submersible Pumps
Submersible pumps have many benefits that make them an excellent choice compared to other types of pumps. These advantages include:
- Higher efficiency – these pumps require a lower level of energy but are able to work very efficiently, maximizing the energy used. They also work quickly with great power.
- No need for priming – we’ll talk about this in the section below, but this basically means the pump requires less maintenance. This also makes the process more automatic.
- Quiet operation – because submersible pumps are submerged, they tend to work quietly. This makes them less annoying to use.
- Prevents pump cavitation – this is a technical feature of submersible pumps, which we explain below. This enhances the durability of submersible pumps.
- Automatic – most submersible pumps work on their own, with no need for monitoring. This makes them convenient to use as you don’t have to worry about the water running dry and the system burning out.
How Do Submersible Pumps Work?
Submersible pumps work in a straightforward way. The first step in the process begins with the water pulled into the pump, when the rotation of the impeller pushes water through the diffuser. Then, it pushes it with full force to the surface. It does all this by converting rotary energy into kinetic energy and then into pressure energy.
The main advantage of submersible pumps is that it prevents pump cavitation. If you’ve never heard of that before, pump cavitation is the formation of cavities or bubbles in liquid, which develop in areas of low pressure around the impeller of the pump. These bubbles can implode or collapse, triggering intense shockwaves inside the pump and causing significant damage to its housing as well as the impeller.
Another plus point of submersible pumps is that you’ll never need to prime it since the whole unit is submerged under water. These pumps are also highly efficient since they don’t spend a lot of energy to move water into the pump. The pressure of the water pushes it into the pump which saves a lot of its energy.
Submersible Well Pumps vs. Jet Pumps (a.k.a Shallow Well Pumps)
Jet pumps are more traditional, dated pumps. While they are useful, they’re not as efficient as submersible pumps. The main difference between these two types of pumps is that jet pumps draw the water out of the well, whereas submersible pumps pushes it out.
Location
One of the most obvious differences between these two types of pumps is where they are installed. A jet pump is located outside the well, usually on high ground, as this provides proper sucking capacity whereas a submersible pump goes directly into the well or water source, and sits at the bottom, entirely submerged in the water.
Deep or Shallow Wells
Jet pumps are both ‘deep well’ and ‘convertible’ meaning that they can be used for either a shallow well or to pull water from a deep well. A jet pump works for wells from 25 to 200 feet. A submersible pump can pull water from depths of 25 to 400 feet.
Performance
When it comes to the performance of these two pumps, submersible models tend to perform better than jet pumps and they don’t require any priming since they’re already under the water and ready to go. Jet pumps on the other hand rely heavily on priming which means that they need to fill up with water before starting to flow. This means that the pumping process of a jet pump will be much slower than that of a submersible one as well as the capacity, pressure and flow rate.
Energy Consumption
When it comes to the energy consumption of both pumps, you’ll find that they both use about the same kind of power. However, the way they use it is different.
Submersible pumps don’t suck water in. Instead, they push it up which is a more efficient, flow-oriented and pressure-boosting process that allows for easy pumping. Therefore, they use the same power as a jet pump but in a way that produces better water delivery.
Jet pumps have to fight against gravity and the atmospheric pressure so they’re not as efficient.
Durability
Submersible pumps also provide higher durability because they use leak-proof gasket seals which prevent leaks, so you don’t need to worry about any electrical or other water-related issues. On the downside, though, they are more challenging when they need to be repaired but since they’re so well-made, they rarely break and don’t need any maintenance, lasting from 10 – 20 years.
Jet pumps, however, are more susceptible to cavitation, the result being that the water inside gets bubbles and the machine gets blocked. They also need to be constantly maintained which includes oiling as well. These normally last from 5-19 years.
Price
And now, moving on to the cost factor of these pumps. Here, the jet pump scores one over the submersible pump since it’s less expensive. However, installation can be costly and they need regular maintenance. The cost can add up over time and you may realize that you’ve paid more for maintenance than you did for the pump itself.
Submersible pumps are more complicated machines that need submersible builds and can be quite expensive but they require very little to no maintenance, so you won’t have to spend extra on that.
The Bottom Line
Submersible pumps have many applications and are ideal for use around the house or for your private well. Although they can be more expensive than most other types of pumps, submersible pumps are highly efficient, convenient and durable making them a worthwhile investment.
