Best tub drain removal tool

The RectorSeal Golden Extractor is my top pick because it covers the most cases. RectorSeal says it removes tub drains even when the cross arms are broken, and that it installs new drains too.

That second part matters. Most extractors on this page are made for getting the old drain out. RectorSeal lists both jobs: extract the old drain and install the new one, with the same tool and the same ratchet.

It's driven by a standard 3/8 in. drive ratchet. RectorSeal calls the design patented and says it works quickly. If you own a socket set, you already own the handle.

RectorSeal lists it as a universal size. It doesn't give a range in inches, so if you have an odd drain, check the opening against the tool before you start.

It's made of heat-tempered steel, RectorSeal says, and its Amazon listing says it works on drains that will not budge.

There's a bonus feature. RectorSeal says it has a built-in bolt and screw remover, so the same tool can back out a stuck bolt or screw.

RectorSeal's own page lists the item at 1.5 by 5.5 in. and 1.4 lb. The Amazon listing gives a lower weight, 8.8 oz, so I went with the maker's number.

RectorSeal's site says its products carry a minimum 3-year limited warranty.

If your crossbars are still whole, it works there too, but the Cobra below is a simpler tool for that case. Check your ratchet first: a 1/2 in. drive won't fit a 3/8 in. drive tool without an adapter.

My call: if you only buy one tub drain tool, buy this one. It was sold by Amazon.com, new and in stock, on the day of the update.

The Superior Tool 5255 is built for one ugly job: an old 1-1/2 in. tub drain with broken, corroded or missing crosshairs. Superior says it removes stubborn drains in that state.

It grips with what Superior calls patented tapered helical knurl teeth. You set it in the drain with a light hammer tap, and the teeth bite into the drain and lock it in place. Superior's Amazon listing adds that the more torque you apply, the more it bites.

Superior lays out the steps on its own page. Insert the extractor, tap it into place, turn it, and remove the drain. That's the whole method.

You get three ways to turn it. Superior lists a 1/2 in. drive ratchet and extension, a 1-3/4 in. wrench, or an adjustable wrench.

The point, Superior says, is to skip the chisel and hammer. Its listing says that with a chisel you risk cracking the tub.

It's hardened steel with a zinc-plated finish, and Superior says it's proudly made in the USA. The Amazon listing gives 11.2 oz and 1.9 by 3.6 by 7 in.

The limit is size. Superior names 1-1/2 in. tub drains every time, and it doesn't list installing a drain. If you want one tool for both jobs, the RectorSeal covers that.

Next to the RectorSeal, it's half the weight: 11.2 oz against 1.4 lb (22.4 oz). It also takes the bigger 1/2 in. drive, where RectorSeal takes a 3/8 in. drive.

If the crossbars are still whole, a crossbar remover like the Cobra is the simpler tool. Save the Superior for the drains that won't come out any other way.

My call: for a corroded 1-1/2 in. drain with no crossbars left, this is the tool I'd reach for. It was sold by MaxWarehouse, new and in stock, on the day of the update.

The Jones Stephens Extract-a-Drain grips the inside of the drain with jaws that expand. The listing says the jaws expand to firmly grip the inside of the drain, so it doesn't need the crossbars.

Its range is its edge. The listing says it fits both 1-3/8 and 1-1/2 in. tub drains. That's the widest stated range of any extractor here. Superior names 1-1/2 in. only, and RectorSeal gives no number.

It removes old or rusty drains, even drains with missing crossbars, per the listing. That puts it in the same group as the RectorSeal and Superior extractors.

It's the simplest to turn. The listing says a wrench is the only other tool you'll need for the job. No ratchet, no extension, no adapter.

The listing also says it prevents damage to your tub's finish. That's the maker's claim, and it's a fair thing to want when you're working on a tub you're keeping.

It's nickel plated and weighs 14.9 oz, according to the listing.

Two things to know before you buy. First, Jones Stephens' own website lists the J40018 as no longer available, even though Amazon.com was still selling the J40018R3 new. Second, with no maker page, the Amazon listing is the only spec sheet left.

The listing doesn't mention installing a new drain with it, so plan on a different tool for that step. The Cobra and the RectorSeal both list installing.

If you can't tell whether your drain is 1-3/8 or 1-1/2 in., this is the safer extractor to order, because it's the only one here that lists both sizes. At 14.9 oz, it's about two-thirds the weight of the RectorSeal.

