This plunger is designed to work on flat surfaces; it won’t work well for a toilet clog, because it won’t form a good seal in the rounded surface of a toilet bowl. It's a bit more difficult to use than the flange until you get the hang of it, and can cause more splashback if you're too gung-ho, but I find it's the most powerful of the three by far. The nose on the accordion plunger is even narrower than that on a flange plunger, allowing it to fit inside the toilet drain (as opposed to being more or less squished on top of it), potentially increasing its suction power; however, the accordion plunger’s plastic construction can make getting a good seal trickier than with a flange plunger. It takes up no more room or aesthetic annoyance than a regular plunger (and actually, comes in some nice colors).

Our antimicrobial plastic inhibits the growth of bacteria, mold, and mildew on the plunger and drip tray. The cup is sealed over the opening and the movement of the handle then forces the water pressure up and down eventually dislodging blockages. To use, place the cup over the opening of the blocked area to form a seal, then using firm pressure, move the plunger up and down for about 20 seconds, ensuring the handle stays pointed straight up.Should you find yourself in a situation where you don’t have a plunger at all, use one of these six plunger-less methods of unclogging a toilet to clear the blockage.

If your plunger is not solving your clog, or you’re experiencing frequent clogs, there may be a larger issue in your home’s plumbing system. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments , rolling luggage , pillows for side sleepers , natural anxiety remedies , and bath towels . Until a couple years ago, I had no idea these other plungers existed or that the cup plunger was so ineffective for toilets. While it has the extra flap at the bottom like the flange plunger, instead of a cup at the top it has an accordion shape which allows for greater pressure to push out.

We only recommend products we genuinely like, and purchases made through our links support our mission and the free content we publish here on AoM. While some heavy-duty rubber toilet plungers (also known as “flange plungers”) have an essential part that goes down into the drain, they also still have the rubber cup around the top and for me, the cup always just curls and turns inside out and then I have to waste precious plunging time and energy trying to flip it back. Why the hell do all you blogger plumbers swear up and down that the glorious flange plunger is the perfect match for a toilet? When you push the plunger down, pressure moves downward on the adjoining pipe; when you pull the plunger up, a vacuum action moves the pressure back towards you.

When you seal the plunger over the drain opening and push it down, you increase the pressure in the pipe. Because of its shape, the nose of the accordion plunger actually fits into the toilet drain, not above it, and sucks the water up to create a vacuum. After trying so many brands for my rental properties, they have proven the most durable and functional sinks on the market. The flange plunger can also double as a cup plunger by folding the flange back, although you may want to keep a separate plunger for the toilet and one dedicated for the sink. EASY TO USE: This bellows plunger utilizes the water in your toilet to aid in plunging and provide maximum plunging power with minimal effort.I’ve thought of gifting the accordion plunger to people as a housewarming gift, but it didn’t seem to strike the right tone.