AstroAI M2KOR & M4KOR CHEAP-O Multimeter Review & Teardown!

Nice review! My cheap-o ANENG 8009 has switched into the deadly "rainbow colour display" mode, looking for a new one, still can't decide, watching reviews :) I'm a bit nervous to try an ANENG again.

[@KeepOnTesting]

Well if you need any help let us know...the CHEAP-O Top Ten is located under the description (more info). Ill be posting an article on choosing a multimeter on the website shortly.. www.keepontesting.com

[@ericchang7706]

Thanks for opening it up. I hope the lack of PTCs is not a trend.

[@KeepOnTesting]

You and me both! 🤔

[@derektodd4126]

Great stuff Darren. Am only just getting this video now.

[@koonley]

Nice review as usual. I exchanged my ut89 for a ut139c. I reprogrammed the eeprom so I have always on backlight once I engage it. But I'm sure every meter has its place 🙂

[@KeepOnTesting]

Great job Kunle..the 139c should serve you well !

[@steph2211]

Great review buddy, your #1.

[@KeepOnTesting]

Cheers Steph! 😁

[@emfloyd473]

Thanks for another fun review. How about a cheap-o-meter review of the Cen-tech P37772 which sells for only $22.99 at Harbor Freight here in the USA. It has a tilting LCD display and was also sold as a Mastech.

[@KeepOnTesting]

Sounds like a plan..I'll see if I can source a unit for review.. 😄👍

[@KeepOnTesting]

Also known as the 61593 correct?

[@emfloyd473]

@@KeepOnTesting Yes that is correct. I see both numbers are listed in the PDF of the owner's manual.

[@mildboudin]

Great jog. Darren. Very helpful!!

[@KeepOnTesting]

Thx Fred! BTW, Excellent job on the Precision Voltage Reference ! I left a purchase link to your Ebay store in the description. 😀👍

[@pyro5624]

I got one recently m4k $17. And some change. Works great checked some car audio stuff and car batteries 🔋 working great 👍 it was a deal

[@KeepOnTesting]

Great to hear. It's an awesome lil multimeter!

[@pyromen321]

Wow, not even a tiny PTC in the M4K? Looks like they have a place on the PCB for one, but didn’t populate it?

[@KeepOnTesting]

Yes , the input protection is definitely lacking..!!

[@royevans4581]

Thanks for the review, thought I was listening to Jack Black! Lot's of chuckles from this unit. Me, I like my new M4KOR. It flashes red and green and bleeps. Makes me look pro! FZZZZT, oh dear.............🤣🤣🤣

[@KeepOnTesting]

Glad you liked it..can't beat all those pretty lights..hehe 😀👍

[@m.m.95.2]

Hi Darren, do you get exact measurments by using the 1,5V battery test option with a 1,5 V button cell on the m4kor ? What kind of resistor is used for that option ? And does it also work with a 3 V button cell ?

[@KeepOnTesting]

I do seem to get fairly accurate readings with the 1.5v select even if I'm using a button cell battery. Are you experiencing an anomaly? I don't have the resistor spec handy unfortunately..

[@m.m.95.2]

@@KeepOnTesting Alright thank you !

[@rockssr]

I loved your review of the AstroAI M2KOR and M4KOR multimeters. I have a bit of insight about that “flaking” you mention at about the 5:25 point. I also observed it, and it appears even with no leads attached when meter is set to DC volts position. It seems to be linked to the NCV sensor. If the meter is a few feet away from anything, the DCV stays stable at 0.000. Move your hand near the NCV sensor, and it goes back and forth between -0.001 and 0.000. When you were measuring the 5.00V, it went between 5.00 and 4.99. For some reason, when measuring DCV, the NCV sensor sometimes sends a -0.001 signal into whatever else it’s measuring. This doesn’t happen on ACV, just DCV. It’s still not something that should be occurring, but it does give some evidence that the higher reading is the correct one. So when it’s flipping between 5.00 and 4.99 volts in your test, the 5.00v reading is the correct one, which, of course, you already knew because of the 5.0000v source you were using. In your test, it could have been either the MK2OR sitting right next to it or the power source that the NCV sensor was picking up. It would be interesting to see if the reading has the same flaking when the MK4OR is not sitting near the other meter or the power source. I don’t have a nice reference power source like that, or I’d test it myself. And that also explains why the MK2OR didn’t have that same flaking-it doesn’t have an NCV sensor.

