Pocket multimeter quest

[Lomax]

I'm on a quest to find the smallest practical companion to the UNI-T UT210E clamp meter I keep in my travel kit. Beyond serving to provide second measurement capability, it needs to complement the clamp meter in a few important ways (in order of importance):

• While the UT210E does remarkably well clamp metering DC currents the measurement is not accurate when the current is small. I wouldn't trust it with anything below a couple hundred milliamps, and the UT210E doesn't do in-line metering. I already have a Brymen BM275s, and a TTi 1705, but these are far too big for the travel kit, so I'm looking for a pocket size meter that can do in-line current measurements of small loads.
• The UT210E runs off AAA batteries, as does my head and pocket torches, and I carry a NiMh AA/AAA battery charger in my travel kit to keep them all going. It would be great if the companion meter used compatible batteries.
  
• Another omission on the UT210E is the lack of a min/max function; It happens that I need to test things that are activated from another location, sometimes not even in the same room, and which can be momentary in nature. Being able to capture that a voltage was present - or the amount of current that was drawn - while I wasn't watching the meter is incredibly handy sometimes.
• Since I use the UT210E as a general purpose multimeter I always carry two pairs of test leads, along with a selection of probes etc. It would be convenient if the companion could use these as well.
• The UT210E has no frequency counter function, and although I very rarely need this it can sometimes be handy, so it would be good if the companion offered this functionality.
• I like having a backlight

What is not important to me:

• 600 V rating
• 6000 count
• High precision
• μA range
• price (within reason)

I've looked through some of the earlier threads regarding pocket multimeters here, and have started compiling a spreadsheet of potential candidates:

Make

Model

Count

Jack

Max

Freq

Light

Battery

Current

Length

Width

Height

Volume

CEM

DT-113

4000

-

-

Y

-

CR2032

400 mA

113 mm

61 mm

13 mm

90  cm³

CEM

DMP-33

6000

Y

Y

Y

-

CR2032

200 mA

115 mm

60 mm

16 mm

110  cm³

UEI

DM5B

3200

Y

-

-

-

2xA76VP

5 A

UNI-T

UT120C

4000

-

-

Y

-

CR2032

400 mA

110 mm

58 mm

11 mm

70  cm³

UNI-T

UT125C

4000

-

-

Y

Y

2xAAA

400 mA

112 mm

58 mm

35 mm

227  cm³

Extech

DM110

4000

-

-

Y

-

CR2032

400 mA

108 mm

56 mm

12 mm

73  cm³

Woods

DMMW3

4000

Y

Y

Y

-

CR2032

1 A

115 mm

60 mm

20 mm

138  cm³

Brymen

BM27s

6000

-

-

Y

-

CR2032

2 mA

Amprobe

AM-47

4000

-

-

Y

-

CR2032

2 mA

Sanwa

PM3

4000

-

-

Y

-

CR2032

-

108 mm

56 mm

12 mm

73  cm³

Sanwa

PM11

4000

-

-

-

-

2xLR44

-

117 mm

76 mm

18 mm

160  cm³

DER EE

DE-19S

6000

-

Y

Y

Y

2xAAA

-

130 mm

81 mm

22 mm

232  cm³

DER EE

DE-17

4300

-

-

-

-

2xLR44

-

117 mm

76 mm

18 mm

160  cm³

DER EE

DE-15

4000

-

-

Y

-

2xLR44

-

121 mm

68 mm

20 mm

165  cm³

Chauvin Arnoux

C.A 703

2000

-

-

-

-

2xAAA

200 mA

104 mm

55 mm

33 mm

189  cm³

Fluke

107

6000

Y

-

Y

Y

2xAAA

10 A

142 mm

69 mm

28 mm

274  cm³

To my surprise one of the meters that ticks the most of my boxes so far is the Woods DMMW3 - a cheapo consumer device from an unknown brand. Unfortunately this seems to no longer be available. Its only drawback is that it uses annoying CR2032 batteries. Another good candidate is the CEM DMP-33, but again this appears to be unobtainable. And it too uses a coin cell, and the 200 mA current capability is rather low. The DER EE DE-19S would have been a great option if it had current measurement, the Fluke 107 if it was smaller and had a min/max function, and the UNI-T UT120C lacks min/max and uses a coin cell.

In other words, the ideal device eludes me, and so I turn to the forum for further suggestions!

[simba15]

It seems its the Woods/ CEM is the tool for the job. I found another version under the brand Kobalt DMP-32 ( replaced Woods?) but it omits the "Max" feature (clearly a requirement)

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-Pocket-Multimeter/5001926911

I really like the Aneng A3008, but no current or max function.

[wasedadoc]

Those two entries of 2mA in the current column are surely incorrect. As are the zero volumes. 

[Fungus]

Forget it.

There's no perfect pocket multimeter.

[Lomax]

@wasedadoc: Those two meters can actually only measure up to 2000 μA. I'm sure this is useful for some, but not to me. Even the 200 mA range available on some meters is pushing it in terms of usefulness. The zero volume is just a consequence of me being too lazy to update my spreadsheet formula with a conditional to only calculate volume when dimensions are known. I've removed them from the post.

I accept that I will have to compromise on one or more of my requirements 

[Lomax]

There's no perfect pocket multimeter.

This is of course true. I'm just looking for least worst, where the DMMW3 is still in the lead - shame it is unobtainable.

