EEVblog #75 - Digital Multimeter Buying Guide for Beginners

[@Zachism]

This man has seen tragedies. A bad multimeter ruined his family. Please. Buy a good multimeter. For the children.

[@fredlockard4509]

Zachism lmao

[@Fmakdemir]

Zachism Just logged in to like your comment dude :)

[@tunnelmax]

Zachism Yep, you're onto it! he he

[@ovp66223]

+Zachism I didn't get this fully till I watched a few minutes of this video... then I kept thinking about this comment and would laugh over and over. I now think ALL multi-meters are "a heap of shit" and if I see one, I am going to run away screaming and diving into the nearest ditch.

[@fredlockard4509]

ovp66223 LOL

[@ashtreylil1]

- Auto range with manual override - voltage, current, and resistance - 200 mv to 1000 V - 200 ohms to 20+ megaohms - 10 megaohms input impedance - ac and DC current - separate common ports - microamps, milliamps, and amps - 10 to 20 amps for high power circuit - hrc fuses - diode voltage measurements of 4 - fast continuity response - red flag is transistor test -battery and fuse door or metal insert screw -300 to 500hr battery -solid input jack -4mm shrouded banana plug -capacitance measurement -frequency measurement is optional -duty cycle (%) optional -relative measurement -min max mode -auto touch hold (no button) -temperature measurement -k type thermocouple -large backlit digit display -no data logging -you will need 2 meters -dont cheap out below 100 dollars or you will surely perish testing home power -silicon probes -true RMS measurement -4000 count minimum -4 updates per second -thicc rubber holster

[@muddyriverdogz]

So what do you suggest ?

[@annieworroll4373]

I wish I had autorange sorts of money. The Centech I got from Harbor Freight works reasonably well though, was around 25USD. I might be at the point to look seriously at something better. I could probably make use of something better at this point. Great for general DIY work though.

[@samshiles]

thank you, I can't listen to Australian for any longer than 30 seconds at a time without stabbing myself in the ears.

[@altaroffire56]

*Video starts* "...depends on what you do. For the average maker or hobbyist, you don't need a professional meter." *10 min into the video* "ALL THOSE CHEAP ASS MULTIMETERS WILL BURST INTO FLAMES AND BLOW YOUR HEAD OFF"

[@seanlarabee7852]

I do not comment on videos often, but wanted to just let you know I love your videos. You are entertaining, very knowledgeable, and get right to nuts and bolts of what I am trying to learn. I appreciate your work and will be watching many more of your videos. This helped me figure out which multimeter to buy, and the checklist of features you call out helped me make sure I have everything I need for the bench work I am planning (guitar amplifier maintenance and modification). I really appreciated your oscilloscope safety video as well and the visuals that clarify how easily one can get themselves into danger accidentally looping the energized circuit back to earth ground and can cause much damage and/or injury. I watched some other videos on the subject, and they just didn't communicate why and how it was happening well enough for a simpleton like me to understand. Your videos helped me to understand I need at a minimum an isolated power supply, and a differential probe for my oscilloscope (once I learn enough to add that to my bench). Thank you! You made me literally lol when you said "There see a piece of plastic just fell out, it's just a heap of..." Keep being yourself, and stay true and real during these horrible times of inflated righteous indignation. Tip of the hat to you sir. Have a blessed day.

[@MrDoneboy]

Dave is the most practical, honest, and quotable, electronics expert on the net!

[@ShR33k]

This guy is ace - knowledgeable and bloody funny! 50 minutes long soon went and taught me a few things in the process! Not sure a store would let you take apart a multimeter before buying it though to check for HRC fuses, and other internal high quality pieces! But nice video and thats coming from a noobie using a crap multimeter. I'll look at buying something better, and now I know roughly what I'm looking for!

[@EEVblog]

Thanks, glad you found it of value.

[@TalkToMeQA78]

+EEVblog I have a Motorcycle and bought a Craftsman multi meter. Is a craftsman multi meter suitable for motorcycle diagnostics?

[@Hotrodelectric]

+DoTheEvolution78 Just so long as the one you got has all the basic features and functions, I don't know why not. One thing I have found with all my non-Fluke meters is you need to remember to turn it off when you're done!

[@fredferguson6088]

Hotrodelectric

[@stefanniedzielah1827]

"Not sure a store would let you take apart a multimeter " that is something consumer testing websites should do.

[@VanD3rp]

Beginning of video "you dont need an expensive meter!" Rest of video "heres why you need an expensive meter!"

[@Yotanido]

+MiniM00se I first thought that, as well, but I don't think that is the case. Only in very few cases he actually said "don't buy one like that" (e.g. missing auto-range) The other times, he just listed your options, what you can expect from an expensive one and what you usually find in cheap ones. He doesn't hide what he thinks of the cheap ones, but he doesn't tell you not to buy them. In fact, at the end of the video he actually says that a $50-$100 multimeter can be quite decent. (That probably can't be considered "cheap" anymore, but it's not *that* expensive, either)

[@Jesse_Meyer]

MiniM00se actually he said to buy the cheap ones if you're not gonna use it everyday to make a living. But, if you're a professional, buy the best or you'll be miserable.

[@GaryParkin]

Should be a commercial for gossen :D All I need is one that will measure small capacitors.

[@rsattahip]

as usual

[@marsa74]

A German proverb literally translates to „if you buy low quality you buy twice“. Unfortunately, this does not apply to multimeters where you probably won‘t get a second chance. There are a lot of measures to apply when it comes to safety but they are very inconvenient if you have to suspect your multimeter being a threat.

