When Chemicals Won’t Do the Trick, Turn to the Skil Cordless Drain Snake
Clogged drains are by far one of the most common pluming service calls. Many folks turn to chemicals to help break up the blockage, but if that doesn’t work, you need a mechanical solution. If you’ve ever experienced the joy (sarcasm) of clearing a clog with a manual drain snake, you’ll quickly understand why Pros turn to powered options, like the Skil Cordless Drain Snake.
Skil Cordless Drain Snake Performance
- No-Load Speed: 0-500 RPM
- Feed Rate: 0-6 in/sec
- Minimum Pipe Diameter: 3/4 in.
- Maximum Pipe Diameter: 2 in.
- Motor Type: Bruhsed
The Skil Cordless Drain Snake is designed with DIYers in mind that want to take a hand’s on approach to repairs and maintenance. The drum is powered by Skil’s brushed motor and has a max speed of 500 RPMs. Like other premium models, it has a powered feed and retract that allows you to advance the cable up to 6 inches per second. This simply means you don’t have to manually feed the cable in and out of the pipe.
Skil recommends this drain snake for pipe diameters between 3/4-inch and 2 inches. In most cases, that means typical household sinks, tub drains, shower drains, and even some toilets are within its scope of work. Larger pipes, like a septic clean-out, may require a larger diameter snake to be effective.
Getting started is easy. Skil’s MultiVolt system allows you to use either a 12V or 20V battery to power this tool. Pulling the variable speed trigger activates the drum’s rotating action and will cause the cable to spin. To feed and retract the cable, first pull the variable speed trigger and then press down on the large paddle trigger near the front of the tool. The cable will extend when the drum rotates clockwise, and retract when rotating counterclockwise.
Skil Cordless Drain Snake Design Notes
- Model: Skil AU0225D-00
- Power Source: Skil 12V/20V battery
- Weight: 6.3 lbs (bare), 6.9 lbs (with 2.0Ah 12V battery), 7.3 lbs (with 2.0Ah 20V battery)
- Cable Diameter: 1/4 in.
- Cable Length: 25 ft.
As cordless drain snakes go, the Skil AU0225D is pretty lightweight and compact. It weighs in at 6.3 pounds as a bare tool, 6.9 pounds with a 2.0Ah 12V battery, and 7.3 pounds with a 2.0Ah 20V battery. From tip to tail, it measures 14-3/4 inches and stands 8-1/4 inches tall.
The main grip feels a lot like the Skil 20V 7 1/4-Inch Circular Saw and has a very comfortable working angle. It’s draped in a soft rubber overmold with some small grooves to help channel away sweat.
Skil’s drum design is both practical and well-designed. They did a great job with mess containment with a fully-enclosed drum and threaded drain plug. This combination helps prevent spreading dirty water or other contaminants around your home and makes cleanup a breeze.
The internal cable is 25 feet long and 1/4 inch in diameter. This smaller cable is ideal for small drains and is more nimble than a large-diameter cable around curves and P-traps.
Skil Cordless Drain Snake Price
Skil’s cordless drain snake will hit the shelves for a retail price of $129.99. The 12V kit is a little lower, at $119.99. Both will come with their respective 2.0Ah battery and charger.
Both kits include a 5-year warranty from Skil.
The Bottom Line
Overall, the Skil Cordless Drain Snake looks like a promising option for homeowners, and even the handyman crowd. It has plenty of speed and reach for breaking up stubborn clogs, and the Auto Feed feature really gives this tool a premium feel. It still has some limitations when it comes to major clogs, but it just might get you out of a bind and save you some cash on a weekend plumbing service call.
