What Is Milwaukee's Packout Camera And How Does It Work?

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Throughout its decades in business, Milwaukee has made a name for itself as one of the foremost tool brands on the market. From fairly common, versatile pieces to those designed for more specific jobs, the brand has done a good job accommodating all forms of labor. It also continues to fly the flag for corded tools, too, with a small handful of Milwaukee corded tools still on the market. Regardless of their power source, though, Milwaukee's tools are compatible with the brand's ever-popular modular storage system, Milwaukee Packout, which has expanded tremendously as of late.

To many, Packout will always stand as Milwaukee's trademark customizable storage system, perfect for protecting tools and accessories at home and on the go. However, the company has added some fascinating items to its lineup, with one of the most intriguing of the new Packout additions being the M12 75-foot drain camera, which, as of writing, is still listed as "coming soon" on the Milwaukee website. It consists of an 18-millimeter camera on the end of a 75-foot flexible cable that attaches to a Packout container. A 7-inch high-definition touchscreen connects to the top of the container to give you a live feed of what the camera sees.

That covers what the new Packout drain camera is in the most literal sense. But there's more to discuss, including how it works and in which situations it might be useful.

Showers, toilets, and other drainage pipe systems are unfortunately prone to blockage. Send enough of anything through a pipe and there's bound to be buildup at some point, which is where tools like drain snakes come in handy. The issue is that drain snakes themselves can get stuck, whether on debris or elements of the plumbing itself. Since you can't see the obstacle, you're left to try brute forcing your way through, or bring the snake back up and reassess. That seems to be the dilemma Milwaukee's Packout drain camera seeks to remedy, giving plumbers, amateur and professional alike, some helpful guidance.

The drain camera works pretty simply: Ensure the camera's cable is properly connected to the Packout container, check to see that it's displaying correctly on the monitor, and send the camera into the pipes you want to investigate. You can see in real time what your camera sees, and, ideally, find the culprit behind whatever plumbing issues you're facing. The monitor allows you to zoom and pan, and save images and videos for future viewing. The display is also impact, water, and debris-resistant. Sounds like another Milwaukee tool that's perfect for a DIY plumbing project.

On paper, Milwaukee seems to have hit a home run with its new drain camera. Still, given that it's not out yet, it remains to be seen if it lives up to the advertising. Thankfully, if it doesn't deliver, it's at least not the only drain camera for plumbers to choose from.

While the Milwaukee Packout drain camera may seem new to some, others more familiar with the brand might not find it all that special. After all, Milwaukee has given drain cameras a try before, offering both M12 and M18 drain cameras for plumbers to use. They operate similarly, just without Packout compatibility. These Milwaukee drain cameras also go well beyond the new Packout unit's 75-foot length. The non-Packout M12 camera has an 85-foot cable, while the M18 goes up to 200 feet. The downside is that they can get quite costly, running into thousands of dollars to get hold of. According to the Packout camera's Home Depot listing, it'll be relatively more affordable at $1,499.

Moving beyond the Milwaukee brand, there are even more drain cameras to consider. Looking around online, one can find numerous other models for sale from other brands, all with similar capabilities. The ESANHAO Sewer Camera has a 100-foot cable and is listed on Amazon for $288.88. It has delivered for most buyers, judging by its 4.8 out of 5 star rating. Still, it's a good idea to do some research into the tool and the brand behind it before buying one, no matter the price. Take, for instance, the 50-foot USB-C camera from Teslong, which Amazon lists as a frequently returned item.

There are many quality drain cameras, whether from online or brick-and-mortar sources. For those interested in the new Milwaukee Packout offering, though, one can only hope it ranks among the best and avoids joining the list of Milwaukee products that owners recommend avoiding.