Hello

First of all, I know nothing about electronics. However, I want to buy a digital multimeter for my boyfriend for Valentine's day. He's an engineering student and his hobbies are doing stuffs with electronics -- he's not a professional electrician so I believe I won't need to buy a very expensive one. My budget for the multimeter is only ranging around $20 - $30. It'd help me a lot if you can suggest or recommend me a decent budget auto range digital multimeter. I believe the one he already has now is the manual one.

Thanks!

 

These are fairly good for the price.
Ebay 262506462347.
Max.

 

These are fairly good for the price.
Ebay 262506462347.
Max.

Thank you very much, Max! I'm checking it out

 

I know you said "best", but you might want to look at the Cen-Tech model. Here is one at E-Bay. It's very inexpensive and one hardware store chain in the U.S. gives them away with coupons fairly often. They're not great, but very handy and do a lot for the money. It's all I use, since I cannot justify spending more when these do almost everything I ever need.

 

I know you said "best", but you might want to look at the Cen-Tech model. Here is one at E-Bay. It's very inexpensive and one hardware store chain in the U.S. gives them away with coupons fairly often. They're not great, but very handy and do a lot for the money. It's all I use, since I cannot justify spending more when these do almost everything I ever need.

Hey thanks for the help! I will look it up ^^

 

My budget for the multimeter is only ranging around $20 - $30.

While one cannot hope to obtain a 'quality' instrument within the cited price range - there are 'degrees' of 'acceptability'...

For instance - if you can find a bricks and mortar Radio Shack - 'in store-only' specials on functional (basic) test equipment are not uncommon...

In any event please do yourself a favor and avoid Harbor Freight at all costs!

Best regards and good luck!
HP

 

I would imagine the market availability is rather different than N.A. sources for the OP.
Max.

 

Check the Pawn Shops and used industrial equipment shops. They will likely have something for you. Look for brands like...
Fluke, Amprobe, Triplet, Klein, (anyone have some more brands she could find...)

By the way, someone is going to be very happy no matter what you find. Good work.

 

In any event please do yourself a favor and avoid Harbor Freight at all costs!

I have a half dozen of the Cen-Tech meters from Harbor Freight. All were free. I see no reason to avoid them, and in fact I recommend them for casual use.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VC99-Multim...260739?hash=item258ca2aac3:g:MQIAAOxydB1SnuoK

 

I have a half dozen of the Cen-Tech meters from Harbor Freight. All were free. I see no reason to avoid them, and in fact I recommend them for casual use.

FWIW It is my understanding that the LCD land to ribbon bonds tend to deteriorate with resultant 'dead' segments/pixels... Then too there's HF's appalling track record (Spec zero QC zero CS, etc...)...

All were free.

IMO you were the victim of litterbugs (or the recipient of swapfest 'door prizes')?

For all that - I must confess to having had no 'first hand' experience with said products -- though I'm bound to say yours are the first 'kind' words I've 'heard' on their behalf!

Still, I see your point! -- One can hardly expect to dine at Bar Masa on a 'Happy Meal budget' -- Perhaps the 'defining message' is merely that 'decent' (I would say barely passable) multimeters are simply unavailable for under $100...

Very best regards
HP

 

I would imagine the market availability is rather different than N.A. sources for the OP.
Max.

touché!

Best regards
HP

 

Check the Pawn Shops and used industrial equipment shops. They will likely have something for you. Look for brands like...
Fluke, Amprobe, Triplet, Klein, (anyone have some more brands she could find...)

By the way, someone is going to be very happy no matter what you find. Good work.

+1000! -- Quality used equipment is often 'priced to sell' and lasts a lifetime!

anyone have some more brands she could find...

Well... All HP/Agilent/Keysight products are excellent and worth far more than their new prices!

Best regards
HP

 

For all that - I must confess to having had no 'first hand' experience with said products -- though I'm bound to say yours are the first 'kind' words I've 'heard' on their behalf!

