The best drill pumps, compared.
Top pick: Gardena 1490-20 drill pump – Highest score in the set for occasional clear water you can hold: claimed 2400 L/h, 4.4 from 4,395 reviews, at about £35.12, after the hot-drill notes and the unclear 30 m field. Best value: ESENO drill pump – About £14.95 with 4.2 from 3,899 reviews and a claimed 3000 L/h, if you already own a mains drill and will prime a short inlet. Updated October 2026.
A drill pump is a small transfer pump whose shaft sits in a corded or cordless drill chuck, so the drill is the motor. In the UK you use one for a water butt or a workshop transfer, not for daily irrigation. You tell a suitable drill pump by a stated suction height, a hose size, a speed or wattage limit, and instructions that name forbidden liquids. A large head figure is delivery, not suction. Public UK sheets put suction around 2–3 metres, so 15 or 30 metres is delivery head or a mixed field. Keep the inlet short and airtight, and stop if nothing flows within about 10–12 seconds. A longer job wants a mains drill with a stated wattage, because a cordless battery fades. Outdoors or in the wet, use a 30 mA RCD with a corded drill. An RCD does not stop petrol vapour igniting, so petrol is out. Diesel or heating oil only if the instructions allow it. Keep the drill out of the water, do not run dry, and follow the [drill pump buying guide](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/drill-pump/sub/drill-pump-buying-guide).
A drill pump is a small transfer pump whose shaft sits in a corded or cordless drill chuck, so the drill is the motor. In the UK you use one for a water butt or a workshop transfer, not for daily irrigation.
38 products checked · 64 hrs invested · +24,600 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What do you need the pump to do?
The Gardena 1490-20 is listed at £35.12, with a claimed 2400 litres per hour and 4.4 from 4,395 amazon.co.uk reviews. In the stored UK notes, buyers describe a useful flow for a pond, a small sump and a fish tank, and several say they can hold the pump rather than screw it to a board. One used it as a yacht bilge backup, and another cleared patio water after jet washing when a cheaper pump had failed. The same file records a drill that got very hot, a fiddly setup, and a poor match with dirty drain water. The height field prints 30 metres without saying suction or delivery, and the bullets claim two connectors while the components field says No. It is the top pick in this set for occasional clear water you can stand with, and a weak choice if the liquid is silty or you need to leave it running.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the highest score in this amazon.co.uk set for occasional clear water, and you can hold the pump while it runs.
Less suitable: You need to move silty drain water, or you want a pump you can leave running unattended.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Gardena listing include connectors?
The bullets say one drill pump with two connectors. The included-components field says No. Treat the bullets as the box claim and check the parcel.
Is 30 metres the suction height?
The amazon.co.uk height field says 30 metres. The listing does not say whether that is suction or delivery. The flow field is 2400 litres per hour.
Which jobs does the listing name?
The bullets name a waterbed, an aquarium, a pond and a rain barrel. They do not name petrol.
The ESENO is listed at £14.95, with a claimed 3000 litres per hour at 3000 rpm and 4.2 from 3,899 amazon.co.uk reviews, and the first 50 stored texts are all marked United Kingdom. Those reviews cover paddling-pool and water-butt transfers, a narrowboat bilge once the arrows were followed, an IBC move, and about 40 litres of coolant on a cordless drill. The listing prefers a mains drill, and reviewers say batteries die on longer runs. Shaft leaks, a spindle that is hard to grip, and a prime that fails unless the suction side is flooded come up often, and one review could not suck 2 metres from a well. Anti-clockwise rotation produced only air, and hoses are not included. It is the best value here if you already have a mains drill and will prime it.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already own a mains drill and want a lower-priced pump for occasional clear water you can prime.
Less suitable: You need a vertical suck of about 2 metres from a well, or a run long enough to flatten a cordless battery.
Specifications
Common questions
Does it include a hose?
No. The bullets supply Hozelock-compatible connectors for a 1/2 inch (13 mm) hose. Hoses and the drill are not listed as included.
Will any drill do?
