Hello, first post...
I would like concise recommendations on a general purpose AC/DC multimeter, with or without data logging (one recommendation with logging, one recommendation without logging). By "general purpose," I mean general electrical and electronics testing and measurements around the house and at a rental property, including for hobbyist smart home projects: testing low voltage (24VDC) lights, testing low voltage contacts, sensors, and relays (0.01V-12V), testing continuity and resistance on PCBs, and testing longer runs (30-150 ft) of low voltage wires for lights.
I own(ed) a Redfish Instruments iDVM-510 multimeter and data logger for about ten years. It was good until recently it started making incessant beeping noises. Apparently Redfish got bought out and the product is now '86-ed. I used the continuity and DC voltage modules
a lot. I never used the clamp or temperature probes and rarely used the AC, but the latter was useful once in awhile.
I recently decided to get a
Pokit Meter for $98. I believe it to be a fun novelty that should satisfy most of my low voltage needs until it dies
or until the company goes under and stops updating their mobile apps (like Redfish did). Pokit Meter + iPhone SE = ~$500, which is "reasonable" since I already have the iPhone SE part
.
This brings me to my request for recommendations. In a
multimeter without a data logger, I am looking for accuracy (for the price point) and ease of getting to my most-used features (i.e., DC measurement modules). TRMS. 600V is enough.
There are mid-range name brands (e.g., Klein Tools), industry-gold-standard name brands (i.e., Fluke), and then a whole bunch of Chinese companies on Amazon that offer terrific features at very low prices. What to get???
Specifically, I think
Fluke 117 @ $250 is okay. Fluke 177 and 179 are too much. However, I strongly suspect I can get just as good of a multimeter for my general-purpose needs for considerably less. For example, a lot of people seem to like
AstroAI DM6000AR @ $27.
In a
multimeter with a data logger, I am also looking for data logging capabilities that are a) standard (export CSV or industry-standard formats, etc.) and b) have an app that is actively maintained, does not necessarily rely on the company's cloud services, and is made by a company that is NOT going to go under for a long time. Fluke is never going to go under, but I looked at their Fluke Connect app(s) and the reviews are not good. However, I am more worried about the dozens of Chinese brands on Amazon, and so forth. On the other hand, it's hard to justify paying the Fluke name-brand tax, and if these other companies have some kind of common app that they all use, then it is less likely the app will die.
I recently came across the
Southwire 15190T @ $160, which looks terrific except that I looked closely at the iOS version history and found that the
corresponding app was last updated
seven years ago. Again it is very hard to distinguish between all the products on the market, so recommendations would be appreciated.
Thank you!