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Best Overall
Teslong NTS300 Pro Inspection Camera
Runner-Up
Ridgid Micro CA-25 Digital Inspection Camera
Best Bang For The Buck
Depstech 2.0 Megapixels Wireless Endoscope
Even for DIYers with excellent eyesight, there are barriers that can’t be seen through—at least not without a borescope. A borescope is essentially a tiny camera on the end of an arm that can be used to see inside small spaces. Whether it’s an engine block, a pipe, a wall cavity, or even a crack between two surfaces, getting a good look at damage or a fallen item in a hard-to-reach spot can seem impossible without one of these handy tools. We researched and tested a number of borescopes to find the best.
While assembling our list of top picks, we consulted John Mazzuca, a custom home builder and the owner of Gambrick in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, for his professional opinion. Mazzuca uses them “to look into pipes for clogs and damage, to inspect inside wall cavities, under cabinets, [and] inside cracks, [and also for] mold inspections, pest inspections, termite inspections, [and] to look under tight crawl spaces.”
After testing four borescopes and researching others, we recommend the Teslong NTS300 Pro Inspection Camera for its dual camera lens design, large viewing screen, and high-quality images. For a better look at how to choose the best borescope, keep reading this guide to find out some of the top features to consider, and check out the list below of some of the best borescopes on the market.
- BEST OVERALL: Teslong NTS300 Pro Inspection Camera
↓ Jump to Review - RUNNER-UP: Ridgid Micro CA-25 Digital Inspection Camera
↓ Jump to Review - BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Depstech 2.0 Megapixels Wireless Endoscope
↓ Jump to Review - UPGRADE PICK: Milwaukee M12 M-SPECTOR Inspection Camera Kit
↓ Jump to Review - BEST WIRELESS DISPLAY: Klein Tools Wi-Fi ET20 Borescope
↓ Jump to Review - BEST BUILT-IN DISPLAY: Depstech 1080P HD Dual Lens Waterproof Camera
↓ Jump to Review - BEST WITH MEMORY CARD: Bosch Universal Inspect Inspection Camera
↓ Jump to Review
| Testing Stats | |
| Products tested | 4 |
| Time spent testing | 6 hours |
| Tests performed | 4 |
| Price range | $40 to $220 |
Our Top Picks
The following list of products can help shoppers determine the best borescope for a wide range of situations. Our top picks are organized by category and include pros and cons to help shoppers get a sense of which option is best for their needs.
Best Overall
Teslong NTS300 Pro Inspection Camera
What We Like
- Large view screen and sharp 1080p camera resolution
- Small probe can fit into tight spaces
- Includes useful magnet and hook attachments
What We Don’t Like
- 16-foot cable length is cumbersome
Our Ratings: Ease of Use 4/5; Image Quality 5/5; Durability 5/5; Value 5/5
Product Specs
- Display type: Built-in
- Power source: Rechargeable onboard battery
- Included accessories: Hook, mirror, magnet, and 1-watt flashlight
With its high-resolution display and two-camera lens design, the Teslong NTS300 Pro tops our list of the best borescopes. It comes equipped with the standard forward-focused lens along with a second lens located on the side of the probe.
Coupled with the camera’s small 8 millimeter (mm) diameter, the dual-lens design made the Teslong more functional than any other borescope we tested. The thin profile of the camera allowed us to examine the P-trap drain of a shower and the spark plug hole of a car engine with ease. We then switched to the side lens and slid the probe between the spokes of a wheel to check the wear on a set of brake pads.
The Teslong’s high 1080p resolution, zoom controls, and large 5-inch display allowed us to view more with it than any other borescope we tested. Thanks to its clear image and large viewing screen, we were able to retrieve a screw we had inadvertently dropped into the shower drain using the magnet attachment. We also liked the ability to take photos and record video directly from the unit,
While the camera cable’s semirigid body was effective for working the probe around corners, we found its 16-foot length to be too long and cumbersome for our purposes. The Teslong video borescope comes in various cable lengths, and we highly recommend only getting as much length as you think you’ll actually use.
What our tester says: “The high definition images coupled with the large display and small diameter camera head make the Teslong NTS300 one of the easiest and most effective borescopes we’ve tested.”—Tony Carrick, Product Reviews tester and writer
Get the Teslong borescope at Amazon.
Runner-Up
Ridgid Micro CA-25 Digital Inspection Camera
What We Like
- Great picture quality
- Simple-to-use design
- Durable build will hold up
What We Don’t Like
- Large camera head
- Small viewing screen
Our Ratings: Ease of Use 4/5; Image Quality 4/5; Durability 5/5; Value 4/5
Product Specs
- Display type: Built-in
- Power source: 4 AA batteries (included)
- Included accessories: Magnet, mirror, hook, RCA cable
Ridgid’s Micro-CA-25 is a solidly built borescope that produces crisp pictures, albeit on a smaller display and with a bulky camera head that limits where you can use it.
