Picking the best sewer camera isn’t as easy as you might think – especially if this is your first time using it! This item can be crucial in fixing your plumbing system, and you need to be insightful about what you’re paying.
A sewer camera is a camera on a body that looks like a long cable. Professionals use it to diagnose any problem that might occur inside your plumbing system. Many cameras have integrated LED lights. Some can rotate, and most are controlled using a remote. Most of the time, you can watch whatever they record live, on an integrated screen.
Sewer cameras are extremely useful for diagnosing problems such as collapsed pipes, paper, stubborn roots, or grease that are clogging your sewer system. All sewer inspections are conducted with the help of a good camera.
However, paying a professional can be expensive. While this is a must for some issues, you might be able to solve others without issue if you have the best sewer camera possible.
Here are our top picks:
Best Sewer Camera – Top Picks
Choosing the best sewer camera possible can not only save you thousands of dollars that you would otherwise pay for a professional inspection. Not just that, but it can keep you from making some crucial mistakes, such as digging into the wrong area or breaking your plumbing system. [1]
Luckily, we’re here to help! Below are our top 5 picks, depending on what you’re expecting of your device:
1. Best Value for Money: Pranite Sewer Camera
Key features:
- 165 ft cable
- 8 LEDs
- 9-inch monitor
- 17mm Industrial endoscope camera
- 4500mAh camera (up to 9 hours of use)
If you’re on a budget or if you’re simply looking for an affordable camera, this might be the best option for you. It has a homeowner-friendly price, while still offering many benefits of much more luxurious cameras.
The camera head is thin enough to go through most pipes, including down the drain. However, it has a straight-ahead camera, which poses some limitations. Still, considering its price, this flaw shouldn’t be a big surprise. Also, it only has 8 lighting LEDs, but this should be enough to see through most pipes.
You can use this camera not just indoors, but outdoors, as well! This is additionally enforced by the fact that the wide 9-inch screen has a shade that helps you see everything better even in the bright sun.
All in all, considering its price range, this is likely the best sewer camera you can find.
2. Best Cheap Sewer Camera:Anysun Sewer Camera
Key Features:
- 100 ft cable
- 8 hours working time
- 9-inch diameter
- 92o view angle
- 12 LEDs
- 7-inch screen
This might be the best product for those who simply want to get a camera that doesn’t cost much and gets things done. It is the most affordable product on our list, but don’t let the price range sway you from checking it out.
It comes with a 100 ft cable, which is just the right length for most plumbing systems. You can control it with a remote, so you can precisely instruct it where to go. The camera is tiny enough to go through the drain, making it suitable for basically any type of pipe.
Not just that, but the camera is equipped with 12 pcs LED lights, giving you perfect visibility. This helps even out the small 7-inch screen, as everything will be sharp enough for you to know precisely what you’re looking into.
The biggest downside of this product is the fairly small view angle. Still, considering the budget, this is a small price to pay. Also, the camera can last for up to 8 hours, which is perfect.
All in all, this camera isn’t far behind many much more expensive models.
3. Best Luxury Camera: RIDGID 40798 SeeSnake Camera
Key features:
- 100 ft cable
- Underground locator
- 6 LEDs
- 27 diameter
While this product has some features that might seem like a flaw in the beginning, this is, in fact, the best sewer camera for those who’d like to get things done and are prepared to pay an extra buck to achieve nothing else but perfection.
This is a durable unit made out of stainless steel. There is no plumbing system that it cannot handle. It comes with a 100 ft cable which can help you reach deep within your pipes.
It uses sonde for location, and it can help you locate the camera head without mistakes, This can help you detect the cause of the issue without too much hassle. Also, the camera head and the cable are thin enough to make the product suitable for 1 to 40-inch diameter lines.
The best part is that this camera is extremely lightweight. The entire product weighs only 11 pounds! As such, you can transport it everywhere with ease.
However, some of the downsides are a bit dull lighting and a rather small screen – although the latter is changeable.
4. Best Sewer Inspection Camera with Locator: HBUDS Sewer Camera
Key features:
- 7-inch monitor
- IP68 ranking
- 12 LEDs
- 4500 mAh battery (up to 8 hours of working time)
- 100 ft or 165 ft cable length
- 512 Hz locator
If you’re looking for the best sewer camera with a locator, this is likely the right product for you. Whether you’re having a leaky pipe or if you’re trying to identify where the sewer smell is coming from, you’ll have good use of this camera.
The high-quality locator can help you detect the camera head up to 23 ft in-depth, which should be more than enough for all piping issues. As it is rather tiny in diameter, you can use it for both the drain and the standard sewage. In fact, you can also use it for the manufacturing area if you want to make sure the plumbing system is properly made.