[wasedadoc]

@wasedadoc: Those two meters can actually only measure up to 2000 μA.

https://brymen.eu/shop/bm27s/ says otherwise.  I do not have one but yes on further examination I see that both the marking on the selector switch and https://www.manua.ls/brymen/bm27s/manual?p=3 agree with you.

[Lomax]

https://brymen.eu/shop/bm27s/ says otherwise.

Yes, I saw that, and at first thought I had made a mistake. Sadly no.

[Lomax]

Updated to add the Sperry DM6850T, which although not a "pocket" meter like the others (arguably neither is the Fluke 107), has a rather small volume and ticks all the other boxes.



(and the volume calculation is now conditional on dimensions being present)

[TomKatt]

Updated to add the Sperry DM6850T, which although not a "pocket" meter like the others (arguably neither is the Fluke 107), has a rather small volume and ticks all the other boxes.

I've never heard of that brand - it looks like a nice small meter!  A quick forum search yielded nothing... 

Been thinking about a Fluke 107 for the travel bag, but haven't pulled the trigger because it just doesn't impress me much...  I'll have to look into that Sperry a bit more.  Thanks!

[Lomax]

I found another version under the brand Kobalt DMP-32 (replaced Woods?) but it omits the "Max" feature (clearly a requirement)[/url]

Thank you for that - made me have a look for just "DMP-32 multimeter" and sure enough, here's another clone, from Standard Instruments: http://www.standardinst.com/2017/mobile/index.html#p=126 This one does retain the min/max functionality. There are probably others...

Also: holy crap the size of their catalogue 

[J-R]

Brymen BM22s plus a resistor shunt?

[Wmesquite]

First post. Have spent way too much time in last months looking at getting a few more DMMS, the Mustool MT-108T is on my list for a small handy DMM. It has gotten some decent reviews, full details on Lygate-info.dk. Of course it pushes your boundary for size, but nails everything else- AAAs, small  to full currents. You can remove the holster and it might  be pretty close to the Fluke 107 in volume- the picture on Lygate with the holster off suggests it could lose almost 1 cm in thickness, but its just a picture and I don't have one in hand to measure. I wisely decided to spread out my new (to me) meter purchases, only 4 in the last 6 weeks.
Following your format:

Mustool  MT-108T 6000 Y  Y  Y  Y   2xAAA   145 mm 70 mm 37mm 380 cm^3, which without holster should go down to 300 cm^3.

Or the Mustool MT66 (now sold as Bside ADM66. It loses the min/max (and manual ranges). It seems bigger with the side wing probe holders, but I am sure it gets smaller with holster removal, estimating from someone elses picture to about 310 cm^3

Finally, pure volume calculated by largest dimensions is a rough guide to how much space something takes up, but the knob ridge protrusion on the two Mustool models might not use up much space in your travel kit. Or the side probe holders on the MT66 wouldn't add much more volume than the probes alone if there were a pair of probes in them wrapped around the DMM.
Wade

[Fungus]

FWIW I wouldn't class anything as a "pocket" multimeter that doesn't have a place to store the probes. You really don't want the leads to be flapping in the breeze or making holes in your pockets/leg.

That should be #1 on the list even if it makes the meter a bit bigger.

(Yes, that rules out several meters that are sold as "pocket meters", eg. the Brymen BM27)

Finally, pure volume calculated by largest dimensions is a rough guide to how much space something takes up

But don't forget the leads... 

[J-R]

Amprobe makes a small, zippered case that holds the Brymen (and rebrands) pocket DMMs perfectly:

https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/amprobe/VC3A/4692532

https://www.testequipmentdepot.com/amprobe/accessories/cases-and-holsters/soft-carrying-cases/zippered-carrying-case-vc3a.htm

This has been my go-to pocket setup for a while, plus there is room for a spare coin cell battery and the user manual.

A big negative about the Brymen pocket DMMs (and rebrands) is the short length of the metal portion of the probes.  Some deep outlets are out of reach...

[Lomax]

FWIW I wouldn't class anything as a "pocket" multimeter that doesn't have a place to store the probes. You really don't want the leads to be flapping in the breeze or making holes in your pockets/leg.

I see your point(!), but personally I prefer a meter with removable leads. I've got pointy probes and alligator clips and these long Hirschmann clippy things, whatever they're called. Since I wasn't born with three hands I very rarely use pointy probes on both leads, preferring instead to clip one or both leads with alligator clips or those Hirschmann things. In my multimeter bag I always have two sets of leads, because they're handy for other things too. I've also got two needles that I've soldered wires to and covered with heatshrink, which are incredibly useful - for example when checking connector pinouts, or tracing SMD boards. An LED with a current limiting resistor can also be handy.



I used to squeeze in my Brymen BM275s along with the rest but it makes it really awkward to fit the bag in my toolbox, so this time I decided to leave it at home - and of course immediately ended up regretting it.

[AJbotic]

Lot's of great info here.  Thanks for posting everyone.  I need to travel internationally soon and a pocket meter of decent quality that lets me do voltage and resistance would likely be very beneficial.  I looked at all the options on the list, but I'm going to venture off the beaten path and grab a Triplett 2030-C for $30 on amazon cause if it's complete garbage, I won't lose sleep.  If it turns out to be any good (and from some of the research I've done, I think it might have a chance), I'll post again to say so.