Tried a $5 dollar store drain snake on a clog last night

My kitchen sink was backing up real slow for a week. Didn't want to call a plumber that costs $150 minimum. Grabbed this cheap plastic drain snake from Family Dollar for $5. Pulled out a massive wad of grease and food bits in about 4 minutes. Totally fixed the problem and saved myself a service call. Has anyone else had luck with those cheap tools over the expensive ones?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_karen2mo ago

The thing about those cheap plastic snakes is they work exactly one time and then you gotta throw them away. I bought one for a tub clog last winter, and the plastic teeth snapped off halfway through pulling back a hair monster. Had to finish the job with a wire coat hanger bent into a hook shape, which took twice as long and scratched up the drain. Still cheaper than a plumber though, so I guess we both won in the long run.

river_hall442mo ago

That plastic snake gave up on you at the worst possible moment, I feel your pain on that one. You put in the work and get left holding a broken handle and a clog that's still laughing at you. At least you got it done with what you had on hand, even if the drain took a little damage.

mason8471mo ago

You ever had one of those moments where you realize you've been wrong about something your whole life? I used to swear by the metal snakes, thought the plastic ones were a total waste of shelf space. But after watching a buddy of mine destroy a PVC pipe with the metal head because he got too aggressive, I started seeing the plastic ones differently. They might snap and break, but at least they don't cost you a $200 plumbing bill when they punch through a pipe. Yeah they're frustrating when they give out, but honestly I'd rather buy two cheap snakes than one expensive repair any day.