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Quick answer from a licensed plumber: For hair in a shower or tub, start with a barbed wand: the Drain Weasel kit is our pick, and the Klein 53020 is the one sold by Amazon. Take the strainer or stopper off first. If the wand comes back clean, use a 1/4-inch hand auger like the RIDGID Power Spin+ (its manual stops at 1-1/2-inch lines), and on a tub feed it in through the overflow, because RIDGID says going through the tub drain damages the cable.
Our pick for a hair clog: the FlexiSnake Drain Weasel kit. Check the Drain Weasel Hair Clog Kit on Amazon
Most slow showers and tubs are hair. Drain Weasel calls it the number one cause of slow bathroom drains, and in my experience it usually sits on or just under the strainer or stopper, inches down, not feet. So the first tool is a short barbed wand or strip, not a long cable. A 1/4-inch hand auger comes second, and on a tub it goes in through the overflow. This page covers those, and our homeowner drain snake guide covers the rest of the snake family.
Shower and Tub Drain Snakes Compared
| Tool | Type | Reach | Reuse | Sold by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drain Weasel Kit (5 wands) | Barbed wand with spinning handle | 18 in | Disposable wands | Sold by Drain Weasel, shipped by Amazon |
| Klein 53020 (3-pack) | Barbed wand with pivot handle | 18 in | Disposable, quick-release collar | Sold and shipped by Amazon |
| Zip-It (3-pack) | Barbed strip | 25 in overall (reach not listed) | Rinse and reuse | Sold by Luoma Enterprises (Zip-It’s maker), shipped by Amazon |
| RIDGID Power Spin+ | 1/4-inch hand-crank cable, AUTOFEED | 25 ft cable | Permanent tool | Sold and shipped by Amazon |
Reach and type come from each maker’s page or manual and from the Amazon listing. Each linked item was listed in stock on Amazon when we checked on September 28, 2026. The Klein and the RIDGID are sold by Amazon; the Drain Weasel is sold by its maker and the Zip-It by Luoma Enterprises, both shipped by Amazon.
FlexiSnake Drain Weasel Hair Clog Kit (5 Wands)
18-inch micro-hook wands · reusable quick-connect handle that spins 360° · five wands per the Amazon listing · listed for sinks, shower drains, tubs and grates · made in USA, per the listing
The Drain Weasel is a hair tool, not a cable. A reusable handle holds a thin 18-inch wand covered in micro-hooks. You slide it down the drain, spin the handle so the hooks lock onto the hair, and pull it back out. Drain Weasel says hair is the number one cause of slow bathroom drains, and this kit is built for exactly that clog.
Drain Weasel describes the hooks as patented and the handle as quick-connect, so a full wand snaps out and a new one snaps in. The Amazon listing calls the wands disposable, which means there is no hair-covered cable to wash. One conflict to know about: the Amazon listing says five wands, but Drain Weasel’s own page for this kit says six refill wands. We went by the listing you are buying from. At 18 inches it is for a hair mat at the strainer or just below it, not a clog down the line.
- Reusable quick-connect handle spins 360°, per Drain Weasel
- Disposable wands, so there is no hairy cable to clean
- Listed for sinks, shower drains, tubs and grates
- Sold by the maker, Drain Weasel, and shipped by Amazon
- Reaches only 18 inches
- Amazon listing says five wands; the maker’s page says six
- A heavy hair mat may take more than one wand
- Not for a clog past the trap
Verdict: The first tool to try on a slow shower or tub that is full of hair.
Klein Tools 53020 Drain Snake Auger (3-Pack)
18-inch snakes, three in the set · micro-hook and barbed tip · 360° pivot handle · quick-release collar for disposal · listed for bathroom sinks and shower drains · sold and shipped by Amazon
Klein’s 53020 is the same idea from a tool maker. Each snake is a slim wand with micro-hooks at the tip to grab and barbs to pull. It sits in a handle that pivots 360° to cut friction in your hand. Klein’s sell sheet lists it for bathroom sinks and shower drains, and Klein’s page says it clears bathroom sinks, shower drains and kitchen sinks.
