I do the occasional home improvement project, mess around with Arduino projects and work on vintage pinball machines as a hobby. So far I’ve been getting away with some of these cheap multimeters they sometimes giveaway if you buy a certain amount of electronics parts – “Our free gift to you!”. Or you can buy one for less than $10.
But they will only get you so far and the usability isn’t great. For example you have to carefully dial in the right range for the project you are working on. If you are like me, that can get confusing.
Better multimeter have big LED displays and choose the right range for you. They also can show you with lead ports to use for the job by lighting up the correct ports. And they have more features like live wire detection, temperature probes, built-in flashlight, kick stand and more.
Professional quality multimeters like the ones from Fluke can run hundreds of dollars. Fine if you are professional but a bit much for my hobbies.
I found a reasonably priced ($30), feature rich multimeter that I like – the KAIWEETS HT118A Multimeter.. I got the bundle with protective firm portable case which is handy keeping the probes safe. I broke a probe off of a cheap multimeter just by tossing it into a tool box, so if you are going to invest in a more expensive tool, keep it safe with a case.
This multimeter has the features I was looking for in a step up from the cheapy multimeters. Auto ranging and light up ports especially.
- WIDE APPLICATIONS – KAIWEETS HT118A Multimeter measures up to 600V AC/DC voltage, 10A AC/DC current and 60 MOhms resistance, electrical tester also tests temperature, capacitance, frequency, duty-cycle, wire on-off, and test diodes and continuity.
- EASY OPERATION – Switch the dial to the function you need, and the LED lights on the jacks will shine accordingly. To plug in the leads is easy. Autoranging saves you the hassle of having to know which range of value. Large 2.9” LCD backlight display, easy-to-read digits offer a 6000-count resolution.
- MULTI-FUNCTION – Non-contact voltage testing and Live function with sound and light alarm. Flashlight on the back ensures easy use in dimly lit places. Min/Max/Average to record signal fluctuations. Stable kickstand, Pen slot on the back, Low battery prompt, Data retention, Auto power-off.
- SAFETY FIRST – IEC Rated CAT III 1000V, CAT IV 600V, CE, RoHS certified. Anti-Burn with double ceramic fuse and thermistor protection circuit. High Voltage Protection is active on all ranges. Double insulated unit. Silicone protective case prevents it from falling damage.
- AFTERSALES – KAIWEETS provides a 36-Month after-sale service, lifetime technical support. Please feel free to contact us if you have any concerns. Package includes multimeter, test leads, thermocouple, batteries and user manual. ( Note: Please take off the cap before using the leads)