The best Gardena submersible pumps, compared.
Top pick: Gardena 4000/1 – Highest card score in this set, 4.7 from 66 amazon.co.uk reviews, for a rain butt at about £79.99, with 4,000 L/h, 13 m and 1.3 bar on the listing. Best value: FOTING 900 W – About £46.99 with 4.2 from 2,607 reviews, the largest evidence base here, at 900 W, 14,000 L/h, 8.5 m and 35 mm. Updated October 2026.
A submersible pump sits in the water and pushes it out through a hose. In the UK you buy one to water from a rain butt, to empty a pool or a pond, or to shift flood water. It is not a surface pump beside the tank. You tell a suitable submersible pump by the job. A butt wants pressure and a filter for clean rain. A pool or a flooded floor wants volume, and grit needs a stated particle size. Those headline maxima do not occur together. Check the leftover depth the listing claims, and do not treat a 1 mm line as proven on every surface. Mains pumps need about 230 V, a BS 1363 plug and a 30 mA RCD outdoors. A cordless pump often arrives without a battery, and this class does not include a full hose. A pump that only sits in a butt is not a mains cross-connection. A mains top-up of stored rainwater needs an air gap. Hosepipe bans are local. The order of those checks is in the [submersible pump buying guide](/hub/garden-watering/gardena-submersible-pump/sub/gardena-submersible-pump-buying-guide).
A submersible pump sits in the water and pushes it out through a hose. In the UK you buy one to water from a rain butt, to empty a pool or a pond, or to shift flood water. It is not a surface pump beside the tank.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What water are you moving?
Across 66 amazon.co.uk reviews rated 4.7, this is the highest star rating in the set, for a rain-barrel job rather than for flood drainage. The listing gives 4,000 L/h, 13 m and 1.3 bar, with a telescopic outlet and a pre-filter, at £79.99. UK reviewers use it instead of watering cans, including when a hosepipe ban is on, and they describe a float that stops the pump. Pressure is called weaker than a kitchen tap, and a 30 m hose is weaker than a 20 m hose. Deep butts need a separate extension. The watts are not in the specification table. The card score is 73, from those stars and that review count, not a lab test.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A rain butt and a hose or a small sprinkler, where modest pressure is enough.
Less suitable: Muddy flood water, a dry floor to 1 mm, or a buyer who needs the watts printed on the specification table.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the 4000/1 include a hose?
No. The scope line is the pump with a cable and a UK plug. The bullets describe a telescopic tube over the barrel rim, not a garden hose.
What flow and head does the listing give?
4,000 litres per hour, 13 metres and 1.3 bar. The specification table prints 0.54 horsepower. One UK review title calls it a 400 W pump. Gardena UK lists 400 W for the 4000/1.
Is a UK plug stated?
Yes. The title and the scope of delivery both say UK plug, article 1762-28.
At £46.99 this is the best-value full-size drainage pump in the set because 2,607 amazon.co.uk reviews at 4.2 is the largest evidence base here, not because the headline flow is the highest. The listing gives 900 W, 230 V, 14,000 L/h, 8.5 m and solids to 35 mm, with a 10 m lead. One reviewer drained about 9,000 litres from a 12 ft pool in just over an hour, which is slower than 14,000 L/h. Other reviews report a breaker trip after about three months, loose screws on a replacement, and weak flow through a 5 m hose. The plug shape is not stated. The card score is 72.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Emptying a pool, pond or cooled tub when you already have a hose and can accept a few centimetres left.
Less suitable: A confirmed BS 1363 plug, a 1 mm dry floor, or a buyer who needs the 14,000 L/h figure at the end of a long hose.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this 900 W pump include a hose?
No. The included-components line is the pump. The bullets add a multi-hose adapter for 33 mm, G1, G1-1/2 and 26 mm.
What particle size does the listing allow?
The base filter is described as allowing up to 35 mm. The listing does not give a residual depth in millimetres.
