The best toilet plungers

If you're looking for a no-nonsense plunger to help clear clogs, the Neiko Toilet Plunger is the best low-cost solution at less than $20.

What sets the Neiko Toilet Plunger apart is its tiered plunging cup. There are four graduated steps that narrow at the rubber cup's opening. This design allows for a tight seal and excellent suction on a wide variety of toilet sizes.

It's also helpful for approaching the drain opening from different angles. The rod is made of mold-resistant, rustproof, lightweight aluminum. The end of the pole features a peg for hanging the plunger.

Several websites list the Neiko Toilet Plunger as their top pick, including Jen Reviews, Simple Toilet, and Top Portal Review. Best Seekers recommends this plunger because the reviewer found it to be easy to handle and lightweight. They also noted that the tiered cup could handle even difficult clogs from a variety of angles.

Wirecutter found the plunging abilities were just average, and this plunger lost points because the testers found the broomstick handle to be uncomfortable to grip.

The Neiko Toilet Plunger has more than 1,300 four- and five-star reviews on Amazon. The most helpful reviewer called this "the most amazing plunger I have owned." He found it to be reliable and even named it Excalibur. An engineer weighed in with his experience. He noted that the seal and section are incredible. Within a few pumps, he resolved a problem that he spent hours on with a standard plunger.

The biggest complaint is that the plunger sometimes comes with a chemical smell that may take weeks to dissipate.

Pros: Cost-effective, lightweight, aluminum handle, works from several angles

Cons: Broomstick handle is uncomfortable to grip

Buy the Neiko Toilet Plunger (1-Pack) on Amazon for $16.81 (originally $13.99)

The ergonomic T-shaped handle and narrow opening of the Korky Beehive Max Universal Toilet Plunger makes it easy to use with many types of toilets.

The Korky Beehive Max Universal Toilet Plunger works well because it combines a comfortable T-handle with a large beehive-shaped cup that narrows at the opening. This allows you to pack a strong plunge.

The narrow cup opening is ideal for fitting a wide variety of toilet types, including newer high-efficiency toilets with oblong-shaped drains. The Korky 99-4A is made in the United States.

On the three different types of toilets that Wirecutter tested, the Korky 99-4A Max Performance Plunger achieved the best seal. The reviewer liked the large plunger cup, which made for a powerful plunge. To test this, he put a foam ball in a water-filled pipe and measured how far the ball went with each plunge. The Korky moved the ball two to three inches per plunge, while none of the other plungers moved the ball at all. It also comes highly recommended by Simple Toilet and Toilet Rated.

More than 490 Amazon buyers have left five-star reviews of the Korky Beehive Max Universal Toilet Plunger. The reviewer with the most helpful votes describes having a newer low-flow toilet and discovering that none of the highly-rated plungers he purchased on Amazon worked with it. However, the Korky 99-4A was the exception.

Many of the five-star commenters shared similar experiences. One buyer was upset that the plunger cup was so thin and tended to cave in when he used it. This slowed down the plunging process.

Pros: Powerful plunging cup, works with a broad range of toilet shapes, easy-to-grip handle

Cons: Quite large, several recent complaints of flimsy plunger cup

Buy the Korky Beehive Max Universal Toilet Plunger on Target for $19.99

The SurePlunge Automatic Toilet Plunger uses pressure to clear drains, making it ideal for older adults and people with back problems or other physical disabilities.

The SurePlunge Automatic Toilet Plunger is different from the other entries on our list because it works using 8g CO2 cartridges. You load the charger, insert the plunger into your toilet until it forms a seal, tilt it downward, press the button on the handle, and the burst of CO2 clears the clog.

The SurePlunge comes with a plunger stand and three CO2 chargers. The company states that this product is engineered and designed to deliver pressure that will not damage seals or pipes.

Due to the hefty initial investment and ongoing costs associated with buying more CO2 cylinders, we mainly recommend this plunger to people who have trouble using standard plungers.

The SurePlunge Automatic Toilet Plunger is relatively new and isn't on the radar of many expert sites yet. There are a couple that recommend it, though. The Toilet Zone likes it for tougher jobs that run-of-the-mill manual plungers can't handle since it's still cheaper than calling a plumber. The reviewer at Oola recommends it for senior citizens and people with disabilities that may have trouble with traditional plungers since it requires minimal elbow grease.

Approximately 80% of the Amazon buyers who reviewed the SurePlunge Automatic Toilet Plunger gave it five stars. Cathy Tigges initially left a critical review, but after contacting Amazon, a representative from SurePlunge called and walked her through the steps for how to use it, and it worked like a charm. She recommends pushing the stopper all the way into the drain and holding the handle close to the seat before releasing the CO2.

Several buyers mention how the SurePlunge was able to clear clogs that their traditional plungers had trouble with. People also recommend keeping extra CO2 cartridges on hand.

Pros: Requires minimal manual effort, incredibly strong, excellent customer service

Cons: Expensive, requires the additional purchase of CO2 cylinders, may be hard to use initially

Buy the SurePlunge Automatic Toilet Plunger on Amazon for $49.88 Buy the Leland CO2 Chargers (Pack of 100) on Amazon for $40.10 (originally $42.25)

If a manual plunger or one that uses water pressure doesn't get the job done, the Ridgid 3 ft. Toilet Auger can reach into the drain and physically pull or push clog-producing debris out of the way.

Also referred to as a closet auger, a toilet auger consists of a flexible coiled wire with a flared end and a slight sharp barb at the tip to work through just about any debris. The wire is attached to the end of a wand that pulls the wire into a sleeve. You stick the extended unit into your toilet drain. Then, once it's secure, you push down with the wand handle, and the coil extends into the drain. Once you hit the clog, you turn the handle to push or pull the debris.

This is essentially how the Ridgid 3 ft. Toilet Auger works. As the name suggests, the coiled wire snake is three feet long, which should be long enough to reach any clog. It's made of a strong compression-wrapped inner core cable that has three wrappings around the core. This makes it stronger so it can power through tough blockages. Ridgid backs the toilet auger with a lifetime warranty.

Wirecutter recommends the Ridgid 59787 3-Foot Toilet Auger because it is what professional plumbers use to clear pesky clogged drains. The reviewer liked the durable construction, including the metal sleeve, and the comfortable handles on the wand and sleeve. He did note that augers, in general, are awkward to store and houseguests may not know how to use it. Cleaning the auger is also an issue.

Toilet Tops and The Spruce both recommend this device as the best auger available, and around 94% of the people who reviewed the Ridgid 3-Foot Toilet Auger on Amazon gave it four or five stars.

One buyer shares a story of how his tween son has not mastered "double flushing" and tends to use too much toilet paper, which leads to clogs. He found the auger easy to use, and it has cut his need to plunge down from three times per week to once a month.

An admittedly non-handy buyer said he figured out how to use the auger in a few minutes with the help of YouTube. However, he did scratch the bottom of the bowl. To avoid this, make sure you keep the wand pulled up out of the sleeve until it is fully inserted into the drain.

Pros: Tends to work better than conventional plungers, comfortable handles, durable metal sleeve, lifetime warranty

Cons: May be hard to use initially, difficult to clean, doesn't store easily

Buy the Ridgid 3 ft. Toilet Auger on Amazon for $29.08 (originally $34.47)