[@brettany_renee_blatchley]

I've been away from electronics for years -- gave all my test gear away -- and now I am back and THIS video is _EXACTLY_ what I needed!! :-)

[@Captain_Rhodes]

the amount of time i spend watching this guy review things ill never use, let alone buy

[@bobblaine1437]

Interesting to watch this after 10 years. Dave has definitely improved in content and editing.

[@pierQRzt180]

Actually the content was good in the video, despite the decade of experience of difference.

[@chrisnotap]

a long video but well worth the watch, every point was valid, well done down under dude from Canada.

[@hughjadiel2999]

Pro tip : you can watch movies at Flixzone. I've been using them for watching lots of of movies recently.

[@gagerhys1182]

@Hugh Jadiel yea, I've been using Flixzone} for months myself :D

[@redfire0711]

The moment you realise how crappy your multimeter is... :/

[@evertcomeriii6894]

LMAO 🤣 😂🤣 😂🤣 😂

[@madsdaugbjerg6254]

agreed!! hahahha

[@Thestripper1]

I think I speak for alot of the people here. There is to much information and specs to take into account for someone who is getting in to this. Your vid is 50 minutes long and packed with info.. Can you please get down to - What are the three (or five) best meters in the following pricerange: Under 20$. Betwen 20$ and up to 100$. Top performing meters above 100$

[@Thestripper1]

Reuel T Thanks Reuel. But that doesn't really help much. I've been watching many hours of video and reading up on forums. I've decided to get a good meter and have been looking at the fluke line. Everything from 175/179/87v to 289. They are all considered top meters but they all have issues that could be considered as serious. GSM interference on the 87v (not the newest issue but I'm trolling on ebay so you never know..) The 179 is geared more towards higher voltage electricians and not electronics which is what I'll be doing for the most part. The 289 has issues with battery life and interference with bright/flashing light sources(!) So even at this price range it seems to be really difficult to get a solid meter. So, the question remains. What to get?

[@SeanKelly1]

+jonnebanan - thank you for your comment - I hope the author sees it and takes it into account.

[@Thestripper1]

Sean Kelly The more one gets into this are the more one realize that you really have to know some basics and then choose a suitable model for yourself. However, I think that two lists of "best buy meters" would be appreciated. One list for electronics work multimeters and one for higher voltage work multimeters. I took a leap of faith and bought a Fluke 87V. It's a top class meter which I think will serve me well in getting into electronics. Maybe I could have bought a cheaper meter and gotten away with great results, I just don't know, yet.

[@TheMiteto]

jonnebanan Check out his videos on the best 50usd and 100usd multimeters. They are rly well thought out, and should help answer all your questions.

[@Thestripper1]

M Stoyanov Thank you!

[@moriambar6533]

Although this guide can be misunderstood as "pointing you towards espensive meters" I have to say that I learned a whole lot during the years from this video. It has been an invaluable guide to filter the selection of DMMs and choose the right ones. Apart from now I never spent more than 50$ on a meter but, thanks to your guidance, I was able to select the right functions and safety precautions for my needs. I now am looking into the EEVBlog Brymen meter, even if it does not fully comply to your video :). Anyway a big thanks Dave for the education!

[@MysticalRhythms]

*finishes video* ...I'm not even looking to buy a multimeter.

[@3of12]

+MysticalRhythms maybe you should. Useful for fixing all sorts of electronics. Just measure components to check if they are in spec, if not, replace. Its honestly really easy.

[@metallitech]

+MysticalRhythms Finishes video...NOW not looking to buy a multimeter.

[@sparkrd100]

maybe .............

[@noxiifoxi]

But it's anyways interesting

[@groggygreg1063]

i did not finish the video and bought a 5$ meter...

[@brucetea9829]

God damn it! A star is born. Coming to a TV show near you. A fantastic no nonsense review for experts but information overload for a rank beginner like me.

[@GadgetAddict]

It would have been a nice ending to see you put the el cheapo meters up against the better ones with short circuits/overloads etc. I know you'd have to buy a few replacement fuses for your good ones but it would be nice to see those tests in action.

[@sieksnis]

You do such tests instead, and make youtube video. :)

[@veraxis9961]

This is less of a "beginner's guide" and more of a "comprehensive look at all the possible parameters to look for in a multimeter", not that that's a bad thing. Unfortunately, I will respectfully disagree on most of this, because IMO the average "beginner" hobbyist absolutely does NOT need a $50-100 meter to start off. There are plenty of mid-range, sub-$50 meters from reputable brands that have all the proper ceramic fuses and safety ratings as he describes, which will be more than usable for a hobbyist who is probably not going to need ultra-high accuracy or be using most of these extra features anyway. The average hobbyist is pretty much just going to need the basic voltage, current, resistance, and the diode/continuity measurements, and anything else is just extra. Capacitance measurement is NOT an essential feature. Temperature measurement is NOT an essential feature. "True RMS" is NOT an essential feature. Manual ranging meters are perfectly fine, and in spite of what he says, do tend to be a tiny bit cheaper. On the other hand, if you are a professional electrician or engineer who regularly works with high power and mains voltages, then yes, you really should be using an industrial grade meter.

[@Brianck1971]

This video is from 6 year's ago. We all know you get a better multi metre today for 30 bucks than you did 6 years ago.

[@veraxis9961]

Perhaps, but I still think that many of these features and accuracy ratings are more than what a beginner would need. Judging from a lot of the comments, I suspect a lot of new hobbyists seeing this don't necessarily know that.

[@boramaapps]

I bought 'beginners' multimeter without capacitance measurement and after 2 months I need to buy one more with capacitance measurement...

[@stefanniedzielah1827]

then you will have two multimeters, that is also handy :)

[@eduardoavila646]

Tbh a hobbyst (this supposing low current and voltage dc messurements only) would be fine even with a $4 chinese yellow boxy multimeter

[@sacramentallyill]

Hi, I get asked all the time.... Hi, I get asked all the time.. Hi, i get asked all the time.