[@KeepOnTesting]

Thx for the update..I'll try a few of your suggestions and report back in a few days..👍It's quite possible there's drift because of the aforementioned NCV.

[@halrhoads6194]

The continuous backlight seems the best feature of these two. I really don't like the 3 battery test options on the M4K. Appears like they added them just to fill out the slots in the selector switch. Shrug, it's a Multimeter!

[@KeepOnTesting]

I understand completely.. Seems odd they put that feature onto the larger M4KOR and not the M2KOR ! 😃

[@seangannon193]

lovely Darren, sweet cheap o meters, will you do more chinese OEM meters like All-sun EM6190

[@KeepOnTesting]

Definitely Sean! I'll try to get that model for review..!👍

[@mauricepetit9986]

Great video !!!!!

[@KeepOnTesting]

Thx Maurice!😀👍

[@TachOnRed]

Thank you for the video Darren. Could I ask how you got the insulation sleeve off? I have an M2K0R and I'm trying to get it open to swap a fuse. The insulation seems impossible to get off.

[@KeepOnTesting]

Just give it a good tug..it might seem like it's inseparable but it will eventually come off. It will get easier the more the boot is removed.😀👍

[@williamcheng1877]

good review, very useful.

[@KeepOnTesting]

😀👍

[@FrostyTheBeerMan]

I have the M4KOR model, and I tested a motor's amperage this morning, and when I set the meter to the A setting I get an overload error. ( the motor is a 12 Volt DC motor ) ( I tested it with an older meter on the amperage setting and get about 6 Amps. ) So back to the M4KOR, after getting the error on the A setting I set it to the mA setting and it gives no error, but the readings are bizarre.... I hooked up the AstroAI M4KOR the same way as the older tester and on that mA setting I'm getting 32, 36 46 -- approx in that range, but if that is correct that means the motor is not asking for even 1 full Amp of power which I know is wrong. ( The motor is the size of an orange ) Not sure if I'm reading the reading correctly or what. Argh 😞

[@KeepOnTesting]

You probably blew the mA FUSE if it's indeed putting out 6A. Did you test the High Current fuse..it might be blown ?

[@marekwalczak2733]

Thanks! It got the same rating as ANENG SZ18/Q10, but ANENG has better resolution, much better display, more functions (square wave generator). Why woud they het same rating? What is then better about M4KOR?

[@KeepOnTesting]

Great question Marek, the SZ18 is a great multimeter and does have more features..Few noticeable differences , SZ18 currently costs 2/3x as much as the M4, that's a deal-breaker for some. It's not nearly as portable and the included test leads are nowhere as good as the AstroAI. Everything being relative in the end they are both great choices with different 👌 end user demographics. 😀👍

[@marekwalczak2733]

@@KeepOnTesting thanks for reply, yes, you are right M4 is noticeably less expensive. what do you mean by "not nearly as portable"? the size is about the same, right?

[@KeepOnTesting]

@@marekwalczak2733 The M4KOR is actually about half the size and weight of the Aneng..so definitely more of a road warrior. I'll try to put them side by side in an upcoming review..👍

[@marekwalczak2733]

@@KeepOnTesting Thank you, great channel btw

[@KeepOnTesting]

@@marekwalczak2733 Thank you my friend!

[@hameedullah6633]

Hello. Which one is the best brand and multimeter for everything. (Home, professional, electrical and electrician user)

[@RandyHawkinsMD]

Excellent tutorial. I have a CM2KOR. Can you direct me to a tutorial for that unit? Thanks

[@KeepOnTesting]

I haven't reviewed that clamp yet..stay tubed.

[@michaelt4459]

Darren. Would you recommend the M4K over the DM130B?

[@KeepOnTesting]

Yes! 😀👍

[@eyedunno8462]

Newbie question - the M4KOR has BOTH AC and DC on ONE setting. Does this mean it doesn't matter it is ac or dc when testing voltage? Why do other multimeters have to be manually select strictly AC or DC?