The Micro CA-25 has a sturdy housing capable of surviving numerous drops and bumps and an ergonomic grip that feels comfortable in the hand. The camera’s semirigid cable also has a durable feel to it.
With its larger camera and bright ring of LED lights, the Micro CA-25’s large 17mm camera produced high-definition pictures that were as crisp and clear as any borescope we tested. That said, the smaller 2.4-inch display made viewing noticeably more difficult than the borescopes we tested with larger displays. There are built-in jacks if you want to hook it up to a larger display, but that adds complication and expense.
Despite its name, the Micro CA-25’s camera isn’t micro at all. This large diameter of the camera head limited where we were able to use this borescope. While it worked just fine for investigating the hollow part of a wall and the spark plug hole in our Toyota, the camera head was simply too big to snake through the P-trap of our shower drain. It’s a well-built borescope at a reasonable price, but if you’re looking for a snake camera to inspect plumbing, you’ll want to look for a borescope with a smaller head, such as the Teslong NTS300, our top pick.
Get the Ridgid borescope at Amazon or The Home Depot.
Best Bang For The Buck
Depstech 2.0 Megapixels Wireless Endoscope
What We Like
- Uses smartphone for display, making it more affordable
- Produces clear, high-definition images
- Compact size receiver
What We Don’t Like
- Wi-Fi setup is a pain
- Lag when moving the camera
Our Ratings: Ease of Use 4/5; Image Quality 4/5; Durability 4/5; Value 4.5/5
Product Specs
- Display type: Wi-Fi–synced smartphone
- Power source: Rechargeable onboard battery
- Included accessories: Hook, mirror, magnet
The affordably priced Depstech doesn’t produce the image quality of borescopes with built-in high-resolution displays, but its low price makes it a good option for DIYers who may only need to use a borescope every now and then.
The Depstech consists of a semirigid cable that is 11.5 feet long with a 2.0-megapixel camera that shoots high-def videos at up to 1080p. The camera also has six built-in LEDs for lighting dark spaces.
Rather than a built-in display, the Depstech broadcasts images to your smartphone via the Depstech app. While this setup keeps the Depstech borescope’s price tag low, it performs with mixed results. Image quality is similar to borescopes with built-in displays; however, the wireless connection between the smartphone and camera has a noticeable lag that makes for jerky footage when maneuvering the camera. You also have to pair via Wi-Fi instead of Bluetooth, which makes setup a pain, requiring you to disconnect from your home network and then connect to the Depstech. We do like the fact that the app allows you to take photos and videos, though.
We were able to inspect the inside of a spark plug hole and a shower drain effectively with the Depstech borescope. Snaking the camera through our shower drain’s P-trap was relatively easy thanks to the narrow profile of the camera. This smartphone borescope won’t satisfy the needs of a professional auto mechanic or plumber, but its low price makes it a great budget option for those who only need a borescope from time to time and can’t justify spending $100 or more on a high-end model.
What our tester says: “While Depstech’s wireless Wi-Fi borescope has its flaws, it’s a great budget-priced option for DIYers who may only need one of these tools for occasional use.”–Tony Carrick, Product Reviews tester and writer
Get the Depstech waterproof borescope at Amazon or Depstech.
Upgrade Pick
Milwaukee M12 M-SPECTOR Inspection Camera Kit
What We Like
- Excellent build quality
- Great image quality
- Includes 12-volt battery and charger
What We Don’t Like
- Lacks a second camera lens
Our Ratings: Ease of Use 5/5; Image Quality 5/5; Durability 5/5; Value 4/5
Product Specs
- Display type: Built-in
- Power source: Rechargeable 12-volt battery
- Included accessories: Hook, mirror, magnet
Milwaukee’s line of cordless tools rarely disappoints, and this borescope is no exception. We were impressed with the build quality, impressive visuals, and overall design of this durable industrial borescope. It uses a small 10mm camera head that we were able to fit into tighter spots with enough room to wiggle around corners and through twists and turns. The 4-foot camera cable hit the sweet spot, giving us enough length to work into drains and into the deeper recesses of our car’s engine bay without being so long that it was cumbersome and awkward to work with.
While its 720p resolution is lower than its 1080p competitors, we hardly noticed a difference. The Milwaukee borescope still produced crisp pictures that, coupled with its 4.3-inch screen, made for a good field of vision. We also liked the three-level zoom feature and five brightness options, all of which helped make visuals clearer. You can also physically rotate the display 360 degrees or the image with a push of a button, which is useful when working in more awkward spots.
Milwaukee cordless tools are built tough, and this one was no different, with a durable heavy-duty plastic housing and molded handle. The brand’s tools also usually come at a premium price and that is true of this one, too. It was the most expensive of the bunch; however, it does come with a rechargeable 12-volt battery and battery charger, which you can use with other Milwaukee 12-volt cordless tools.