[@jpsalis]

That's why you proof watch your video in post

[@psps6623]

@@jpsalis It was 2010.....The internet was a frontier...a great unknown...No time to proof-watch hahahahaha

[@TechTroppy]

@@psps6623 10 years later and there are new comments to read

[@hepticftw]

Tech Land yep

[@roseelectronics4582]

@@TechTroppy 10 years later the video still holds true

[@stevenstewart3414]

This is a GREAT video! I am currently shopping for a second digital multimeter and the advice Dave gives here has helped immensely. Not only that, but he explains many of the features that my old meter has that I never used. I'll use them now! Thanks for a great video!

[@DavidWTube]

Needs a 2020 update...

[@TubeofDestiny]

Excellent guide, I really like how he isn't bullshiting us at all - bullet points explanation, each important point after another, and what is crap IS called crap, there's no screwing around. If you can't stand a firm but polite talk to learn basic stuff, you're just not ready for electronics - safety or design problems aren't going to hold your hands and whisper gently in your ear that you made a mistake, they'll burn down your components and body if you're not strict with yourself. - I'll get myself a $35 cheapy (instead of a $15 one), because I'm not doing anything with high amperage or high voltage any time soon (and will NOT, now that I learned about all the safety risks), as I'm only working on USB 2.0 or AA/AAA batteries tiny stuff, but I know what to look for once I'll need a proper multimeter (and projects + money dedicated to it).

[@chedwick]

Excellent! I don't care if people are saying you are too passionate. I like it. That's the kind of material I want, a passionate person who has a range of products going from the shitty and cheapest one to the most expensive and good one. I am confident that you know well why yourself is raging at those cheap trash multimeters. Keep up the good work!

[@santospoland]

15 minutes in. You are a natural born teacher. Fantastic video!

[@TheJohn8765]

Wow. I took apart my shitty Canadian Tire "Certified" brand manual 10A Multimeter I bought 5 years ago for $30, and I was pleasantly surprised. Two HRC fuses, and a *huge* copper bus bar bridging directly into the Amp fuse from the common. Honestly, it' looks pretty good, safety wise. What a nice surprise ;)

[@srinivas797]

Dave is the Gordon Ramsay of electronics !!

[@Nikko_Suave]

Yes! Well said.

[@klaasklapsigaar1081]

To me he is the Steve Irwin of electronics! That wide-eyed enthousiasm! :)

[@marcdraco2189]

@@klaasklapsigaar1081 Irwin was careless and Darwin sorted him out, to use Dave's phrase. I know he was a hero to a lot of people with his enthusiasm but that was also tinged with the sort of disrespect for nature that ultimately ended his life. The same thing will happen if you're careless with electricity, a healthy fear of the stuff and test gear that exceeds the limits of what you're attempting will keep you alive.

[@marcdraco2189]

A lot of people like Ramsay, but he's really an arrogant bully; whereas Dave is as skilled as he is funny. I wonder how many of you would enjoy being screamed at for making a (none life-threatening) mistake? There's just no need for that. Dave doesn't need a TV crew and post production scripting to make him amusing, nor go around shaming people because they make mistakes due to being poorly taught. At least, IF he has, I've never seen it. Even when he tore apart the schema for that bloody open source Haamoscope he didn't shame the guy who did design it - a professor of physics no less! Can you imagine being taught electronics by a guy who can't draw a basic diagram in Autodesk's Eagle? And it's not like the Haamoscope was done for free either. When I peeked in, it made something like 3x it's 10K USD goal, plus there must be profits from the production costs. Just my 0R2 402 resistor.

[@peterschmidt9942]

Dave, those transistor testers are useful depending on your needs. I use them to test germanium transistors for stomp boxes as the transistors tend to sound better if they're in a certain gain range. It's a niche use and you're right that the cheapies tend to have them to entice with features - not quality.

[@James_Bowie]

Horses for courses.

[@ignatz-uc3kp]

The best information ever on multimeters ! And he is talking about safety versus poor construction ! He is pointing out what poor consruction is, and he is doing it in a way that i understand. He is also sayiingthat we have different needs, and he is worth listening too :)

[@322doug]

this was great, especially "Then let Darwin sort you out" ! LOL

[@-na-nomad6247]

Hilarious, but he's right.

[@amaxamon]

You've completely rekindled my interest in electronics. It's been almost 20 years but I used to fix up vintage stereo components all the time, guitar amps, pedals and recording equipment. I really want to learn it right this time and get my hands dirty again!

[@SouthCoastMudlarks]

The reason high end expensive brand meters often don't have capacitance is that they would like you to buy their dedicated capacitance meters as well :)

[@dogdipstick]

This vid made me buy my first expensive meter: A Seaward Solar 600A autoranging Power clamp meter. I need safety nowadays with all the EV lithium batteries in the market: High DC voltage, and power, make for some fgood fun, and I need to know what goes on no matter without doubt and without placing myself in a compromise. All the while having good peace of mind and knowing what to buy is priceless. First time a (cheap) meter tries to kill you you never forget. Thankyou, Dave. Right from the heart. I'm going to go play with 10,000 counts of backlit 600v CAT4 600A no touchy fun, on nice lightweight 400v+ lipo graphite NMC622 and 822 packs that can ( are built to) put a few ( hundred? ) kilowatt out... now. Faster than you can blink. LOL.

[@justinperry7550]

to save you an hour; don't go under $100 :)

[@imemyself2820]

You sir, are awesome. I am sure you saved a lot of lives making this video.

[@Popart-xh2fd]

So, bottom line, if you only work with Extra-low voltage, less than 120V DC or 50V AC, no safety problems with a cheapie multimeter...