[@KeepOnTesting]

Correct, you only need to hit the Function button to choose either AC or DC 👍

[@numerical_error]

M2KOR definitely looks outdated with its smaller screen and a 9V battery. Don’t think the frequency mode alone is enough make up for this. But permanent backlight along with audible diode testing was a pleasant surprise. I hope this trend will continue in 2021. That being said, I still don’t understand the implication of audible mode switching. Sometimes this constant chirping gets into my nerves. The design I personally don’t mind. And as for the batteries… Well, it would be great to have rechargeable Li-ion batteries, but I don’t think we’ll get something like that soon. I see some interesting multimeters on Aliexpress from time to time, but they’re usually non-OEM. Pro’skit MT-1706 is almost the same as PEAKMETER PM18C. Mestek DM100C is identical to RICHMETERS RM406B. I was looking for some pen-style meters and found PEAKMETER PM8211. There is also Mastech MS8211, but it has no backlight and no flashlight. There’s ANENG AN870, but it’s almost 3 years old. I still lack some crucial testing equipment, one of which is an oscilloscope. To make things more difficult not only do I have to keep within a certain budget, but I need something portable. I need everything to fit in one backpack. So naturally I found that popular toy DSO150. I kept looking and found FNIRSI Pro, then FNIRSI-5012H and apparently their updated version FNIRSI-1C15. There is also Hantek 2D72 which is much better choice and has a dual channel and a signal generator. But it’s around $150 while FNIRSI-1C15 is $62. You said you are planning to review some cheap oscilloscopes so maybe this information is helpful. As for the draw, please exclude me again. Best of luck to everyone else.

[@KeepOnTesting]

Great summary 👌 As often is the case the current pandemic has messed with shipping and many items are coming in slowly...I have alot of goodies on the way..stay tubed !😁

[@slim-yin]

Thanks . To my shame , I got the m4k to almost exclusively test batteries ..

[@KeepOnTesting]

No worries 👍

[@comback8237]

I lost this youtube channel and i finally found it :) Btw im just getting into electronics and this is awesome:>

[@KeepOnTesting]

Welcome back.. don't lose it ! 😀👍There's never been a better time to get into Electronics ..welcome aboard!

[@maramaldo8666]

Very very very well done!

[@NikonPhotoHawk]

Should the M4KOR be okay (SAFE) for a home "do-it-yourselfer" check household electrical outlets, light switches, appliances, light sockets, etc.? Just picked one up for my son-in-law for one of his late Christmas presents (won't see him until next week). If he's using it a lot, I'll likely get him the Klein MM600 for his birthday in the Summer. Just hope this won't blow up check an electrical socket??? ⚡💥🤕 All my best... 😉 M4KOR batterie check features is good for someone who needs to check batteries a lot and especially for the 12v setting for check car batteries.

[@KeepOnTesting]

Yes, the M4KOR will be fine for household and general electrical work. MM600 would definitely be a nice upgrade 👌

[@NikonPhotoHawk]

@@KeepOnTesting I thank you. I have a lot of "Experts" telling my I'm putting myself and son-in-law's life at risk. I have some old Flukes, and they're fabulous bur I think Ideal and Klien (Ideal 60-347 & Klien MM700) are awesome as well. I picked up one of this M4KOR for using checking our batteries in our trail camera solar panels, cables, generators, lighting, etc., out in the field (wildlife biologist). I figure my son-in-law will end up with the Klein and have this as a backup and for working on his autos. Thanks...

[@KeepOnTesting]

@@NikonPhotoHawk My pleasure...they are safe for general home use so no worries there. 👍 Not everyone needs an expen$ive multimeter...and unless it's mission critical or industrial use it's generally not needed.

[@AubreyKeck]

Thanks

[@KeepOnTesting]

KEEP ON TESTING! 😀👍

[@umitkrc9217]

Hi m4kor or unit 89xd which one do you think

[@KeepOnTesting]

89xd

[@Jose-Ribeiro]

For the eletricians, the NCV it's pretty far away of the Volts position. :( It's stupid. Also, why the different brands don't implement the live wire feature on the V AC position (ex. red probre touching the live wire the multimeter beeps... simple)? Please, comment this on future reviews. It's so simple. The eletricians all over the world thank you. :)

[@KeepOnTesting]

So true...absolutely agree 👍

[@radius.indrawan]

Somehow the boots look like a marriage between Habotest and UNI-T Pro.. Please don't ask me which is the father and which is the mother.. 🤣🤣🤣 They are cool btw. In my opinion M4KOR is similar but a different beast than Habotest HT113C because of the battery test functions, surely will has its own place on the hobbyist's bench. 😃

[@KeepOnTesting]

So true..! I like the color scheme as well. The blue/grey housing is really nice...!