Get the Milwaukee borescope at The Home Depot or Northern Tool.
More Great Options
Along with the above-tested products, we also recommend the below borescopes, which we selected following extensive research.
Best Wireless Display
Klein Tools Wi-Fi ET20 Borescope
What We Like
- Can transmit footage up to 30 feet away
- Long 6-foot camera cable
- App saves recordings on iPhones and Android phones
What We Don’t Like
- Fewer accessories than most
Product Specs
- Display type: Syncs to user’s smartphone via Wi-Fi
- Power source: Rechargeable onboard lithium-ion battery
- Included accessories: Pocket clip, hook, carrying case, USB charging cord
The Klein Tools Wi-Fi ET20 borescope inspection camera might be worth the investment for folks looking for a unit with smartphone compatibility. This borescope features an onboard Wi-Fi transmitter that users can connect to their phones, allowing them to see the 640 by 480 recordings through an app on their phones. The app acts as a monitor and also stores videos for later viewing.
This model has an onboard rechargeable battery, a charging cable, and a 6-foot-long semirigid cable for reaching into tight spaces. The camera is 9mm in diameter and features six built-in adjustable LEDs. While it does come with a hook, bag, and pocket clip, it’s short on other accessories.
Get the Klein Tools ET20 borescope at Amazon or The Home Depot.
Best Built-In Display
Depstech 1080P HD Dual Lens Waterproof Camera
What We Like
- 16.5-foot camera cable provides ample reach
- Wide 4.3-inch display screen
- Dual camera lens design
What We Don’t Like
- Long cable can be awkward to use
Product Specs
- Display type: Built-in
- Power source: Rechargeable onboard battery
- Included accessories: Hook, magnet, and bag
It isn’t every day you see displays like those on the Depstech dual lens borescope. This model features a large 4.3-inch-wide display complete with 1080P resolution for clear, detailed pictures of repair areas. And using the two cameras on the end of the semirigid cable (one forward-facing and one to the side), the user can split the screen to see both angles at once.
This model has a rechargeable battery and other features to like as well, including the built-in controls on the screen for adjusting LED brightness, activating the camera, accessing the menu, and playing videos. Also, the 16.5-foot cable will reach into very deep spaces, though it could be difficult to feed through a pipe with one hand while holding the monitor with the other. It does, however, come with a hook, magnet, and bag.
Get the Depstech dual lens borescope at Amazon or Depstech.
Best With Memory Card
Bosch Universal Inspect Inspection Camera
What We Like
- Onboard storage and microSD port
- Cable wraps around unit for easy storage
- Comes with hook, mirror, magnet, and soft case
What We Don’t Like
- Relatively small screen (2.3 inches)
Product Specs
- Display type: Built-in
- Power source: Rechargeable (4 AA) batteries
- Included accessories: Hook, mirror, magnet, bag
Bosch’s Universal Inspect inspection camera has memory options that many DIYers and professionals might find useful. This device records inspection with onboard storage and also features a microSD port for installing a removable memory card, allowing the user to easily transfer footage to a laptop for closer inspection.
This device features an IP67-rated camera on the end of a 3-foot-long semirigid cable. That cable is stored onboard the device by wrapping it around the length of the borescope while still allowing the user to access the camera for video review. The biggest downside is the screen is relatively small at just 2.3 inches.
Get the Bosch borescope at Amazon.
Jump to Our Top Picks
How We Chose and Tested the Best Borescopes
We used our own experience with borescopes as well as advice from our expert source to evaluate our selections. Mazzuca pointed out that “the quality of the camera is very important, as higher resolution cameras yield clearer images, making inspections much easier to do and more accurate.” Just as important is the brightness of the LED light on the tip of the camera, he says. Along with those factors, we also considered the size of the display, build quality, and price.
We put four borescopes through their paces on a 2-inch shower drain, a 1¼-inch sink drain, and the spark plug hole in the engine of a 2013 Toyota RAV4. For our final test, we drilled a small hole in an uninsulated wall and used each borescope to inspect the wall gap.
We combined our insight into these tools with research—evaluating specs and customer reviews—to make our additional selections.
What to Consider When Choosing a Borescope
While the features and capabilities of many cable-mounted cameras might seem pretty straightforward, there are a few points to consider before selecting one. The following are some of the most important considerations to keep in mind when searching for the best inspection camera.
Rigid vs. Semirigid Cable vs. Flexible Cable
There are three main types of articulating borescope arms: rigid, semirigid, and flexible cable. They each work a bit differently, but a bit of background will help when choosing among the three.
- Rigid inspection camera borescopes have strong, stiff arms. They’re excellent for straight and vertical inspections where a flexible arm might not do the trick. However, they aren’t able to bend with curved pipes or snake around corners, and they can be tough to store.