[@johncunningham5435]

I own a Fluke 867B Graphical Meter, since I use it primarily on the bench it is ideal for design and specialized readings that is needed. Yes Dave! it is lousy on battery life, but the features far exceed that minor annoyance, besides it remains plugged in to eliminate that issue. The only complaint, it does not have a temperature probe which would be handy for checking heat stress points and calibration for soldering stations and other essential equipment. When I purchased this years ago it cost several hundred dollars, but it paid for itself in record time for the amount of repairs on consumer products and specialty design requests. Fluke by far make the best meter on the market and built to last, never the less I found your presentation very enlightening and interesting and will continue to watch. It is gratifying to be apart of your forum and other members.

[@TheEmeraldboy100]

I part time at uni's electronics lab. My request for decent multimeter got shot down by head staff because he's cheap af. All 10 multimeters stopped working after a year.

[@pierQRzt180]

the summary is at 30:00 and later (for a minute more or less). Do you analyze things with low power? a cheap thing is ok. Otherwise value your life. Anyway the hold function - tested on my cheap meter too and indeed is not that helpful - is a game changer. It is difficult to have 3 hands.

[@DrathVader]

Sorry man, $100 isn't really begginers' price point. I'm into electronics for some time, I'm using Mastech MY-68 for $30. And you know what? It's good enough for me, it's reasonably accurate, has bargraph, it's autoranging, it's build quite well. The only thing I'm missing is a termocouple.

[@TribunusLaticlavus]

Well he did mention that those can be alright depending on what you use it for. The key point he made was high power equipment hooked up to the mains and safety being most important and everything else secondary. Well short of having the bare required feature sets I guess. So from the point of view of the video: If you're working with low power non-mains things said meter is fine. I do agree with you though, depending on how much time you spend on your hobby even 40-50 euro I'd consider a fairly pricy purchase. But the pay for what you get thing remains true, and I 100% agree with him that I wouldn't want to touch mains things with the worst of the cheapies ;)

[@riskinhos]

mine costed 5$. works.

[@Pharozos]

TribunusLaticlavus As some one new to electronics all advice is welcome.

[@TribunusLaticlavus]

Paul stevenson Buying used quality brand gear if you can get it for the right price is definitely something that can be worth it in my opinion. Especially if you have a good bit of extra equipment and can verify if its accurate initially when you get it, operate most of its functions and if nothing bad shows you've probably gotten a good one. Perform the same thing later down the line and if its still the same you definitely have a winner. Ofcourse there is the chance it is partially defective but depending on the price and assuming you can verify most of the functionality to see if it gives reliable readings there's no real harm in taking the risk in my opinion. In the case of multimeters I would probably inspect the board a bit too see if there's any obvious signs of damage there from things like overvoltage and verify if the proper fuses are used but beyond that it would be a good purchase. Even if its your first test gear as long as you can verify that it works with someone elses equipment I think you're better off with it than cheap noname brands or mid-range product for the same price. I've done so for one of my power supplies, the very first proper one I got actually. Its only a single output one but I could get it cheap because the previous owner didn't really have space for it in his lab anymore and he'd rather have two power supplies with 3 outputs than one with 3 and another with just the single output. Its accurate and stable, the overcurrent/overvoltage protection limits tripped fast enough to save some components a few times so I've got no regrets about spending that money. If you should buy such a thing however depends strongly on your requirements, some people will never touch mains with it or powered high voltage stuff inside equipment. In those cases if its just used for measuring the odd battery here and there, continuity checks for basic repairs and full accuracy isn't a big deal you could go for a cheaper meter. I stumbled into a fair few cheap meters that for DC voltage at least match my own for as far as they can display it (other functions get a bit more questionable), now I wouldn't measure anything mains powered with them nor do I have a real confidence in their ability to survive accidents that can happen when you put it in the wrong mode or accidentally touch the wrong contact points. But for basic low power battery hobby products and inspecting basic components for simple repairs they can suffice.

[@Satchmoeddie1]

TribunusLaticlavus For basic beginner electronics with low volts AC DC a $12 Harbor Freight, Chinese meter is okay. If you are an electrician, you really want to get at least a cheap Fluke for $50-$100 used, or a neon lamp voltage indicator. I bought a Taiwanese Sears scope meter. I am always fixing the jacks on it. It is okay, and it is well fused, but the build quality is shite. I'd rather cry over a $200 scope meter than lose my $30000 Fluke Scope meter.

[@RonDennis361]

This is an oldie but goodie. After my junk multimeter wore out, I wanted to educate myself and buy a good quality meter. I'm really glad I watched this video. It was very eye opening and made me feel like an idiot using my cheap meter for testing 120v lol. I ended up ordering a Klein MM700 (for only $75 new!), which I think will be perfect for my needs. Thanks again!

[@patrickmiao1698]

I wanted to upgrade my cheapy meter but after watching this video, upgraded to a fluke 87 because I sometimes work with higher voltage (beside electronics) and I didn't want it to blow up in my hand. Love this guy, great videos.

[@D800Lover]

This guy should get the KZbin Prize for "Most Annoying Voice." Seriously, nice stuff and hope the above is taken with good humour. Greetings, Liverpool area, Sydney.

[@MerkMD]

Good knowledge but... the title should be "Digital Multimeter Buying Guide for 'PRO'". Multimeter for "Beginner" should be in range of $50 at most... I doubt any real beginner dare to buy >$150 meter or Fluke level meter...

[@fieldlab4]

If you want a meter, get a fluke and take care of it. You won't regret it. Have had mine almost 40 years. Blew up one (a 77, early 1980's), sent it back for repair and recalibration. Came back with a signed sticker on it. Still going.

