Multimeter suggestions?

[gorcorps]

All the electricians at work use Fluke

 

[bryanl]

Ok. I don't know anything about Omega.

I know about Fluke because I've looked before. Should I go with the Fluke 115 on Amazon? It's $125.

Omega gives out Dilbert playing cards.

Steve Jones does electronic test equipment reviews at his EEVblog.com

buying guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh1n_ELmpFI

$50 meters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoeUgMFLyAw
$100 meters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-_dUB8vy8U

Meters that can communicate with computers are useful for logging measurements

Most Tenma meters from MCM and Newark are made by Extech, as are some Sears meters.

 

[disappoint]

Dave Jones

 

[John Connor]

I like Fluke. And they are made in the USA the last time I looked.

 

[evident]

bumping this thread. What did you end up getting? My radio shack $20 MM is a POS and can't even take a reading on a resistor. everything keeps reading "OF". Not sure if the leads are broke, or the whole thing is shot, but figured this could be an excuse to get a nice multimeter. I only use the thing once or twice a year though.

 

[lupi]

I like my fluke, will have to check when at home which model it is. Just skimmed the newer ones and the selector dial being pushed to the side looks like an odd design choice to me.

 

[WackyDan]

I have a Fluke 75 that I've owned since 1990. Sent it out once to be calibrated and it does everything I want it to. Used to be used everyday for work and now it is maybe used once every few months at best.

You don't need an expensive meter, but do buy a reputable name. You can't really go wrong with a Fluke.

 

[TridenT]

I needed a cheap one a few months ago. Picked up this one. For 20 bucks it has worked great for the simple needs i have had. (ie is the battery putting out 12v, is this wire getting power, ect) For a general use, have around the house type i would recommend it.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I got this one.

It's alright. Not perfect. If you want something nice then I'd get a fluke

I will always have doubts about the one I own now. I wouldn't if I got the fluke.

 

[hanoverphist]

All the electricians at work use Fluke

we all do too, most have the 87 but me and the process guys use the 787 due to needing to source 4-20mA. as for the OP, he could get by with the 115. hell, he could get by with a sperry basic model. or really, any meter he can get at vato zone or oreilly will be good enough for automotive and home use.

 

[thescreensavers]

Got the INNOVA 3320. It's garbage. Measuring the test leads for resistance gives measurements that fluctuate between 0.01 Ohms to infinite. On top of that, when I try to measure the AC voltage in my apartment... It says 128V at the high end, but other times gives 10V if I am not just perfect about it.

I need different test leads, apparently!

I have two of these and compared them to the Flukes at school they were reading the same thing. Try different leads as I do not have any issues. But it is auto ranging so you have to let it decide sometimes. For 20$ is a very decent multimeter

 

[Thebobo]

Fluke !

I do still have a Triplet and a Simpson to look for difficult ground faults

 

[TridenT]

Got the INNOVA 3320. It's garbage. Measuring the test leads for resistance gives measurements that fluctuate between 0.01 Ohms to infinite. On top of that, when I try to measure the AC voltage in my apartment... It says 128V at the high end, but other times gives 10V if I am not just perfect about it.

I need different test leads, apparently!

After I scuffed up the leads and thoroughly cleaned them, I had less fluctuations. However, I do not know how accurate this thing is nor do I trust it.

 

[Gillbot]

Extech or fluke

I also have a Honeywell and Simpson on the shelf in case.

 

[MongGrel]

Used to work at Honeywell, but I 'd say Fluke the usual standard these days for those.

 

[Red Squirrel]

It never hurts to have more than one multimeter too, sometimes you want to check voltage and amps at the same time.

Out of boredom I was looking at multimeters, and I did not realize they made clamp meters that work on DC, I need to get me one of those. The built on shunt meter I found on ebay which I installed on my battery bank is garbage. It just jumps around all over the place instead of actually holding a value.

 

[bradley]

Fluke is the best. USA! Although, I do find myself going to my cheap Chinese junk multimeter when needing to beat on something. For only $20, it's actually pretty excellent.

 

[Thebobo]

Little DVM story

I worked out of high school assembling fire alarm panels (Pyrotronics)

Anyway we just got our new Beckmans MMs in, the yellow ones This is when DVM first came on the market. These meters were suppose to be rugged and were advertised to work even after a drop of 10 feet.

In the Shop I dropped my meter off a panel, it fell about 4 feet and the display stopped working, yea right rugged.

So with nothing to lose we dropped it from 6 feet and it worked. So they were right 10 feet. Used it for a couple of years after that....