fellow Canadians, do not buy Mastercraft DMM

[Ratib]

While I do not know the quality of the meter, I can tell you that you have just learned why NOT to use auto-ranging on a meter! With the cheap meter on a fixed voltage, you proved that the readings were all over the place. Look at the video! Of course the auto-ranging will not work when the voltage does not settle down. If you had put the condemned meter on a fixed voltage the outcome would have been different. 

[Paul Moir]

Interestingly though, they do go for UL or CSA certification, for whatever that's worth.

I noticed that when I went looking for a cheap DC clamp meter, only to find out it had been recalled:
http://www.esasafe.com/pdf/Recall_Notices/RCL11-64.pdf
Dammit.

(No apologies for Canadian Tire though; for all their flag waving they don't seem to have any sort of mandate to support Canadian manufacturers.)

Additional:  I think they're the same OEM though:
http://www.colluck.com.hk/diyhp/9359/enus/c-25520/p-AAAV+EAAhAAAMdxAAS/Mini_Digital_Multimeter.html
Bullet Point:  "Very Competitive":  one wonders against whom?

Must have a no compete agreement with CT:
http://www.colluck.hk/catagory.asp?cls_code=00001&grp_code=00003

[AmirTheGreat]

While I do not know the quality of the meter, I can tell you that you have just learned why NOT to use auto-ranging on a meter! With the cheap meter on a fixed voltage, you proved that the readings were all over the place. Look at the video! Of course the auto-ranging will not work when the voltage does not settle down. If you had put the condemned meter on a fixed voltage the outcome would have been different. 

I have also tried it on manual. none of the scales work.
tried it with three other units (everyone in my course got the same DMM) and the same thing happened.

[Monkeh]

And what waveform are you attempting to measure?

[AmirTheGreat]

And what waveform are you attempting to measure?

I'm not sure If I understand your question clearly, so excuse the (probably wrong) answer

when I looked at it with a scope at school a few weeks back, It was a very sinusoidal wave with no spikes or irregularities.
I could take a picture sometime in the next few days.