American Standard Speed Connect Drain – Product Review

By Todd Fratzel on Plumbing

Speed Connect Drain by American Standard

speed_connect1Recently we had the pleasure of installing an American Standard lavatory faucet equipped with the all new Speed Connect Drain. Anyone that’s installed a faucet before knows that the drain assembly was the hardest part of the job. You needed to get the drain stopper linkage set up just right and you needed to be sure the drain assembly didn’t leak. The challenges of installing a sink drain are almost non-existent with the all new Speed Connect Drain from American Standard.

Old Drains Vs Speed Connect Drains

Speed Connect Drain View

Traditional old style sink drains typically contain over 14 pieces and they require the use of plumbers putty to seal properly. The new Speed Connect Drain only has 4 pieces and requires no plumbers putty or special tools for installation.

In the following photos you can see the difference between an old style drain and the new Speed Connect drain. The difference is really big and we are very impressed with the innovation that’s taken place!

Old Style Drain

Traditional Sink Drain

Speed Connect Drain

Speed Connect DrainSpeed Connect Drain Installation Video

The following video shows you how easy the Speed Connect Drain is to install.

Speed Connect Drain Review

Anytime we hear about a new product that’s supposed to simplify and speed up the installation we worry that there’s going to be a compromise in performance. So when American Standard asked us to install a new bathroom fuacet that includes the new Speed Connect Drain we were anxious to see how well it performed.

Speed Of Installation

Typically it takes about 15 to 20 minutes to install a traditional old sytle sink drain. The time involved includes setting up the linkage that operates the drain stopper and installing plumbers putty to seal the drain to the sink.

With just a 1/3 of the number of parts, we were able to install the new Speed Connect Drain in just a few minutes. The installation was very simple and didn’t require any special tools. The installation instructions were very clear and helpful. We were very impressed with how much easier this type of drain is to install when you don’t have to deal with plumbers putty.

Performance

The new Speed Connect Drain worked perfectly the first time we used it. The foam gasket between the drain body and the flange works very well and is the reason the drain can be installed without plumbers putty. We tested the drain for leaks and found none on the very first try! Also, the drain stopper worked perfectly with no need for any adjustments like a traditional drain would require.

Final Thoughts

We were very impressed with the new Speed Connect Drain from American Standard. American Standard has created a new drain assembly that is easily installed by folks with just basic DIY experience. Using the Speed Connect Drain makes the task of installing a new faucet easy and fast. We highly recommend the Speed Connect Drains for anyone wanting to install their own new faucet.

About the author

Todd Fratzel

I'm full time builder for a large construction company in New Hampshire. I run their design-build division that specializes in custom homes, commercial design-build projects and sub-divisions. I'm also a licensed civil and structural engineer with extensive experience in civil and structural design and home construction. My hope is that I can share my experience in the home construction, home improvement and home renovation profession with other builders and home owners. I'm also the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Tool Box Buzz. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, suggestions or you'd like to inquire about advertising on this site.

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13 Comments

  1. Keith says:

    Wow! I wonder what took so long to come up with this. I have installed hundreds of faucets and that is by far the hardest part to get right, on top of it being located in an awkward position. Nice review!

    Keith

    • Keith A. says:

      Yep. The drain installation instructions were great. Now all I have to do is make another trip to the hardware store to buy the supply lines I did not know I needed and then figure out how to hook them up.

  2. Wow this seems like such a more streamlined version of a drain. Thanks for including the tutorial as well, very helpful.

  3. Jim Deming says:

    Thank you for providing a link to American Standard Speed Connect Drain

    http://www.americanstandard-us.com/assets/documents/amstd/install/Install_555.pdf

    I have been cleaning out bathroom drains for 50 years. When I move into this apartment the drain flow was SLOW. So I pulled on the stopper, and realized that it was installed BACKWARDS to the way I LIKE it. Looking under the sink I was shocked to see the “Speed Connect” drain. “How the heck do I release the stopper!” Google got me to American Standard website but their internal “search” gave me no help.

    You gave me the answer! And I removed the stopper, cleaning the filthy thing, and put it back in its PROPER position. I also noticed their name “American Standard” is now upside down and immoveable, unlike other vendors. Which means that Management at American Standard is inept (insert other appropriate words here.) The words on the top of the stopper are on the diameter of the circle. A creative company would have put their name in a circular pattern so it would have been readable in either direction.

    Thanks,
    Jim Deming – distant cousin of W. Edwards

  4. Pat says:

    Just installed three of these. There is a standing ring of water around each drain. Since the tailpipe is made of plastic instead of metal, it is much thicker and prevents all of the water from draining. I am going to call American Standard tomorrow to see if they have a fix. Or they are going back to Home Depot.

  5. Jim says:

    The drain seals well when first installed but after a few years the foam gasket loses shape. I just replaced a sink due to it getting scratched and can’t reuse the foam gasket and am having trouble finding just the gasket without having to buy the entire drain assembly. The assembly without the stopper cable is < $10 but I shouldn't have to buy the entire drain just to get the foam gasket.

    When American Standard says…

    'Guaranteed to seal properly the first time, every time'

    They must mean every time you install it for the first time… not during a reinstall.

  6. Helen says:

    I can’t get my drain opening thing to open or close it seems stuck please help

  7. Patrice says:

    Thank you. The youtube videos on cleaning out the speed connect sink stopper are also helpful, but this is still a cheap drain stopper piece. Old Boston condo building, weak plumbing. We always poured boiling water down the tub and drains to open them up and it always worked, but now it has melted the cheap plastic drain stopper in my new bathroom so now it is misshapen and won’t close. I would love a stainless one that fits this “speed connect” assembly.

  8. Stin says:

    Mine is leaking where the line goes into the plastic part.

  9. Peter Doyle says:

    by the way, the so-called foam gasket for the drain seal is not sold separately should you have to replace it. you have to obtain a whole new drain assembly. I followed the directions for installation for 4 of these. after having to clear the pop-up drain stopper of debris and cleaning further that whole are of the gasket / drain assembly that fits into the sink proved to be a disgusting mess and upon removal the foam gasket covered in the muck was so fragile it tore – it could never have been reused anyway since it had lost all shape and expansion properties. the sink / faucet / drain have only been used in this case by one person, for two years. not a great design for long-term use and that collection of muck will likely stink and rot after some time if it is not really sealed and allowing debris and soap and toothpaste residue to accumulate.

  10. Rane says:

    I prefer the bar style drain assembly, as I need to clean a speed connect drain of hair, etc. With a traditional drain style. I’d lift the drain with the bar beneath then unscrew it. The drain is now closed, with sink not useable.
    Hopefully I can find a YouTube video, as I have to undo the assembly under the sink, possibly reinstall.
    Frustrated. Moving the tube does nothing to the drain or plunger.

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