For me it is clearly visible, that the Fluke 187 and 189 came first with a very good usability:
+ only one button press to get to the secound function, e.g. set to DCV and press the blue button: VDC + VAC in 2nd display.
+ Quick Autorange in Ohm-mode
Then came the 289 and there were some very handsome improvements:
+ 2nd to 4th display with 60000 counts like the 1st display, not only 6000 (eg. DCV + ACV or min/max/avg dto. with peak)
+ better DC A, AC V and AC A accuracy
+ new 50 Ohm range with 0.001 Ohm resolution
+ new 100 Hz , 0.1 ms, 1 ms, 10 ms ranges, duty cycle 1 % to 99.00 % (was 10% to 90%)
+ new LoZ ACV 1000V range with 3,2 kOhm input inpedance against ghost signals.
+ 1kHz low pass filter for AC V + frequency
+ storage from 995 intervalls (707 can be event-driven) to 15000 events (only in the technical data, not in the specification of the user-manual)
Others remained or are only a bit different:
o same ranges for AC + DC V + A
o same burden voltage in A ranges.
o same or nearly same resolution and accuracy for DCV, resistance, capacitance, diode, frequency
(-) AC crest factor from 3-6 (full / half range) down to 3-5
+ but you can measure the crest factor in the AC ranges
(+) frequency counter sensitivity for AC A defined (but may be the same for 189)
+ frequency counter ranges doubled at same resolution (eg. from 50.000 kHz to 99.999 kHz)
(-) frequency counter accuracy is worse (from 0.005% + 1 digit to 0.005% + 5 digit)
(+) Max Capacitance increase from 50mF to 100mF
(+) VDC: CMRR from 90 dB to 120 dB,
- VDC: Normal Mode Rejection from 90 dB to 60 dB
- VAC: CMRR from 90 dB to 60 dB
- bigger size with 6 instead of 4 AA batteries
- display reading angle is as with most LCD display not good. Illumination is good for dark, but eats battery.
- weight from 528 g to 871 g
(-) size from 20x10x5 cm to 22x10x6 cm
![Banging Head |O](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/bangheadonwall.gif.pagespeed.ce.8iLbFYV4Bc.gif)
and they introduced a menu with 4 function and 4 arrow keys and all that modern things.
![Banging Head |O](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/bangheadonwall.gif.pagespeed.ce.8iLbFYV4Bc.gif)
This had some side-effects, which everybody who is using them dislikes:
![Flogging A Dead Horse :horse:](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/DeadHorse.gif.pagespeed.ce.kBWvHKqCd1.gif)
slow boot
![Flogging A Dead Horse :horse:](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/DeadHorse.gif.pagespeed.ce.kBWvHKqCd1.gif)
instead of one button for 2nd function
![Flogging A Dead Horse :horse:](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/DeadHorse.gif.pagespeed.ce.kBWvHKqCd1.gif)
you must press the menu button and
![Flogging A Dead Horse :horse:](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/DeadHorse.gif.pagespeed.ce.kBWvHKqCd1.gif)
select what you want with the arrow keys and
![Flogging A Dead Horse :horse:](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/DeadHorse.gif.pagespeed.ce.kBWvHKqCd1.gif)
then press "save"
![Flogging A Dead Horse :horse:](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/DeadHorse.gif.pagespeed.ce.kBWvHKqCd1.gif)
min. 3 Buttons and you have to look where you are.
![WTF? :wtf:](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/wtf2.gif.pagespeed.ce.pxLiY5pjs4.gif)
The worse for me is the autorange: Autorange is microcontroller-software, slow like hell, eg. measurement of resistance or voltages in a circuit is annoying.
So while the measurement technology improved nearly everywhere from the 189 to the 289, the addition of the menu-driven microcontroller with software-realized menu and autorange is a pain in the ass.
I think it went this way:
![Cool 8)](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/xcool.gif.pagespeed.ic.cOxV6sPNRd.png)
Marketing: We need graphical display and modern menu driven user-interface
![Shocked :o](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/xshocked.gif.pagespeed.ic.CrwtrNUjLO.png)
Development: Ah what you mean?
![Evil >:D](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/xevil.gif.pagespeed.ic.tdrs7Uj5gu.png)
Controller: We take a cheap youngster from university and let him make the software.
![Evil >:D](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/xevil.gif.pagespeed.ic.tdrs7Uj5gu.png)
![Blah :blah:](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/blah.gif.pagespeed.ce.iJS9qlFEPg.gif)
Greenhorn with no experience in multimeter-usage or embedded software programming makes the software.
![Bullshit Detector :bullshit:](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/BullshitDetector.gif.pagespeed.ce.ySiCs9HSXL.gif)
![Blah :blah:](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/blah.gif.pagespeed.ce.iJS9qlFEPg.gif)
Use cases and "design follows function" were unknown, software was probably not modular, sparcely documented and when it works it was shipped.
![Bullshit Detector :bullshit:](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/BullshitDetector.gif.pagespeed.ce.ySiCs9HSXL.gif)
![Blah :blah:](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/blah.gif.pagespeed.ce.iJS9qlFEPg.gif)
This was the standard with the introduction of GUIs in embedded realtime systems in the 80's, not fluke specific.
![Face Palm :palm:](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/xfacepalm.gif.pagespeed.ic.EBDwh1hCfo.png)
Nobody got ever the standing or money to improve it.
![WTF? :wtf:](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/wtf2.gif.pagespeed.ce.pxLiY5pjs4.gif)
So one of the handheld mutimeters with best features, accuracy and resolution has at the same time one of the worse user interface and autorange speed.
The reality is: there is no "best", everything has pros and cons. Therefore some multimeters with some aspects (here only hp and fluke, others have other aspects) :
fluke:
12 (size)
45 (2nd display)
179 (speed, easy to use)
87 V (field, if 12 to small)
189 (range, accuracy, autorange speed)
289 (features, range, accuracy, 2nd display DC + AC)
8060 (audio, 1 GOhm Rin)
8800 (20 V range with > 1 GOhm input resistance (std is max 10V with 1GOhm), nixie, just for fun)
hp:
3480a with 3484a (20ms autorange speed in ohm / DCV mode, nixie, just for fun)
34401a (accuracy, resolution, no fan)
34411a (accuracy, resolution, autorange / measurement speed, con: fan, price)
3446xa (accuracy, resolution, user interface, con: price, boot time, the 289 is fast boot against that, Windows CE, buildin µC flash ECC error for white front)
3457a (ranges, resolution, no fan, con: slow)
3458a (accuracy, resolution, con: size, price).