Alright, so check it, recently I had to deal with a seriously clogged drain, the kind that makes you wanna just move out instead of dealing with it. I'm talkin' standing water in the tub, sink backing up, the whole nine yards. Plunging wasn't cutting it, and I wasn't about to mess with those chemical drain cleaners again – that stuff is nasty and never really works anyway.

So I figured, alright, time to get serious. I started looking into drain cleaner machines. Now, I'm no plumber, but I'm pretty handy, and I like to DIY stuff when I can. I mean, calling a plumber is expensive, right? So I hopped online, watched a bunch of YouTube videos (gotta love the internet), and started researching what kind of machine I'd need.

First thing I did was figure out the size of the drain I was dealing with. Is it a small sink drain, or a bigger tub/shower drain? This matters because the cable size on the machine needs to match the drain size. Too small, and it won't break through the clog. Too big, and you risk damaging the pipes. For my situation, which was a pretty typical tub drain, I figured a machine with a 5/16" or 3/8" cable would do the trick.

Next up was deciding on the type of machine. There are a few different kinds: hand-cranked, drill-powered, and electric. Hand-cranked ones are cheap and good for small clogs, but honestly, I didn't wanna spend all day cranking a handle. Drill-powered ones are a good compromise – you use your own drill to power the cable, so they're more powerful than hand-cranked but still relatively inexpensive. But I decided to go all-in with an electric one. Yeah, it cost a bit more upfront, but I figured it'd be worth it for the extra power and convenience, especially if this becomes a regular thing (knock on wood).

I ended up buying a small, portable electric drain cleaner machine. It was from a decent brand, not some super-cheap knockoff, and it had good reviews. The important thing was that it came with a good length of cable (50 feet was plenty for my situation) and a few different auger heads for different types of clogs.

Alright, so the machine arrives. Time to get my hands dirty. I laid down some old towels around the drain to protect the floor (trust me, you'll want to do this – it gets messy). Then, I followed the instructions that came with the machine. Basically, you feed the cable into the drain, and then turn on the machine. The rotating cable snakes its way down the pipe, breaking up or grabbing onto whatever is causing the clog.

The key is to go slow and steady. Don't force the cable, and don't run the machine at full speed right away. I started with a slow speed and gently pushed the cable down the drain. I could feel it hitting some resistance, so I just kept working it back and forth, letting the auger head do its thing. After a few minutes, I felt it break through the clog. Success!

After that, I ran the machine for a few more minutes to clear out any remaining debris. Then, I pulled the cable out of the drain, being careful to wipe it clean as I went. And then, the moment of truth: I turned on the water. And… it drained perfectly! No more standing water, no more gurgling sounds, just smooth, clean draining.

Cleanup was the worst part, honestly. The cable was covered in gunk, and the area around the drain was a bit of a mess. But hey, that's part of the game. I hosed down the cable, wiped down the machine, and tossed the towels in the wash.

All in all, using a drain cleaner machine was a pretty good experience. It saved me a bunch of money compared to calling a plumber, and it was actually kind of satisfying to fix the problem myself. Plus, now I have a tool that I can use again in the future (hopefully not too often!).

• Do your research: Figure out the size of your drain and the type of machine that's right for you.
• Read the instructions: Don't just wing it – follow the instructions that came with the machine.
• Go slow and steady: Don't force the cable, and don't run the machine at full speed right away.
• Be prepared for a mess: Lay down some towels to protect the floor, and be ready to clean up afterward.

So yeah, that's my drain cleaner machine story. Hope it helps someone out there who's dealing with a stubborn clog!