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Backyard water garden with stone ring. Credit: Getty Images

The Best Water and Garden Pumps of 2024

Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission.

Backyard water garden with stone ring. Credit: Getty Images

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Reviewed's mission is to help you buy the best stuff and get the most out of what you already own. Our team of product experts thoroughly vet every product we recommend to help you cut through the clutter and find what you need.

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Product image of Tetra Pond Debris-Handling Pump

Tetra Pond Debris-Handling Pump

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This pump delivers 3000 gallons per minute while recirculating the water in your pond, waterfall, or water garden. Read More

Pros

  • Clog-free design
  • Energy efficient operation
  • Low maintenance ceramic shaft

Cons

  • Some users report early failure
Product image of Vivosun 1600 GPH Submersible Water Pump

Vivosun 1600 GPH Submersible Water Pump

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This smaller-application pond pump runs at a super-quiet 30-40 decibels with easy installation either inline or submerged in your water feature. Read More

Pros

  • Ultra-quiet operation
  • 13.7 delivery height
  • Price

Cons

  • Some users report low flow rates
Product image of Pond Boss 2,300 GPH Waterfall Pump

Pond Boss 2,300 GPH Waterfall Pump

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This smaller application pond and water garden pump runs quietly without clogging and delivers up to 2,000 gallons per hour. Read More

Pros

  • Anti-clog technology
  • Quiet operation
  • 2000GPH flow rate

Cons

  • Some users report early failure
Product image of Pondmaster Pro Hy-Drive 4800

Pondmaster Pro Hy-Drive 4800

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This pump features an energy-efficient magnetic induction motor with a high-efficiency vortex impeller to keep your pond and water garden circulating day after day. Read More

Pros

  • 4,800GPH flow rate
  • Energy efficient design

Cons

  • Some users report early failure
Product image of Atlantic Water Gardens TT9000

Atlantic Water Gardens TT9000

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This pump works well in larger pond or water gardens, with a massive 9,000GPH flow rate and an energy-efficient design. Read More

Pros

  • Large 9,000GPH flow rate
  • Small relative size
  • Heavy-duty pre-filter to reduce clogs

Cons

  • Some users report inconsistent operation
  • Tetra Pond Debris-Handling Pump
  • Vivosun 1600 GPH Submersible Water Pump
  • Pond Boss 2,300 GPH Waterfall Pump
  • Pondmaster Pro Hy-Drive 4800
  • Atlantic Water Gardens TT9000
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Fish ponds, water gardens, and waterfalls can be beautiful, serene additions to any yard landscape. However, if left uncirculated, the water becomes a stagnant breeding ground for insects and algae, turning your beautiful oasis into an eyesore. A quality pump keeps your water moving, filtered, and fresh, and allows you to add additional features like streams or waterfalls.

When buying a pump, there are several specifications to look for. The first is the maximum flow rate, measured in gallons per hour (GPH). The pump should circulate all the water in the pond in 1-2 hours—meaning a 3000-gallon pond would need a pump with a minimum flow rate of 1500GPH. In addition, if you are pumping water up and out of the pond to feed a stream, waterfall, or fountain, invest in a pump with the correct delivery height, the vertical height that a pump can transfer water to.

We spent some time digging through tons of online reviews to bring you the best water garden and pond pumps out there, as well as the worst. Through our extensive research, we have some great recommendations to offer.

Editor's Note:

The recommendations in this guide are based on thorough product and market research by our team of expert product reviewers. The picks are based on examining user reviews, product specifications, and, in some limited cases, our experience with the specific products named.

Product image of Tetra Pond Debris-Handling Pump
Tetra Pond Debris-Handling Pump

The Tetra Pond Debris-handling Pump is engineered to deliver up to 3000 gallons per hour while handling water debris of up to 1/4-inch. The pump can easily be used to feed water into a filtering system, or can directly feed a waterfall or other feature without a separate filter. Not needing a filter means that your waterfall gets more water delivered, keeping it flowing faster and looking fullter. The pump’s energy-efficient motor and impeller are designed for continuous operation with minimal maintenance, making this effective, easy-to-use solution for your pond or water garden.

Pros

  • Clog-free design

  • Energy efficient operation

  • Low maintenance ceramic shaft

Cons

  • Some users report early failure

$122.00 from Amazon

$164.85 from Walmart
Product image of Vivosun 1600 GPH Submersible Water Pump
Vivosun 1600 GPH Submersible Water Pump

This 100-watt pond pump transfers up to 1600 gallons per hour, with an ultra-quiet operation of between 30 and 40 decibels, which is almost library-quiet. The pump can transfer water to a vertical height of 13.7 feet, making it perfect to feed most water features. The 20-foot power cord and flexible and adjustable hose sizes make installation easy. It can run inline or submerged in your pond, with a detachable filter that makes cleaning the pump a breeze.

Pros

  • Ultra-quiet operation

  • 13.7 delivery height

  • Price

Cons

  • Some users report low flow rates

Buy now at Amazon
Product image of Pond Boss 2,300 GPH Waterfall Pump
Pond Boss 2,300 GPH Waterfall Pump

The Pond Boss Waterfall pump is a fantastic middle-range pump. With a flow rate of up to 2000 gallons per hour, and a delivery height of up to 15 feet, this pump can accommodate most water features with quiet operation. The anti-clog technology keeps the pump running day and night with minimal need for maintenance.

Pros

  • Anti-clog technology

  • Quiet operation

  • 2000GPH flow rate

Cons

  • Some users report early failure

$159.99 from Amazon

$155.00 from Walmart
Product image of Pondmaster Pro Hy-Drive 4800
Pondmaster Pro Hy-Drive 4800

If you need to move a lot of water in your pond, water garden, or aquarium, then this is the pump for you. At 4800 gallons per hour and an 18.7-foot delivery height, this pump can easily feed a large waterfall feature or multiple aquarium tanks. The magnetic induction motor with the high-efficiency vortex impeller keeps the flow rate high even with continuous use, while reducing overall power consumption. And because it operates without oil, it's safe to use submerged in fish-inhabited environments.

Pros

  • 4,800GPH flow rate

  • Energy efficient design

Cons

  • Some users report early failure

Buy now at Amazon

$346.99 from Walmart
Product image of Atlantic Water Gardens TT9000
Atlantic Water Gardens TT9000

For those of you with greater flow needs, the Atlantic Water Garden pump is a great option. With a flow rate of up to 9,000 gallons per minute, this pump can fully recirculate an 18,000-gallon pond in two hours. It can deliver over 2000 gallons per hour up to 22-feet high for truly massive water features. The heavy-duty pre-filter reduces clogging in the machine, with an impeller able to pass smaller debris easily. And at only 11-inches long, this pump fits easily and unobtrusively into your environment.

Pros

  • Large 9,000GPH flow rate

  • Small relative size

  • Heavy-duty pre-filter to reduce clogs

Cons

  • Some users report inconsistent operation

Buy now at Amazon
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Meet the tester

Jean Levasseur

Jean Levasseur

Contributor

Jean Levasseur became a professional writer over a decade-long career in marketing, public relations, and technical writing. After leaving that career to stay home to care for his twin boys, Jean has continued to write in a variety of freelance roles, as well as teaching academic writing at a local university. When he's not reviewing tools or chasing toddlers around the house, he's also an avid fiction writer and a growing woodworker.

See all of Jean Levasseur's reviews

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