- A semirigid borescope has a bit of flexibility, but it will also hold its shape. This cable type allows for bending around corners, but it will also stand vertically for overhead inspections. It combines the best of the other two types.
- Flexible cable borescopes are able to snake around corners and reach anywhere the users can place them. However, it can be hard to advance one through a pipe without the assistance of an additional pole to push it.
Camera and Image Quality
The camera and image quality are important factors when considering a borescope. The device needs to offer a clear image, particularly when inspecting a very small space like an engine cylinder or plumbing fixture. It’s not uncommon to find cameras with multiple megapixels, offering resolutions of 640 by 480, 1280 by 720, 1600 by 1200, and 1920 by 1080.
To help get those sharp images, many borescopes feature built-in LED lights that can illuminate dark spaces. This can be significantly helpful with plumbing pipes and wall cavities where using an additional light source isn’t possible.
Borescope cameras also come in varying diameters, and the size may determine which option the user should purchase. For instance, some larger borescope cameras might not fit in smaller spark-plug ports, while very small inspection cameras might not be as durable as needed for larger tasks. Sizes for DIYers generally range between 5 and 17 millimeters.
Power Source
Aside from some industrial endoscope models meant for long-term inspections, almost all borescopes are battery-powered. However, there are several types of batteries, including replaceable, rechargeable, and built-in rechargeable.
Borescopes with replaceable batteries typically use 9V or AA batteries, and users will have to keep a few extra in their tool kit to make sure their borescope is always ready for the next job.
Rechargeable batteries are typically from brand-specific battery lines, such as the 12V or 20V batteries used to run cordless power tools. Built-in rechargeable batteries stay inside the borescope at all times, and the user simply plugs a charger into the unit to refill drained batteries.
Built-in Screen vs. Wi-Fi Connection vs. Plug-in
For a borescope to be effective, the user needs to be able to see what’s going on in real time. To accomplish this, most models have built-in screens that display exactly what the camera is seeing. These models require very little setup time, but they can be bulky, and the screens aren’t always top-notch.
However, some models offer Wi-Fi connectivity in place of built-in screens. These models emit their own Wi-Fi signal, and users must download an app and connect to the signal to access the camera’s view on their smartphone’s screen. The streamlined design of these units makes them easy to carry around, but they can be more challenging to set up.
There are also plug-in borescopes that connect directly to the smartphone with a plug. The user must simply plug in the borescope and then open an app to use the phone as the camera’s display.
Additional Features
There are some additional features and accessories that users might want to consider. The most helpful ones include hooks and claws that can grab items blocking plumbing pipes. Other features include an LED light that makes it easier to see in dark spaces and a bag that helps with transportation and storage.
Also, some folks might want to look for borescopes that can record their entire inspection on memory cards. Others might appreciate mirrors that connect to the end of the camera, allowing the user to see around corners, or magnets that can collect small metal items like keys or fasteners that are unreachable by hand.
Finally, consider choosing a water-resistant borescope. These models might offer resistance ratings such as IP67, which indicates that it will resist water and dirt penetration.
FAQs
The above might be a lot of information on the best borescopes, but the picture still might not be entirely clear for every shopper. The following includes answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about borescopes and inspection cameras.
Some borescopes have side-mounted inspection cameras that allow the user to see 90 degrees from the tip of the cable. For those that don’t, many come with mirrors that can do the trick.
Yes, borescope lenses can scratch. A liquid scratch remover meant for watches or eyeglasses can help buff these scratches out.
A borescope’s main function is to inspect pipes, but with a hook attached, it may be able to remove clogs or retrieve dropped keys. With the magnet, it can pick up dropped hardware or even metal shavings when necessary.
The term “endoscope” is often used interchangeably with “borescope,” but endoscopes are actually medical tools. Borescopes are suitable for mechanical use only.
Most borescopes for DIYers cost between $50 and $250, but they can be much more expensive.
How far you can extend a borescope into a drain pipe or the depths of a car engine depends on the length of the camera cable. Most vary from 4 feet up to 16 feet, though some can extend for 50 feet or more. The camera on a borescope can focus on objects as close as a few inches up to around 15 inches away.
Borescopes for home use typically have a diameter that ranges from 5 to 17 millimeters. The smaller the diameter of the borescope, the smaller the space it can fit into.
A borescope is limited by its field of view and things that can affect the lens, such as debris. For example, while most borescopes are waterproof, the ability to produce a clear image can be impacted by build-up and debris often found inside clogged pipes.
Meet the Tester
Tony Carrick is a freelance writer specializing in home improvement, landscaping, technology, home security, and design for such sites and publications as Popular Mechanics, Pro Tools Review, CNN Underscored, and This Old House Magazine.
Additional research provided by Tom Scalisi.