[@johnevans2186]

I agree. Advice on relative "goodness" of up to $50 meters would be really useful for hobby users; by all means say not safe for mains use but show what really matters for battery powered use. Auto-ranging is nice and may be essential if you are earning your living using it, but certainly not at all necessary for hobby use. I suspect there are far more bought for hobby use than professional.

[@TheEPROM9]

It is quite handy coming back to these videos a few years later when I have learned so much more that I pack up stuff I missed before.

[@pawelgrzechnik611]

you should work in tv. you have a gift. I have watched this from begginning to the end and I wasnot bored.

[@pedrocastillo7013]

Hey Dave I broke the piggy bank and bought myself a Fluke 87V and love it, a lot of stuff in one solid package (BTW already tested the GSM phone next to it and no issues) thank you for sharing the knowledge.

[@bIackwhiteTV]

Great vid mate.Tell me please for measure PC PSU voltage , do i need a proper , expensive multimeter? Or 20$ will do the job?

[@FuzzyCouchPotato]

7 years late, but its just 120VAC or 220Vac depending on where you live for PC PSU on the input side, and much less on the output side. a cheapo is probably fine. you wont likely overload them. however depending on the work, if accuracy is super important i may spend more. but likely you’re just voltage finding and you dont need much for that.

[@avengergames3051]

czekaj coooo? black?

[@CraZyCarl6212]

This guy knows what he's talking about. I finally just invested in a 30$ digital multimeter a few years ago and it works great for my general needs. I've dabbled in electronics, done a lot with automotive and occasionally need a meter when working with household currents. Its the INNOVA 3320 great meter if you just need a basic meter.

[@DeeeJayThrash]

moldymeter, moldymeter, moldymeter, MOLDYMETER!!!!

[@aneeshprasobhan]

lmao

[@FerdAboubakrOnline]

Lololol

[@ridanindustries2975]

watching this after 11 years later and i have my $35 multimeter and it checks off all the things on your list. We have come so far

[@JesseMorgan]

5 minutes into the video: "wow, this is great info" 25 minutes into the video: "Numb" So much good stuff now I just need to apply it.

[@jarrodhroberson]

I watched all your multi-meter buying guide and sub-$100 shoot out videos, they are priceless for the under informed! I love a good opinion, and a qualified one is priceless. That said, I got an Extech MN16A, it is like a "little brother" to the EX330. It is a mini form factor, between the EX300 and a pocket sized one. It shares all the EX300 specs for the most part minus the AC voltage detector, and has all the required things you mention being important. both ranges have fuses ( glass ) and they are easy to get to as is the battery. I think it is a great option for $40 which is what it is retail and will work for doing microcontroller and low voltage circuits. I don't mess with mains or anything over what a LiPo will generate.

[@RatFinkRod]

In all the years I've worked with multimeters, I learned some interesting things. 1) High end meters need to be re-calibrated every 4-5 years because of drift. I have a cheap Mastercraft meter (w/ 4 jacks) I bought on sale at Canadian Tire for $20 and it has worked perfectly for over 30 years WITHOUT re-calibration. 2) Digital meters CANNOT measure the resistance of water!! Only a good old analog meter can do that. My boss has an expensive Fluke meter that's always going out of calibration. I have 3 cheap meters (different sizes & features) that have always worked flawlessly for nearly 40 years. When you pay a lot for something, you're paying for the BRAND NAME.

[@bigiluma]

Hi there. Which multimeter would YOU recommend​?

[@Tubeytime]

@@bigiluma Legend says he's still thinking of the answer to this day.

[@bigiluma]

@@Tubeytime Hahaha, indeed!

[@leanegarden6997]

I've watched many videos about teh subject and your video by far is the most informative when it comes to how and which way to go about choosing a Multimeter. I've watched one or two good videos but they have taken the multimeter apart which also were informative about this or that specific DMM, but for a beginner or in my case for a person who just wants to buy something cheap and just good enough for home use with option of not getting stuck in case I'll need it in the future for more. I have decided to buy the MASTECH Digital Multimeter MS8239C, knowing now what I am buying. Thank you for the video.

[@Doomzdayxx]

Haha this guy is awesome. he's like the Steve Irwin of digital multimeters

[@AluVixapede]

I guess some people are frustrated they're not seeing a "Buy this brand, this model" kind of "review". ~ But personally I'm real glad I watched this. This and the counts vs accuracy vs confidence video was great. Helped me make an informed choice; I've decided to go for something a little higher end than what I was planning for. In fact, now I think what I was planning on originally is the _worst_ price to performance ratio :D Secondly, I'm glad to hear about the real life experience bits. Slow continuity for example, that's something I always just take for granted, seeing as I've always used crap meters.

[@deltaray3]

1:05 That multimter that looks like an iPod is hillarious.

[@Mantikal]

I'm at beginner level. I bought a AstroAI DM6000AR . I didn't use it often. The last time I used it was for some extremely low dc voltage item. Almost a year went by before I used it again. When I did, when I turn it on, it has this continuous beeping sound going on. I looked into that and found that its fuses were blown to cause that effect. Don't know how that happens.

[@jonfreeman9682]

Astro makes great affordable meters. Likely blew the fuse testing voltage when you accidentally had it on amps. Same happened to me but that's my fault.

[@nagyizee]

9:15 - good point, I learned it in the hard way - wanted to measure voltage on a 6Ah LiPo cell, forgot to move the probe to voltage, you can guess the results :-D

[@fudogchomp]

i left the lead on Amps today when checking for voltage '~' BZZZT ! ! lol ^-^

[@hamactivities]

I'm not going to nitpick the video as he's spot on. My Chinese multimeter went up in smoke and I decided no more cheapies. Brought a used Fluke 87V off ebay (rev 11 board) and am very pleased with it. Finally readings I can trust. For those who only use the cheapies for low voltage electronics, it's only a matter of time when you will need to verify main voltage around the house. You'll use that cheap meter on voltage that can kill you. Something to consider.