Is a UK plug stated?
No. The listing says 230 V and the model code ends in -UK. The plug shape is not printed.
The listing gives 550 W, 16,000 L/h, an 8 m head and solids to 3.5 cm, at £39.99 with 4.2 from 62 reviews. UK reviewers emptied a hot tub in about 20 minutes and filled a 1,000 litre IBC in just over 10 minutes on a wide pipe. The bullets also say residual water to 3.8 cm and IPX8. Two reviews report failure within a few months. Voltage and plug shape are not stated, and a 1.5 horsepower line sits beside the 550 W claim. The bullet uses the words sewage discharge without a certificate. The card score is 66.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A cheap drainage pump for a pond, pool pit or butt-to-butt transfer if you can replace it if it fails early.
Less suitable: A stated UK plug, a 1 mm dry floor, or anyone who needs the horsepower line to match the watts.
Specifications
Common questions
How much water does the listing say it leaves?
The bullets say it removes water down to 3.8 cm, and that the float cuts power below 3 cm. That is not a 1 mm claim.
Does the price include a hose?
No. Reviewers attach their own hose. A multi-hose adapter for 33 mm, G1, G1-1/2 and 26 mm is in the bullets.
Is the 1.5 horsepower line the same as 550 W?
Both are printed. The bullets say 550 W and the specification line says 1.5 horsepower. They are not reconciled in the file.
The title gives 550 W and 20,000 L/h for a clear-water pump with a float and a 1 mm residue claim, at £50.99 and 4.2 from 5 reviews. The title says UK plug and article 09016-47. The technical block says 09016-28. Bloomling calls 09016-47 a European plug, so the title does not settle the plug. Three UK reviews are in the file: one calls it compact and powerful for pools, one says a previous pump left the last 2 inches, and one arrived missing a part. Head, voltage and cable length are not stated in this capture. Gardena UK lists 1 mm left, from 10 mm. The card score is 62. 20,000 L/h is not the flow at 9 m of head.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Clear pool or tank water if you check the plug and the article number before you rely on the title.
Less suitable: Grit up to 35 mm, or a buyer who wants a large UK review count.
Specifications
Common questions
Which article number is printed?
The title ends 09016-47 and says UK plug. The technical details say model and part number 09016-28. Both are in the file. Bloomling calls 09016-47 a European plug.
Does it claim to leave only 1 mm?
Yes. The bullets say a maximum of 1 mm water residue. A head in metres is not printed in this file. Gardena UK also states 1 mm, and that pumping starts from 10 mm. That is a claim, not a result on every floor.
Is a hose included?
A hose is not named. The scope line includes a 25 mm and a 38 mm connection, plus the pump and a power cable.
This solo 18 V tank pump is £82.95 with 4.1 from 142 reviews, and the battery is not included, so the shelf price is not the working price. The listing gives 2,000 L/h, three levels, dry-run protection and a telescopic shaft from 56 to 76 cm. UK reviewers like the hose pressure and the lack of a mains lead. They also report an extension bought separately, a battery that fouls a deep rim, and, in one review, batteries that overheat. Head and watts are not stated in the capture. Gardena UK lists 2,000 l/h, 2 bar and 20 m for article 14602-55. The card score is 66. IPX8 does not cover the battery.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A butt where you already own 18 V Power for All batteries and do not want a mains lead.
Less suitable: A one-price comparison with a mains pump, or a 20,000 L/h drainage job.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the battery in the box?
No. The included-components line is the rainwater tank pump without a battery. UK reviews treat the battery, and sometimes an extension bar, as extra. No battery price is added here.
What flow does the listing give?
2,000 litres per hour, on 18 V, with three power levels. The amazon.co.uk capture does not print a head in metres. The telescopic shaft is 56 to 76 cm. Gardena UK lists 2 bar and 20 m for 14602-55.
Do UK reviews mention a hosepipe ban?
