Well pumps
Best Hand Pumps for an Existing Well
Here is the gap in most outage plans: your well is full of water, and your pump cannot touch it, because the submersible down the casing runs on grid power. A manual hand pump fixes that permanently. For most drilled wells the answer is the FloJak Plus, a stainless deep-well pump that installs beside your electric one. If your water sits within about 25 feet of the surface, a simple pitcher pump does it for far less. The depth question decides everything, so we start there.
Settle this first
Shallow or deep: the one number that decides your pump
Every hand pump on the market belongs to one of two families, and which family you need depends on a single number: your static water level, the depth at which water actually sits in your casing. Note that this is not the same as well depth. A 300-foot borehole often has water standing 40 feet from the surface.
Shallow-well pumps (pitcher pumps) sit on top of the well and pull water up by suction. Atmospheric pressure caps how far suction can lift water: about 25 feet at sea level, and Simple Pump's engineering notes put the penalty at roughly 1 foot of lift lost per 900 feet of elevation. No design cleverness gets around it, which is why every honest pitcher pump lists the same 25-foot figure.
Deep-well pumps cheat that limit by moving the work downhole. A piston cylinder hangs below the waterline on a string of pipe, and the handle at the surface drives it through a sucker rod, pushing water up instead of sucking it. That is how systems like the FloJak Plus reach static depths of 200 feet, and premium rod pumps go deeper still. It costs more and the install is a real project, but depth stops being a problem.
So before you shop: dig out your well report or drop a weighted string down the casing. Inside 25 feet to water, buy a pitcher pump and pocket the difference. Beyond it, you need a deep-well system, full stop.
Quick picks
Short on time? Start here
FloJak Plus
Stainless deep-well backup to 200 ft static, up to 3 GPM, installs beside your submersible.
FloJak Ready
Fully assembled coil that stores in a closet and drops down 2 inches of clearance.
Merrill Pitcher Pump
Rebuildable cast iron from a real well-supply maker, for water within 25 feet.
At a glance
How the pumps compare
| Pump | Type | Max static depth | Well fit | Build |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FloJak Plus | Deep well | 200 ft | 4 in+ casing, cap or seal | Stainless + PVC |
| FloJak Ready | Deep well | 150 ft (longest length) | 2 in clearance | Assembled coil |
| FloJak Original | Deep well | 100 ft | Casing fitting 2 in pump | PVC, stainless upper |
| Merrill PUMPHD125 | Shallow (suction) | ~25 ft | 1-1/4 in drop pipe | Cast iron, rebuildable |
| VEVOR Pitcher Pump | Shallow (suction) | 25 ft | NPT 1-1/4 in | Coated cast iron |
The picks in detail
Our top hand pumps for an existing well
FloJak Plus 100 Foot Stainless Steel Hand Well Pump
Static water depth: Up to 200 ft (50-200 ft lengths)Output: Up to 3 GPMBest for: A backup you install once and trust
The FloJak Plus is the pump to buy if you want a deep-well backup that lives in the well year round and works the day you need it. It is American made from high-grade stainless steel and premium PVC, reaches static water depths up to 200 feet, and moves up to 3 gallons per minute, which is the strongest output in the category. The modular design fits well casings of 4 inches and larger, mounts through a well seal or cap, and installs alongside your existing submersible, so your electric pump keeps doing the daily work. It can even pump into your pressure tank through a standard hose connection, and FloJak lists it as freeze proof. The trade-offs are real but fair: it is the priciest tier of the FloJak line and assembly of the pipe sections is an afternoon project, not a five-minute one.