[@radius.indrawan]

@@KeepOnTesting yes, i like the combination colors too.

[@chahestan1]

I prefer Habotest than M4KOR

[@cybermaus]

Whats up with the audio?

[@numerical_error]

Is something wrong with it?

[@KeepOnTesting]

YT glitch on upload..seems to have caused minor distortion in one spot..otherwise its fine.👍

[@probang2866]

The M4KOR seems to me as a useful DMM for the work on cars. Especially because of the backlight! For electronic work it lacks somethings (like MicroAmp range, wider capacity range and capability to light up all LEDs). For electric work (at mains) its simply lacking electrical safety. It doesn´t matter anyways. Following the link in the description it is obvious: It has already transformed to unobtanium...

[@KeepOnTesting]

👍 Great points...just not sure what you mean by "unobtainable"..?

[@probang2866]

​@@KeepOnTesting Amozon tells me: "Currently unavailable" The first comment of this video is marked as just 5 hours old. So it seems, the DMM became unobtanium pretty quickly... BTW: I can´t find it on eBay, Banggood or AliExpress, too. Any more ideas?

[@KeepOnTesting]

@@probang2866 Oh wow...I'll pass that info onto AstroAI ...thx for the feedback !

[@rockssr]

ProBang-you make a good point that might be overlooked by many people who are buying cheap DMMs. The meter is listed as CATIII, 600V, and for jobs within that category, it should be safe (assuming their certification claims are accurate), with the two fuses and diode in the protection circuits and the leads with the same ratings. For >600V or in CATIV applications, you’re definitely in the danger zone with this meter. People really need to assess how they’ll be using a DMM and then buy a meter that’s suitable for that application.

[@billhill839]

@@rockssr I would think anyone working on voltages above 600 volts or 400 volts for that matter, would be using a good fluke or brand named meter. These are for the DYI who probably aren't needing to test anything above 250 volts. Just my 2 cents. Thank you and good night.

[@rinqucosta2422]

Both multimeters seem too dourable..👍🏼

[@yambo59]

I Have mixed feelings about these new Astro AI's - it seems like they just jumped on the transformer bandwagon and now they look like a clone of fifty other meters. Granted theyre better looking than thwe previous Astro iterations, but those originals both worked very well had great bang for buck and had their own internals, though now I wonder if theyve lost anything in the mix by changing to these "cloners". To be fair that M4KOR seems to be an OK meter - maybe im just getting bored with so many meters having this same look in a different brand. Before it felt like maybe the Astro's were their own entity, but I guess in reality 95% if 'em all come from a handful of OEM manufacturers in the ancient orient so I might as well accept it--lol

[@KeepOnTesting]

Okay okay.. rain on my AstroAI parade 😉Permanent Backlight, Audible diode , AstroAI included some nice touches here. Yes the ultra modern look might not appeal to everyone but I was genuinely impressed considering the low price point. Looks like I need to pull out the Fluke 27 now just to make ya happy 🤣🤣🤣

[@KeepOnTesting]

@Schwalbe262 Well 4 years ago you wouldn't find the audible diode and permanent BL features on a CHEAP-O 😉 not in most expensive dmms either. Agreed, alot of familiarity on the multimeter horizon but technology has definitely improved, albeit sporadically. I don't think there's anything amiss or dodgy going on. Yes, newer style rechargeable support is way overdue. I'll disagree on the test leads though.. what you get now is usually much better than the crappy leads they doled out with cheap multimeters years back. Let's hope 2021 proves to be a banner year 🙏 in the CHEAP-O REALM 😀

[@yambo59]

youre right on that - important points both on a cheapo

[@bhushan9066]

L for Live

[@KeepOnTesting]

and Loving❤ IT!!