The battery can last 6-8 hours of continuous work, which should be enough for even the most thorough inspections. The 12 pcs adjustable LED light helps you see everything, even though we’d like it if the monitor was a bit larger.
5. Best Professional Sewer Camera: Teslong Dual Lens Camera
Key features:
- Dual lenses
- 6 LED
- Auto focus camera
- 5-inch screen
- Additional LED on side camera
If you’re a professional wanting to conduct a sewer inspection, yet you cannot seem to decide on the best sewer camera for your business, you might want to check this product out. It’s an amazing problem-solver, no matter if you want to look into your pipes or to go to customers and help them fix problems with their plumbing.
Even though at the first glance, this camera doesn’t have as fancy features as some other products we’ve listed, it is among the best-sellers on most websites. This is due to the high quality of the recordings it offers, as well as some of the best video qualities out there. Sure, the handheld screen is fairly small, but with such amazing recording quality, you’ll see everything without a single problem.
While the camera itself can barely rotate, this is fixed by adding a side camera that can help you get the entire view of your pipe. The side camera has a LED light, as well, so don’t worry about working in the dark. The amazingly accurate auto-focus ensures the image is always bright, fixing the issue many other cameras have.
Of course, the entire product is waterproof, which is pretty much a standard for sewer cameras. The best part of it all is that the product comes with 12-month warranty, which proves just how confident the manufacturer is about their product.
How to Pick the Best Sewer Camera
Of course, just like with any other item or product you plan on purchasing, you need to know precisely what you’re looking for before you can make a good decision for yourself. This can help you think everything through and maybe even find a product that we haven’t listed that might be a better fit for your scenario.
As such, there are a few things you need to consider when choosing on which product to buy. This includes:
Camera Quality
The camera quality is the most important feature – and it’s easy to guess why. If the camera isn’t of a good enough quality, nothing else will matter much.
First off, you need to think about how you’ll be able to control the camera and what is the rotating angle. You should always strive for a 360o camera that will help you capture everything.
Next, you need to consider how you’ll control the camera and rotate it. For example, you’ll likely need to steer the camera into a sharp-bending pipe. You need to be able to do this without a mistake, and not every camera can achieve that.
In general, you should look for high-end cameras that use robot technologies to help users navigate them no matter the obstacles. For example, many manufacturers produce push pan-tilt cameras.
Of course, the camera should have the right diameter. Otherwise, it might not fit properly into your plumbing system.
Another thing not many people think about is that the best sewer camera needs to be water-resistant. In fact, this might easily be the single most important feature for you to consider. You’ll use this camera in a moist area, and you might even ran into water inside the pipes.
As such, we would advise you to look for cameras that have an IP67 rating or better. [2]
Screen Quality
A good screen is just as important as a good camera, as this is where everything captured will be displayed. As such, you should look for cameras with a screen that can produce a clear and usable image.
At the same time, the display should be large enough for you to see everything clearly. If it’s too tiny, you might not differentiate whether you have an obstacle, or did tree roots penetrate your PVC pipe.
Lighting
Pipes are a dark location. As such, good sewer cameras come with proper lighting systems that will help you see what’s going on inside.
Most, if not all, sewer cameras come with a LED light. However, not all will produce a sufficient amount of light for you to see everything clearly. Make sure to always get a camera with good lighting.
Battery
Most sewer cameras are battery-powered. This is to prevent accidents that might happen when you combine electricity with water and sewage.
However, you have to make sure you get a camera with a battery that can last for a sufficient amount of time. In fact, we would suggest you get a camera that can stay turned on for 8 hours or more.
Sure, you (probably) won’t spend 8 hours inspecting your pipes, but it’s always better to ensure you have some extra time rather than realizing you’re out of battery when you need it the most.
Cable Length
As mentioned several times before, sewer cameras are located on top of a cable. This cable should be long enough to go all the way through your pipes to locate an issue deep within your sewer system.
In general, you should look for a sewer camera that is at least 100 ft in length.
Bottom Line
A sewed camera can truly make a difference when it comes to plumbing fixes – whether you are an amateur or a professional. It can help you locate the issues that you otherwise could never, which can help save you time and money.
Sure, you might think that buying the best sewer camera is a waste of money, but they usually cost less than if you were to pay for a professional to inspect your pipes. Not to mention the amount of money you’d waste if you don’t locate the problem as quickly as possible!
We hope this guide was helpful, and that you’ve managed to find the right product for you. If not, we still welcome you to use our buyer’s guide and find a sewer camera that works the best for you and your plumbing.
