There’s never a good time for a clogged toilet. But when it happens the morning of a big meeting or with a house full of guests, you want to know that when you reach for your plunger, it’s going to work.
At Mattioni, our plumbers clear toilet clogs across Southeastern Pennsylvania every day. We know just how frustrating it can be to have the wrong kind of plunger in your bathroom.
In this article, we’ll walk you through the four toilet plungers worth owning, plus we’ll cover how an auger can help when plunging doesn’t work. You’ll learn how to tell which plunger fits your toilet, so you can avoid frustrating battles with your toilet.
What Is the Best Type of Plunger for a Toilet?
The best type of plunger for a toilet is a flange plunger. It looks like a regular plunger, but it has a soft rubber sleeve (the flange) that extends from the bottom of the cup. That sleeve fits into the drain opening at the bottom of your toilet bowl and creates a tight seal, so every push sends pressure straight at the clog.
Here’s how the three common types compare:
Plunger guide
The 3 Types of Plungers, Side by Side
The shape of the head decides where a plunger can seal. Only one is built for the curved drain at the bottom of a toilet bowl.
Cup Plunger
Also called a sink plunger
- Shape: A simple rubber dome with a flat rim and no flange.
- Best for: Sinks, tubs, and showers, where the drain sits on a flat surface.
- In a toilet: Can't seal against the curved drain, so it mostly sloshes water around.
Not for toilets
Flange Plunger
Also called a toilet plunger
- Shape: A rubber cup with a soft sleeve (the flange) extending from the bottom.
- Best for: Toilets. The flange fits inside the drain opening and creates a tight seal.
- Bonus: Many fold the flange back into the cup to work on flat drains, too.
Keep one by every toilet
Accordion Plunger
Also called a bellows plunger
- Shape: Hard plastic with ribbed, stacked folds and a small tip at the bottom.
- Best for: Toilets, if you're comfortable with a stiffer, harder-to-control tool.
- Watch out: Harder to seat, and the hard plastic can scuff your toilet bowl.
Works, but harder to use
- Cup plunger (sink plunger). A flat rubber cup with no flange. It’s the right tool for sinks, tubs, and showers, where the drain sits on a flat surface. In a toilet, it can’t seal against the curved drain, so you end up sloshing water instead of moving the clog.
- Flange plunger (toilet plunger). A cup with a rubber sleeve that seals inside the toilet drain. This is the one most homes should keep next to the toilet. Many flange plungers let you fold the sleeve back into the cup, so it doubles as a sink plunger too.(If you do, just clean it well first.)
- Accordion plunger. A hard plastic plunger with ribbed, bellows-style folds. It can push a lot of air, but it’s harder to seat, harder to control, and the stiff plastic can scuff your toilet bowl. For most homeowners, a good flange plunger is easier and works just as well.
How We Chose These Toilet Plungers
At Mattioni, we don’t sell plungers. But we do know a thing or two about them. We picked these tools based on three things that matter on a real clog: how well the head seals, how easy the handle is to push, and how cleanly it can be stored.
We also paid close attention to newer toilets. Many toilets installed in Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery County homes over the last two decades are low-flow or high-efficiency models, and their drain openings are often narrower or more oval than older bowls. A plunger that worked fine on your old toilet may not seal on your new one.
1. Korky BeehiveMAX (Best Overall Toilet Plunger)
Best for: Most homes, especially if you have a mix of older and newer toilets.
Head: 6-inch beehive-shaped cup with a built-in flange, made of non-marking rubber.
Handle: 15-inch T-handle (a telescoping version is also available).
Storage: Sold on its own or with a holder (model 95-4).
The Korky BeehiveMAX is the plunger we’d put in most bathrooms, and it’s the most consistently recommended plunger we’ve found. Korky designed it to fit both older toilets and newer high-efficiency toilets. The rounded, beehive-shaped head flexes to fill oddly shaped drain openings, so it seals with less effort.
