Calling a submersible pump the most crucial part of the well water system isn’t an overstatement because as soon as it runs out, you can say goodbye to the water supply at your home. Replacing it takes time and money, so you need to make sure you buy the most reliable one on the market.
What you need is a long-lasting and efficient submersible well pump that ensures continuous water supply to your home for years to come.
To help you sort out the cheap and unreliable models, I have extensively researched the leading brands. Give it a read to find the perfect submersible pump for your home.
Table of Contents
1. Red Lion RL12G05 Submersible Well Pump — 9.45/10 (Best overall well water pump)
Red Lion submersible well pumps have the right balance of price, power, and durability. This American-made pump performs exceptionally well on all fronts, making it the best submersible well pump for residential use.
Pros
Red Lion has been manufacturing industrial and residential-grade products for moving water since 1935. Its RL12G05 model is one of the most advanced and efficient submersible pumps out there. You can use it for rural homes, cabins, or even a small farm.
It packs a 1/2 horsepower (HP) motor or 376 watts of power consumption, which is quite efficient. It can easily run on a local generator and a small KV solar power setup. Its pressure-building capacity is also quite remarkable and works well with 30/50 or 40/60 pressure switch settings from depths greater than 90 feet. The average drilled well is about 100–120 ft deep. So, this pump is ideal. If your well depth exceeds 150 feet, I recommend checking out Red Lion’s higher horsepower pumps.
I also found the motor to be quite powerful with a flow rate of 12 gallons per minute (GPM). It’s a compact stainless steel pump suitable for wells with a diameter of four inches or greater. It also has a built-in check valve to protect your plumbing system.
Red Lion is NSF/ANSI 372 certified, which means water pumped through the 12G submersible pump series is certified safe to drink. The components don’t contaminate drinking water in any way. Most submersible pumps are safe for extracting drinking water, but a certification gives an added assurance.
This particular model comes with a two-wire system. The whole package includes 48 inches of (4 ft) lead wires, a wire splice kit, and an installation manual. The wire splice kit is really handy and easy to install without any expert supervision. Installing the control box is optional, and the company doesn’t recommend it for this model.
What you may like best about this Red Lion pump is its durability. It’s fitted with a Franklin Electric (Red Lion’s parent company) motor, which is heavy-duty and robust.
Furthermore, the brand trusts its product and provides a three-year warranty, more than what is offered by any other brand on this list.
It’s very reasonably priced considering the high quality and after-purchase services offered by Red Lion.
Cons
Red Lion’s RL12G01 works well but creates a loud noise, which isn’t a deal breaker if your well is far enough from the house. Apart from that, it’s more expensive than pumps with similar specifications further down the list, but Red Lion makes up for it with an extended warranty and after-purchase services, including industry-leading customer support.
Overall
The Red Lion RL12G05 well water pump is great for homes with 100–120 feet deep wells and normal water usage. It’s powerful and can retain proper water pressure throughout the home.
If you want a powerful and durable submersible pump that is efficient in extracting groundwater from your private well, then the Red Lion RL12G05 is the number one choice.
Feature Summary
| Horsepower (HP) | 1/2 |
| Flow rate (GPM) | 12 |
| Voltage (V) | 150 & 230 |
| Amps (A) | 12 |
| Power source | AC |
| Max. depth (ft) | 150 |
| Number of wires (not including ground wire) | 2 |
| Price | $417.99 |
2. Grundfos 10SQ05-160 Submersible Well Pump — 7.23/10 (Efficient but expensive)
Grundfos is another popular brand when it comes to high-quality pumps. Based in Denmark, it has dominated the pump manufacturing market since 1945. However, the higher quality and brand name don’t justify the exorbitant rates. Thus, Grundfos secured second place on my list.
Pros
Grundfos’ SQ series has some phenomenal submersible pumps for residential and small-scale agriculture/irrigation systems. The 10SQ05-160 carries 1/2 HP, which is strong and efficient. It can draw 10 GPM of groundwater at a steady rate.
This pump works best when the depth of the well is around 150 ft. Going further down can significantly affect performance.
The brand recommends installing a Grundfos CU 301 control box for constant water pressure and supply. This can improve the performance but can ramp up the total cost.
I really like some of the features that are unique to this pump, such as soft-start, dry-run protection, under-voltage protection, overload protection, and wear resistance impellers. This certainly increases the life of the submersible pump.
Cons
Even though Grundfos is a big brand, I have an issue with its prices. Red Lion provides the same features at half the price and the Grundfos only includes only the pump. You have to pay extra for cables and a splice kit. If you add the cost of accessories, including the cables, wire splice kit, and the control box, the price soars.
