Over at HD, there’s a Milwaukee M-Spector inspection camera on sale for just $70. I thought that its $100 pricing was good, but $70 is almost irresistible.
Before you run off to buy one, there’s something to keep in mind. You get what you pay for, and so you don’t get a lot with inexpensive inspection cameras. Read some of the user reviews on Home Depot’s site to see what I mean.
This Milwaukee M-Spector inspection camera, 2309-20, seems to have just come out, so there aren’t many experienced reviews out there.
The complaints on HD’s product page don’t seem to be any different from for other sub-$100 inspection cameras.
The M-Spector is on sale as part of HD’s Pro Black Friday sales event, and there’s no indication when the deal pricing will end.
It features a 2.7″ LCD display, 320 x 240 pixel resolution, 3ft flexible cable with 9mm diameter head, 4 LEDs for shadow-free illumination, and pipe guide attachment for easier routing through pipes. Compatible Milwaukee hook, magnet, and mirror attachments are sold separately.
A case is included, which isn’t the norm for budget inspection cameras.
Battery Size: 9V
Buy Now(via HD)
Compare(via Acme)
A reader recently asked for borescope recommendations, and I’ve been trying to put some ideas together. Here are some competitive models from that post-in-progress.
Ridgid CA-25 Micro
I’ve written about this Ridgid sub-$100 inspection camera before, and it seems to be well regarded among entry-level inspection cameras.
Its camera module is wider, at 17mm, meaning you’ll need a larger access hole, but that won’t be a problem in most situations.
It’s currently $87.
Buy Now(via Amazon)
Extech BR80
The Extech BR80, also offered by Craftsman, looks to be a strong competitor, currently priced at $84.
Extech sent me a BR70 instead of the BR80 as my freebie tool after buying a Flir E4 thermal imaging camera, and it showed me that inexpensive inspection cameras can be quite usable.
But it also showed me that inspection cameras under $100 are best for casual users who might only need them once in a while. For regular use, you’ll want to spring for something better.
So why buy any of these budget inspection cameras? An inexpensive borescope is better than no borescope.