RIDGID 3-Foot Toilet Auger Snake with Bulb Head

OK, here's the deal on this thing...first off, to be fair, it does clear most toilet clogs but there are a few major cons that you need to be aware of before purchase that would have steered me clear: 1) The auger is actually a 3 ft metal spring that is very unwieldy and difficult to maneuver as its over 6 ft long when fully extended including the handle...you will not be able to insert it into the toilet if you have a very small space like a small guest bathroom...the auger doesn't roll up but rather gets pulled back into the metal tubing housing as you withdraw it from the drain or toilet...you need about 7 ft of clearance in order to get the auger into the toilet; 2) It is a mess to work with...this is the deal breaker for me and I'm used to getting my hands dirty but this thing is a pain and here's why: the auger is a tightly wound metal coil spring with a bulb head at the end...clogged toilets contain all sorts of nasty debris and organic material that you don't want to come in contact with, however as the auger is slowly turned clockwise into the toilet drain, it will come into contact with all the above mentioned items (as it is designed to do)...in most cases as you begin to retract the auger from the toilet, it will also bring back remnants of whatever was clogging the toilet...paper, foreign objects, hygiene products and yes, solid human waste. These dingle berries and other goodies are lodged into the bulb head and much of the length of the auger and as you retract it into the metal housing, only the bulb will be exposed once fully retracted...the bulb can be cleaned in the toilet with some effort, but its the remaining 3 ft of retracted auger that begins leaking all over your bathroom that is the biggest pain. I typically have to move the auger to the bathtub once retracted and then extend the auger the full 3 ft (6+ft with the handle) in order to clean the rest of the auger length which is also not easy as all the debris is compacted into the spring coils and requires high pressure water hose to fully remove. Try cleaning a 7ft rod in your bathtub half of which is a metal coil that squirms all over place and you get the idea. There is a plastic holder that keep the auger in place when not in use but I have found it to be very difficult to attach and detach the auger. Conclusion: Does the job if you are prepared to get dirty...use rubber gloves and cover the bathroom floor with plastic or other covering...you will clear the toilet and save yourself a big plumber's bill, BUT you will have a major clean up operation to contend with.