The listing says a mains-powered drill gives the best results. Reviews also describe shorter jobs on a cordless drill, and one says the spindle is hard to grip in the chuck.
What liquid does the listing allow?
The four bullets do not name a liquid. The page asks what fluids it can pump and does not answer that in the feature list.
The Clarke CPP3000B is listed at £17.42, with a claimed flow of up to 50 litres per minute and 3.9 from 322 amazon.co.uk reviews. The bullets split height into a 2 metre suction and a 15 metre pumping head, while the height field prints 2 metres, so those lines should stay separate. It asks for an electric drill of at least 350 W at 2000–3000 rpm and a 19 mm hose, and stored UK reviews say the tubing and worm clamps were bought separately. Once primed, reviewers describe a small drum emptied in a few minutes, though a water-butt attempt failed on a cordless drill and a round spindle that slips in the chuck cuts the flow. The bullets name fresh water, seawater, insecticides and liquid fertilisers, and they do not answer the petrol question. At 360 g it is a mid-price named pump for a short primed transfer, not a match for the larger review files above it.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You have a corded drill of at least 350 W and will buy 19 mm hose for a short primed transfer.
Less suitable: You only have a cordless drill for a water butt, or you expected hose and clamps in the box.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the listing say it can pump petrol?
The page asks the question. The bullets name fresh water, seawater, insecticides and liquid fertilisers. They do not say petrol.
What hose does it need?
The bullets say 19 mm (3/4 inch) inside diameter. Reviews say the tubing and worm clamps were bought separately.
Which drill does the listing ask for?
An electric drill of at least 350 W, run between 2000 and 3000 rpm.
The Flintronic pump is listed at £14.44, with 3.8 from 598 amazon.co.uk reviews, and the box claim includes one 2 metre hose, two connectors and four fixing rings. The title says 900 litres per hour while the flow field says 30 litres per minute, and the bullets add about 15 L/min at 1500 rpm and about 30 L/min at 3000 rpm. UK reviewers say it moves a useful volume for a short bilge or a water butt once the hose fit is sorted. Water passing the shaft is a common complaint, one cordless drill was not powerful enough, and several got no flow until the supplied hose was replaced. A bullet lists fuel and gasoline beside water, which is listing copy rather than a test. At 590 g it is the heaviest body here, and the single hose still leaves you short of a second pipe.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a mid-price pump that lists a hose in the box for a short clear-water move.
Less suitable: You need one agreed flow figure, a dry shaft, or a pump for fuel.
Specifications
Common questions
Does it come with a hose?
Yes. The bullets list one 2 m hose, two connectors and four port fixing rings. Reviews say a second hose is still needed.
Why do the flow numbers disagree?
The title says 900 L/h. The flow field says 30 litres per minute, and the bullets repeat about 15 L/min at 1500 rpm and about 30 L/min at 3000 rpm.
Does the listing mention petrol?
Yes. One bullet lists fuel and gasoline alongside water, sea water, oil and solvent. That is listing copy, not a test result.
The Draper 18937 is listed at £13.99, with a claimed 1000 litres per hour, a Bakelite body, a rubber turbine and 3.4 from 420 amazon.co.uk reviews. The first 50 stored texts are marked United Kingdom, and they say it works after priming on fish tanks and pockets of garden water, including one mains-drill job that started by filling the outlet hose. Suction is the repeated limit: one review could not lift more than about half a metre, and another could not pull water off a garage flat roof. Mould flash, threads that chew up, and one report of missing parts sit in the same file. Two 13 mm adaptors are in the box and the hose is not, and the bullets do not claim petrol. At 190 g it is light, and the 3.4 score is why a familiar brand still sits below the ESENO.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a named-brand pump for a short primed transfer with the inlet almost in the water.
Less suitable: You need suction of more than about half a metre, or a pump that starts from an empty hose.
Specifications
Common questions
What hose do the adaptors fit?
The listing supplies two 13 mm (1/2 inch) adaptors for 13 mm pipe. It does not say the hose itself is included.
What is the pump made of?
The title and bullets say a Bakelite body and a rubber turbine. The material field says rubber.
Do the reviews say it self-primes?
