Buying a Plumbers Electric Eel for Home DIY?

amrdeus on 09/08/2025 - 09:00
Last edited 09/08/2025 - 10:12

Anyone do this?

Getting your drains cleaned is usually about $300-500. And I get them done about every 2-3 years.

A pro eel is about $6000-10000. Or $150 rent.

I've tried renting and just didn't find it worth the effort. But if I were to find a cheap AliExpress or Ozito version for say $1000, then I'd only need it to work 3 times to cover my expenses.

Has anyone else considered buying a tool like this? Do any decent ones exist at that price point? It would need to be big enough for tree roots.

Edit: and yes, of course I know this is a bit of a silly idea. Just haven't seen if anyone has done it.

Home & Garden

Comments

  • 30year old Camry on 09/08/2025 - 09:10
    +15

    You could also use it as a side hustle and charge OzBargainers $420 on Sundays

    • skillet on 09/08/2025 - 18:08
      +2

      Just need a printer to print my weekend plumbers license.

  • MS Paint on 09/08/2025 - 09:32
    +8

    And I get them done about every 2-3 years.

    What? Why? WTF are you putting down your drains to require such regular cleaning?

    • amrdeus on 09/08/2025 - 10:13
      +4

      Tree roots. Replacing the piping is a huge cost. Also, I included 2 different houses in that. (Mine and parents)

      • simplystu on 09/08/2025 - 14:48
        +1

        One would think … Fixing the "root of the issue" then.

        My house - built 1996 … Twice in that time, have had issues with tree roots + plumbing.

        If you don't deal with the roots, then will keep happening +++ very costly.

        • skillet on 09/08/2025 - 18:09
          +3

          Hence the OP is planning to DIY and start root clearing his hobby.

      • subydooby on 10/08/2025 - 19:04
        +4

        Just don’t put tree roots down your drains…

    • Aureus on 09/08/2025 - 10:20
      +2

      It is very normal for old houses. Still cheaper then digging up and replacing drains.

      • skillet on 09/08/2025 - 18:11
        +1

        You dont dig and replace. First it will be cleared and cleand with the ultra mean alien metalic tool. Then they reline with plastic. Good for another 50 years.

        • Aureus on 09/08/2025 - 18:30
          +1

          That is also very expensive (unless it has become cheaper since I last asked a plumber).

          $100 a year on drain cleaning is going to be cheaper for most people.

          • OneJay on 11/08/2025 - 11:14
            +1

            @Aureus: ~$1500 per metre for re-lining with the party balloon epoxy thing and if needing to re-line 5-10M, gets expensive pretty quickly.

            • JimB on 11/08/2025 - 13:47
              +1

              @OneJay: Could be $1,500 per metre for the short run but cheaper for longer runs.

              The costs of setting up is a fixed cost, then you have cost per metre.

              Getting a tiler out for a 6sqm job isn't going to be the same per sqm as a 60sqm job.

  • kaybrr on 09/08/2025 - 09:42
    +2

    IDK, I think renting is better as you dont have to worry about wear and tear, and if your unit is faulty you might not even know until 6 years later because it's only been used once and now is out of warranty.

    There's so many tools I'd buy master before the eel for home use, like:
    * Moisture Meter (This could save you a fortune in costs when used before issues become problems). Pretty cheap.
    * FLIR thermal camera: useful for heat loss, leaks, electrical faults.
    * Laser level for ensuring everything is lined up just right.
    * Line tracer (cable/pipe locator / service locator).

    • MS Paint on 09/08/2025 - 09:46
      -1

      What the hell are you banging on about? I don't have a source but 99% of home owners do not own these tools or likely know they even exist. FFS

      • kaybrr on 09/08/2025 - 09:50
        +4

        Are you sure your name isn't MS Mangel rather than MS Paint? (She's an old, angry character from Neighbours and the only character I didn't collect the card for in the Ruffles Chips promotion in 88)

        I was just saying that in order of priority there are better options to build out a DIY home tool kit and the eel is overboard. I mean, if you read my reply you'd see what I was banging on about.

      • tenpercent on 09/08/2025 - 09:50
        +6

        What do you mean? You don't use a laser level to line up all your furniture and rugs and picture frames just perfect?
        You can even use it to line up the cuttlery when setting the table. So many home uses.
        And the moisture meter can be used in the bedroom but I'll let you figure out how.

        • kaybrr on 09/08/2025 - 09:51

          🙏 for understanding the laser level uses
          & if people got onto moisture/leak issues early they'd save tens of thousands.

