very reliable... mine has been running for nearly 10 years changed the impellor only once. They are sturdy. the only fragile part is the media basket's lid clips breaking easily (not the blue pump clips, those are bomb proof)... not a major issue. when they overheat they stop working and then they start working again after they had cooled down. however if this happens check if the impellor is not blocked by any debris just to be sure.. not as silent as eheim though but it doesnt bother me.