The bullets do not say self-priming. Stored reviews say it works after priming and that suction is poor if the inlet is not almost in the liquid.
The Tenflyer is listed at £11.80, with 3.3 from 41 amazon.co.uk reviews, a claimed lift of 3 metres, and no flow rate in the file. The same bullet also prints 1.18 inches, which is not 3 metres. Of 21 stored reviews, only four are marked United Kingdom: suction was good when the drill was fast, the diameter was too big to pull liquid through, one buyer called it a waste of money, and one unit broke after about two minutes. A screwdriver-style drill was too slow in one of those notes, and hoses are not stated as included. Non-UK complaints in the same file are not UK evidence. At 470 g, the 3.3 line rests on too small a UK sample to treat as a settled result.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already have a fast drill and will accept a small UK review file at this price.
Less suitable: You need a stated flow, a slow cordless screwdriver, or a larger UK sample before you buy.
Specifications
Common questions
Will a slow cordless drill run it?
The listing says corded or cordless drills. One UK review says it worked only when the drill was fast and not on an electric screwdriver.
How high does the listing say it lifts?
The height field says 3 metres. The same bullet also prints 1.18 inches, which is not 3 metres.
Are hoses included?
The included-components line is the mini electric drill pump. A non-UK review notes that inlet and outlet hoses were not supplied.
The Tarqite is listed at £7.97, with 2.6 from five amazon.co.uk reviews, and the three stored texts are marked United Kingdom. None of those three describes a successful pump-out: one failed after bleeding and holding it below the water, one was returned as not fit for purpose, and the third says it did not work. The title claims self-priming and names fuel and oil, while the bullets add water, diesel and non-corrosive fluids, with no flow, head or hose size in the technical block. The included-components line is screws, and the power-source field says manual operation on a chuck-driven pump. At 220 g the low price is the only clear figure the stored reviews do not contradict.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are comparing the bottom of the price list and will read a three-review file before you pay.
Less suitable: You need a pump that the stored UK reviews show actually moving water.
Specifications
Common questions
What hose does it need?
The page asks the question. The bullets do not give a hose size.
Is a flow rate stated?
No. The technical block has no flow and no lift.
What do the stored reviews say?
Three UK reviews are stored. They say it would not pump, including after an attempt to bleed it, and one buyer returned it.
The FOCCTS pump is listed at £10.99, with a claimed 40 litres per minute, a claimed 3 metre lift and 2.5 from 180 amazon.co.uk reviews, all of the first 50 stored texts marked United Kingdom. A few say it works if the drill is faster, or if the body is held in the water to force a prime. Many more report no flow even when primed, including one bucket that took about five minutes, and connections that were too big for a standard hose. Defect notes include impeller fins that snapped, a housing that fell apart, and water from the seal, which contradicts the no-leakage bullet. The same lift bullet prints both 3 metres and 1.18 inches, and the listing names water, oil and diesel. At 220 g the headline flow does not outweigh that 2.5 score.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You will only consider it if you can return a pump that does not move water on the first try.
Less suitable: You want a stated hose size that matches a UK garden hose, or a review file that mostly describes a working pump.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the listing say it pumps oil?
Yes. The bullets name water, oil and diesel for car cleaning, garden irrigation, tanks, aquariums and fish tanks.
Is the 3 metre figure consistent?
The height field says 3 metres. The quiet-design bullet also writes 1.18 inches next to 3 m.
What do the stored reviews say about first use?
Many of the first 50 UK reviews report no flow, snapped impeller fins, or a housing that came apart. A few say it works if the drill is fast.
The Wjelet is listed at £7.97 and 67 g, with 2.1 from 42 amazon.co.uk reviews and a self-priming claim in the title. Of 26 stored reviews, all marked United Kingdom, one says it does what the listing says, and the repeated themes are failures. Internals disintegrated on first use, a replacement seized, flow was only slow when the pump was laid on the floor, and a hose much over 1 metre did not work. Defect notes add a burnt impeller, a spindle that came out, and a shaft leak if the body was filled by hand. There is no flow or head in the technical block, the petrol question is not answered with a yes, and the power-source field says battery powered on a chuck-driven pump.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are looking at the cheapest weight in the table and will treat the 2.1 score as the main fact.
