Review on 🔧 Moen Cartridge Puller for Single Handle Cartridges (1200, 1222, and 1225) by Nathan Skipper

I used this tool to help remove the 1222 cartridge, at least not for 1222. The "puller" tool requires an adjustable one Part to sit and become stationary relative to the stationary body holding the piece to be removed. They then manipulate the tool, such as by screwing, to pull out the part to be removed against a combination of a seated, stationary part and a stationary body. In the shower cartridge scenario, the fixed body is the shower valve/pipe that holds the cartridge, the adjustable part of this tool is the large hex nut, and the knob unscrews the cartridge. The problem with the 1222 is that there are two plastic tabs/lugs that stick out perpendicular to the surface of the cartridge and are as wide as the valve tube. As a result, the plastic tabs do not fit into the large hexagon nut and the cartridge cannot be pushed forward more than a few millimeters when screwing it in. This leaves you with the remaining option of simply pulling on the tool while it is in the cartridge to retrieve it. This could be accomplished with a screw and pliers. Aside from the tool, there are a few other options that make the tool work like a real 1222 puller. You can cut off the plastic tabs (one says 'HC' on it) on the stuck cartridge and then the tool might work. You can also create another stationary part next to the valve line on which you can mount a hex nut (with washers wide enough to clear the valve line). Another reviewer briefly discusses this second method using 2x4 tile vs. shower tile. I would be wary of this method because instead of pulling against the stationary body holding the cartridge you are pulling the entire valve line through the cartridge and this can tear or bend the valve line. There's also a Q&A asking about it, which unfortunately only has one correct answer - cons.