[@Tubeytime]

"Get one with good quality input jacks" Me, at Lowes: *tears open multimeter to look inside*

[@Danny-wv8ec]

I’m a beginner or a hobbyist, I’ve gone through so many bad multimeters that broke, finally bought a Fluke 177, it’s amazing.

[@EEVblog]

Then go buy your $10 meter and be happy. You don't need advice for that.

[@vivianmalhiers864]

I just realised that I spent an hour of my life watching a video about multimeters, I came here to find a suitable multimeter as I plan to work on my PS3. I also realised that this video is 11 years old 😂

[@Emalo]

yes same 😆

[@vivianmalhiers864]

@@Emalo worth every second!

[@Emalo]

@@vivianmalhiers864 true, but there new stuff in the markets, which i think beats some of the old ones from 10 years ago

[@RyanGrisham]

what's a moldy meter?

[@kneekoo]

That's precisely 100 cm of mold. :D Not sure though if it's a linear or square meter, but newbies could probably settle for the linear one.

[@peterfitzwell9658]

A meter that hasn't been used in a while, perhaps?😜🤣

[@JLanc1982]

I'm new to your channel and I love it! I am a aircraft electrician and we use fluke multimeters,they are great but are expensive. We routinely calibrate our MM in house,but it does not belong to me... I do have a personal multimeter that my dad got me and that I use for general stuff and automotive. It is true you do get what you pay for...

[@CurvedSlightly]

A 50 minute quick buyers guide?

[@nitramretep]

Too much? This guy gives the viewer a comprehensive review and spends the time explaining all the critical considerations, that take time! I like his presentations. He also brings to light the hazards of using cheap poorly protected meters...something that might cause you serious harm.

[@EEVblog]

@msichal Like I've said a thousand times now on this blog, if a cheap meter is all you can afford then it's probably going to do the job. Just don't expect it to be reliable or entirely safe. I'm hoping to do reviews of some cheap meters soon to find the best one for say $50.

[@vendrick420]

It's time dude!

[@Dusankk]

Dave you are a gas, we are lucky to have people like you on the web, keep up the good work pal :)

[@jst1man]

I have a problem with what you are saying about cheap multimeter's. Not everyone has a hundred or more to update for a meter. Cheap multimeter's are great for small projects and learning purposes. Don't disparage a decide because it's cheap. the potential of a cheap multimeter is that it still does everything at low $ amount as a high $$$ amount. without breaking your pocket book. it's a great thing cheap meters. People use them all the time to accomplish wonderful thing.... Just saying....

[@kamkut1784]

+Ahman Millener Cheap multimeters dont have the safety and they are not reliable. for 50 bucks (which is honestly not expensive, saving up for 3-5 weeks would usually get you up there) you can get an Extech branded EX330, which will honestly do most work. and buying those cheapies usually costs around 20-30, just pay the extra 20 bucks and you get a top quality (for the price) meter than will probably last for years to come. You get what you payed for

[@AttilaTheHun333333]

Kamkut17 30:06 ........not everyone is working on high voltage stuff.

[@hans-joachimbierwirth4727]

Yeah, all the safety you can get for fiddling around with mother's dildo battery pack, da fricking 12V car electrics, chinese TTL learnery labs or the goddam LED-stripes, 'cause if you don't watchout it'll bite off your *peep*

[@HavanaWoody]

Lack of money does not dispute the physics that Dave has pointed out. Cheap is cheap for a reason, and some task can be performed with the most primitive technology, that doesn't mean it is without flaws and caveats that must be considered. If it's good enough it's good enough, but that doesn't make it superior or give reason for being unaware of those undesirable conditions.

[@HavanaWoody]

@@AttilaTheHun333333 well yeah that's exactly what he said, go ask Darwin to sort you out.

[@StilettoSniper]

So Dave, according to the formula you presented in this video regarding the relationship between counts and accuracy at 34:56, a 60000 count multimeter that is "properly designed" should have a basic DCV accuracy of at least 10/60000 * 100 = 0.0167%. I noticed that the Brymen 785, 786 and 789 multimeters (all of which are 60000 count multimeters) only tout a basic DCV accuracy of 0.03%. Does that mean that the Brymen engineers responsible for the 780 series design "didn't know what they were doing" (your words)??

[@LukePuplett]

Summary for my own re-referencing. Interestingly, I can't find even a v expensive MM that covers all those ranges! Autoranging + manual. Voltage AC+DC 200mV - 1000V. Resistance 200Ω - 20MΩ. Input impedance 10MΩ. Current AC+DC 4-sockets µA - 10A or 20A. Capacitance 1pF or 2-20nF - 2mF. Frequency, not essential 50Khz - 5Mhz. HRC-fused 10A. Diode tester 4V+. Continuity fast latched. Transistor test useless. Relative. Min/Max. Auto hold. Temp with k-type.

[@LukePuplett]

Looking at Extech MM560A which is the nearest I can get to these specs at a good price point.@mjlorton likes it, too, which is reassuring.

[@AleGrigis]

@@LukePuplett Thanks a lot pal. Was taking a list while watching but you saved me some typing :)

[@nickhetzer2744]

@@LukePuplett i have a extech extech 330 it is total garbage it i tested it on a fluke calibrator and it drifts about 0.2v a 4 v and at around 100v it drift 3 to 4 v off wich is realy bad in some cases

[@marcdraco2189]

Don't think I've ever enjoyed watching a guy rant about stuff as much as I enjoy Dave's! It's not that he's hateful, he's funny and his points are right on the dot. Now I have to go take my meters to bits to find out which ones are crap. (Here's a clue... the one's that aren't made by Fluke!)

