There are several different types of drain snakes and drain augers that will work best for unclogging those pipes. In this review, we will discuss some of the best drain snakes in each different category. The best drain snake in the manual handheld category, and the best drain snakes that are electric powered, both the handheld power drain snake and the best drum snake or auger snake.
Best Manual Drain Snake and Hand Auger
The manual hand snake can often be the best drain snake and the cheapest solution for removing a clog. The manual hand auger has several advantages, the most important one being the price difference between that model and the electric augers. The coiled drain auger is the most simple drain snake. These drain snakes typically range between 50′ and 100′ in length, but it can be coiled and easily stowed in a convenient spot.
These hand augers are usually operated with either a crank system which allows for better control when fishing the coil down the pipe. The cranking motion also makes it easier to get the snake down the pipe, as the corkscrew motion keeps the auger moving along and pushing any impediments from the pipe. Many of the electrical drain snakes are very dependable, but there is always a risk of failure, whereas with the hand snake one never has to worry whether the auger will function correctly.
The cable is roughly 1/2″ in diameter and thus it will fit in the most common household and commercial plumbing systems, although a more powerful plumbing snake or a longer snake may be needed depending on the size and layout.
Best Cordless Drain Snake
Portability is one of the best aspects of the handheld cordless drain snake. Cordless drain snakes typically run on 18 volts of battery power, which is often more than enough power to get the task accomplished. The Ryobi P4001 18-Volt ONE+ Cordless 25 foot Drain Auger is one of the best handheld drain snakes and certainly earns its way into the category of best drain snake. This particular model has Auto-feed lock engages the bearings without having to squeeze the pommel to prevent user fatigue.
This is perfect when the task is more difficult than you first thought it would be. In fact, this model is one of the best reviewed drain snakes on Amazon, and many argue that this is the best battery operated drain snake, and it is the only battery operated hand auger that made this list.
Handheld augers typically have a latch that will clamp the snake at a certain desired length for better leverage against tough clogs. This plumbing auger has a cable clamp that holds the cable in place. Perhaps the best part of the electric handheld auger is the user fatigue that is prevented by the forward and reverses feeding mechanism.
Unlike the manual handheld best drain snake, where the coil must be fed by hand, which can become tiresome in a short time. A feeding mechanism makes the job much less difficult when it goes on for an extended period of time. And this self feeding mechanism does not come on all handheld models, so it makes this particular model all the more proper for the job.
Best Drum Drain Snake – Drum Snake Auger
The drum style drain snake is one of the most efficient ways of removing clogs from piping, which is why it has made the list of best drain snake. Drum drain snakes would be considered on the heavy duty side of the drain snake market. This heavy duty drain snake typically has a stand that holds the drum aloft and allows it to be placed near the entrance of the clogged pipe. The coiled snake, which is housed inside the drum, can then be accessed from the front of the drum, making it a convenient way to store the drain snake. This particular model has a 1/2″ diameter coil that will suffice in both residential and commercial plumbing.
The coil on this model is 50′ in length, which will allow plenty of length to get to those hard to reach clogs. But it isn’t the length of the snake that is so important, but instead the fact that there are various drain auger tips that can be connected to the end of the coil using a simple screw system. There are many items that can clog a pipe and sometimes it is not simply one item, but a collection of sediment inside the pipe that is causing it to be plugged. This wide array of connectors for the drum drain auger means that you are sure to find an attachment that will meet your situation.
However, rest assured that you do not need to purchase these attachments, as this model comes with a standard drain auger tip that will suffice for removing most clogs. Some of these other tips are better suited for cleaning the walls of the pipe, and not so much for removing clogs. If you decide to purchase these attachments, you will be pleased to find that they are relatively cheap and easily interchangeable.
Floor style drum drain snakes are also best because they allow for better control when fishing the snake down the pipe. This is achieved using a floor pedal which allows the user to start and stop the drum from turning and letting out more of the coil. These drum augers spin quite fast and have a lot of torque, so you know that the coil is going to fight its way down the pipe, moving through almost any clog and clearing most pipes.
This foot pedal also lets the user have both hands free, so they can focus on controlling the speed and direction of the drain snake. You can often feel it when the drain snake hits the clogged area, and by using both hands you wont have to worry about continuing to run the drum snake auger, as you should be able to tell when the clog has been removed.
Another great aspect of these drum style drain snakes is that drain camera attachments are also available. Running a camera down the pipe to locate difficult and hard to remove clogs is a relatively new technology, as cameras are just now small enough to fit in most piping and cheap enough that even homeowners can afford to purchase the camera attachment.
Electric Drill Style Drain Snake – Handheld Electric Drain Auger
This handheld electric drain snake is similar to the other handheld drain auger on this page, however, this model is has a cord, which allows for a never-ending power source, unlike the battery version. This electrical cord does reduce the portability of this drain snake, but it makes up for that in many other ways.
This Electric Auger Snake Drain Cleaner is much more powerful than any battery operated handheld drain auger, which will allow you to accomplish the most difficult tasks with ease. The drill action of this drain snake ensures that the user has complete control over the snake and it makes its way through the pipe until it reaches the clog. Furthermore the trigger style of the drill snake makes it so that the user can easily control the speed at which the drain snake moves.
This particular model comes with a 23′ drain snake coil, which should be sufficient for most clogs, as they are not usually that far down the piping. This electric style drain cleaner also has a clamp that can be set in place at any spot on the coil, so that once you reach the clog this will allow for better leverage in unclogging the pipe. Unlike the battery operated handheld drain snakes, the corded version is 110 volts, which certainly tops the 18v that other drain snakes use.
Another great part about this package is the fact that the handheld drain snake comes with a heavy duty tool-box style container for safe keeping and easy storage. Also included is a nice pair of gloves that will prevent your hands from getting dirty when accomplishing these sometimes very dirty tasks.
We hope that this best drain snake article will help you in making the correct purchasing decision when looking into drain snakes.
