Drain snakes don’t make the news cycle very often, but the Ridgid K-46 SinkSnake hit the market with an attention-grabbing design. I took a deeper look and have some thoughts to share to help you decide if it deserves a place on your service van.
Ridgid K-46 SinkSnake at a Glance
Key Features
- Cordless: Never worry about finding an outlet or dragging an extension cord
- Brushless: More power and longer runtime
- Multi-Position Kickstand: Offers support at a variety of heights and angles
- Cable Versatility: Run 1/4, 5/16, or 3/8-inch cables
- Line Range: Clear lines from 3/4 of an inch to 3 inches
- Convenient Controls: Forward and reverse controls rotate 360°
- Cable Lock: Keeps the cable length steady so you can manually work the clog
- LED Light: Illuminates dark areas
- Enclosed Drum: Helps contain the mess and reduce the risk of damage to fixtures
Specifications
- 1/4-inch Cable Capacity: 50 feet
- 5/16-inch Cable Capacity: 50 feet
- 3/8-inch Cable Capacity: 35 feet
- Speed: 0 – 560 RPM
- Bare Weight: 9.7 lbs
- Working Weight: 15.2 lbs with 2.5Ah battery and 5/16-inch x 25-foot cable
Ridgid K-46 SinkSnake Price
When it comes to price, there’s a wide range depending on which retailer you shop at. As I’m writing, you should be able to find the bare tool (78048) for $440, a basic kit (78053) for $550, and a deluxe kit (78058) for $880. The best price I’ve been able to find has been at Home Depot and Amazon, where you can get the basic kit for $516.99.
Basic Kit
- K-46 SinkSnake
- 5/16-inch x 25-foot cable
- Bulb auger
- 2.5Ah battery
- Charger
- Work gloves
Deluxe Kit
- K-46 SinkSnake
- 5/16-inch x 25-foot cable
- 3/8-inch x 35-foot cable
- Bulb auger
- T-250 tool set
- Inner drum
- 2.5Ah battery
- Charger
- Work gloves
- Carrying case
Ridgid backs the tool with a lifetime warranty against defects and workmanship.
Should You Buy It?
The Ridgid K-46 SinkSnake is all about giving you solid performance and the best possible ergonomics for clearing jobs that require some very non-ergonomic body positioning.
The star of the show is without a doubt the kickstand. It’s one thing to be standing above a sink, but cramped into the cabinet underneath while trying to support a 15-pound drain snake is tough on your elbows and back. Having the kickstand to support the weight and pivot the tool to the most convenient angle certainly takes some of the strain off.
Don’t miss some of the other design features, though. The 360° front-mounted controls also relieve some of the strain on your wrists and hands, and the LED light makes it that much easier to see what you’re doing as you start the cable feed.
When it comes to clearing smaller lines, I don’t think I’ve seen a more convenient drain snake design.
There are a couple of caveats, though. As a high-end professional tool, it has a premium price, running even higher than models like Milwaukee’s M18 Fuel Drain Snake kit. Ridgid’s 18V battery platform also isn’t as broad as brands like Milwaukee and DeWalt, though it has a solid focus on MEP tools.
If those don’t bother you, but the strain on your back does, give the K-46 SinkSnake a shot.
