The Brew Cabin

Can anyone recommend a good quality drain test kit (for domestic combined 4 inch plastic system). I have an old pump up system which has seen better days. I do not mind paying extra for a bit of quality and for something that will last. Most kits these days seem to be of flimsy plastic U tubes which fall over the minute a tube is attached to them and the non return valves are suspect.

There's not that many to choose from. I know Builder Centers (sic) are selling a basic kit for around 40 quid, which I feel is somewhat expensive, but theye are all much the same in terms in of quality. If you have a branch of Greenham trading, AG Strachan, Parker's or WT Burdens locally, you might be able to save yourself a few quid on that price.

It's also worth checking the contents - the main piece of kit is the U-tube (manometer), and the hand-pump, which is often a squeezt-ball type thing with a one-way valve. These are essential but then different kits offer different 'accessories': a pair of stoppers, complete with testing nipples, are damned handy, as is a reasonable length of tubing (at least 1200mm), but some kits offer 'fripperies' such as a dusting brush or a lubricant, which are not really needed, but are used to pad out the kit to make it look as though you're getting value for money.