The best sump pumps you can buy

Why you'll love it: The Basement Watchdog 1/2 HP Submersible Sump Pump uses no oil in its motor and requires little energy, making it an eco-friendly pump option.

The Basement Watchdog 1/2 HP Submersible Sump Pump has a variety of features that make it a more eco-friendly choice than some other pumps. The 1/2-horsepower pump and split capacitor motor only pull 4.2 amps of energy, yet still has the power to pump up to 4,400 gallons per hour. This can mean significant energy savings for you, especially if you use the pump regularly. The motor is water-cooled, rather than relying on oil, which can leak and make for a messy, environmentally hazardous cleanup.

This pump is compact and fits into sump pits as small as 7 inches in diameter. The cast-iron and cast-aluminum construction add durability, and the pump's dual ball-bearings allow it to run quietly. Dual seals lend extra protection to the motor, and the pump is backed by a three-year warranty.

The Basement Watchdog 1/2 HP Submersible Sump Pump has a 4.6 out of 5-star Home Depot rating based on 87 reviews. Maurice wrote, "The sump pump is really powerful. When I tested it, I could not keep up with how quickly it discharged the water I was pouring into the basin."

Pros: Water-cooled motor, uses minimal energy, cast-iron and -aluminum construction, generous pumping capacity

Cons: Needs to be installed in a sump pit

Buy the Basement Watchdog 1/2 HP Submersible Sump Pump at the Home Depot for $119.62

Why you'll love it: Complete with an extra-long cord, hose, and clamp, the Professional EZ Travel Collection Hot Tub and Swimming Pool Drain Pump has everything you need to drain a hot tub, pool, or basement.

The Professional EZ Travel Collection Hot Tub and Swimming Pool Drain Pump is a versatile pump that you can use to drain ponds, pools, water tanks, hot tubs, and even basements. This kit comes with everything you need to get started, including an extra-long 25-foot electrical cord and a 25-foot hose.

This pump can drain up to 3,700 gallons of water per hour. It is equipped with folding feet on its base, so as the water is drained away, you can fold up the feet and allow the pump to sop up the last bit of water. The impact-resistant casing makes this pump durable, and the handle allows you to easily transport this pump from one location to another.

The Professional EZ Travel Collection Hot Tub and Swimming Pool Drain Pump has a 4.4 out of 5-star Amazon rating based on 54 reviews. MikeBinAZ said, "I drained my 25,000-gallon swimming pool in about 24 hours with this guy! Drained it all the way down to about 1-inch of water left." T.J. Daughtery said, "For the price, it was almost the same cost as renting a pump from the pool supply, but without the hassle."

Pros: Versatile, 3,700 gallon-per-hour capacity, portable

Cons: No filter, outlet hose size is non-standard

Buy the Professional EZ Travel Collection Hot Tub and Swimming Pool Drain Pump on Amazon for $119.99

Why you'll love it: With both a top and side discharge, the Wayne WWB WaterBug Submersible Pump is versatile while coming in at a great price point.

The Wayne WWB WaterBug Submersible Pump is one of the more versatile sump pumps available, yet it's still available at a budget price. This pump features both a top- and a side-discharge, so you can select the right option for the job. The top-discharge allows the pump to fit in tight spaces, such as laundry tubs and buckets, while the side-discharge is useful for open areas such as basements, yards, and roofs.

I used this pump when my barn flooded, and it was easy to operate and did an excellent job of draining water away. It's compatible with a garden hose, which saves money on expensive sump pump-specific hose kits. While the flow rate is a little low at 1,257 gallons per hour, it quickly drained 8 inches of standing water out of my barn with no problem.

The multi-ring suction strainer minimizes clogs, which I found to be true since the water I was working with was full of hay, dirt, and debris. The one downside is that the pump doesn't have any automatic-off switch, so you do need to monitor it to prevent the motor from burning out if the pump runs dry.

The Wayne WWB WaterBug Submersible Pump has a 4.2 out of 5-star Amazon rating based on 339 reviews. Dee Red Land used this pump to drain a stock tank: "Drained 40 gallons of stock tank water in 4 minutes! No need to carry buckets of dirty water and dump it outside." Kathleen E. Talbot said, "Instructions were really not needed, the arrows and labels on the device were good enough. I plopped that baby in the water and it started to work immediately. The pool was drained within 2 hours."

Pros: Versatile, side- and top-discharge options, removes water down to 1/16 of an inch, connects to a standard garden hose, portable

Cons: Hourly capacity is less than other pumps, no automatic-off switch

Buy the Wayne WWB WaterBug Submersible Pump on Amazon for $109

Why you'll love it: The Basepump HB1000 Water Powered Backup Sump Pump functions without electricity and can help keep your basement dry even during a power outage.

A sump pump installed within your basement sump pit usually works well, promptly removing water and channel it out of your home. However, many sump pumps fail when the electricity goes out. And, if you suffer a long-term power outage during a storm, for example, your basement will flood, since an electrically powered pump won't function (some insurance companies offer policies to protect against sump pump failures). That's why a water-powered sump pump, like the Basepump HB1000 Water Powered Backup Sump Pump, can be vital as a backup solution.

This sump pump can be installed into your existing discharge line, and it relies on water pressure to power its pumping action. It's intended to serve as a backup pump for your normal sump pump, and it installs into your ceiling. This is particularly helpful if you have a narrow sump-pit since many other water-powered sump pumps need to be installed within the pit. You do need sufficient water pressure in your discharge line in order to power this pump; you should be able to fill a 5-gallon bucket at your exterior hose spigot in less than 30 seconds.

Installing this pump is probably its biggest downside since the set-up process takes about 3 hours and requires some plumbing knowledge. However, this pump has definite advantages, since it does not require electricity and has no moving parts, requiring minimal maintenance.

W. Lee wrote on Amazon, "We've had it installed for a year now and we've had it kick on twice because of prolonged electrical outages due to the weather. Both times, it ran without a problem and kept our basement dry for 24 hours. When the electricity came back on, it stopped and the regular sump worked fine."

Pros: Installs in the ceiling (ideal for narrow sump pits), no electricity needed

Cons: Installation takes about 3 hours, pricey

Buy the Basepump HB1000 Water Powered Backup Sump Pump on Amazon for $289