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Reviewers Swear This Brilliant Gadget Saved Them Hundreds On Plumbing Bills
If you need to fix a clogged pipe in your home, buying a drain snake can be an affordable and effective solution to a common household problem. Drain snakes (which can also be referred to as plumber's snakes or augers) are typically a step up from a plunger, that are still less expensive than calling a professional plumber to service your home. When researching the best drain snake for home use, it's important to consider how deep the obstruction is that you're hoping to clear, how big the drain is, and how much you're willing to spend on a DIY solution.
The average drain snake that you'll find for sale online or at a hardware store is designed to handle shallow residential shower and sink blockages, but if you are dealing with a stopped up toilet or an extra-deep clog, you may want to consider a more specialized or longer drain snake. Keep in mind that using a snake drain can take some practice to master, but the financial savings over time can make it worth the effort to learn how to operate one.
For an in-depth look at some of the best drain snake for home use tools you can buy, scroll through the options below.
1The Best Basic Snake That's Only $9
The bendable design of this inexpensive drain snake from MIBOW allows it to reach over 3 feet down into curved pipes. As you grip onto the silicone handle and give the tool a few twists, the burrs on the snake's steel spring cable latch onto the wads of hair and other material that may be blocking the pipe. You can then easily pull up the clog, dislodge it from the snake, and dispose of it. For less than $10, you won't find an easier to use tool to clear a drain.
Glowing Review: "Shower drain has been running slow since we moved in 4 years ago. I cleaned it a few times with the little plastic zip things which got a lot of stuff out...drain would work a bit better for a few days but then bad again. I was finally about to call Roto Rooter and thought, before I spent $200, why not give this thing a try. AMAZING. It went in so easily that I was sure it wasn’t working but lo and behold, when I pulled it back out, it was truly disgusting how much crud this thing pulled out. I included a photo of what came out on the first pull. Drain is, well, actually DRAINING now. Imagine that! And this took less than 5 mins of my time! Best investment ever!"
2A Snake That Won't Scratch Your Toilet Bowl
What makes this Liquid-Plumr snake unique from other products is that its spring coil is covered with a vinyl sleeve that prevents the porcelain of your toilet from being scratched as you maneuver the snake around the bowl. That way, you don't have to choose between having a functional toilet and a pristine-looking one. Like other drain snakes, you operate it by manually feeding the snake down into the pipe and then twirling the handle in a circular motion. The snake then grabs the clogged material, allowing you to pull it up and out the pipe.
Glowing Review: "Saved a call to a plumber for a slow/clogged toilet. Had used two different plungers, which would get water flowing but the smallest bit of toilet paper being flushed would slow it to a near stop again. Used dish soap and warm water from a large pot, didn't fix the toilet. Used a flexible drain snake but it was unable to dislodge whatever was stuck in the bend. Got this dedicated toilet auger and it was able to apply enough force to push whatever was stuck out and the toilet works like normal again."
3An Extra-Long Option For Deeper Clogs
When you have a deep-rooted clog, only an extra-long drain snake like this Cobra Plumbing one may be able to fix it. It has over 50 feet in length and is made of extra durable and rust-proof steel wire, ensuring that it can not only reach but pull up debris buried deep inside a long pipe. So whether you need to clear a basement floor drain or a backyard pipe, this heavy-duty drain snake is up to the task.
Glowing Review: "I needed an extra-long drain auger to clear out the rain drainage pipes in my back yard, and this 50' 3/8" auger was perfect.... Great combination of length, flexibility & sturdiness for the job-- worked great!! The metal will rust if left moist, so please wipe dry after every use! Excellent value as well!!"
4A Crank Snake For Especially Tough Clogs
When you have an especially tough clog, a power drain snake, like this General Pipe Cleaners tool, can come in handy. Best suited for 1.25- to 2-inch width drains, this snake has over 25 feet of cable and works to break up and push debris through a pipe rather than trying to pull it up to the surface. To use it, you feed the cable into the drain, and when you reach the blockage, secure the cable place with the thumbscrew. You can then either manually turn the hand-crank or use the drill adaptor to rotate the cable inside the pipe. Either way, this drilling action will effectively clean the pipe, loosening any clogged material and allowing it to wash away the next time you run water through the pipe. What more could you ask for from a $25 tool?
Glowing Review: "I moved into an old apartment with a slow-draining tub. I tried all kinds of liquid drain cleaners, including the one that comes with the long, plastic strip that is supposed to fish out hair and clogs -- nothing worked. 10 minutes of working with this tool, though, and now my tub drains just as well as if it were brand new. It easily saved me $80-100 on calling the landlord or a plumber!"
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