[@Kelberwitzi]

I work in an electronics store and we sell a wide range of multimeters. The amount of electricians that know nothing about them, and ask how to use them to measure mains is pretty scary. Almost none of them want anything except the absolute cheapest.

[@MrDesillu]

+Alex Scott If they ask about how to use them, they are not electricians. Use of multimeters is basic knowledge at school.

[@Kelberwitzi]

Michaël Colignon In the UK you can go on a 2 day course to become a "qualified" electrician.

[@MrDesillu]

Alex Scott WTF

[@regmigrant]

+Alex Scott to be fair it only means qualified in the sense of 'can move a light fitting' which a lot of diy'ers have been doing with absolutely no understanding of electrics. I'm not saying its perfect but its better than fried home-owner

[@PsyMongSki]

No thats wrong you cant go and become a sparky after 2 days you are being told misleading information. Your confusing the introductory foundation 2 day course for begginers who think they might want to be a sparky they are in no way qualified. To qualify as a sparky you need an industry-recognised Level 3 qualification and it takes more than 2 days to get that. Any sparky that can legally come into your home and work will know how to use a multimeter if not they are just some idiot taking you for a mug.

[@bambangkurniawan5634]

Damn! I watched the wrong video. Now i have to spent more than half month salary for a single digital multimeter for my hobbies... and he said i need two of those if i'm serious, three if i want to log those number to my PC, four if i want one which i can slip in my pocket. Good thing is, i haven't buy any (cheap) multimeter so i'm not a candidate for a Darwin award... yet. Joke aside, this information is very helpful for me. I'm subscribing. Looking forward to see your other videos. Thank you! Now i have to find DMM under $150 that suits those criteria. Fluke is way above my budget.

[@RickRose]

30:50 "If you don't follow my advice, I hope Darwin sorts you out." Classic!

[@Money4Nothing]

Three minutes into this video: There's nothing at all wrong with a manual range meter. I use one all the time. It's actually a good safety reminder about which voltages you are working with to force you to re-range your meter, instead of just jumping from 110 to 690 without a second thought. Input impedance is the most important part of a meter's quality of measurement. You need a good quality backlight, and quality jacks. Those things get a lot of use, and one of those fails and you are done with the meter. Also get one with a quality continuity tone. You will need that in a noisy environment. Most of the other tips are pretty good, particularly about current measurement safety. Don't get a 20A range, stick to 10A. Use a clamp meter for current above 10A. Some of the tips are too specific to a specialized measurement field or application. (I've never measured capacitance or inductance, Why would you do that with a hand meter, you should use bench meters for that.)

[@rupert274]

I've no authority, I'm just a nobody "maker"/hobbyist but I've never needed a backlight and my multimeter (Precision Gold Academy PG 10B) which I've had for almost 20 years still has strong connections - in the unlikely even that the jacks became weak, I could remove the casing and give them a light squeeze to increase the tension again; I think it's a really unimportant aspect for anyone whose primary occupation doesn't involve plugging and unplugging the probes all the time.

[@bigworknoscales]

Sean I am shocked because you look like you live in a dark cave.

[@RigzoTV]

I came here get an idea to buy a MM to check my laptop adapter and wire connectivity. After watching few 15 minutes..., OMG I'm leaving.

[@levoyageur9658]

Same here , just wanted to buy a simple cheap crapy thing and this guy scared the shit out of me.

[@Rusiputki]

I was more lucky than you. I took the step to actually go locally and see what my supplier sells so no tax and on our account. Luckily everything he had for sale was 10-15$ , he can get 60-80$ stuff if he puts an order but he says nobody ever buys them including all the electrician businesses. Anyway I end up with some free gator clips, I soldered the broken wire, extended them for better reach and I couldn't be happier with my 8 year old Skytronic I got for 10$. Best part is if I fuck it up I can just pick one like a Nokia 100 and not worry about the cost.

[@anthonygunby1319]

he did not exactly scare the crap out of me but made me feel like what I had was inferier because he refered to manul ranging as 30 years old. mine has manual ranging

[@anthonygunby1319]

I left to lol

[@EEVblog]

Of course. I'm just making people aware of the possible limitations of cheap meters.

[@iamatgg]

Dave, thanks for excellent and detail class for beginners. However, if anyone too lazy to sit through his class check out the link below. THE BEST Multimeter tutorial (HD)

[@magnus264]

@EEVblog you very good, just put some pauses in your speech from time to time. A part for that it's a pleasure and usefull to listen to you. You deserve your success.

[@CarAudioInc]

I'm 20 minutes in and my brain hurts. lol

[@eLeCtRiCaLSpArKy818]

props bro.. as a electrician i own only quality tools such as fluke 117 fluke 321, dewalt, klein. Tools define your professionalism, craftmanship and character period.

[@midnight_commander]

Hi, I get asked all the time... (oh shit I fucked up) Hi, I get asked all the time...

[@PRJKTan12]

sghost128 lol i had to rewind cos i thought youtube fucked up

[@sKoutzyy]

PRJKTan12 i did the same damn thing lol

[@RNJuiceable]

+sKoutzyy +PRJKTan12 ***I*** did the same damn thing too!

[@visker81]

+sghost128 what about this auto range miltimeter? www.amazon.com/AideTek-VC97-Multimeter-Capacitor-Frequency/dp/B008GTEZPI/?tag=ref10-20

[@midnight_commander]

tf2cheats Are you asking me if it's good?

[@kraio-sfu]

Really loved the condescending tone throughout the video. Just because I can't afford a $300 multimeter, doesn't mean I'm an idiot.

