When looking for a budget sump pump, it’s tempting to buy the first discount pump you find at your local Home-Depot, ACE, or Menards-type box store. And sure; they’ll last for a few months or maybe even a year or two. But if you’re like us, you aren’t a fan of wasting time, throwing away money, or spending hours every few weekends cleaning out your basement whenever a cheap sump pump fails to do its job. We’d recommend spending more money the first time and doing the job right; there are sump pumps out there that will last for years and years while providing top notch water removal every step of the way.
When considering such pumps, our buy-it-for-life recommendation is always the Zoeller M267. It’s one of the fastest sump pumps on the market and it’s also one of the longest lasting money can buy (think 10-20 years of service). However, it’s also around $300. If your budget is capped at $200, we’d recommend looking at pumps like the Zoeller M57, Wayne CDU1000, and Wayne CDU980E first. Among these three, we prefer the Zoeller because despite being slower, it’s built better and will last longer. This is where the Zoeller M63 Premium Series Might-Mate Submersible Sump Pump comes in. It’s an upgraded version of the M53 that still clocks in at the $200 mark while offering a much stronger warranty and beefier internal parts. If you want the best sump pump for $200, this might just be it. Read on to find out why.
Key Features of the Zoeller M63 Sump Pump (60 Second Summary)
The Zoeller M63 sump pump is an automatic submersible sump pump rated for dewatering (sump systems), groundwater transfer, and effluent (sewage) work. It features a 3/10 (approximately 1/3) HP motor, can pump water at up to 2,580 gallons per hour, and includes a 5 year manufacturer warranty. It is 10-1/16 inches tall, 10-3/32 inches wide, and 7 inches deep. Its maximum pumping height is 19.25 feet with switch-on and switch-off heights of 3 inches and 7-1/4 inches respectively; it includes a vertical float switch. It uses 9.7 amps on 115 volts and it doesn’t include a battery backup. On our scale it weighed 27.9 pounds and it comes with a 10 foot power cord. While the max pump rate is 2,580 gallons per hour at 0 feet, at 10 feet it drops to 2,040 gph, to 1,140 gph at 15 feet, and ceases operation by 20 feet. The working temperature range spans 40-130 degrees Fahrenheit. The M63 self-primes and is fully constructed from cast iron, including the impeller. Amazon incorrectly reports the discharge size as 1-1/2″ FPT; it’s actually 1-1/2″ NPT, and it needs sump pits at least 15 inches in diameter.
How Does the Zoeller M63 Compare to the Zoeller M57, Wayne CDU1000, and Zoeller M267 Sump Pumps?
The main differences between the M63 and the M57 have to do with warranty coverage. Due to better internal and external construction (including the high quality float switch system), the M63 comes with a 5 year warranty, which is leagues better than the 1 year warranty of the M57. We’d expect the M63 to last between 10 and 17 years due to the tighter internal tolerances. We’re also happy to see the power cord is lengthened in the M63 compared to that in the M57.
In comparison, while the Wayne CDU1000 offers a stronger motor (1HP vs .3HP in the M63), a much faster top flow rate (5,400 gallons per hours vs 2,580 in the M63), and an equivalently strong 5 year warranty, the M63 is built more solidly both externally and internally. Due to its construction standards, the M63 is more likely to continue to run over time (even in environments with hard or calcified water) and it’s more likely to keep working through contaminants, debris, and other detritus in your sump pit. The cast iron impeller is capable of shredding up to 1/2 inch (12mm) spherical solids. We’d expect 5-9 years of life from the CDU1000, but we’d expect 10-17 from the M63. If you aren’t a fan of replacing sump pumps (and besides plumbers, we’ve yet to find someone who is), you’ll want to invest in peace of mind.
That said, if peace of mind is your ultimate goal, and you’d prefer to keep your sump pump working and out of the way for as long as possible, you’ll want to skip the M63, the M57, and the CDU1000 and go straight to the Zoeller M267. It’s far faster than any of these pumps, including the CDU1000 (its maximum flow rate is a class-leading 7,680 gallons per hour) while being capable of handling up to 2 inch solids (the CDU1000 isn’t rated for handling solids while the other Zoellers are only rated for up to 1/2 inch solids), and you can expect up to 20 years of useful life. This is the pump to get if you want a lifetime sump pump: the M267.
Our Short and Long Term Experiences Installing and Using the Zoeller M63 Sump Pump
Installing the M63 was straightforward, and even with limited plumbing experience it’s unlikely to take more than an hour with necessary tubing and connectors on hand. Connect a 1-1/2 inch male threaded fitting to the sump discharge hose or pipe; place your sump pump in the sump basin and level it. Ensure the float isn’t touching anything and is free to move up and down, and plug everything in. Add a check valve (we like the Brady check valve) and a relief hole as noted in the instruction sheet. That’s pretty much it.
The noise and vibration levels are next to nonexistent; it’s noticeably quieter than the M57, which we attribute to the higher end and better balanced components. You won’t be able to hear it from more than a couple of feet away, and if feedback from other plumbers and homeowners is any indication, you’ll be able to enjoy such functionality for a good 10-16 years if you’re lucky.
Troubleshooting and Installation Tips to Get Your Zoeller M63 Working Sooner
Our three biggest recommendations for using the M63 involve checking the float switch action from time to time (particularly if you’re lucky enough to have a sump basin that doesn’t fill up on a daily basis like those in the northern Illinois wetland), to buy and install a DC backup sump pump (or a water based backup sump pump), and to add a water alarm for extra insurance.
Checking the float switch action helps make sure it doesn’t get stuck over time due to disuse, and this ensures that the next time your sump basin starts to fill, the float switch will be loose enough to activate when necessary. The DC backup sump pump is an essential piece of insurance for any AC based sump pump, as a battery powered sump pump will take over in the event of a loss of power when your AC sump pump turns off.
If you’ve got the money, the top DC backup sump pump is the Wayne WSM3300. However, if you’re working with a much smaller budget, the Wayne ESP25 is a good alternative. And for a cheap but effective water alarm (which you’ll want to install just above the backup float switch, which should be installed just above your AC float switch), we like the Basement Watchdog. Remember that both the backup sump pump and the water sensor are much cheaper than any amount of time and money spent cleaning a flooded basement.
Zoeller M63 Sump Pump Pros, Cons, and Value Comparison
In conclusion, at the $200 mark, we can’t find a better sump pump on the market. The Wayne CDU1000 is a faster pumps and worth considering if you absolutely need higher flow rates, but at under $200, the M63 in our books is the best sump pump for the money. It’s going to last longer and it’s going to do a much better job at handling dirty, contaminated, or debris-filled water. We’re also highly impressed with the 5 year warranty. That said, it’s not the best AC sump pump out there; we’d put the Zoeller M267 far ahead of any other AC sump pump on the market under $400 in terms of speed and long term reliability.
You can buy the Zoeller M63 here on Amazon. You can buy the Zoeller M267 here. You can buy the Wayne CDU1000 here. You can buy the Wayne ESP25 here or buy the Wayne WSM3300 here. You can buy a water alarm here. You can buy a silent check valve here.
If you find our work at PumpThatSump helpful, you can put our relentless reviewing of every pump and fixture on the market to the test by shopping via our links above for whatever you need to make your house a home. Despite being self-employed, we promise not to spend it all on health insurance.