What Grohe Sense does well
Grohe Sense is a good product — for its intended purpose. Here's what it does well:
- Leak detection: Detects water on the floor immediately — ideal under the dishwasher, at the washbasin, or in the laundry room.
- Local alarm: On contact with water it beeps loudly and flashes red — even without WiFi, because it runs on batteries (3 × AAA).
- Room climate: Measures temperature and humidity every hour and warns you in the app about frost and mould risk.
- Automatic shutoff: Combined with the Sense Guard, the water supply can be shut off automatically — genuine protection against burst pipes.
- Easy installation: Just place it on the floor, connect via the app — done.
Why Grohe Sense falls short in a pump sump
The problem: Grohe Sense sits on the floor and waits for water. In a pump sump, this approach doesn't work — for several reasons:
- No probe, no sump use: Grohe Sense has no submersible probe. You can't lower it into a pump sump to measure the water level.
- Detection only after flooding: The sensor only alerts when water reaches the basement floor — by then it's already too late.
- No push notification in a power cut: Grohe Sense runs on batteries and still beeps without mains power. But when the power fails (and your pump stops), your router goes down too — the push notification never arrives. Only someone at home hears the beep.
- No pump monitoring: Grohe Sense cannot detect whether your pump is still running, pumping too infrequently, or has failed entirely.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Drainbee | Grohe Sense |
|---|---|---|
| Continuous water level monitoring | ||
| Alert on water contact at floor level | ||
| Submersible probe for pump sumps | ||
| Alert during power outage | ||
| Pump cycle and inflow history | ||
| Automatic water shutoff | Sense Guard | |
| Alert on WiFi loss | ||
| Alert at adjustable threshold | ||
| Cloud dashboard with history | Grohe App | |
| Audible alarm on the device | ||
| Room temperature and humidity | ||
| Self-learning thresholds |
When do you need which?
Choose Grohe Sense if …
- You want to detect leaks in the kitchen, bathroom, or laundry room
- You already have Grohe Sense devices at home (Grohe Germany no longer sells them new)
- You want to automatically shut off the water supply with the Sense Guard
- You don't have a pump sump or drainage shaft
Choose Drainbee if …
- You want to monitor a pump sump, drainage system, or shaft
- You want to be warned before water reaches the basement
- You want to see in the history whether and how often your pump runs
- You want alerts even during power outages (Drainbee notices when power or WiFi drops out and alerts you in the app)
- You don't want to find out about flooding only after it's happened
Or both: Grohe Sense in the kitchen and bathroom — Drainbee in the pump sump. Both systems work independently.
Verdict
Grohe Sense is a solid water detector — for leaks on the floor. But if you want to monitor a pump sump, drainage, or shaft, Grohe Sense is simply the wrong tool. It lacks the probe, it can't show you the level or the pump, and in a power cut no push notification gets through.
Drainbee was built exactly for this problem: continuous water level measurement, pump cycle and inflow history, app alerts — even on power outage and WiFi loss. One-time purchase for €298, no subscription, no smart home hub needed.
Drainbee was built exactly for this problem: continuous water level measurement, pump cycle and inflow history, app alerts — even on power outage and WiFi loss. One-time purchase for €298, no subscription, no smart home hub needed.
Frequently asked questions
Can I put Grohe Sense in the pump sump?
No. Grohe Sense is a floor sensor and not waterproof in the sense of a submersible sensor. It has no probe you could lower into a shaft. For pump sumps, you need a sensor like Drainbee that measures the water level directly in the shaft with a submersible probe.
Does Grohe Sense alert during power outages?
Not on your phone. Grohe Sense runs on batteries, so it still sounds a local alarm (beep and flashing light) on contact with water without mains power. But the push notification needs WiFi with internet — and the router goes down in a power cut. There is no separate “power lost” alert. Drainbee has no battery: when power or WiFi drops, the device stops reporting. The Drainbee cloud notices and alerts you in the app.
What does Drainbee cost compared to Grohe Sense?
There is no current RRP for Grohe Sense or Sense Guard: Grohe Germany lists both as no longer available (as of 10/2026), and retailers only have remaining stock. Drainbee costs €298 as a one-time purchase — no subscription, no additional hardware. For that you get water level measurement, pump cycle and inflow history, and app alerts — even on power outage and WiFi loss.
Can I use Grohe Sense and Drainbee at the same time?
Yes — and that's actually the best solution for many homes. Grohe Sense detects leaks in the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room. Drainbee monitors the pump sump and alerts you about rising water levels or pump failure. Both systems work completely independently.
Does Grohe Sense detect if my basement pump fails?
No. Grohe Sense has no pump monitoring function. It only detects water that touches the floor. Drainbee measures the water level directly in the shaft: if the pump fails, the level rises and you get an alert as soon as your threshold is reached — before the sump overflows. The pump cycle history also shows you whether the pump is running at all.