Updated

When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

  • I kept clogging my shower drain with strands of my thick, curly hair.
  • The OXO shower drain cover is the hair catcher I needed.
  • The silicone cover stops hair from going down the drain but allows water to pass through.
OXO Good Grips Silicone Shower and Tub Drain Protector Shop at Amazon External link Arrow An arrow icon, indicating this redirects the user." Shop at OXO External link Arrow An arrow icon, indicating this redirects the user."

I comb my thick, curly hair while showering, leaving plenty of loose strands behind. For a long time, I let my hair work its way down the drain.

Before you judge my reckless habits, know that I tried to do better. Over the years, I bought many shower drain covers: a cheap wire mesh one that collected soap scum and ultimately rusted, a flower-shaped hair catcher with suction cups that was impossible to clean, and a set of pretty pastel covers that developed a yellow hue in a matter of weeks.

Nearly all did a decent job of catching hair, but they also created a dam that left me standing in a couple inches of soapy water. It became my habit to kick the cover aside mid-shower. And with that, baby Chewbaccas were frequently born from the depths of my drain, snaked out by myself, my reluctant partner, or the plumber sent by my landlord when it got really bad (sorry, Murray).

My last resort was this OXO shower drain cover. I couldn't imagine it would stay put because it lacked suction cups, but I gave it a try out of desperation. Over the last six months, this cover has done exactly what it's supposed to do. My hair now lands in the wastebasket after every shower, and bathing my dog has gotten a whole lot easier with this drain cover, too.

The dome-shaped silicone cover can be placed over a flat or pop-up drain. A weighted metal disk on top holds it in place.

The cover is made of the same high-quality silicone and stainless steel you'll find in many OXO products. Lisa Sabatini/Insider

Water easily flows through the silicone holes even as hair collects around the edge of the cover.

The holes are generously sized, and because they cover much of the dome, water has many places to escape. Lisa Sabatini/Insider

Unlike what you'll find with some drain covers, strands of hair don't work their way through the holes or get tangled up.

Once I shut off the water, it takes very little time for the tub to fully drain. Lisa Sabatini/Insider

If you bathe your dog in the bathtub, this cover works just as well for catching fur.

The smooth, flexible silicone material makes it easy to remove collected fur from the cover. Lisa Sabatini/Insider

The bottom line

Most shower drain covers fail to do everything they should: catch hair, allow water to drain, and come clean with just a little wiping and rinsing. The Good Grips Silicone Shower and Tub Drain Protector does all those things and for only $12.

Shop at Amazon Shop at OXO Lisa Sabatini Senior Editor, Pets Lisa is the senior pets editor for Insider Reviews. She brings extensive knowledge of animal behavior and health to her role and has edited books on dog training for young readers. She works with reporters to narrow down the best pet products, from new and emerging brands to tried-and-true pet toys. In her spare time, she prides herself in capturing photos of her beagle-basset hound Homer demonstrating the perfect sploot. Previously, Lisa oversaw Insider Reviews parenting and home coverage. She began her journalism career at the Wall Street Journal, has worked in business trade and educational book publishing, and was an editor at the parenting website Scary Mommy. Lisa currently resides in New York's Hudson Valley. She graduated from New York University with a bachelor's degree in journalism. Read more Read less

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7o8HSoqWeq6Oeu7S1w56pZ5ufonyowcidnKxnmKS6pnvOsaZmq5ikxKa%2BjJ2pmqGeYrCwwsSrZKudpp6yuA%3D%3D