        • luminousfox on 11/08/2025 - 10:54

          Hey! renters aren't allowed to use laser levels because they cant put up picture frames without losing their security deposits

          • tenpercent on 12/08/2025 - 20:28

            @luminousfox: 3M hooks?
            Or if you used a nail or screw, just fill the small hole with chewing gum and do a small touch up paint job with matte nail polish in the right colour?

      • freefall101 on 09/08/2025 - 11:07
        +4

        You've never bought a thermal camera in an aliexpress bargain after spending 50x the time researching them compared to actually using it once it arrived?

    • Jimothy Wongingtons on 09/08/2025 - 10:03
      +3

      I recently got a Klein tools moisture meter and it’s been pretty good in monitoring an on-going water ingress issue. Hopefully builder and plumber can give me more answers next week.

    • 87percent on 09/08/2025 - 10:20
      +1

      Local library (at least the 2 councils near me) have a home energy kit thing you can rent that has a thermal camera in it

    • amrdeus on 09/08/2025 - 12:04

      I rented once. Felt like it saved me only $150-200 after costs and added a whole lot of effort that wasn't worth the troubles.

      Not saying buying is any better. Probably much worse.

    • teacherer on 09/08/2025 - 20:37
      +1

      Agreed

  • elgrande on 09/08/2025 - 09:57

    What about a water jet? Pretty sure Karcher has an attachment.

    • amrdeus on 09/08/2025 - 10:29

      I read that it's more expensive, but haven't looked at options. I don't have a compressor if that's what it needs.

      • Jimothy Wongingtons on 09/08/2025 - 13:05
        +1

        Pressure washer - good investment, nothing more satisfying then a clean concrete driveway

        • Stealtho on 11/08/2025 - 09:11

          takes forever though, I have 100m2 just in the driveway

      • athuntershill on 11/08/2025 - 12:58

        Electric Eel is old tech and have one application only. Water Jet is on the other hand can be used for pressure wash by changing out the head unit.
        It's more powerful at root cutting and does a much better job.

    • od810 on 10/08/2025 - 22:48
      +2

      Karcher would probably be too weak for this kinda job, you need the 4000 5000 psi one. But i think it is less likely to damage the pipe than the eel and likely to be cheaper than the price quoted by OP for the eel. Plus, you can use it for many other things rather than just drain cleaning

  • mskeggs on 09/08/2025 - 10:09
    +4

    My old house was 130 years old, with a 60m clay pipe sewer run, with a dozen or so large trees roots invading the pipes.
    The pipes needed clearing regularly, no more than 2years.
    I bought a cheap electric eel from ebay, about $300.
    It worked pretty well, though was time consuming and took a fair bit of experimenting to get it most effective.
    One issue was getting good access close to blockages, it is harder to clear a blockage 20m down stream than 3m.
    I was on pretty good terms with the local plumber with a 10k psi Jetta, because i still needed him every few years as well.

    If your problems are more reasonable, i would go for it. If i had been able to re-build the pipes at my old place it would have been worth digging the 60m trench rather than fighting an ongoing battle with tree rootstock.

    I loved a lot about that house, but the sewer was a nightmare.

    • amrdeus on 09/08/2025 - 13:41

      Can you show us any pics or links to a similar model so we can see what kind of machine you tried? I'm thinking you probably want one that's got a thick cable. Thicker than this one

      • mskeggs on 09/08/2025 - 14:30
        +1

        Like this
        https://ebay.us/m/LgaeTl
        It is just an electric motor with a clutch mechanism that grips the snake and a forward/reverse switch.
        The snake is in 2m sections.
        You feed it in spinning, then drag it out again with roots etc wrapped around.

    • ihbh on 09/08/2025 - 17:49

      digging the 60m trench

      What does digging a trench do? Don't you have to deal with the trees and their roots for it to be a permanent solution?

      A lady down the road with similar aged house recently had some plumbing work done - as in a huge trench dug up along the side of her house. I asked her what the problem was. She said the trees on the side of her house have thrived because the sewers have leaked due to their roots and and are feeding them, creating a vicious circle. Anyway, one day recently the sewage went back up and that's when she found out she had a problem.

      First mob didn't do anything but charged her a couple thousand I think. Second mob fixed it for $40k.