[@shmatic9665]

Oh, pffff, come on....few words from a hobby/amateur guy... for a hobby i'd give the 100$ for 2nd hand oscilloscope not a bloody MultiMeter. i'm pretty happy with my 20$ cheapo MM, like where i live i can afford working 2 months to buy proper MM for my hobby.... and what, i'm stupid because of that? shut up please. Safety-wise - if a person is not focused and careful when working with mains(and higher) voltage good MM might not be enough. i remember playing with oscillating circuits using high voltage mosfets salvaged from CRT monitors, high voltage cap banks, spark gaps... :) the high voltage arcs.. fun... :) i used cheap MMs. i'm still alive. for all the years of using cheapos - a probe cable blew up once because i was "sleeping", i don't blame the cheap MM. like i said - be there at LEAST at 95% when working with high voltage don't count on expensive shit to save your life. just be extra careful ... if you can't focus and your mind wanders just drop it ... mistake with high voltage is sometimes the last one you make...

[@Lawman212]

Brilliant, though I saw this video after I bought a $40 "cheapie". However, now I know what I'm holding. I'll keep away from the mains. Very helpful video, a real service to others.

[@brocksdaddy081910]

Great video but the way you speak gets really exhausting to listen to after awhile.

[@krasimirvasilev3285]

Agreed :S

[@timothy790110]

So fucking condescending and patronizing. Reminds me of my dad when hes explaining something he thinks I magically should already know. (as if he never had to learn it in the first place.)

[@HavanaWoody]

Yeah Dave's vocal cords could use a little muscle relaxant . It's like he has a finger over the hose end causing a squeak as the pressure breaks through. The constant restraint from raising his voice make one want to yell and let it flow. But Dave knows this, I hope it is not really as strenuous to talk as it sounds. I FIND HIS VIDEOS INVALUABLE and its up to me to regulate my intake and tolerance to garner the most from his sharing. THANKS, DAVE RELAX THE URGENCY IS TIRESOME.

[@HavanaWoody]

@@timothy790110 seems like an issue for the listener to sort out that its it's not a personal thing, it's just there are a lot of people who don't pay attention to important details and context, it can be frustrating to overcome as a teacher. Dave's STRENUOUS ENUNCIATION and highlight of those important point's probably came out of plenty of experience with imbecility. HIS MOTIVE AND TOLERANCE OF HIS CONDESCENDING TONE IS A RATIO OF MY NEEDS, just hit the next button if your needs are more sophisticated than what you can garner from any particular video.

[@timothy790110]

@@HavanaWoody I'm glad your here to tell me these things.

[@johneastmond9092]

@EEVblog I'm also a bit too much for some folks. You can always tell who's who by the way they truly enjoy you or who tolerate you only because you're handy to have around. Being unconcerned about manners at times allow you to get the benefit of the entertainment value this adds.

[@chris_gamedev]

omg i just ordered one with wank function before watching this :(

[@guybrushthreepwood549]

People that complain he's not giving a few names and references : he wants you to learn. If he gives you 5 good models, you're gonna select one according to how much you wanna spend and "hope for the best". He is giving you all important criteria : learn those by heart. Browse stores and find how to prune out the bad ones. Learn and use.

[@daikaiju20]

16:34 "a heap of shit!" that does it i'm subscribing! シ

[@gregoryharrison92]

Meters with an analog readout can be useful for certain testing. A good example would be if you were recalling the codes on a pre-obd2 auto. If you didn't have a code reader or more expensive equipment, you could watch the sweeps of the needle on an analog readout meter to determine your codes using the proper procedures. It's still usable for the pre-obd2 autos for those of us who are poor.

[@ARMALON87]

He is just great!

[@MrReliableWorker]

Electronics, measurements, high-precision instrumentation is developing and beneficial. The industry and the underlying theory is complex, but not complicated and not over-artificial, but utile and represents nature correctly. EEVBlog has good future. I believe in it. Firstly to understand well the concepts, techniques, processes, phenomenons, underlying basic principles, than to assure correct understanding by test and experiments, than to build applicable products, fix, improve, enhance, facilitate construction and production, for example automotive. Operative engineering is interesting. The content has to be neat. As for multi-meters, the video and explanations are as usual informative, professional and useful. It is not so clear from the first sight, about the accuracy and counts, how to narrow-down the search of most suitable multi-meter with highest ratio Utility = ( number_of_exact_useful_features + safety_score + accuracy_score + solidity_reliability_stability_in_construction ) / price. Which one or which line of devices are the best in terms of price-performance within the modern market. I want EEVBlog to stay stable, to keep all the content, findings, results of Dave L. and his fellows / teams to be patented, protected and properly evaluated. It is where enthusiasm, science and professionalism meets.

[@robertozarrabal3251]

Are you high? Your eyes seems to be red colored.

[@dennissteyn8864]

Wow, so much info and everything makes sense. Good that i didn't bought that $5 yesterday and decided to do some more study before buying one. Thnks for all the effort you put in for this video, really helpful.

[@robinrwilsonsauls]

Your video made me want to cry! First--- lower your camera-! Some how I feel like your stretching to even be in the shot-and I would rather your show a wide shot, than you freaking bringing things in and out of your screen. Next-get straight to the point-because the entertaining attempts-are beyond frustrating!!!!!!! I simply need/want to learn-without the filler crap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm completely lost, as to the bare bottom facts-other than I have to spend a damned lot to find something I still need to figure out how to properly use.

[@leonfraser3840]

micro invmicro inver inverter endphase

[@thrustvectoring8120]

Manual ranging multimeters are good for schools and researchers. Because the multimeters have usually a precision given by the percentage of measured unit plus 1 or 2 parts of the smallest unit in the range(last digits). And it is great to be aware of your range and have the control over the multimeter, knowing what you are measuring.