The company claims it to be generator and inventor friendly, but during my research I found out that despite its 1/2 HP, it draws about 1000 watts, which is a lot. So, if you’ve got a solar or generator system, you need to be mindful of that.
At this price, you can find pumps with greater horsepower. And with only a one-year warranty, you’ll have to hope nothing breaks after the first year. At this price point, you’d expect more promising after-purchase services.
Overall
Grundfos provides good value for money, especially if you are fond of European products. The pumps are high quality and versatile in application. This is why the 10SQ05-160 is second on my list of top submersible pumps for rural areas.
While these pumps are expensive, they are certainly a reliable second option for small-scale usage. If you just want a good pump and you’re willing to pay for it, and you aren’t fussed about any extras, check out the details here.
Feature Summary
| Horsepower (HP) | 1/2 |
| Flow rate (GPM) | 10 |
| Voltage (V) | 150 |
| Amps (A) | 11 |
| Power source | AC/DC |
| Max. depth (ft) | 100–180 |
| Number of wires (not including ground wire) | 2 |
| Price | $872.20 |
3. Flint and Walling 4F10S10301 Deep Well Submersible Pump — 7.16/10 (Most powerful pumping capacity)
Flint and Walling, aka F&W, have been around since 1866 and started with traditional hand-powered pumps, eventually transitioning to electric-powered machinery. This pump is the most powerful on the list, but its high price and big pumping capacity are overkill for small-scale homes, which is why it’s third on my list.
Pros
deep well submersible is as powerful as it gets, hosting 1 HP of pumping capacity and drawing 13 GPM of water at 100 ft depth. Greater depth causes variation in the flow rate, but its powerful impeller can sustain the pressure. With this capacity, you can target a well depth of up to 470 ft.
It’s good for a larger house hosting a bigger pressure tank. You can also use it to water small- to medium-scale farms and waterworks.
F&W’s pump has a stainless steel body with impellers made from Noryl, a plastic resin possessing wear-, heat-, and corrosion-resistant capabilities. There is no concrete evidence of it being superior to steel and bronze impellers, but the company claims it to be more durable.
It runs on an 8.2 Amps current and 230 volts, consuming 1886 watts of power, so if you have exceptionally high water needs, you can rest assured this pump can meet them.
Cons
You must consider the high power of this model if you power your home with a generator or solar panel. Sometimes home private energy generation systems fail to bear the load and can cause interruption in water supply. Because of its size, it does need a control box (unlike the Red Lion RL12G05), which is quite common in larger pumps.
‘s high-power pump doesn’t come cheap and costs $1287 without any accessories. You’ll have to buy the wire, splice kit, and control box separately. F&W has high-performance and durable machinery but the higher purchasing and maintenance costs may prove too steep for some homeowners.
F&W offers only a one-year warranty on all its products, but considering the cost of this pump, the warranty should be more considerable.
Overall
is a powerful and efficient machine and deserves the third spot on my list. While the Red Lion has much more features at half the price, this is still a go-to option if you want higher flow rates. If you want to learn more about F&W’s products, click here.
Feature Summary
| Horsepower (HP) | 1 |
| Maximum Flow Rate (GPM) | 13 |
| Voltage (V) | 230 |
| Amps (A) | 8.3 |
| Power Source | AC |
| Max. Depth (ft) | 470 |
| Number of wires (not including ground wire) | 3 |
| Price | $1287 |
4. Flotec FP3332 Deep Well Submersible Pump
Flotec’s three-wire submersible pump lands in the fourth position on my list. It is designed to pump up 20 GPM from wells between 20–150 ft. With its patented floating stack design and corrosion-resistant stainless steel body, this pump will certainly last long in a sandy well.
This $695 pump has a built-in control box, so you don’t have to pay extra cash for it. The control box keeps all the electrical components safe outside the pump. If there’s any malfunctioning wire, you can simply replace the control box without uninstalling the entire pump. It saves maintenance costs in the long run.
Flotec gives its customers a three-year warranty, which is excellent. Not many companies offer a three-year warranty and cover the installation expense.
The only downside to this unit is its high price. The Red Lion offers similar features but for far less.
5. Schraiberpump 4C208 Deep Well Submersible Pump — $229
Installing the Schraiberpump deep well pump is a breeze, and it takes only fifteen minutes to assemble and wire the product. It can smoothly fit in a four-inch well pipe. If you’re looking for an inexpensive option, this pump is a great choice and offers good value for the money.
The powerful motor can pump up to 22 GPM from a well as deep as 200 ft. However, the manufacturers don’t recommend this model for wells deeper than 200 ft. So, if your well is deeper than 200 ft, you can skip this suggestion.
It is at the fifth spot for a couple of reasons.