The feature Klein leans on is the quick-release collar. Klein says it lets you get rid of a used snake without touching it. The set has three snakes. Klein also prints one warning on the page: do not use it in sinks with a disposal. That does not affect a shower, but it rules this tool out for a kitchen sink with a disposal. Its reach is the same 18 inches as the Drain Weasel wands, so the same limit applies.
- Sold and shipped by Amazon
- Quick-release collar lets you dispose of the used snake without touching it, per Klein
- Micro-hooks grab and barbs pull, per Klein
- Klein lists it for shower drains on its sell sheet
- Reaches only 18 inches, like the Drain Weasel wands
- Three snakes in the set
- Klein says not to use it in sinks with a disposal
- Not for a clog past the trap
Verdict: The pick if you want a hair wand from a known tool maker and sold by Amazon itself.
Zip-It Hair Clog Remover (3-Pack)
25-inch overall length · barbed flexible poly strip · reusable, rinse and use again, per the listing · drain opening must be larger than 1/4 inch, per the listing · made in USA, per the maker · sold by Luoma Enterprises, shipped by Amazon
Zip-It is the simplest tool here: one flexible strip with barbs along its length. The maker’s instructions are three steps. Insert it in the drain opening, push it deeper, and pull it out slowly with the hair on it. Zip-It says the strip is a proprietary poly material that will not get stuck or break off in the drain. That is the maker’s claim, and we have not verified it.
The Amazon listing adds two details: you rinse the strip and use it again, and the drain opening must be larger than 1/4 inch. Zip-It lists it at 25 inches overall and does not publish a working length, so do not count on it reaching farther than the 18-inch wands. It is a strip, not a cable, so you push and pull it by hand. Because you reuse it, you handle the used strip yourself. Wear gloves. It is sold by Luoma Enterprises and shipped by Amazon. Zip-It’s own site names Gene Luoma as the inventor and links to this listing.
- One strip, 25 inches overall, per the maker
- Reusable: rinse it and use it again, per the listing
- Three steps from the maker: insert, push deeper, pull out slowly
- Shipped by Amazon
- Sold by Luoma Enterprises, not by Amazon
- Drain opening must be larger than 1/4 inch, per the listing
- You handle the used strip yourself
- A strip pushed by hand will not clear a clog past the trap
Verdict: The reusable pick for an occasional hair clog when you want one strip you can rinse and use again.
RIDGID 57043 Power Spin+ Drain Cleaner
1/4-inch × 25-foot MAXCORE cable · AUTOFEED trigger · hand crank, or a battery drill under 500 rpm · lines 3/4 to 1-1/2 inch per the manual · not recommended for toilets, per the manual · lifetime warranty, per RIDGID · sold and shipped by Amazon
If a wand comes back clean and the drain is still slow, the clog is past where a wand reaches, and you need a cable. The Power Spin+ is RIDGID’s 1/4-inch hand spinner for sinks, tubs and showers. You pull cable from the drum into the drain, turn the drum and squeeze the AUTOFEED trigger, and the cable advances so your hands stay off it. RIDGID’s page says the bulb auger on the end breaks up hair, soap scum and soft debris. The 25-foot cable is about 17 times the length of an 18-inch wand (our arithmetic: 300 inches divided by 18 inches).
The tub instruction is why this pick belongs on the page. RIDGID’s manual says never to run the cable through a bathtub drain because it damages the cable. Take off the overflow plate and any mechanism attached to it, and go in through the overflow opening. For many other drains, the manual says the cable can be threaded through the crosshairs of the drain. It also says to keep the machine within 4 inches of the drain opening, to get at least a foot of cable into the drain before turning the drum, not to force the cable, and to wear safety glasses and leather gloves. One conflict: the manual lists lines from 3/4 to 1-1/2 inch, while RIDGID’s product page says up to 2 inches. We use the manual’s smaller number. That matters on a shower. Tubs are usually piped in 1-1/2 inch, but most showers are 2 inch (see what size is my shower drain), and the manual’s troubleshooting table says not to use the tool in lines over 1-1/2 inch. On a 2-inch shower line you would be going by RIDGID’s product page, not its manual. If a wand has not cleared a 2-inch shower, calling a plumber is the safer move.
