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Two is better than one, especially if you’re talking about sump pumps . If you consider your primary sump pump as being in charge of keeping your basement or crawl space dry, you can think of a battery backup sump pump as the main pump’s insurance provider.

Choosing a battery backup sump pump is important, and every pump manufacturer claims to sell the best one. The truth is that most backup pumps are good. However, some are better than others, depending on your individual situation.

To help make your decision easier, we’ve compiled a list of the five best battery backup sump pumps available, along with some tips to help steer you towards the one that’s right for you.

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Basement Watchdog Emergency Sump Pump

The Basement Watchdog Company only builds sump pumps and related products. It’s no surprise that they’ve ended up on top of our list. The Basement Watchdog Emergency Sump Pump beats out its competitors in nearly every category.

The beauty is in its simplicity. Amazon lists this lightweight, one-third horsepower, submersible backup sump pump at just $145.05. It’ll pump a maximum of 2,000 gallons of water per hour, intermittently, for several days, on a single battery charge.

Its compact design means it’ll fit in even the most narrow sump basins. The unit can even be stacked directly on top of your primary sump pump if needed. The control unit has audible alarms and a visual display for normal, high water and pump activation notifications. It also has a battery fluid level monitor so you’ll know when to double-check the battery. It won’t perform any self-testing, which is normal for a low cost pump, but it does come with a 24 month warranty.

Superior Pump 92900 12V Battery Backup Submersible Sump Pump

The Superior Pump 92900 12V Battery Backup Submersible Sump Pump easily takes our number two spot. For $170.51, at Amazon, you can get this emergency sump pump, capable of pumping 1,380 gallon per hour, that comes with a whole lot of extras.

We liked its loud, but mutable, 87 decibel alarm for high water and pump activation, and its clog-resistant impeller. Also in the box, you’ll find a relatively quick charging, 2 amp charger, all the mounting hardware you may need and a universal check valve to fit both 1-½ inch and 1-¼ inch discharge outlets.

At 12.5 pounds, it’s a little heavy for a thermoplastic-body sump pump, but it’s still compact enough to fit into tight sump basins. We like that the control panel is straightforward, but the 12 month warranty seemed a little short.

Basement Watchdog Special CONNECT Sump Pump

Worrying about a high water situation goes away as quickly as the water does with our third pick. The Basement Watchdog Special CONNECT Sump Pump gives you plenty of anxiety-reducing options to choose from, along with its other emergency sump pump standards.

For Amazon’s price of $262.58, you’ll get a thermoplastic bodied, one-third horsepower emergency sump pump that can move up to 2,600 gallons of water per hour. But, there’s more. The Basement Watchdog’s Special CONNECT system is what makes this product stand out.

The CONNECT module that comes in the box is capable of plugging into your home security system, an auto dialer or almost any other method of receiving messages you choose. There’s even a phone app to ensure that you’re always informed. Keep in mind that the cables needed for some devices are sold separately, though.

As an option, for an additional $110 or so, it can even connect to a proprietary Wi-Fi controller. A 24 month warranty protects your purchase.

Zoeller Aquanot® Spin 508 Sump Pump

The Zoeller Aquanot Spin 508 Sump Pump is next on our list. For peace of mind, there are few competitors that can compare. Peace of mind doesn’t come cheaply, though. Amazon sellshis emergency sump pump that’s packed full of important and convenient features for $392.62. You’ll also get a, long, 36 month warranty for even more peace of mind and security.

The 508 is an aluminum bodied, 3/10 horsepower, submersible pump can clear out up to 2,580 gph of water, and comes with an integrated check valve for easy installation.

Things get even more interesting when we talk about its controller’s specs. The pump comes with a self-testing, early warning, extremely fast and efficient charging control center, that protects your battery from overcharging and tells you everything you need to know about the system’s status on its LCD screen.

Wayne ESP25 Upgraded 12-Volt Battery Backup System

Don’t be fooled by the humble simplicity of our fifth place holder. If you need to move a lot of water quickly and aren’t worried about extra bells and whistles, the Wayne ESP25 Upgraded 12-Volt Battery Backup System could be your answer. For $299.99 at Amazon, it’ll get a maximum of 2,700 gallons of water out of where it shouldn’t be.

It’s, quite simply, a one-third horsepower, cast iron, workhorse. It runs best on a proprietary, separately sold, 75 amp battery, and can run for six hours on a single charge. That’s a lot of run time, considering the pump only needs to operate for several seconds at a time.