The wiring is too flimsy and weak for such a powerful motor. I doubt such fragile wiring can last long. Scriaberpump does offer a one-year warranty, which is not very impressive either.
Another issue I noticed was the lack of a spring-loaded check valve. If you’ve familiar with submersible pumps, you know the importance of these little dudes. A check valve prevents the water from flowing in the opposite direction and prevents disastrous events such as water hammering, backspin, and upthrust in your pipe. Your submersible pump should have at least one high-quality check valve to keep your motor safe.
Overall, it’s a great option if you don’t want to dish out thousands of dollars on a submersible well pump.
6. Hallmark Industries MA0414X-7A Deep Well Submersible Pump
Hallmark Industries has manufactured this champ of a submersible pump that works wonders in a sandy well. This well pump might be a good investment if your well is sandy and old.
At just $145, this two-wire pump offers a heavy flow of 33 GPM and a depth of 207 ft (for no pressure tank). However, it doesn’t come with an external check valve, so you will have to add a check valve to your shopping cart and pay an additional $40–$60 if you’re buying this pump.
It’s lightweight and quite powerful, confirming their claim of it being “industrial grade and heavy duty.”
One another impressive feature is its built-in control box. At such a low price, it’s hard to find such a sturdy product.
One downside of this well pump is it comes with a flimsy 12-gauge ground wire that will need changing if you don’t want your motor burning up within a week. Some users report that this pump is not as reliable as you’d like.
In addition, Hallmark pump guarantees its unit for only one year. Since reviews report it breaks easily, you’ll be wishing for a better warranty soon enough.
7. Happybuy Submersible Well Pump (Best Deep Well Water Pump)
The Happybuy Submersible Well Pump is a little battery-powered unit offers 1/2 HP and can pump up about 25 GPM from a well as deep as 160 ft.
What’s interesting is that it has a premium filtration mesh that can filter out granular sediments. Its body is made of shiny stainless steel. I’d like to say it works really well (no pun intended).
But you can only expect so much from a unit that costs even less than a hundred bucks. Its manufacturers have cut some corners in making the body. Reports and reviews suggest that it stops working within months, becomes rusty, and needs replacement within a year.
The Happybuy store offers only a 30-day return warranty for this unit.
It’s better to invest in a slightly pricier unit that offers guaranteed durability rather than buying a cheap product repeatedly.
8. CountyLine CLA202 Submersible Pump — $439.99
The Countyline submersible pump offers 3/4 HP, a pumping power of 10 GPM, and a well depth of 200 feet. It’s a small yet powerful unit and good enough for a small household with 13 or fewer faucets and fixtures.
The reason it’s down at the eighth position is its high price and one-year warranty. Tractor Supply could have given at least a three-year warranty at such a high price.
I recommend you go for the Red Lion—it offers better features and higher durability at a lower price.
9. VEVOR Deep Well Submersible Water Pump — $220
The VEVOR deep well pump is yet another pump offering a lot of specifications for only a couple hundred dollars. With a 2 HP motor, this product can pump up a whopping 42 GPM from wells as deep as 400 ft.
The specs seemed too good to be true at such a low price, so I decided to pay a visit to my friend who had bought this unit recently.
According to his experience, this pump worked wonders for a few days until it stopped altogether. The customer support was not very helpful, and they demanded an extra cost for removing and replacing the pump.
What’s more disappointing about this unit is it comes with only a 30-day warranty. But joke’s on them because this pump doesn’t even last 30 days.
VEVOR failed big times in terms of quality and reliability.
The Best Submersible Well Pump
After a lengthy procedure of vetting the leading submersible deep well pumps, I can safely conclude that the Red Lion Submersible Deep Well Pump takes the win. Red Lion offers the best features at a price that won’t break your bank.
Here are some of its main features:
- Strong stainless steel pump casing
- 2-wire and 3-wire options
- High-quality wire splice kit
- NSF/ANSI 372 certified pump components to provide clean water
- Highly durable and long-lasting
- Reasonable price
- Three-year warranty
This unit is guaranteed to be your best pal if you’re sick of cheap and rinky-dink pumps that don’t even last thirty days. Red Lion‘s dependable well pump will provide you with an uninterrupted water supply for a long time. I suggest you order it today and make your life easier.
Research Methodology for Finding the Best Submersible Pump
Here is the seven-step detailed methodology that helped me narrow down the options and pick the top submersible well pump available in the market.
Step 1: A list of the top deep well submersible pumps
Water is the most critical element of life, and certainly, a lot of resources are spent on research for improving plumbing technology. Many big brands that are leading the market are at least a century old. This speaks a lot about their experience in manufacturing durable well pumps.