- Sold and shipped by Amazon
- AUTOFEED trigger advances and retracts the cable, per RIDGID
- Turns by hand crank or a battery drill under 500 rpm
- Lifetime warranty, per RIDGID
- For a tub, RIDGID says go in through the overflow, never the drain
- The machine has to stay within 4 inches of the drain opening
- The manual limits it to lines up to 1-1/2 inch and does not recommend it for toilets
- RIDGID’s manual and product page disagree on line size
Verdict: The cable to own for a tub or 1-1/2-inch drain that a hair wand cannot clear, used the way the manual describes. On a 2-inch shower, check your pipe size first.
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Before You Buy
- Shower or tub? A shower is one open drain. A tub adds a stopper and an overflow, and that changes how you get a cable in. If the tub will not drain at all, start with why a bathtub will not drain.
- Take the strainer or stopper out first. In the drains I clear, hair wraps the underside of it, and you can pull that mat out by hand before any tool goes in. Moen lists shower covers that are held by screws and others that snap in, and four kinds of tub drain: trip lever, push-and-lock, lift-N-drain and touch drain. If yours is worn or stuck, see replacement tub stoppers.
- Wand or cable. The wands list 18 inches of reach, and the Zip-It lists 25 inches overall. A 1/4-inch hand auger reaches 25 feet. Use the wand for a hair mat at the top of the drain and the cable when the wand comes back clean.
- Tub: go in through the overflow. RIDGID says never to run its cable through the tub drain, because that damages the cable. Take off the overflow plate and the mechanism attached to it, and feed the cable in there.
- Read the limits. RIDGID’s manual lists lines up to 1-1/2 inch (most showers are 2 inch) and does not recommend its tool for toilets; for those see toilet auger vs drain snake. Klein says not to use its snake in sinks with a disposal. Zip-It needs a drain opening larger than 1/4 inch, per the listing.
- Keep the hair out afterward. A catcher stops the next mat forming. See shower drain hair catchers and how to measure your shower drain before you buy one.
Which Tool for Which Clog
Slow shower, hair visible at the strainer: pull what you can by hand, then use the Drain Weasel or the Klein. Occasional hair clog and you want a reusable tool: the Zip-It strip. The wand comes back clean and the drain is still slow: the RIDGID Power Spin+ on a tub (through the overflow) or a 1-1/2-inch line; on a 2-inch shower, check your pipe size first or call a plumber. More than one fixture slow or gurgling: that points to the main line, not a hand tool; read clogged drain vs main line and drain cleaning machines. For a step-by-step through the whole job see how to unclog any drain.
When a Chemical Cleaner Is the Wrong First Move
Tool first, chemical second. That order is my advice as a plumber, and two makers’ own instructions back it up. RIDGID’s manual tells you to check whether drain chemicals are in the drain before you start, to wear extra protection if chemicals are suspected, and to contact the chemical’s maker for its safety steps. It also lists exposure to drain chemicals as a cause of cable corrosion and acid as a cause of a kinked or broken cable. Drano’s precautions for its liquid opener say never to use a plunger during or after using it, because the product may still be in the drain if the drain did not clear. Drano’s own directions are to pour, wait 15 minutes (30 for tough problems), flush with hot, not boiling, water, and repeat if necessary. So the order is what matters.
If the drain is merely slow, a wand or strip goes first and there is nothing in the drain to splash back. Both Drain Weasel and Zip-It describe their tools as working without chemicals. If you have already poured a chemical opener and water is standing, do not plunge (Drano’s rule). My advice is not to push a tool in either until you have read the label and, as RIDGID says, gotten the chemical maker’s safety steps. Follow the label, call the maker or a plumber, and tell them what you used. For upkeep after the drain runs again, see drain cleaner picks, enzyme vs chemical drain cleaner and drain snake vs drain cleaner vs plunger.