The T-handle gives you a better grip than a straight stick, and the rubber won’t leave marks on your bowl. Korky also manufactures toilet repair parts, so this plunger comes from a company that knows exactly how toilet drains are shaped.
DIY Tip: Get the 95-4 version with the holder. The base model comes with nothing to catch drips, so it ends up sitting wet on your bathroom floor.
It may not be a good fit if you want a longer reach. At 15 inches, the standard handle is shorter than some plungers, which could mean more bending over a tall toilet.
2. Neiko 60166A (Best Heavy-Duty Toilet Plunger)
Best for: Homes with several toilets of different shapes, or for stubborn, recurring clogs.
Head: Tiered rubber cup to fit different drain sizes.
Handle: Rust-resistant aluminum.
Storage: No holder included (the handle has a hole for hanging).
The Neiko 60166A takes a different approach to sealing. Instead of one flange, its cup has four stepped tiers, so one of them seals in almost any size drain. If your upstairs and downstairs toilets are different models, this is one plunger that can handle both.
The aluminum handle is stiff and strong, so more of your push goes into the clog. Neiko also designed the cup so it won’t flip inside out mid-plunge, and its smooth interior doesn’t trap dirty water.
It may not be a good fit if appearance or storage matters to you. It’s a utility tool with no holder, so you’ll need your own place to keep it, whether that’s a drip tray, a hook, or under the sink.
3. simplehuman Toilet Plunger and Caddy (Best Design-Forward Toilet Plunger)
Best for: Primary bathrooms with modern, low-flow toilets, where you want the plunger to look like it matches the toilet.
Head: Narrow-profile flange designed for modern toilets.
Handle: Stainless steel rod.
Storage: Dome-shaped caddy with a magnetic collar that holds the cover to the plunger so it won’t drip while you carry it.
The simplehuman Toilet Plunger and Caddy is the most polished plunger on our list. Its long, narrow flange is shaped for the smaller drain openings in modern toilets, and the magnetic collar lets you lift the plunger and its cover together, so nothing drips across your floor. It’s also the only plunger here with a multi-year warranty (5 years).
Here’s the honest trade-off: you’re paying mostly for design. Independent reviewers rate it highly for looks and storage but give the Korky the edge on clog-clearing power.
It may not be a good fit for older toilets with large, round drain openings, where the narrow flange may not seal as well, or if you’re watching your budget, since it’s the most expensive plunger on our list.
4. OXO Good Grips Toilet Plunger and Canister (Best for Hidden Storage)
Best for: Guest bathrooms and anyone who doesn’t want a wet plunger sitting on the floor.
Head: Natural rubber flange head designed for all toilets, including low-flush models.
Handle: Plastic, with a wide flat top for a comfortable grip.
Storage: Canister that springs open when you lift the plunger and closes when you put it back, with a vented drip tray.
The OXO Good Grips Toilet Plunger and Canister solves the part of plunging nobody talks about: what to do with the plunger afterward. The canister hides it completely, and the drip tray has ventilation slots so leftover water can dry instead of pooling.
To be straightforward, the OXO isn’t a top performer in independent reviews the way our first three picks are. Choose it for convenience and a clean-looking bathroom, not unclogging performance.
It may not be a good fit for if your home has frequent clogs. For that, choose the Korky or Neiko instead.
5. Ridgid K-3 Toilet Auger (Best Tool for When Plunging Doesn’t Work)
Best for: Clogs a plunger can’t clear, especially solid objects or blockages deeper in the toilet’s trap.
Head: Bulb head on a 3-foot, 1/2-inch kink-resistant cable.
Handle: Large, ergonomic crank handle.
Bowl Protection: Vinyl guard that protects the porcelain from scratches.
Sometimes a plunger just can’t move a clog, no matter how hard you try. That’s when you want a toilet auger, and the Ridgid K-3 is the one independent reviewers point to for severe clogs. Instead of pushing water, you feed its cable through the trap and crank the handle to break up the clog or hook it and pull it back out.
