General-purpose digital multimeter?

[tiny iota]

Help me out, fellow EE's. Anyone know of a decent, general-purpose digital multimeter? I'm asking your opinion, because I'm sure a lot of you have your personal favorite.

Thanks!

 

[Bhejafry7486]

The Fluke 80 series is a pretty good digital multimeter. It should suffice for normal use.

 

[stewartcs]

Help me out, fellow EE's. Anyone know of a decent, general-purpose digital multimeter? I'm asking your opinion, because I'm sure a lot of you have your personal favorite.

Thanks!

How much money do you want to spend?

CS

 

[tiny iota]

I was thinking in the $50-100 range. I've never really priced one before so I'm not really sure what you get for the money. I'd like to have the basics like AC/DC voltage, current, resistance, continuity, maybe capacitance and frequency.

 

[Bhejafry7486]

I was thinking in the $50-100 range. I've never really priced one before so I'm not really sure what you get for the money. I'd like to have the basics like AC/DC voltage, current, resistance, continuity, maybe capacitance and frequency.

You can search for the multimeter you want on sites like http://www.digikey.com" . You will get a better idea about costs and functionality of DMM's over there.

 

[stewartcs]

I was thinking in the $50-100 range. I've never really priced one before so I'm not really sure what you get for the money. I'd like to have the basics like AC/DC voltage, current, resistance, continuity, maybe capacitance and frequency.

Then the 80 Series should be fine...except for the price.

http://us.fluke.com/usen/products/s...473(FlukeProducts)&category=HMA(FlukeProducts)

http://www.google.com/products?sour...a=X&oi=product_result_group&resnum=1&ct=title

CS

 

[moe7404]

moe in wichita ks
i am new here, so i hope it ok for me to jump in here. i went to an electronics trade school a couple of years ago. we got a very good meter
it is from a co. named knight i think they have a web site. the model we got was k-260, it might be in your price range. be sides the reg things it checks, small transestors, caps, amps to 10 or 20, hz, diodes it seems to be a good unit. i have been using it a lot sense 03 with no trouble. and its easy on batterys

 

[XPTPCREWX]

Ok i know I'm overdoing it but hey its my style...All or Nothing...

This ****er is bad ***.

http://us.fluke.com/virtualdemos/28X_demo.asp

You can hook this baby up over night, then upload this **** into your computer and analyze everything.

Even gives you Frequency and Pulse width measurments.

 

[MATLABdude]

Somewhat late into the fray, but I am a big fan of the Meterman 37XR and 38XR multimeters (mid-range professional DMMs). They're well-designed and ruggedly built, and have the features a good DMM should (voltage, current, and resistance obviously, but also autoranging, frequency, duty cycle, beep continuity, diode voltage, etc.) They also feature a good blue backlight, decent battery life, and are significantly cheaper (at $100-$150) than Flukes (which I believe are faster and feature life-time warranties?) I believe Fluke bought Meterman at one point, but it seems they've been divested, or rebranded and are now made by Amprobe (I don't know if anything aside from the name and color has changed):
http://www.amprobe.com/cgi-bin/pdc/pgview.cgi?id=main&type=elec

The 38XR also does temperature measurement and has a optional IR PC-link (38-SW) you can pick up for $30. It looks like the 34XR is pretty similar to the other two, with the exception of autoranging (i.e. you have to choose which scale you use when taking measurements). You can also get them NIST calibrated, if this is something you need.

Check out eBay or findchips.com or some such to see what's available from whom, and for how much.

EDIT: I've also heard that Extech meters are decent, but haven't used them myself:
http://www.extech.com/instrument/categories/multimeters/subcategory/multimeters.html

 

[isly ilwott]

I suppose you younger people have never even seen a Simpson 260 with a mirrowed dial...antique but quite usefull and dependable.

 

[mgb_phys]

The ultimate meter is still an AVO.
Unbeatable for varying voltages, and can be used to beat users to death with (always useful in test kit)

 

[stewartcs]

I suppose you younger people have never even seen a Simpson 260 with a mirrowed dial...antique but quite usefull and dependable.

Sure have...however, the OP was asking about a digital multimeter.

CS

 

[isly ilwott]

Sure have...however, the OP was asking about a digital multimeter.

CS

As I noticed. However, I was not suggesting he buy a 260...just asking about ever having seen one. I agree with the AVO proponent...especially when the budget is a mere $100.00.

 

[Zapitgood]

Flukes are great but probably not in that price range... Extech makes some pretty decent DMM's for cheap.. Lot's of other functions for the same price as the Fluke (Temp, transistor checker, data logging)

 

[schroder]

I suppose you younger people have never even seen a Simpson 260 with a mirrowed dial...antique but quite usefull and dependable.

As long as we are allowing for nostalgia, check out some of these beauties but be warned, may bring a tear to the eye



http://www.supremeinstruments.org/meters.htm"

 

[isly ilwott]

As long as we are allowing for nostalgia, check out some of these beauties but be warned, may bring a tear to the eye



http://www.supremeinstruments.org/meters.htm"

Museum quality indeed. Thanks.

The Simpson 260 is still available...brand new.