Every review I've ever seen where one was tested against a Fluke showed the cheap meter was nearly, or exactly, spot on. It can be trimmed internally if you're really anal about it. If/when they fail, it's usually mechanical reasons such as broken leads. Pull the battery, throw the meter away, move on to the next one. Total cost, zero.

I honestly think that if you're relying on a meter, just because you spent a lot of money on it, you're just as vulnerable to a bad measurement as you are with a cheap meter. In other words, if you really care about precision, you can't just rely on a meter. You need to have a calibration schedule and so on. You really have to question every aspect of a measurement, not just the instrument you're using.

 

Nothing starts an argument like telling someone their meter is crap.

If all your doing with it is less than 42V audio and don't care about RMS of non-sine wave signals, or not worrying about day to day drift, a centech is fine.

I personally feel unsafe using a meter with test leads that, in total, cost less than a pair of CAT3 or CAT4 test leads.

To keep people safe at 600 volts, the leads, the connection to the meter, the fuse technology, the switch, the warning system to insure leads are in the right ports for a given function setting, ...

All are worth the price to me and my team.

 

Every review I've ever seen where one was tested against a Fluke showed the cheap meter was nearly, or exactly, spot on. It can be trimmed internally if you're really anal about it. If/when they fail, it's usually mechanical reasons such as broken leads. Pull the battery, throw the meter away, move on to the next one. Total cost, zero.

I honestly think that if you're relying on a meter, just because you spent a lot of money on it, you're just as vulnerable to a bad measurement as you are with a cheap meter. In other words, if you really care about precision, you can't just rely on a meter. You need to have a calibration schedule and so on. You really have to question every aspect of a measurement, not just the instrument you're using.

While I certainly agree that, as with all manner of complacency, 'blind' faith/'brand loyalty' is folly - and that initial accuracy may be good with even inexpensive instruments - I very much question the latter's reliability, durability, rate of 'calibration drift' and, indeed, safety...

Pull the battery, throw the meter away, move on to the next one. Total cost, zero.

--Emphasis added--

>>>Unless<<< said failure results in electrical injury or damage/maladjustment of expensive or safety critical equipment...

FWIW it has long been my philosophy that 'factoring' initial 'economy' into purchasing decisions is 'riding for a fall' -- While, indeed, nothing is for certain -- I daresay acquisition of products of known high-quality manufacture 'tilts the odds' in one's favor

With utmost respect!
HP

 

Nothing starts an argument like telling someone their meter is crap.

If all your doing with it is less than 42V audio and don't care about RMS of non-sine wave signals, or not worrying about day to day drift, a centech is fine.

I personally feel unsafe using a meter with test leads that, in total, cost less than a pair of CAT3 or CAT4 test leads.

To keep people safe at 600 volts, the leads, the connection to the meter, the fuse technology, the switch, the warning system to insure leads are in the right ports for a given function setting, ...

All are worth the price to me and my team.

And here I was expecting a scathing rebuke of my alleged 'elitist' views! -- Can it be that your new avatar signals the emergence of a 'kinder, gentler GopherT'?

Very best regards
HP

 

Can it be that your new avatar signals the emergence of a 'kinder, gentler GopherT'?

No.

 

All are worth the price to me and my team.

Totally understandable. It's all about context. If my job or safety depended on my meter, I wouldn't be using a free one either. Just the savings from less frequent calibration testing probably justifies the expense of a better meter. Add on the additional capabilities, safety features, and lifetime ruggedness, and there's a solid argument for a more expensive meter. I just think it's too easy to dismiss a perfectly workable tool for the jobs many people need it for.

 

Nothing starts an argument like telling someone their meter is crap.

Well hey! -- By way of 'repentance' you may have a go at my AVCOM 'collection' -- It took five 'times' - but I learned

Chastened and rebuked (Yea!, Ok! Just rebuked)
HP