Less suitable: You need a hose longer than about 1 metre, or a pump the stored reviews show surviving first use.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the listing say it transfers petrol?
The page asks. The title and one bullet say fuel and oil. The bullets also say water, oil and non-corrosive fluids. They do not print a yes for petrol.
How much does it weigh?
The item weight is 67 g.
What failed in the UK reviews?
Stored reviews describe internals that came apart, a burnt impeller, a spindle that came out, and no useful suction unless the pump was laid flat.
The Ausla is listed at £10.62, with a stated 6.35 mm shank, an ABS body of 251 g, and 1.0 from two amazon.co.uk reviews, both stored and both marked United Kingdom. Neither review praises a working feature. One says the drive-shaft seal leaked on first use and that the pump would not take the last 4 inches of fuel from a 5 gallon drum, and the other says it did not pump anything. The title names diesel and kerosene, while the bullets name spring water, sea water, oil and organic solvents, and the file has no flow, no head and no diesel test. The power-source field says corded electric, which conflicts with the drill-powered bullets. The fuel wording in the title is not a reason to buy it.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You only need a listing that states a 6.35 mm shank, and you will not rely on the two-review score.
Less suitable: You want a pump the stored reviews show moving water, or any fuel transfer.
Specifications
Common questions
What shank does it state?
6.35 mm, which the bullet says fits most electric drills.
Does the listing say it pumps diesel?
The title names diesel and kerosene. The bullets name spring water, sea water, oil and organic solvents.
What did the two reviews say?
One said the shaft seal leaked and it would not finish a drum. The other said it did not pump anything.
The JASOLYI is listed at £11.98, with 1.0 from two amazon.co.uk reviews, an engineering-plastic shell of 233 g, and a box that includes two hose clamps, two brackets and two screws. Both stored reviews are marked United Kingdom, and both say it did not work, one of them calling it a waste of money. There is no flow rate and no lifting height, the temperature line is 5–49°C, and a hose is not listed. The highlight names water, oil and other fluids, while gasoline appears only in the style line, with no drinking-water claim and no test. The bracket is a real included part, and it does not change the two reviews that report no flow.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the clamps and a fixing bracket in the box and will ignore a two-review score of 1.0.
Less suitable: You need a pump the stored reviews show working, or a stated flow before you buy.
Specifications
Common questions
What is in the box?
One pump, two hose clamps, two brackets and two screws. A hose is not listed.
Does the listing claim drinking water?
No. The page asks whether it is safe for drinking water and the bullets do not say yes.
How many reviews are there?
The listing shows 1.0 out of 5 from 2 reviews. Both stored reviews say it did not work.
Eleven drill pumps on amazon.co.uk were scored on 19 October 2026 from listing facts, manufacturer sheets and review notes, not from a flow test in a lab. Liquid, suction, the drill, the hose and the review pattern are weighted 25, 25, 20, 15 and 15. A claimed litres-per-hour figure is the listing's number, not a measurement made here. Star lines stay the amazon.co.uk figures. The 0–100 score is not the stars times 20.
Liquid allowed
25%Clear water is the design job. Diesel or heating oil scores only where that model's instructions allow it. Petrol is excluded, because a drill can spark. A gasoline bullet is not treated as an approval.
Suction, not headline head
25%A stated suction around 2–3 metres scores higher than a 15 or 30 metre figure that is delivery head, or a field that mixes the two. A 30 metre amazon height field is not scored as suction.
Drill you will use
20%A named wattage and a speed band score higher than a vague fit-any-drill line. A mains drill for a longer run scores above a cordless battery on a long transfer.
Hose and prime
15%A stated hose size, and a hose or adaptors that are actually in the box, score higher. A self-priming claim still needs a short airtight inlet and a stop if nothing flows.
Review pattern
15%UK review notes are read with the count. Shaft weep, a failed prime and snapped vanes count against a row. A star line without a count does not.