What we like
- Strongest output here, up to 3 gallons per minute
- Installs beside your existing submersible pump
- Can pump into the pressure tank to restore house water
Worth knowing
- Costs the most of the FloJak line
- Sectional assembly and well-cap work take an afternoon
FloJak Ready 100 Foot Hand Well Pump
Static water depth: 25-150 ft lengths soldOutput: 1.5+ GPMBest for: Emergency deployment, tight casings
The Ready solves a different problem than the Plus: instead of living in the well, it lives coiled in a closet or garage until the grid goes down. It ships fully assembled, so deployment is uncoiling it, feeding it down the casing, and pumping. It needs only 2 inches of clearance, which means it drops in beside an existing submersible in wells where a rigid pipe system will not fit, and FloJak sells gripper mounts for 2 to 8 inch caps and seals. Output is a steady 1.5 or more gallons per minute, about half the Plus, and a long coil of pipe takes some patience to manage the first time. As the no-assembly insurance policy for a household that already has working well water, it is the easiest answer on this page.
What we like
- Fully assembled, no glue or pipe sections
- Needs only 2 inches of casing clearance
- Stores compactly until an outage actually happens
Worth knowing
- Slower than the Plus at about 1.5 gallons per minute
- A 100-foot coil is awkward to handle solo the first time
FloJak Original 100 Foot PVC Hand Well Pump Kit
Static water depth: Lifts from 100 ftBuild: PVC sections, stainless upperBest for: DIY savings on a deep well
The Original is the kit that made FloJak's name: a 2-inch diameter pump with a sanitary-grade stainless steel upper and a PVC pipe body that you cement together yourself, which is exactly where the savings come from. It lifts water 100 feet from the static level, pushes water up through a hollow sucker rod and out the handle, and can deliver pressurized water into household plumbing rather than just splashing a bucket. FloJak puts assembly at roughly 45 minutes once the parts are laid out, and PVC cement is forgiving work, but it is still a build-it-yourself project and the all-PVC body gives up some long-term toughness against the stainless Plus. If your static water sits well below suction range and the budget matters, this is the honest pick.
What we like
- Cheapest path to real deep-well capability
- Stainless steel upper where the wear happens
- Can push water into household plumbing
Worth knowing
- You cement the PVC sections yourself
- PVC body is less rugged than the stainless Plus
Merrill MFG PUMPHD125 Heavy Duty Cast Iron Pitcher Pump
Static water depth: ~25 ft max (suction)Build: Cast iron, replaceable internalsBest for: Well points and shallow dug wells
If your static water sits within suction range, you do not need pipe sections and pump rods at all. A pitcher pump on top of the well does the job, and the Merrill is the one to buy because Merrill Manufacturing is an actual American well-supply maker, not a garden-decor importer. The PUMPHD125 is heavy-duty cast iron with an internal pump cylinder, a molded rubber flapper seal, a molded cup seal, and replaceable internals, which means you can rebuild it for decades instead of replacing it. It connects to a standard 1-1/4 inch drop pipe, the classic setup on driven well points and shallow dug wells. The hard limit is physics: as a suction pump it cannot lift from deeper than about 25 feet, it needs priming water to start, and an outdoor install must be drained before a hard freeze.
What we like
- Real well-supply brand with replaceable internals
- Serviceable for decades, not a throwaway
- Simple 1-1/4 inch pipe connection
Worth knowing
- Suction only, useless past roughly 25 feet to water
- Needs priming, and must be drained for winter outdoors
VEVOR Well Hand Pitcher Pump 25 ft
Static water depth: 25 ft max (suction)Build: Cast iron, NPT 1-1/4 inBest for: Cheap insurance on shallow water
The VEVOR is the budget version of the same idea: a cast iron pitcher pump rated for a 25-foot maximum lift with a standard NPT 1-1/4 inch connection. VEVOR says it bolts down in 2 to 3 minutes with a screwdriver, and its own instructions are refreshingly honest about how these pumps actually start: pour water in the top, wait about 5 minutes for the leather cup to swell against the cylinder wall, then work the handle in short strokes until the suction pipe fills. That ritual is true of every pitcher pump, not just this one. What you give up against the Merrill is pedigree, since VEVOR is a generalist import brand and the long-term parts story is thinner. As a low-cost backup on a well point, a cistern, or a shallow well at a camp, it earns its spot.
