Oatey's Pop-Down Sink Drain: Easier to Install, Less Leak Prone

This Dearborn Pop-Down Drain is designed to improve not only the UX of the end user, but of the person who has to install it. In the works by Cleveland-based plumbing products company Oatey, It's a bathroom sink drain with a stopper that sits flush with the bottom of the sink—when it's open. Pushing it down, beneath the surface of the sink bottom, seals it shut. The stopper can be removed for cleaning or maintenance by hand, without the use of tools, a boon for users; there's no pivot rod to detach first.By doing away with the pivot rod arrangement used by most sink drains, the design also eliminates a potential leak path. It additionally eases installation for the plumber; no tools are required beyond putty for the seal, as the body is knurled for hand-tightening. Perhaps best of all for the plumber, it reduces the need to carry inventoryf. While other pop-down drains exist on the market, Oatey's design is universal in that it can be used with sinks with or without overflows; in other words, the plumber only needs to stock one SKU, rather than be prepared for both options.One thing the user might not like is that after filling the basin for a cleaning task, a finger must be immersed into the water to open the drain. This might be a dealbreaker for the finicky.The Dearborn is designed to fit all 1 ¼" bahtroom sink openings, and can be used with both thick and thin sinks. The user-facing components are made from machined brass for longevity.The product isn't yet market-ready; Oatey unveiled the design at the recent KBIS show (see below). They say the Dearborn will hit store shelves later this year.

Apr 23, 2025 - 14:43

Oatey's Pop-Down Sink Drain: Easier to Install, Less Leak Prone

This Dearborn Pop-Down Drain is designed to improve not only the UX of the end user, but of the person who has to install it. In the works by Cleveland-based plumbing products company Oatey, It's a bathroom sink drain with a stopper that sits flush with the bottom of the sink—when it's open. Pushing it down, beneath the surface of the sink bottom, seals it shut. The stopper can be removed for cleaning or maintenance by hand, without the use of tools, a boon for users; there's no pivot rod to detach first.

By doing away with the pivot rod arrangement used by most sink drains, the design also eliminates a potential leak path. It additionally eases installation for the plumber; no tools are required beyond putty for the seal, as the body is knurled for hand-tightening. Perhaps best of all for the plumber, it reduces the need to carry inventoryf. While other pop-down drains exist on the market, Oatey's design is universal in that it can be used with sinks with or without overflows; in other words, the plumber only needs to stock one SKU, rather than be prepared for both options.

One thing the user might not like is that after filling the basin for a cleaning task, a finger must be immersed into the water to open the drain. This might be a dealbreaker for the finicky.

The Dearborn is designed to fit all 1 ¼" bahtroom sink openings, and can be used with both thick and thin sinks. The user-facing components are made from machined brass for longevity.

The product isn't yet market-ready; Oatey unveiled the design at the recent KBIS show (see below). They say the Dearborn will hit store shelves later this year.