It’s not a plunger, but we included it because it’s the honest answer to “what do I do when plunging doesn’t work?” For many homeowners, owning one means one fewer call to the plumber.
DIY Tip: Keep the vinyl guard seated in the bottom of the bowl as you crank. That’s what protects your porcelain from the metal cable.
It may not be a good fit for clogs past the toilet. Its 3-foot cable is made to clear the toilet itself, not your drain or sewer line.
How to Choose the Right Plunger for Your Toilet
The best plunger for your toilet might be different from your neighbor’s. Before you buy, check these three things:
- The shape of your drain opening. Look at the hole at the bottom of your toilet bowl. If it’s large and round, most flange plungers will seal. If it’s narrow or oval (common in low-flow and high-efficiency toilets), choose a plunger built for modern bowls, like the Korky BeehiveMAX or simplehuman.
- Handle length and grip. A longer handle keeps your hands farther from the water, and a T-handle or flat top makes it easier to push.
- Where it will live. A plunger with a holder or canister keeps drips off your floor and out of sight. If you have more than one bathroom, keep a plunger in each one, so you’re never carrying a wet plunger through the house.
When Plunging and an Auger Don’t Work
If you’ve tried the plunger and a toilet auger, and the clog still won’t budge, or if more than one drain in your home is slow or gurgling, the problem is likely a clog beyond your toilet. In that case, it may be in your home’s sewer branch line or main sewer line. Our guide to why your toilet won’t flush and the six signs of a drain clog can help you narrow it down.
For over 75 years, homeowners across Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Berks, and Lancaster Counties have depended on Mattioni for fast, respectful plumbing service. Call us today at (610) 400-8510 or book your appointment online, and we’ll take it from there.
Quick answers: best toilet plungers
What is the best plunger for a toilet?
A flange plunger is the best type of plunger for a toilet, because its rubber sleeve seals inside the drain opening at the bottom of the bowl. For most homes, Mattioni recommends the Korky BeehiveMAX. Its beehive-shaped head and T-handle seal well in both older round-outlet toilets and modern high-efficiency toilets.
What is the difference between a toilet plunger and a sink plunger?
A sink plunger (cup plunger) has a flat rubber cup that seals on flat surfaces like sinks and tubs. A toilet plunger (flange plunger) adds a soft rubber sleeve that extends into the curved toilet drain. A cup plunger can't seal in a toilet, so most of your effort just pushes water around the bowl.
What is the best plunger for a low-flow toilet?
Modern low-flow and high-efficiency toilets often have narrower or oblong drain openings that a standard round plunger can't seal. Look for a plunger built for them, like the Korky BeehiveMAX, which Korky designed to fit both old and new high-efficiency toilets, or the simplehuman plunger, which has a narrow flange made for modern bowls.
What should I do if plunging doesn't unclog my toilet?
If 15 to 20 good plunges don't clear it, try a toilet auger, such as the Ridgid K-3, which reaches into the toilet's trap where a plunger can't break a solid blockage loose. If the auger doesn't work, or if other drains in your home are also slow or gurgling, the clog is likely past the toilet in your drain or main sewer line, and you'll need a plumber with professional equipment.
Is a toilet auger better than a plunger?
Neither is better; they do different jobs. A plunger uses water pressure and clears most everyday clogs from paper buildup. A toilet auger uses a cable to break up or pull out solid blockages, like wipes or a small toy, that pressure alone won't move. Most homes are best served by keeping a flange plunger and having an auger as a backup.
Does Mattioni clear toilet clogs in Chester County and SE Pennsylvania?
Yes. Mattioni clears toilet and drain clogs throughout Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Berks, and Lancaster Counties in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Our licensed plumbers give you an upfront, flat-rate price before any work begins. Call (610) 400-8510 or schedule online.
