Can someone recommend a plumber's snake that is reliable and (novice) user-friendly? So tired of those expensive plumber visit to unclog drains!

Here is a machine advertized on E-bay. If you had two stop-ups a year it would pay for itself in about ten to twelve years, that is not counting broken cables and burned out motors. But you would not have to pay a plumber those outragious charges.
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Metro-Rooter/ Sewer machine/Sewer/drain/equipment

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There are 3 basic sizes of snakes:

1. Hand-held unit for small 1 1/4" to 1 1/2" drains. Accepts 3/16" and 1/4" cables about 15' long. Cost: from few dollars for hand-held, manual, units up to several hundred dollars for drill driven units

2. Than you have medium snakes that accept 3/8" cables x 25' - 30' long. These snakes are used for 1 1/2" and 2" drains. Cost: several hundred dollars. Home Depot sells Ridgid Kolleman 380 unit for about $700.00.

3. The biggest snakes, like Ridgid 7500 accept 5/8" and 3/4" x 75'+ cables. These units are used to clean 3" and 4" main sewer lines. Cost: these snakes are expensive. The frame with motor will run you around $1,500.00 and up. Cable has to be purchased separately and will cost you another $350.00 or so. Set of basic cutting knives will run you around $150.00.

There are cheaper units but as I learned from years of experience - you get what you paid for.

As far as the manufacturer goes, we prefer Ridgid. But General has quite good machines, too.

What about the old manual snakes, I have a 100 foot one, had it for 20 years, it won't do roots but will do most clogs, ( what the plumbers used before those electric models)

Come on guys. I think your scaring him.

The $20-$30 snake that fits on a variable speed drill works wonders for all of the small lines. The black one at Home Depot. Just don't loose the snake. It's about 25' long.

One question is why? Hair, soap and lint seem to be favorites to catch.

Remember, no grease poured into the drains.

And don't forget the plunger for the toilet.

It won't do the big stuff like roots in the 4" main line.

All excellent answers. Chuck asked,
what the plumbers used before those electric models
I go back a long way. Back then we used sewer tapes,(see image) made of spring steel. F or the big stuff, (4" sewers) the tape was was 1 1/2" wide and 1/.4" thick. We had smaller tapes for the house drains. Just thought I'd give you a bit of history. Cheers, Tom