Bought a cheap camera for flue inspections and it broke after two jobs

I thought I was being smart saving some cash. Saw this inspection camera online for $80, half the price of the good ones. The picture looked okay in the ad. First job, a simple ranch house, it worked fine. Second job, a taller two-story with a bigger flue, the cable got stuck. I tried to pull it back and the whole thing just snapped inside the chimney. Had to tell the homeowner I couldn't finish the inspection, refunded them $150, and lost the whole afternoon. The camera is trash now. I'm out over $200 total between the broken tool and the refund. Learned my lesson the hard way. What's a solid, mid-priced inspection camera you guys actually trust?

2 comments

2 Comments

colesanchez5d ago

Ugh, that's brutal. My buddy swears by the Depstech ones, says they hold up.

wadefoster5d ago

Depstech is a decent budget brand, but their cables can be thin. For a pro tool that won't snap, you need a thicker, braided cable. The generic ones just don't have the same pull strength.