The charge controller and LCD screen keeps you informed, with visual status notifications and audible alarms. It’s covered by a 24 month warranty.

Hopefully, you won’t have to rely on your backup pump too often. When you do, though, it’s nice to know that the one you chose is up to the task. Consider the following factors to help you determine which battery backup sump pump is best for your situation.

Battery backup sump pumps are generally available in two types. Thermoplastic bodied and metal-bodied pumps, with metal-bodied pumps being moderately more expensive and substantially more durable. Other than those two variables, the cost of a backup system largely depends on the features that come with it.

Optional conveniences, such as home system connectivity, alarm systems, charging system complexity, battery compatibility and general ease of use, all drive up the cost of an emergency sump pump system.

Sort through the options by balancing a comfortable price point against how much convenience you desire.

Your house, its needs and your comfort level are all unique. Homes situated in particularly wet environments, or places with a high water table, will have very different sump pump capacity needs than homes surrounded by a desert.

Older houses may have water seeping through the basement walls for several days after a heavy rain event. Newer homes may have been designed to flush out as much water as quickly as possible.

Your backup pump may not need as much water pumping capacity as your primary sump pump, but it should be able to move enough water to keep things dry in the case of an extended power failure.

A battery backup sump pump requires the use of a deep-cycle battery that’s normally sold separately. They come in several forms. Although most emergency sump pumps can run on any 12-volt battery in a pinch, there are some that are better than others for the job. A deep-cycle lead-acid battery with a rating of at least 75 amp-hours is recommended. For the most protection, batteries rated to 120 amp-hours are available.

Keep in mind that maintenance-free batteries still need to be checked from time to time to be certain that they’re holding a charge and aren’t damaged in any way.

A good battery backup sump pump system costs real money. You might never even need to use it. Why bother? Here are a few reasons to consider spending the cash.

Your primary sump pump does all the work needed to protect your home from intruding water. But, it requires grid-supplied electricity. A common time for the grid’s power to be disrupted is during a storm. The storm that knocked out the power also may have dumped a lot of rain. Rain that could end up in your basement or crawl space.

A good battery backup sump pump is not only ready and willing to take on this challenge, but will keep you notified of any problems with the system while you’re waiting for the storm.

Every once in a while, nature gives us something unexpected. Should a rain event occur that’s large enough to overwhelm your primary sump pump, having an emergency sump pump in place and ready to go could be the difference between a dry basement or a flooded one.

Any backup system is better than no backup system for peace of mind. The main differences from one battery backup sump pump to another, though, is often attributed to their ability to communicate with their owner.

Communication of high water warnings, activation alarms, low battery charge issues, etc., are important for maintaining confidence in your backup system. The more information the system can clearly communicate to you, the better.

To determine the best sump pump ranking, the Forbes Home Improvement editorial team analyzed third-party data on over 30 major products, with each product’s star rating determined by evaluating a variety of metrics, including:

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A battery backup sump pump system costs an average of $900 to install professionally. That doesn’t include the cost of the primary sump pump . However, the installation cost of a backup system is highly dependent on the home’s situation and the features you’d like to have.

A new or well-maintained deep-cycle battery rated at 75 amp-hours will run a backup sump pump for about six hours without stopping. That’s about two days of real-life, intermittent operation. Add or subtract approximately one hour of continuous run time for each 10 amp-hours of higher or lower battery rating. Poorly maintained batteries, and old batteries, will have diminished performance.

A backup sump pump itself can last several years if it’s seldom used, which is often the case. Some homeowners replace the backup pump whenever they replace their primary pump. The battery, however, only has an average expected lifespan of about four years.

If valuables are stored in an area that could flood without a sump pump, then there’s little question of whether or not having a backup for that pump is worth the cost. In some homes, impenetrable walls, effective floor drains or large empty spaces may lessen the need for an emergency backup pump. In those cases, if the primary pump fails, it may not mean imminent disaster.

For most homeowners living in places where a sump pump is needed, it is worth the cost of the insurance provided by a battery backup sump pump since they reduce the risk of preventable water damage to the home and its contents.

Deane is a 30+ year veteran in the contracting, remodeling, maintenance, and home repair industry. His experience ranges from licensed building contracting to property maintenance company ownership. Currently operating a home repair and DIY consulting service, he empowers his clients to be self-sufficient in their home repair and remodeling endeavors.

Lexie is an assistant editor who is responsible for writing and editing articles over a wide variety of home-related topics. She has almost four years’ experience in the home improvement space and harnessed her expertise while working for companies like HomeAdvisor and Angi (formerly Angie’s List).