Yes. One UK review bought it so watering cans were not needed during a hosepipe ban. Another says the battery pack does not sit on a deep butt rim. A ban is local. Read your own water company's notice.
VEATON lists 750 W, 230 V, 13,000 L/h at zero head and a 7 m maximum head, and it says those are separate limits. The price is £44.64, with 4.1 from 38 reviews. An external float and an 8 m cable are included, plus a hose adapter with a check valve. Reviewers emptied a hot tub in minutes and a 14 ft pool with little water left. Others report no UK hose fitting, a unit that only made noise, a cracked arrival, and a failure after a few weeks. Particle size and plug shape are not stated. The card score is 64.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Pool or pond drainage at 230 V if you can source a hose fitting and accept a one-year listing warranty.
Less suitable: A buyer who needs a UK hose thread in the box or a stated solids size.
Specifications
Common questions
Are the 13,000 L/h and the 7 m head the same moment?
No. The bullet says 13,000 L/h is the maximum at 0 m head, and that flow and head are separate limits.
Will it fit a standard UK hose?
The box has a hose adapter with a check valve, not a hose. One UK review says there is no fitting for a standard UK domestic hose.
Does the listing state a UK plug?
No. It states 230 V and an 8 m cable. The plug shape is not stated.
The clear-water solo is £68.95, rated 4.1 from 28, with 2,000 L/h, three levels, a fine filter, dry-run protection and a 5, 10 or 15 minute timer. The battery is not included. The head cell reads 2E+1 metres, which is captured text, not a second measurement, so the table leaves head blank. The title says flat suction and does not give a millimetre depth. No review in the file is from the United Kingdom, so praise and complaints from other countries are not treated as UK opinion. Watts are not stated. The bullets say 18 to 65 minutes by mode. The card score is 63.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Clear water and a short cordless job if you already have an 18 V Power for All battery.
Less suitable: Anyone judging it on British reviews, or a dirty-water job with 35 mm solids.
Specifications
Common questions
How long does one charge last, on this listing?
The bullets say 18 to 65 minutes depending on the mode, and a timer of 5, 10 or 15 minutes. The battery is not in the box.
What does the head cell say?
The listing prints 2E+1 metres. That is the captured text, not a second measurement, so it is not used as a head figure.
Are there United Kingdom reviews in the file?
No. The rating is 4.1 from 28. The written reviews in the capture are not from the United Kingdom, so they are not used here as British opinion.
This dirty-water listing gives 550 W, 20,000 L/h, 9 m and 35 mm, plus a 1 mm residue line, at £55 and 3.8 from 4 reviews. The title says UK plug and 09017-47. The part number field says 09017-28. The item type names a 10 m cable. One reviewer used it on sludge and another emptied a water feature in under 5 minutes. A third could not pump a roof puddle about 20 mm deep. Three written reviews are a thin sample. Voltage is not stated. Gardena UK lists 550 W, 35 mm, 0.9 bar and 9 m. Those maxima do not occur together. A 35 mm garden pump is not a sewage pump. The card score is 56.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Gritty drainage where 35 mm is the point and you will confirm the plug.
Less suitable: A guaranteed 1 mm floor, or a buyer who wants the article number to match in title and part field.
Specifications
Common questions
What solids and head does the listing give?
The title and bullets say up to 35 mm grain, 20,000 L/h and a 9 m lifting height, at 550 W. Gardena UK also lists 0.9 bar. Flow and head are separate limits.
Did the 1 mm claim hold in the reviews?
The bullets claim 1 mm maximum residue. One of three UK reviews says a flat-roof puddle at least 20 mm deep did not move. Treat 1 mm as a claim, not a result on every floor.
Which article number should you read?
The title ends 09017-47 and says UK plug. The part-number field says 09017-28. The file prints both. A UK-plug title does not settle that code.
