Consider for a moment the humble sump pump. Sure, they’re not the most attractive electromechanical devices you’ll encounter during the course of a day. But, when someone needs one-really needs one-these warty-looking little units are worth their weight in gold.
The sump pump is a blissfully plain device that simply suctions undesired water or other liquids out of a basement or other pit and moves it up, out and away from a building’s foundation to a suitable location. While many appliances have been developed and refined since the technological boom that began in the post-World War II era, a good sump pump-like a good hamburger-doesn’t need much improvement.