  Piston pumps rely on ball valves, which must be protected with strainers and yet more valves: back-pressure valves, for example. Foot valves are needed to maintain prime. Valves are prone to clogging and breakdown.
Piston pumps are expensive to maintain, requiring disassembly for cleaning, which can still be difficult to achieve properly; with the result that contamination is a common problem.
Watson-Marlow Bredel peristaltic pumps score on all counts.
- No valves
- No ancillary equipment
- Low maintenance
- Low cleaning
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