Using These Safely
Wear gloves with any of them; what comes out of a shower drain is not clean. With the wands, push gently and spin, then pull straight out. With the Zip-It, follow the maker’s insert, push, pull-out-slowly steps. With the RIDGID, RIDGID says to keep the machine within 4 inches of the opening, put at least a foot of cable in the drain before turning the drum, never force the cable, do not keep turning the drum if the cable gets stuck, and use a battery drill, not a corded one, at low speed. Run water to flush debris once the drain flows.
FAQ
What is the best drain snake for a shower drain full of hair?
Start with a barbed hair tool: the Drain Weasel kit, the Klein 53020 or a Zip-It strip. All three are made to pull hair out of shower and tub drains, and in my experience hair at or just below the strainer is the usual cause of a slow shower. If the drain is still slow after that, a 1/4-inch hand auger such as the RIDGID Power Spin+ is the next step on a tub or 1-1/2-inch line. Its manual stops at 1-1/2 inch and most showers are 2 inch, so on a shower check your pipe size first or call a plumber.
Can I run a drum auger through the tub drain?
Not with the RIDGID Power Spin+. Its manual says never to try to go through a bathtub drain because it damages the cable. Remove the overflow plate and any mechanism attached to it, and feed the cable in through the overflow opening. Check your own tool’s manual if it is a different model.
Do I have to remove the stopper or strainer first?
For a shower, yes, take the cover off so you can see and pull out the hair mat. Moen lists shower covers that are held by screws and others that snap into the drain. Tub stoppers vary: Moen lists trip lever, push-and-lock, lift-N-drain and touch drain types. On a trip-lever tub the lever works through the overflow plate, which is the same plate RIDGID says to remove before using its auger.
How far do hair wands reach, and what if the drain is still slow?
Drain Weasel and Klein list 18-inch wands, and the Zip-It strip is 25 inches overall. If a wand comes back clean and the drain is still slow, the clog is deeper and you need a cable. If more than one fixture is slow or gurgling, as a rule of thumb the problem is likely the main line, not the shower.
Should I pour drain cleaner before snaking?
Tool first. RIDGID’s manual tells you to find out whether drain chemicals are in the drain before you start and to contact the chemical’s maker for the safety steps. Drano’s precautions say never to use a plunger during or after using its opener, because it may still be in a drain that did not clear. If you have already poured one and the drain is still blocked, my advice is not to push a tool into it until you have followed the label and the chemical maker’s safety steps. If in doubt, call the maker or a plumber.
Why Trust Plumbing Picks
Plumbing Picks is written by a licensed Georgia journeyman plumber. Every size, rating, dimension and spec on this page comes from the manufacturer pages and documents listed below, which we opened and read, or from the Amazon listing we link; nothing here comes from hands-on testing. Each linked product was shipped or sold by Amazon, new and in stock, when we checked on September 28, 2026. Where a link goes to Amazon we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nobody pays to be included here. More on who writes this and how we pick.
Sources
- Drain Weasel (FlexiSnake): home page and 5-pack kit page
- Klein Tools: 18-Inch Drain Snake Auger, 3-Pack (53020) product page, specifications and warnings
- Klein Tools: 53020 drain snake auger sell sheet
- Zip It Clean: about the Zip-It drain snake
- Zip It Clean: how the Zip-It works (three steps)
- RIDGID: POWER SPIN+ with AUTOFEED product page
- RIDGID: POWER SPIN+ drain cleaner operator’s manual
- Drano: Liquid Drain Cleaner directions and precautions
- Moen: Tub and Shower Drains (drain types and shower covers)
- Amazon listings for the Drain Weasel kit, Klein 53020, Zip-It 3-pack and RIDGID 57043 (linked above)
Bottom Line
Hair is the usual cause, so start small: take the strainer or stopper off, pull the mat by hand, then use a Drain Weasel or Klein wand or a Zip-It strip. If the wand comes back clean, the RIDGID Power Spin+ reaches 25 feet on lines up to 1-1/2 inch, and on a tub it goes in through the overflow, never the drain. Use the tool before any chemical, and my advice is not to push a tool into a drain that still holds a cleaner.