Multimeter Recommendation

[Snakebyte]

Hey Guys,

I've got some money burning a hole in my pocket and was thinking of buying a nice multimeter.  I was spoiled at an old job and had access to a Fluke and have always wanted an auto sensing unit since.

I was looking at a Fluke 115 but I'm not sure if I should look at something a bit better or not...

Any thoughts or other models/brands that you like better?

Thanks!

[danny_galaga]

nothing better than a fluke. where we used them they even survived getting rn over by cars!

[grantspain]

my fluke finally died after 20 years ,i got it as a reward for passing my first electronics exam at the tender age of 16

[RayB]

I like my $10 made in taiwan DMM.

[danny_galaga]

I like my $10 made in taiwan DMM.

careful, you might get lead poisoning or cancer

[Samstag]

Call me old-fashioned, but the only feature I really care about in a meter is audible continuity checking.  Other than that, I'm happy with any cheap digital or even an analog if it's available.

[Xam]

I got one from Radio Shack bout 15 years ago. Nothing fancy about it, but it does everything I need and does it accurrately.

Xam

[boykster]

I have a Fluke and wouldn't trade it for the world....

[ChadTower]

Call me old-fashioned, but the only feature I really care about in a meter is audible continuity checking.  Other than that, I'm happy with any cheap digital or even an analog if it's available.

For running CP circuits that is definitely enough.  If you do any board work or power circuit work it won't get the job done.

I had a $25 pocket DMM from Radio Shack that I used to love and used only for quick continuity checking... then it died and constantly registered a short.  It only lasted probably 6-8 months of reasonable use and care.  Now I have one of their higher end models I got when Radio Shack was clearing everything out (paid like $35 for the $80 model)... this one is pretty sweet, can take a beating, even has a serial connection for recording on the PC over time... but there are times, like when checking a circuit within a known range, that using an analog DMM actually works better.  You can just watch the needle and make sure it doesn't exceed the top or bottom end.  That's harder to do with rapidly flucuating digits.

[patrickl]

I have a $40 and a $10 multimeter. The cheapest one is actually the easiest to use and smallest so I usually grab that one. Or I must have to some very specific measurement that I can only do on the more expensive model.

[JeepMonkey]

I really like the Flukes.  We use 787 all the time at work.  If you have the extra money to spend, I would buy a Fluke (787 is overkill for home use though).

Currently I have just the $10 Radio Shack version, but it isn't nearly as nice as a Fluke.  One big difference is the length of the leads.  My cheapo has short leads, so it seems like I always end up holding it in one hand while measure voltage, as the leads are too short to set the meter in the bottom of a cab.  Yes, you should be able to get longer leads, but they are usually sold separate.  I have also found that the cheapy meters don't always have the same "hole pattern" for the leads as a Fluke does.

[ChadTower]

The pocket DMM I had had hardwired leads... that were short... so I was always trying to find a way to keep it supported while doing work under a playfield.  That's probably why it developed a short.

[Level42]

I've had several jobs the last 16 years and ALL the companies I worked for provided Fluke's. There must be a reason for that....

Doesn't mean they're the only really good one's. But these things do last forever and they don't mind if you drop them from a couple of meters once in a while (as long as you keep the protective rubber on it....... )

I find them very nice to handle and work with. But I use it on a daily professional basis. There are cheaper brands that sometimes offer more options for a lot less money, and those can work just as well in this hobby....

This is exactly "my" Fluke now:

[SirPeale]

Flukes are the Lexus of the multimeter world. 

That said, you can certainly get away with less.  I bought a meter for $10 that did everything I needed.  AC and DC voltage reading, diode test, resistance.  A basic meter really doesn't need more than that.

[ChadTower]

One step above that that is nice to have for our purposes, but certainly not a necessity, is capacitance check.  You don't have to go that far above $20 to get that.

[NightGod]

I got a decent DMM a couple years back, the brand is BluePoint. It was in the trunk of a car I repo'd and the guy never called to arrange pick-up of his stuff, so after three months I called it mine. Nice little tool, uses standard-sized connectors on the probes, so it's easy to change them out, as well.

[Level42]

An alternative of course is getting a used Fluke. Check E-bay...