Sub $100 DMM for home and hobby

Electronics
#1

Hi all. I ordered nice-ish probes for my multi-meter…turns out my old cheapie Sear’s multi-meter wont accept probes with full length sheathing over the plugs.

Is there a favorite sub $100 multi-meter? Or should I just purchase another $20-$40 slow response multi-meter until I’m ready to spend a few hundred bucks? Really just for household, hobby and auto use. Would not use it on HVAC or anything larger than shop tools and home appliances.

Thanks for the feedback…

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#2

Check out pawn shops for Fluke 87’s they can be had usually for less than a hundo.

3 Likes
#3

Invest for the long term.
ELab has Fluke 115
They’re on sale TEquipment
https://www.tequipment.net/Fluke115.html?rrec=true

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#4

When a $160 Fluke was stolen from ELab, I suggested that Art replace it with twenty of the $8 Ebay ones like I use!

One a more serious note, for commercial or serious hobby use, the replies by Tim and Art are excellent.

I hope I’m ok using the word stolen. Maybe I should have used a more PC term like, “long term missing.”

#5

I frequent several pawn shops looking for tools and often find Fluke 73, 87 and 117 meters for anywhere between $50 and $150. My first Fluke meter was a 87 mark III that had no yellow case and poor condition probes. For $65 off eBay I bought a Fluke kit that included a new set of probes, yellow case, LED backlight conversion kit and upgraded fuses to upgrade it to a 87 mark V. The best find was at the Salvation Army store off Josey and Valley View. Mixed with some random home electronics I found a non-working Fluke 73 without a case or probes for $5. Installed a new battery and picked up some probes at Fry’s and it has been a good cheap meter.

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#6

Clayton, you have a PM on a meter that most folks on list list would drool over. :slight_smile:

I have its big brother.

#7

@Raymond Thank you. I’ll have a look.

#8

I’m tempted to run over to the Salvation Army store but I would have to stand in line behind all the DMS Electronics folks.

#9

The Extech EX330 is pretty solid and can be bought for $50-$70 online.

I also like the Fluke 100 series, but they are a little pricey for beginning hobbyists.

#10

I have a Fluke 15B and like it alot. It skates in right under your price point at ~$95:

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2334524.m570.l1313.TR11.TRC1.A0.H1.Xfluke+15B.TRS0&_nkw=fluke+15B&_sacat=0&LH_TitleDesc=0&_osacat=0&_odkw=fluke+17B

#11

Would it be safe to say I should try to get a lower priced “True RMS” meter? No way I can justify dropping $600 on a meter, but I can justify $100.