Hand well pump: backup water when the power goes out

By Alejandro · Updated November 2, 2026 · How we pick

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We compare hand pumps on maker specs and published prices. We haven't installed these pumps ourselves. Here's how we pick.

Our picks

1. Best overall deep-well hand pump

   Simple Pump Deep Well Hand Pump

   A lever-action piston pump that installs in the same well casing as your submersible. The maker says most owners install it in 4–8 hours. Cylinder size trades depth for output, so deep wells pump slowly. Skip it if your casing is under 4 inches.

   • Static water level up to 325 ft
   • 4.5 oz/stroke (to 325 ft) or 20 oz/stroke (to 110 ft)
   • Fits 4" and larger casings
   • Stainless steel, aluminum, NSF PVC
   • Lifetime warranty on materials and workmanship
   From about $855plus $170–$310 shipping; final price depends on water depth · checked October 2026 Check price at Simple Pump

2. Best value for wells to 200 ft

   Flojak Plus Hand Well Pump Kit

   A narrow-profile hand pump built to sit beside a submersible. Flojak says it can pump into pressure, so with the right valves it can refill your pressure tank and run the taps. Skip it if your static water level is below 200 feet.

   • Static water level up to 200 ft
   • Up to 3 gallons per minute
   • Fits 4" and larger casings
   • Can pump into a pressure tank
   • Lifetime warranty, 30-day money back
   About $74050-ft kit; deeper wells need more pipe · checked October 2026 Check price at Flojak

3. Best heavy-duty stainless pump

   Bison Standard Deep Well Hand Pump System

   A polished stainless steel pump head on a drop pipe and lift rod, made in the USA. It's freeze-proof and needs no priming. Skip it if you have a 4-inch casing with a submersible already in it; Bison wants 5 inches or more to fit both.

   • Static water level to 250 ft (300 ft with heavy-duty head)
   • About 4–20 oz per stroke by cylinder size
   • 304 stainless steel head, handle and rod
   • Next to a submersible: 5" or larger casing
   • Lifetime warranty
   Custom quoteBison prices each system by water depth · checked October 2026 Check price at Bison

4. Best low-cost emergency pump for shallow water

   Flojak Rush Emergency Backup Well Pump

   A coiled tube pump you lower into the well only when the power is out. It's for drinking and flushing water, not running the house. Skip it if your water level is deeper than the tube: a 50-foot tube can't reach water 60 feet down.

   • 25 ft or 50 ft lengths
   • About 1 gallon per minute
   • 1" OD pickup tube
   • No assembly; lifetime warranty
   About $20025-ft or 50-ft length · checked October 2026 Check price at Flojak

5. Best pitcher pump for water within 25 ft

   CountyLine Cast Iron Shallow Well Pitcher Pump

   The classic farm pitcher pump. It lifts by suction, so it only works when water is within about 25 feet. It needs priming and must be drained in freezing weather. Skip it for a drilled well with a submersible: it can't reach and won't share the casing.

   • Water within 25 ft of the pump
   • 1-1/4" pipe connection
   • Cast iron
   • 1-year limited warranty
   About $100Tractor Supply price at last check · checked October 2026 Check price at Tractor Supply

Quick comparison

Prices are from each maker's or seller's site at last check. Deep-well systems are priced by depth, so a 200-foot well costs more than the starting price.

How deep each type of hand pump works

Pitcher pumps: up to about 25 feet

A pitcher pump sits on top of a pipe and pulls water up by suction, just like a shallow well jet pump. That limits it to water within about 25 feet of the pump. It suits sand-point wells, dug wells and cisterns. It needs priming, and you have to drain it in freezing weather. It can't share a drilled well with a submersible.

Deep-well hand pumps: piston down in the water

Simple Pump and Bison put a piston cylinder below the water line on a drop pipe. A rod runs from the handle down to the piston. Each stroke pushes water up instead of sucking it, so they can lift from hundreds of feet. They don't need priming, and both makers describe their deep-well pumps as freeze-proof.

The trade-off is effort. A deeper well needs a smaller cylinder, which means less water per stroke. Simple Pump's 20-ounce cylinder works to 110 feet; its 4.5-ounce cylinder works to 325 feet. At 325 feet you get about half a cup of water per stroke.

Flojak: narrow profile, high flow

Flojak uses its own narrow-profile design built to slide in beside an existing electric pump. The Plus rates up to 3 gallons per minute and 200 feet of static water depth. Flojak says it can pump into pressure, so with the right valves it can refill your pressure tank and run the taps.

Installing a hand pump alongside your submersible

Most people buying a hand well pump already have an electric submersible. You don't have to remove it. The hand pump goes down the same casing.

1. Measure the casing. Simple Pump and Flojak Plus are made for 4-inch and larger casings. Bison needs 5 inches or more if a submersible is already in the well. Tell the maker your casing size and what's already in it before you order.
2. Find your static water level. That's the water depth when the pump has been off for a while. A well contractor's log or your county's well records often list it. Buy a system rated deeper than that number, with margin for dry seasons.
3. Plan the well cap. Each maker sells a cap or seal that lets the hand pump's pipe pass through next to the submersible's pipe and wire.
4. Keep clear of the submersible wire. The hand pump's pipe hangs beside it. Lower it slowly and secure it so a dropped part can't fall onto the submersible.
5. Disinfect and test. Opening the well can let bacteria in. Shock-chlorinate afterward and test for coliform before drinking.

Simple Pump says most owners install its system in 4 to 8 hours. If you're not comfortable working over an open well with pipe sections, a well contractor can install any of these. Angi's August 2026 data puts installed hand pumps at about $400 to $1,500.

How to choose a hand well pump

• Static water level decides the type. Under 25 feet: a pitcher pump or the Flojak Rush can work. Deeper: a true deep-well pump.
• How you'll use it. For a few gallons in an outage, a basic system is enough. For running the house off-grid, pick one that can pump into your pressure tank.
• Casing size with the submersible in place.
• Freezing. Bison and Simple Pump list their deep-well pumps as freeze-proof. Pitcher pumps are not.
• Who will pump. Deep wells with small cylinders take many strokes per gallon. Longer handles help; Flojak sells extension handles.

Mistakes to avoid

• Buying by well depth instead of water depth. A 300-foot well with water at 60 feet only needs a 60-foot-plus system.
• Using a pitcher pump on a deep well. It can't lift water more than about 25 feet.
• Forgetting your treatment system. Water from a hand pump spout skips your filters. If your well has bacteria, arsenic or nitrate, treat or boil it as your test results require. Boiling kills bacteria but does not remove arsenic or nitrate.
• Waiting for the outage. Install and test it while the power is on. Pump it a few times a year so you know it works.
• Ignoring sediment. A hand pump's intake sits low in the well and can pick up sand. Let the first few gallons run to waste after it sits.