      • mskeggs on 09/08/2025 - 19:47
        +4

        Replacing clay pipes with chemically joined PVC means no leaks, and no root intrusion.
        The problem for me was 80 years of changes to the property meant 20 metres of concrete driveway, 20 metres of concrete footpath and 20 metres of low headroom under house access plus unfavourable hills with retaining walls made it stupidly expensive to dig out an alternative path.
        There are guys that blow a plastic sleeve into existing pipes that might have worked, but they also want $1000 a metre which is a punishing expense - works in a city heritage terrace with a 4m run.

        When we moved into the place in 2005 it was $250 to get the pipes cleaned out - not cheap, but could deal with it every 18 months or so,
        When we moved out it was 3 times that and needed every year if you didn’t want to get a blocked dunny annually.

        Lots of older homes exist on the assumption you can fix issues for reasonable money. I’m not saying it was crippling, due to the crazy increase in house prices our whole plumbing costs in 20 years were 1% or something, but that and roofing quality definitely put me off older houses, having owned a few.
        That said, the beauty, uniqueness and rarity of old houses means I will never buy a new build.

        • ihbh on 10/08/2025 - 09:03

          I see, the PVC pipes deter roots more than clay pipes - fewer joints, less porous, brittle, prone to cracking and newer so with none of the age issues and and the roots are cleared around the trench when the new PVC pipes are.

          • mskeggs on 10/08/2025 - 09:57
            +1

            @ihbh: Clay pipes are brittle, so the joints crack over time due to tiny movement in the earth. The cracks let highly fertile water escape and tree roots follow the moisture back to the crack. They grow into the crack and make it bigger, and eventually fill the pipe space.
            PVC pipes can flex, and the joints are glued together with a solvent that makes the joint effectively a solid seam, so the cracks don’t form in the first place.

        • aliam on 10/08/2025 - 09:43

          I have the same problem. Clay pipes and an older house. Got quoted 35000 to line the pipes to prevent the problem. Thats juet way too expensive - even if i stay here for 20 years and spend $1000 a year doing the pipes, ill be ahead. Just got to hope the toilets don't block up on a long weekend.

          I do put the root killer tablets from Bunnings down the toilet every now and then, but bo idea if its helping or not.

          • ihbh on 10/08/2025 - 10:02
            +1

            @aliam: Are your pipes under your house? The lady down the street of mine was lucky the pipes are between her house and side fence and she paid $40k to dig a trench and redo all the pipes.

  • JIMB0 on 09/08/2025 - 10:54

    You can get an attachment for a Gerni that will clear light blockages. It won't work on thicker roots so you'll have to do it more frequently.

  • Downvoter on 09/08/2025 - 11:16
    -2

    Never had it done in 10+ years

    • amrdeus on 09/08/2025 - 11:22
      +5

      Each place is different. If you're not in an old house, then you don't have clay pipes that tree roots get through.

      Replacing pipes can be very expensive.

  • jv on 09/08/2025 - 12:51

    A pro eel is about $6000-10000. Or $150 rent.

    $35 on Temu

    • amrdeus on 09/08/2025 - 13:38
      +1

      That's going along the lines that I'm thinking, but by excluding any obviously bad option like this.This one doesn't come with a motor. And a drill bit won't get through any root system.

  • barbarella on 09/08/2025 - 13:34

    kinky!

  • vengeance88 on 09/08/2025 - 20:22
    -1

    Ozito PXC 18V Drain Cleaner PXDCS-018 - Skin Only - Bunnings Australia https://share.google/niC8dG8c8lvdg8JMK

    Only for small jobs

  • Nice one baby on 09/08/2025 - 22:48

    https://www.bunnings.com.au/drain-clean-114g-root-control-ta…

    Costs $8. You could buy a few packets and just feed them down every month.

  • shaybisc on 10/08/2025 - 10:37

    What kind of tree is it?

  • Muppet Detector on 10/08/2025 - 18:33
    +2

    What about a wombat?

    I heard they eat roots.

    • Herbs on 10/08/2025 - 21:48
      +3

      Shoots and leaves too…

      • JIMB0 on 11/08/2025 - 08:42

        Some go back for a second round of roots, but they’re pretty sleepy after that.

  • cashless on 10/08/2025 - 20:19
    +2

    Eels are mechanical & can damage pipes. Try getting a Gerni (high pressure version) that generates more than 1500psi pressure. Then get a 30m high pressure hose (with Gerni attachment one end) and two or three different pressure nozzles. I have one nozzle that spins & cuts through tree roots. Use every 2 years, works great.

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