Best Sump Pumps

Storms and hurricanes often put Americans at risk of flooding. But there's plenty you can do to prevent flooding in your home. Sump pumps can help save your basement from water damage and prevent the clean-up nightmare that comes with a flooded basement.

Time and again, our research pointed to the Wayne CDU980E as the best sump pump for most houses. Its durable cast iron and stainless steel construction and powerful motor make this Wayne sump pump worth its higher price tag.

Keep reading to see all of our recommendations for the best sump pumps. And check out our FAQ to learn more about sump pumps and their benefits.

There's a lot more to sump pumps than horsepower. The vertical lift, flow rate, pipe connector size, and construction materials all make a difference in how effective and long-lasting your pump will be.

See also:

• Best Water Leak Sensors
• What Do I Do If My House Floods?

It’s a submersible sump pump, making it quieter than pedestal-type pumps. This is useful if you spend a lot of time in your basement and don’t want a noisy pump to interrupt your movies and projects.

Durability is another standout feature of the Wayne CDU980E. It has a cast iron and stainless steel body that protects the internal motor from water damage. Wayne is confident enough in this design that the pump has a five-year warranty, the longest warranty among sump pumps.

Because this submersible pump rests in the bottom of a sump pit, it’s harder to reach for regular maintenance than a pedestal pump. This isn’t enough of an inconvenience for most folks but matters if you have trouble bending down or laying on the floor for occasional debris removal.

The Wayne CDU980E costs around $170, making it more expensive than most competitors we looked at. Still, we think the powerful motor and durable design are worth the extra cash.

We chose this pump because it’s an upgraded version of the popular Superior 91250. The main difference is that the 92250 has an automatic switch, so you don’t have to activate it manually when water starts to build up. It’s around $10 more expensive, but the automatic operation is worth every penny.

This small sump pump doesn’t have a particularly powerful motor, only 1/4 hp, but moves up to 1,800 GPH. This is almost as much water per dollar as more expensive pumps. We also like that this unit has a small size that’s easy to move and lift out of the sump basin for maintenance.

Unfortunately, the cheap sump pump’s light frame comes from a plastic construction that isn’t as durable as the metal casings on other brands. You might replace this more often than an expensive model, but it’s an excellent option to save money for other home improvements.

Most battery backup pumps don’t offer a high flow rate to pump water and last only as long as the battery does. Essentially, you’re paying for redundancy to keep water out of your basement when the primary sump pump loses power. Like other submersible sump pumps, you can expect quiet operation from the Wayne WSS30VN. The primary pump has a powerful 1/2 hp motor that can move up to 5,100 GPH, almost as much as our top pick, the Wayne CDU980E.

For such an expensive bundle, it doesn’t come with some vital components like a battery and a check valve. The check valve is usually a separate $10–$30 purchase for sump pump installations, but buying a battery for the backup pump adds around $275 to the overall cost. This is a big detractor if you want to save money.

Even though the battery backup sump pump is a nice feature, it’s unnecessary unless your house has a history of simultaneous power outages and flooding. Still, if you must have a battery backup, we think the Wayne WSS30V is an excellent option.

Because the motor is above floor level, it’s easy to adjust the vertical float switch that turns on the unit and makes it easier to look for motor problems. You still need to clean out the sump basin as debris builds up, but it’s less of a hassle when your motor casing doesn’t have gunk all over it.

The 1/3 hp motor on this pedestal sump pump isn’t as powerful as it would be on a submersible pump, but it has an excellent output of up to 3,000 GPH to keep your basement dry. Since the motor isn’t down in a sump pit, it’s noisier than submersible models, but the noise isn’t a problem if your pump doesn’t run very often.

While we prefer submersible pumps for their power, the easier maintenance of this pedestal pump makes it a useful alternative for folks with limited mobility.

This submersible unit can pump up 3,060 GPH thanks to a 1/3 hp motor, making it an excellent intermediate pick between the ultra-cheap Superior 92250 and the high-flow Wayne CDU980E. The motor also has an impressive vertical lift of 29 feet, which means it can pump water higher than any other pump on our list.

One of the reasons this pump is so affordable is because its plastic body isn’t as durable as steel or cast iron. Still, Amazon sells a more powerful cast iron variant for about $25 more if you want something more robust. These pumps have a one-year warranty, which isn’t as long as the five-year coverage you get with more established products like the Wayne CDU980E.

In any case, we think Amazon crafted a solid product that provides excellent performance for a relatively low price.

The Liberty Pumps 257 (about $198) is more expensive than our top pick, the Wayne CDU980E, but doesn’t quite match the flow rate. Even though it’s less powerful, this pump can handle solid particles up to 0.5 inches, something that our top pick can’t do. This makes Liberty Pumps suitable for moving dirty water with lots of debris.

Zoeller has roots in 1939, making it the oldest company we looked at for our review. The Zoeller M53 (about $176) is similar to the Liberty Pumps 257 because it can also handle solids up to 0.5 inches, making it a heavy-duty sump pump alternative. Overall, we're big fans of this Zoeller sump pump, but we think the Wayne CDU980E is a better fit for most folks thanks its longer warranty.

A flooded basement is expensive and frustrating, but you can prevent it with a reliable 3/4 hp sump pump like the Wayne CDU980E. It has a solid design of cast iron and stainless steel that protects its powerful motor from corrosion. Speaking of powerful motors, it outperforms the competition by a healthy margin, making it quite capable of protecting your basement.

Feel free to browse our FAQ to learn more about sump pumps and why they matter.

To find the best sump pumps, we spent 24 hours researching information from manufacturers, online reviews, plumbers, and sump pump specialists. We considered 20 products from 11 different manufacturers, ultimately narrowing down our list to our top five with two honorable mentions.

With one exception, we ignored high-performance sump pumps that cost over $200, though many of the brands in our review sell more expensive models for situations that require a higher flow rate or greater vertical lift.

Based on our research, we primarily chose and recommended submersible sump pumps with 1/3 hp motors or higher. We also mention battery-backup and pedestal-type pumps for folks that want alternative options. To learn more about how we review and rank products, check out our full methodology.

• Best Water Leak Sensors
• How to Prevent Your Home from Flooding
• How to Know If You Live in a Flood Zone
• How to Do Your Own Water Heater Maintenance