The wax vs wax-free debate on r/Plumbing never ends. I’ve read thousands of comments. Reddit isn’t wrong, but not entirely right either.
The wax-only guys (usually pros with 20+ years) have a point: wax has been working for decades. One guy: “When done right, they last 20-30 years.” Hard to argue. Wax is cheap and forgiving on uneven flanges.
But the wax-free crowd (mostly DIYers and younger plumbers) aren’t wrong either. You can reposition a rubber seal. With wax, one wrong move and you’re buying another ring. For someone who does this once every five years, that matters.
As a guy who makes both: wax is better for pros doing standard installs. Rubber is better for DIYers and heated floors. The trend is clear: rubber is growing. Wax is flat. In five years, this debate is over.