These two names come up when a drain job stops being a drain job. Neither is sold to homeowners, and one of them does not make drain cleaning equipment at all — which is worth knowing before you go looking for it.
Spartan Tool — drum machines and jetters
Spartan Tool has built drain equipment since 1943, now from Niles, Michigan, as part of The Heico Companies. It sells through plumbing distributors rather than retail, so there is no consumer price to quote — Home Depot, Lowe's and Grainger do not list it.
Their published range gives a clear picture of how machine size maps to pipe size:
| Model | Pipe size | Cable | Reach |
|---|---|---|---|
| 700 / 718 handheld | 1¼″–2½″ | 1/4″–5/16″ | 35 ft |
| Model 100 drum | 1¼″–4″ | 5/16″–1/2″ | 100 ft |
| Model 300 drum | 3″–6″ | 0.55″–5/8″ | 107 ft |
| Model 1065 drum | 3″–10″ | 0.66″–3/4″ | 250 ft |
Their jetter range runs from a 1,500 PSI portable up to trailer units at 4,000 PSI and 18 GPM for lines up to 24 inches. Trailer jetters need a tow vehicle and a trained operator; they are not a homeowner option in any meaningful sense.
Spartan's own manual carries a warning the others do not phrase quite so bluntly: “Continued drum rotation in reverse position will cause cable to ‘jump’ out of drum. Possible operator injury could result.”
Vermeer — and a correction worth making
Vermeer does not make drain cleaning equipment. If you have arrived here looking for a Vermeer drain machine, there isn't one.
Vermeer is a family-owned manufacturer in Pella, Iowa, founded in 1948, making vacuum excavators and trenchless installation machinery for utility contractors and municipalities — potholing, daylighting, directional-drilling slurry management, catch-basin cleanouts.
Where a homeowner meets Vermeer is on the day a sewer lateral has to be exposed or replaced without digging a trench across the garden. It is what the contractor arrives with, not something anyone hires by the day.
Why this page exists
Because the equipment tells you something about the job. If the quote you have been given involves a trailer-mounted jetter or a vacuum excavator, that is not an upsell — it is a different category of work from cabling a branch line, and the price will reflect equipment and crew rather than an hour of someone's time.
Understanding which tier of machine your problem needs is the most useful thing on this page. Our main sewer line guide covers how contractors work that out.
Need someone to actually look at it?
Tell us your town or ZIP code and what is happening. We route the call to an independent contractor covering that area.
Call (888) 855-8790Questions people ask
Can I rent a Spartan machine?
Not from consumer rental counters. Spartan sells through plumbing distributors. Home Depot's drain rental fleet is General Wire Spring and Electric Eel.
Does Vermeer make a drain snake?
No. Vermeer makes vacuum excavators and trenchless installation equipment for utility work. It is what a contractor brings to expose or replace a buried line, not a drain cleaning machine.
What is a trailer jetter for?
High-volume water at pressure for large-diameter and long runs — Spartan's trailer units reach 4,000 PSI and 18 GPM for lines up to 24 inches. That is municipal and commercial territory, not a house.
Who owns Spartan Tool?
The Heico Companies, a family-owned holding company headquartered in Chicago. Spartan itself has been building drain equipment since 1943 and is based in Niles, Michigan.
Why can I not find a price?
Because neither company publishes consumer pricing — both sell through dealer and distributor networks that quote per customer. We would rather say that than invent a figure.
How do I get this kind of work done?
Call the number on this page with your town or ZIP code. We route the call to an independent contractor covering that area, at no charge to you.
Other guides
All drain cleaning services → · Cost guide →
Trademark notice. All brand names on this page are the property of their respective owners. DrainDispatch is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or otherwise connected to any company named here. This page is independent editorial written to help homeowners compare options, and nothing on it should be read as a claim of association.