My call: if your drain could be 1-3/8 in. and you want to work with a wrench, this is the one. It was sold by Amazon.com, new and in stock, on the day of the update.

The Cobra PST170 is the classic tub drain remover. The product photo shows a two-ended steel tool with lugs at each end and two holes through the middle.

Cobra's listing says it installs and removes tub drains, and installs and removes tub spuds. It also says it removes drains from either sinks or tubs.

You turn it with an adjustable wrench or a screwdriver, per the listing. The screwdriver goes through one of the holes as a handle, which is handy when there's no room to swing a wrench.

It's made of steel, Cobra says, and weighs 8.8 oz. The listing's warranty line reads lifetime.

Here's the catch. Cobra doesn't say it works on a drain whose crossbars are broken or missing. A tool that grips the bars needs the bars. If yours are gone, buy an extractor instead.

Cobra also doesn't list a drain size, so hold it up to your drain before you lean on it.

Where it earns its place is the install. Once the old drain is out, a new drain has fresh crossbars, and a tool like this snugs it down without scratching up the new finish with pliers.

It's a good second tool next to an extractor. The extractor takes out the old drain and the Cobra puts in the new one.

At 8.8 oz it's the lightest tool on this page, 0.8 oz under the DURATECH. If you try it and the bars bend or snap, stop and switch to an extractor rather than prying at the drain.

Next to the RectorSeal's 1.4 lb (22.4 oz), it's under 40% of the weight, which makes it an easy tool to keep in the bag.

My call: if your crossbars are solid, start here. It was sold by Hearthshire, new and in stock, on the day of the update.

The DURATECH wrench is a crossbar-style remover with two different ends. The listing says the larger end is for kitchen sink baskets, flush valves and other household plumbing. The smaller end is for bathtub drains, bar strainers and more.

That makes it the most general tool on this page. If you also work on kitchen sinks and toilets, one wrench covers the basket strainer, the flush valve and the tub drain.

The listing says it's great for installing and removing tub drains and closet spuds. Like the Cobra, it doesn't say it works when the crossbars are broken.

It's die-cast aluminum with a matte, anti-rust finish. DURATECH says aluminum is lighter than zinc alloy, and that it won't easily scratch the tub or basin if you drop it.

You have three ways to turn it, per the listing. Use it alone, with an adjustable wrench, or with screwdrivers through one of its two holes.

The listing gives 5.9 by 1.77 by 1.77 in. (15 by 4.5 by 4.5 cm) and 9.6 oz.

One note on the brand. The listing has no model number, and the manufacturer field names an import company. It's sold by DuraTech Tools, the brand's own store on Amazon, and it was the genuine DURATECH listing on the day of the update.

No drain size is listed for either end. Hold it up to your drain and your sink basket before you count on it.

At 9.6 oz it's the second-lightest pick here, behind only the Cobra's 8.8 oz.

My call: if you want one remover for the whole house and your crossbars are whole, this is it. It was sold by DuraTech Tools, new and in stock, on the day of the update.

The RIDGID 342 isn't sold as a tub drain tool. It's an internal wrench, and it's on this page because of what RIDGID says it holds.

RIDGID's page says it grips 1 to 2 in. pipe where you can't reach the outside surface. It holds closet spuds and bath, basin and sink strainers through 2 in. A tub drain is a bath strainer.

It also installs or extracts Schedule 40 nipples from 1 through 2 in., RIDGID says. That's the job it's best known for: a nipple broken off inside a fitting.

The jaws expand by eccentric action and are reversible for different sizes. RIDGID's ordering table lists the 342 as catalog number 31405, 4-1/2 in. (113 mm) nominal size, 1 to 2 in. (25 to 50 mm) pipe capacity and 1-5/8 lb (0.7 kg).

RIDGID covers it with a full lifetime warranty against defects in material or workmanship, per its page.

Be clear on the limit. RIDGID doesn't list tub drain removal by name, and it doesn't say what you turn the 342 with. The tub drain extractors on this page are the ones whose makers name that job.

Where it pays off is range. If you work on toilets, sinks and tubs, one internal wrench covers spuds, strainers and stuck nipples. Our spud wrench guide covers the outside-grip tools for the same parts.

It's the heaviest pick here at 1-5/8 lb, by RIDGID's number. The Amazon listing gives a different weight, so I used the maker's.

My call: buy this as a shop tool that also handles bath strainers, not as your only tub drain tool. It was sold by Amazon.com, new and in stock, on the day of the update.