At £25.99 and 159 g this is a miniature transfer pump, not a 20,000 L/h drainage unit. The title says Ryobi 18 V. A bullet says 100 W and 12 V. Two UK reviews praise cordless use, a slim body and a 21 mm barbed outlet, and they note that the hose is extra and that output depends on the battery. The rating is 3.8 from 4, with only two written reviews. Flow and head are not stated. There is no mains plug. IPX8 does not cover the switch, which must stay dry. The card score is 56.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Small transfers from a tub or drum when the Ryobi batteries are already on the shelf.
Less suitable: A pool, a flooded cellar, or any comparison that assumes thousands of litres an hour.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this a Gardena drainage pump?
No. It is a 159 g YRhplm utility pump sold for a Ryobi 18 V battery. Flow and head are not stated.
What power does the listing print?
The title says Ryobi 18 V. A bullet says 100 W and 12 V, and a maximum of 10 A. Both are printed and not reconciled.
Can the switch go under water?
The bullet says the switch should not be immersed. The hose and the battery are not included. IPX8 on a pump body is not a rating for that switch.
The 2-in-1 title matches article 09018-28 and states a UK plug, 230 V and 20,000 L/h, with bullets for 35 mm solids and 1 mm residue. The price is £59.99 and the rating is 3.5 from 3 reviews. Watts, head and cable length are not stated on this listing. Gardena UK lists 35 mm and 1 mm, 550 W, 0.9 bar and 9 m for the 2-in-1, and those maxima do not occur together. One buyer moved water more than 15 m. Another said the unit looked used and that no pipe was included. Three reviews cannot settle reliability. The card score is 51.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Someone who wants one pump to cover both grit and a flat-suction claim, and who will buy the pipe.
Less suitable: A buyer who wants watts, head and a large review count before paying £59.99.
Specifications
Common questions
Can it take dirty water and still claim flat suction?
The bullets say both: particles up to 35 mm, and 1 mm water residue, with a float and up to 20,000 L/h. Watts and head are not in this amazon.co.uk file. Gardena UK lists 550 W, 0.9 bar and 9 m, as separate limits.
Is a pipe in the box?
The scope line includes a 25 mm and a 38 mm connection, not a pipe. One of three UK reviews says no pipe was included.
How many reviews support the 3.5 score?
The listing says 3.5 from 3 reviews. One calls it sturdy, one moved water over 15 m, and one reported scratches and no pipe.
Ten amazon.co.uk listings are on this page. The number on each card comes from that listing's stars and review count. It is not a laboratory test. The top pick is the highest of those scores, for a rain-barrel job rather than for flood drainage. Best value is the full-size drainage pump with the largest review file, not the highest headline flow. The weights below are the order of the buying checks. They are not a second points model.
Job, flow and head
30%A butt needs pressure. A pool or a cellar needs volume. Headline litres per hour and maximum head do not occur together, and a long hose cuts the flow.
Water and residual depth
25%Clean rain suits a pre-filter. Grit needs a stated particle size, often 35 mm, which is not a sewage rating. A 1 mm leftover claim is not proven on every floor.
Plug, voltage and battery
25%Mains pumps need about 230 V, a BS 1363 plug and a 30 mA RCD outdoors. A title that says UK plug can still disagree with the article code. An 18 V solo does not include a battery.
Hose, runtime and reviews
20%No listing here includes a full hose. Review count is shown beside the stars. A thin sample stays a thin sample, and stars are not a failure rate.
Choose the job before the litres. A rain butt, a pool and gritty flood water are three different pumps, even when the titles look alike. Prices and stars below are the amazon.co.uk capture for these listings on 21 October 2026, not a laboratory test. A hose and, on an 18 V solo, a battery are usually extra.
A submersible pump sits in the water and pushes it out. On amazon.co.uk the usual jobs are watering from a rain butt, emptying a pool or pond, or shifting flood water. Separate the models by the job. A butt needs pressure. Manufacturer pages for a barrel pump in this class list 400 W, 4,000 litres an hour, 1.3 bar and 13 m. A pool or a cellar needs volume. Drainage pages in this class list 550 W, 20,000 litres an hour, 0.9 bar and 9 m. Those maxima do not occur together.
