DMM suggestions

[MrDEB]

I have a Radio Shack DMM that is at least 20 years old and planning on replacing ( meter has an RS232 port).
Looking on Amazon for a new meter but don't want a piece of junk like a HF unit. A Fluke is not in my budget.
Looking at $20-$35 range. Klein is supposed to be good but?
any recommendations??

 

[canadaelk]

I treat my MMs very poorly. I had this HF (I know, I know) unit for over 5 years (https://www.harborfreight.com/11-function-digital-multimeter-with-audible-continuity-61593.html). It is still going strong and is within spec. As soon as I can get across the border I will get another, you can not have enough multi-meters. E

 

[MrDEB]

Well I pulled the trigger and purchased a Kaiweets trms 6000 dmm on Amazon

 

[throbscottle]

I have a Brymen meter, BM867s. It's UL certified, has some water resistance rating (IP67 I think). I did have to get it from TME in Poland, though I think they are distributed a bit more widely now I think. Brymen's multimeter chips are used by Exotech and Amprobe in their meters, and probably others.

The BM867s cost me £125 - which is more than you want to pay I know, but it is money very well spent and I'm happy to have parted with every penny of it. My price range when I started looking was pretty much the same as yours. Much cheaper than Fluke and way better than all the cheap brands.

If you are looking as low as $20 you may as well look at the very cheap end as well, you get essentially the same thing.

One of the things I found out is that all those cheap brands (Victor, Vichy, Uni-T) you find on eBay etc, with Tenma and Axiohm and some others are all made in the same factory. They're not bad meters, but you do get what you pay for. A nice budget independent brand is Mastech - I like their meters but they can be a bit limited. A sure sign of a cheapo meter is the presence of a transistor Hfe test socket. Good meters don't have them.

I had an analogue Kyoritsu meter many years ago. They're pretty good but a bit pricey for the likes of me.

I decided that my price range amounted to a bad budget, qualitatively you don't really gain much for the extra money, which is why I went higher in the end. Brymen is a nice compromise.