So many options!
Let’s say under $500. It’s funny to put a budget on something only to realize you don’t really get your moneys worth in quality until a certain price point.
I do random projects and repairs here and there and my biggest pet peeves are slow refresh, I need at least 3 digits after the decimal. Resistance, continuity, voltage, amps, diode are really all I use. I don’t mind spending the money for when I get more involved years down the road. Slow meters drive me nuts. Low continuity buzzers drive me nuts. Resistance is important. The cheaper $200 from what I’ve read in this thread don’t refresh fast enough.
I know I’m all over the place in the thread but between price and options, it’s a lot! I don’t work in a lab environment so spending the money once is important to me. I really only need one set of probes on the meter, I see some you can apply two sets. Though it seems in the $400-500 range you get that feature regardless. I was hesitant to get the owon, Kaiweets, etc because all my other meters with the exception of my throw around ones are good quality and I tend to spend to the best of my ability. I like the siglent display. I don’t do the type of work that requires HIGH accuracy as far as something being +-.05 to something being +-.015 it won’t matter in my application, but I appreciate high accuracy. I tend to use the TPI 194 due to the display and the extra digits over the fluke, but I use the fluke for the continuity buzzer and for AC type applications more. I’d like the bench unit to be a sit down at my work area and probe away. I could have used it today actually. I feel like if I’m spending 150-250 on a cheaper owon, Kaiweets, uni-t, etc that I’ll probably regret buying id rather spend twice that and buy once. I just want the BEST for my money. And yes new, I’m one of those weird people who want to know my money went towards something new that hasn’t been messed with, though I don’t mind factory refurbished.