I narrowed down my research by making a list of the 12 best submersible pump brands that are popular in rural America.
Step 2: Product analysis
After preparing a starter list of relevant brands, I analyzed their products. Since each brand had more than a dozen products in its catalog, I sorted them out based on the following criteria:
- Ability to bear the load of small-scale families, farms, and water works at 300 gallons of water per day
- At least 1/2–1 horsepower motors to maintain a constant flow rate of 10–13 GPM
- Compatible with 30/50 and 40/60 psi pressure tanks settings
- Ability to draw water from 100 to 500 ft deep private residential homes
- Reliability
- Prices that match the features
- After-sale services and warranties
The above filters helped me pick the most energy-efficient and budget-friendly submersible pumps for residential use. Supposing this isn’t your first rodeo, you probably know how the cost of submersible pumps adds up. What you want is a long-lasting product that keeps running without having to pull it up from ground frequently.
Step 3: Online reviews
I have always been skeptical about the online reviews on company websites, so I turned to the review sections of eCommerce stores like Amazon, Wal-mart, Zoro, etc. Seeing big companies fail to deliver top-quality products was a real eye-opener.
According to verified customers, some products even lasted decades without maintenance and repair issues, and I scored such products higher.
Longevity is a key factor when purchasing a submersible pump because digging out the submersible pump to repair is a costly venture.
Step 4: Survey and interviews with real customers
To hit the nail on the head, I wanted to interview real-life customers about their experiences with these submersible machines. Since the lifespan of such pumps lasts 10 to 30 years, an experienced customer’s opinion would weigh a lot.
So, I traveled to the top three states that have the most private household wells in the USA. Those were Florida, California, and Michigan.
I spent two weeks in each state, visited different houses and asked them about their experiences with the particular brand they use. This gave me fresh insight into each product.
Surprisingly, many people had a bad experience with warranty claims—some companies refused to honor them based on certain technicalities. I also found out that hard water (salt water) in a particular area affected the lifespan of pumps.
Some homeowners used these pumps to water their small farms and even for supply in local waterworks. I also contacted local plumbing services and asked them for their valuable insight. After interviewing more than 50 people, I had a solid basis for ranking the best submersible pump.
Step 5: Interviews with submersible pumps manufacturer
Keeping things fair, I contacted the different brands and asked about their submersible pumps. During my survey in the previous step, I encountered many complaints about pumps not maintaining certain pressure even well within the depth limits mentioned on the packages.
To my surprise, most of the manufacturers replied to my emails and shared troubleshooting tips. Companies like Red Lion, Vevor, and Grundfos had quick customer service and I have included their responses in my scoring system.
Step 6: Ratings
After an extensive survey and deep research, I gathered all the data for the most efficient and durable deep-well submersible pumps available in the market. I used a point score system based on the following criteria:
- Flow rate of the submersible pump relative to horsepower
- Maximum depth a pump can withstand without losing pressure
- Efficient power consumption
- Features like soft-start and dry-run protection
- Heat, wear, and corrosion-resistant impellers
- Continuous- and intermittent-use compatibility
- Safe for drinking water certification
- Warranty and after-sale services
- Budget friendly
The top three on my list turned out to be the most efficient, heavy duty, and powerful submersible pump options available on the market. In fact, Red Lion took the lead on all fronts and is number one on my list of the best deep water submersible pumps for residential use.
Best Submersible Pump for Deep Water Wells in Residential Areas
My review process was thorough, and the six-step research I performed helped me name the best submersible pump for your home.
Out of twelve contenders, only nine made the final cut, and among them, Red Lion’s RL12G05 took the lead and aced all the parameters.
What’s amazing about Red Lion is that it has all the contemporary features plus power, durability, and reliable customer support.
Here is a quick list of extraordinary features offered by the Red Lion deep submersible pump.
- Efficient pump hosting 1/2 HP and maintaining constant pressure
- Efficient water flow rate of 12 GPM at 150 feet
- Soft start and suitable for generators and inverters
- Hassle-free installation
- Built-in suction screen for protection
- Built-in check valve
- NSF/ANSI 372 certified (Safe for drinking water)
- Extended three-year warranty that covers the entire machine
- Affordable price
While some users have reported louder-than-average noise during operation, which could irritate some, overall this energy-efficient model has positive reviews and a solid reputation.
For top-of-the-line efficiency, modern features, and industry-leading customer support, the Red Lion Submersible Deep Well Pump will give you the power and function you’re looking for.
If you’re interested in discovering more about top-rated well water pumps, here are extra sources you can explore to gain thorough insights:
- The Best Shallow Well Water Pumps
- The Best Water Pressure Booster Pump