What we like
- Cheapest working backup on this list
- Standard 1-1/4 inch connection, quick install
- Rust-resistant coated cast iron body
Worth knowing
- Import brand, thinner parts and support story
- Leather cup needs a soak and prime before it pumps
How to buy a hand pump for your well
Start with the measurement, not the product page. Find your static water level from the well report or a weighted string, then add a margin, because static levels sink in late summer and drought years. The pump's cylinder or intake has to sit below the water at its lowest, so a 60-foot static level wants a 100-foot system, not a 50. Buying the next length up costs little next to discovering your pump hangs in dry casing during the outage you bought it for.
Next, confirm the pump physically fits your well. Casing diameter and the space left beside your submersible's drop pipe and wiring are the constraints. The FloJak Plus wants a 4-inch or larger casing and mounts through a well seal or cap, while the Ready threads down just 2 inches of clearance, which is the difference-maker in a crowded casing. Pitcher pumps skip the casing question entirely and connect to a 1-1/4 inch suction pipe, which is why they pair so naturally with driven well points.
Then decide between always-installed and stored-until-needed. A permanently mounted pump like the Plus is ready the minute the lights go out and doubles as everyday off-grid infrastructure, but it commits you to the install. A coiled system like the Ready costs less commitment and hides in a closet, at the price of deploying it during the emergency itself, possibly in the rain, possibly in the dark. Be honest about which version of you will actually do that work.
Finally, respect the unglamorous details. Suction pumps need priming water and a few minutes for the leathers to swell before they pull. Outdoor pitcher pumps must be drained ahead of a hard freeze or the casting cracks. Deep-well kits involve real assembly, and anything that opens your well cap should be done with clean hands and clean pipe, since dropping grit and surface bacteria down the casing is how good wells go bad. None of this is hard. All of it matters more than the brand name on the handle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a hand pump share the well with my electric pump?
Usually yes, and that is exactly how these are designed to be used. The FloJak Plus is sold as a submersible pump backup that installs beside your existing electric pump through a modified well seal or cap, and the FloJak Ready needs only 2 inches of clearance, which fits down most 4-inch and larger casings next to the drop pipe and wiring. Measure the open space in your casing first, and if a well company installed your system, your well report will list the casing diameter.
How do I find my static water level?
Start with the well report filed when your well was drilled, which lists static water level, well depth, and casing size; your driller or your state's well database usually has a copy. To measure it yourself, lower a weighted string with a float or chalked end down the casing until it reaches water, then measure the dry length. Check it in late summer too, since static levels drop in dry months, and buy your pump for the worst-case depth plus a margin.
My well is 300 feet deep. Do I need a 300-foot pump?
Probably not. What matters is the static water level, which is where the water sits in the casing, not how deep the borehole goes. Water in a deep borehole often stands far above the bottom because the aquifer is under pressure. Size the pump so its cylinder sits comfortably below your lowest seasonal static level, and you will usually need far less pump than the drilled depth suggests.
Will a cheap pitcher pump work on my drilled well?
Only if your static water is within suction range. A pitcher pump pulls water up by vacuum, and at sea level the practical limit is about 25 feet, with roughly 1 foot of lift lost for every 900 feet of elevation. If you live at 4,500 feet, plan on about 20 feet of real lift. Past that, no amount of handle pumping helps, because the limit is atmospheric pressure, not effort. Deeper water needs a deep-well pump that puts the cylinder down below the waterline.
What happens to a hand pump in winter?
It depends on the design. Deep-well systems like the FloJak Plus are listed by the maker as freeze proof, since the standing water column sits down the casing rather than in exposed parts at the surface. A pitcher pump is the opposite: it holds water in its body and suction pipe, so an outdoor install must be drained before a hard freeze or the casting can crack. A pump inside a well house or basement avoids the problem entirely.
How much water can I realistically hand pump?
More than you might think for drinking and cooking, less than a household is used to. The FloJak Plus moves up to 3 gallons per minute and the Ready about 1.5, so a few minutes of steady pumping covers the gallon per person per day that FEMA recommends planning for, with plenty left over for washing. What hand pumping will not do is run showers, laundry, and irrigation, so pair the pump with stored water for comfort.