Digital Multimeter dilemma

[Balazs]

Hello everyone!

     I'd like to ask for you help at diciding which digital multimeter to buy. I'm on a low buget (50-70$) but I'd need someting safe as I want to use it for electronics and power electronics projects as well. So it should work fine on low and high currents and voltages. (*by "high"I mean 600V AC or maybe 1kV and the max current at least 10A).
I spent some time searching them but I can't decide between:
Brymen BM257
MASTECH MS8260F

Any suggestions are welcome 

[kripton2035]

brymen > mastech

[Wytnucls]

50-70$ for a Brymen 257? Good luck with that.

[Balazs]

50-70$ for a Brymen 257? Good luck with that.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/new-Brymen-BM257s-Digital-Multimeter-6000-count-Fluke-alternative-/171822429820?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item28016a367c

[Balazs]

That 45$ is a bit suspicios to me all the other sellers have 2x or 3x of this price... hmmm...

[wraper]

50-70$ for a Brymen 257? Good luck with that.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/new-Brymen-BM257s-Digital-Multimeter-6000-count-Fluke-alternative-/171822429820?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item28016a367c

From the seller with zero rating who is registered in US but item location is Hong Kong.

Good luck with that.

[Wytnucls]

Rather buy from Franky:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brymen-BM257s-Digital-Multimeter-6000-count-Brand-New-Fluke-alternative-/200922627340?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ec7ebfd0c

[EEVblog]

50-70$ for a Brymen 257? Good luck with that.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/new-Brymen-BM257s-Digital-Multimeter-6000-count-Fluke-alternative-/171822429820?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item28016a367c

That's either insanely cheap (actually below FOB cost), or dodgy...

[Balazs]

Yes, I think it's sadly a fake one

[Wytnucls]

To stay within your budget, have a look at the UT139C:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Uni-T-UT139C-True-RMS-Digital-Multimeter-with-Temperature-NCV-Backlight/171213085325?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D31233%26meid%3D955ccd68946e4109a40e0a5a1ba0b8f8%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D6%26mehot%3Dag%26sd%3D200922627340&rt=nc

[EEVblog]

Yes, I think it's sadly a fake one

Can't say I've ever heard of a fake Brymen meter though?
More likely a dodgy ebayer. But if so, why chose a $45 multimeter? 
And the ebay ad is ripped from Franky's review on this forum!
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/brymen-bm-257-pictures-and-mini-review/

[Balazs]

So the final conclusion is that I gonna spend more then 50$, because I don't want to kill myself with some crap while measuring stuff at a 3 phased induction motor...

[EEVblog]

So the final conclusion is that I gonna spend more then 50$, because I don't want to kill myself with some crap while measuring stuff at a 3 phased induction motor...

I would not use a $50 meter on a 3 phase induction motor.

[Wim_L]

For high current measurements, especially on big electric motors, most people would prefer a current clamp instead of the current input on a multimeter. Unfortunately, the cheaper clamp meters usually only allow for AC measurements so they're not as versatile.

[iloveelectronics]

50-70$ for a Brymen 257? Good luck with that.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/new-Brymen-BM257s-Digital-Multimeter-6000-count-Fluke-alternative-/171822429820?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item28016a367c

He STOLE my product pictures and MY OWN review!!

[Wytnucls]

You'd better lock your door Franky, he's coming to get your last 7 meters.

[Fat]

Rather buy from Franky:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brymen-BM257s-Digital-Multimeter-6000-count-Brand-New-Fluke-alternative-/200922627340?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ec7ebfd0c

I just ordered a BM257s from Franky.  Great deal, fast shipping and a wonderful meter. You won't go wrong getting one from him.  Saving for a 869 next.

[Lightages]

To stay within your budget, have a look at the UT139C:

I am not sure I would be happy poking around that kind of equipment with a UT139C. It seems well protected but unless I see the third party testing and approval of its supposed CATIII/600V rating I would not use beyond normal domestic equipment measurements. I would also not trust any Mastech at all for what you want to do.

Have a look at the Brymen BM80X and BM90X series from www.tme.eu. You can trust the CAT ratings on these and are probably the safest you can get close to $70. The BM805 probably is the minimum you want to consider but if you can spend the extra then try to get the BM807 as TRMS can be useful for power electronics.

If you can spend even more, the best bet in a Brymen would be the BM822 or BM827. These are rated at CATIV 1000V.

[Wytnucls]

Surely he means a 600VAC/1000VDC CAT rating.
Anybody actually working at these high voltage levels, should know what kind of meter to buy.

[retiredcaps]

He STOLE my product pictures and MY OWN review!!

@Franky, I'm sure you will remember our discussion about watermarking your photos.  Anyway, I tried to file a "report an item" for you, but I can't because it says the original owner of the photos/text must file the grievance with ebay.

The seller, tre-bsdf, is certain to be 100% scam artist.  We have all seen this before with 0 feedback, items priced well below market value and stolen pictures/text with the Fluke 17B, Fluke 87V, Greenlee DM860, Vichy VC97, etc.

Now, if tre-bsdf, sold an used one (qty = 1) for $45 USD, then that might be legit.

BTW, modemhead's blog pictures are also stolen and used in ebay auctions.  I'm sure the winning buyer is wondering WTF when what he receives is different from the listed picture and the seller claims "actual photos of the item".

[Lightages]

Surely he means a 600VAC/1000VDC CAT rating.
Anybody actually working at these high voltage levels, should know what kind of meter to buy.

You could be right, but I wanted to err on the safe side.

[muki16]

I recently bought a second hand Fluke 83 for 70€. It is rated at 1000V Cat4, has really nice probes and should be safer than most other meters you can get in this price range.

[Balazs]

Surely he means a 600VAC/1000VDC CAT rating.
Anybody actually working at these high voltage levels, should know what kind of meter to buy.

Practically I'm just a student who wants to play a bit at home. Some hobby build just to get a deeper understanding of the subject...

@Lightages Thank you for your advice, I think I gonna get a BM807 because sadly can't afford the more expensive ones. (*Spent my money on the AoE 3rnd)

[retiredcaps]

I recently bought a second hand Fluke 83 for 70€. It is rated at 1000V Cat4, has really nice probes and should be safer than most other meters you can get in this price range.

There is no Fluke handheld series 80 (83, 85 or 87) that is CAT IV (4) 1000V rated.  Do you mean CAT III (3)?

[Lightages]

Surely he means a 600VAC/1000VDC CAT rating.
Anybody actually working at these high voltage levels, should know what kind of meter to buy.

Practically I'm just a student who wants to play a bit at home. Some hobby build just to get a deeper understanding of the subject...

@Lightages Thank you for your advice, I think I gonna get a BM807 because sadly can't afford the more expensive ones. (*Spent my money on the AoE 3rnd)

If you aren't going to be working on big drive electronics like you said you would be, then you can buy a UT139C like Wytnucls said. When you can afford more or you are going to be playing around with higher energy things, then you need a higher rated meter. But you won't be disappointed with the Brymen.