I am not an electrical engineer, just a handy guy doing stuff around the house and car. But since I'd never owned one of these before, I did a lot of research before buying one. I am one of those people that when it comes to tools, I believe in buying a good quality thing once and never replacing it. I don't mind paying a bit more for something that will give good service and last a long time.
This is a situation where you don't need to spend a lot to get a lot. Yes, there are some really cheap, badly made MultiMeters out there. This isn't one of them - it is cheap, but pretty well made and perfect for basic needs like mine. It seems pretty sturdy, the dial has a nice positive click to it that seems well made, and I have dropped it several times with no ill-effects. I like the little pop-out stand and the probes work just fine for my simple needs. I have even used the temperature probe a few times, which I thought I would never use at all when I bought this.
It gets to a stable reading pretty fast, and the numbers are big and easy to see even if you are working somewhere awkward with it.
I am sure somebody doing far more complex work might want something fancier than this, but for contractor/automotive/handyman use, this is just perfect. It seems quite well-made and should last a long time. There is nothing crummy about this despite the low price. Probably the only thing I would change is to have a place to store all the probes integrated into the case. I just wind them around the meter and that is ok, but integrated storage would be nice.
One other tip to pass along: When I was shopping for one of these things, I was trying to figure out whether I should get a fancier MultiMeter with a built-in voltage proximity detector or get one of those stand-alone Fluke pen-shaped detectors instead. I ultimately decided to buy that little Fluke pen to test for the presence of a hot wire and get a cheaper MultiMeter, and I am glad I made that decision. The Fluke pen comes with a little blade shaped probe tip that inserts into any socket. Unlike a detector attached to the top of a MultiMeter body, the little blade will hold the pen in the socket and play a loud tone continuously while that plug has power. That makes finding the breaker easier in many cases. I also think that a voltage detector is really about keeping me safe, so I am ok paying extra for Fluke-level quality on that. But for a MultiMeter, somebody like me doesn't really need anything more than this - the extra quality and precision would be wasted on me. So if your needs are like mine, my recommendation is to get a basic MultiMeter like this rather than spending more just to get the voltage detector integrated into the MultiMeter.
| Brand | Extech |
|---|---|
| Power Source | Battery Powered |
| Style | MN35 Manual Ranging Multimeter |
| Color | Black |
| Item Weight | 0.19 Kilograms |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 2.3 x 1.3 x 5.8 inches |
| Measurement Type | Multimeter |
| Manufacturer | Extech |
| Part Number | 645618 |
| Item Weight | 6.7 ounces |
| Product Dimensions | 2.3 x 1.3 x 5.8 inches |
| Country of Origin | China |
| Item model number | 645618 |
| Batteries | 2 Lithium Ion batteries required. (included) |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Item Package Quantity | 1 |
| Number Of Pieces | 1 |
| Measurement Accuracy | ±1.2% |
| Display Style | LCD |
| Included Components | MN35 |
| Batteries Included? | Yes |
| Batteries Required? | Yes |
| Battery Cell Type | Alkaline |
| Warranty Description | 1 year |