A drill pump earns its place only when the liquid, the suction and the drill agree. Clear water is the design job. Petrol is out, whatever a gasoline bullet says. Read suction separately from delivery head, then match the hose size and a real prime. The table is a listing comparison. The notes under each row are amazon.co.uk reviews and the maker's sheet, not a lab flow test.
A drill pump is a chuck-driven transfer pump. The shaft goes into a corded or cordless drill, and the drill is the motor. It is not a submersible pump with its own motor, and it is not a fixed installation. UK buyers use one for a water butt, a paddling pool, a fish tank, a bilge or a short workshop transfer. Daily irrigation, sewage and a rising flood indoors are the wrong job. The usual body is a plastic vane or turbine.
A 15 or 30 metre figure is delivery head, or a product field that has mixed the two. Public UK sheets put suction around 2–3 metres. The Gardena manual separates about 3 metres of suction from about 30 metres of pumping height, and the product page says 3 metres of delivery head.
A self-priming line still needs a short airtight inlet. Anti-clockwise rotation can produce only air. Stop if nothing flows in about 10–12 seconds, and do not leave the pump running dry. Gardena's dry-run limit is 12 seconds.
A drill can spark, so petrol is out even when a listing says gasoline. An RCD does not stop petrol vapour igniting. A cordless battery fades on a longer transfer. Most drills are not built for continuous running.
Clear water is the job these pumps are built for. A water butt, a paddling pool, a fish tank, a pond or a short bilge fits that limit. Diesel or heating oil only if that model's own instructions allow it. Petrol is out. Named UK instructions, including Draper 18937, Clarke CPP3000B and Gardena 1490, forbid petrol because a drill can spark. A bullet that says gasoline, fuel or diesel is listing copy, not a test and not an approval.
The drill is the motor, so match the one you will actually run. Clarke asks for at least 350 W at 2000–3000 rpm. Gardena's manual wants at least 450 W for a short run and 600 W past 30 minutes, and a maximum of 3400 rpm. The ESENO listing says a mains drill gives the best results. Draper says most drills are not for continuous running. A cordless drill can finish a short clear-water job.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You are emptying a water butt, a paddling pool or a fish tank, and you can hold the pump. The Gardena 1490-20 is the top pick in this set for that job, at about £35.12, with a claimed 2400 litres per hour. It is a weak match if the water is silty or you need to leave it running.
You want a lower shelf price and you can prime the pump. The ESENO is the best value in this set at about £14.95, with a claimed 3000 litres per hour at 3000 rpm and 13 mm Hozelock-style connectors. The listing prefers a mains drill. Shaft leaks and a failed prime are repeated in the UK reviews.
You have a corded drill of at least 350 W and you will buy 19 mm hose. The Clarke CPP3000B states a 2 metre suction and a 15 metre pumping head, and it names fresh water, seawater, insecticides and liquid fertilisers. It does not answer the petrol question. Priming is a repeated complaint.
In this set of 11 amazon.co.uk listings, checked on 19 October 2026, the top pick is the Gardena 1490-20 at about £35.12, with 4.4 from 4,395 reviews and a claimed 2400 litres per hour. UK notes describe hand-held use on clear water, and also a hot drill and a poor match with dirty drain water. The best value is the ESENO at about £14.95, with 4.2 from 3,899 reviews, if you already own a mains drill and will prime it. The other nine have no award. None of these scores is a measured flow, and none of these pumps is approved for petrol.
Gardena 1490-20 drill pump
Highest score in the set for occasional clear water you can hold: claimed 2400 L/h, 4.4 from 4,395 reviews, at about £35.12, after the hot-drill notes and the unclear 30 m field.
ESENO drill pump
About £14.95 with 4.2 from 3,899 reviews and a claimed 3000 L/h, if you already own a mains drill and will prime a short inlet.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources from the research digest, last checked on 19 October 2026. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures in the display file.
Expert source (DIY & tools): Charlie White (Charlie DIYte) (external profile) – public expert commentary used as a research source, not as a contributor to our pages.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are from the UK listings checked on 19 October 2026. We did not lab-test these drill pumps.