Headline litres and maximum head do not occur together. Barrel-pump reviewers report a weaker stream at about 30 m than at about 20 m. A narrow hose cuts the flow further.
Articles 09016-47 and 09017-47 say UK plug in the title and a -28 code in the part field. One retailer calls 09016-47 a European plug. An 18 V solo does not include a battery, so the shelf price is not the working price.
One UK review could not move a roof puddle of at least 20 mm. Do not leave a manual override running dry. Do not tee stored rainwater into the mains. In the UK that needs fluid category 5 protection, not a mere check valve. A 35 mm garden pump is not a sewage pump.
Decide the job first. A rain butt needs pressure. A barrel pump in this class is listed at 400 W, 4,000 L/h, 1.3 bar and 13 m. A pool or a cellar needs volume. Drainage pumps in this class are listed at 550 W, 20,000 L/h, 0.9 bar and 9 m. The flow at the end of a long or narrow hose will be lower than the title. Reviewers on the barrel pump report usable flow at about 20 m and a weaker stream at about 30 m. Then match the water. Clean rain suits a pre-filter.
Mains pumps need about 230 V and a BS 1363 plug. Outdoor mobile equipment up to 32 A needs a 30 mA RCD under BS 7671 Regulation 411.3.3. A new garden circuit is notifiable under Part P. A title that says UK plug is not the last word. On two 20000 listings the title ends -47 and the part field prints -28. One retailer calls 09016-47 a European plug. No listing in this set names a full hose. An 18 V solo includes no battery. One clear-water cordless listing says 18 to 65 minutes by mode.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want a hose instead of a watering can. The Gardena 4000/1 is the top pick at about £79.99, with 4.7 from 66 amazon.co.uk reviews. The listing gives 4,000 L/h, 13 m and 1.3 bar, plus a telescopic outlet. The hose is extra, and a 30 m hose is weaker than a 20 m hose.
You will buy a hose and you can accept a few centimetres left. The FOTING 900 W is the best value at about £46.99, with 4.2 from 2,607 reviews, 14,000 L/h, 8.5 m and solids to 35 mm. The plug shape is not stated. One review did not hold the headline flow.
You need a stated 35 mm passage, and an electrician if the water is near the electrics or is sewage. The Gardena dirty 20000 lists 550 W, 20,000 L/h, 9 m and 35 mm, at about £55, with 3.8 from 4 reviews. One review could not move a roof puddle about 20 mm deep. Confirm the plug.
The top pick is the Gardena 4000/1 at about £79.99. The card score is 73, from 4.7 and 66 amazon.co.uk reviews, for a rain-barrel job rather than flood drainage. The listing gives 4,000 L/h, 13 m and 1.3 bar, with a telescopic outlet and a pre-filter. Reviewers describe a float that stops the pump, and they call the pressure weaker than a kitchen tap, especially on a 30 m hose. Best value is the FOTING 900 W at about £46.99, score 72, because 4.2 from 2,607 reviews is the largest evidence base here. The listing gives 900 W, 14,000 L/h, 8.5 m and solids to 35 mm. The plug shape is not stated, and one review did not hold the headline flow.
Gardena 4000/1
Highest card score in this set, 4.7 from 66 amazon.co.uk reviews, for a rain butt at about £79.99, with 4,000 L/h, 13 m and 1.3 bar on the listing.
FOTING 900 W
About £46.99 with 4.2 from 2,607 reviews, the largest evidence base here, at 900 W, 14,000 L/h, 8.5 m and 35 mm.
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, plus the amazon.co.uk prices, stars and review counts captured for these ten listings on 21 October 2026. Last reviewed 22 October 2026.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk (tag pcuk26-21). If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are the UK listing lines captured for these ten products. We did not run a laboratory test.
