What an oddity, The PowerFix Profi Digital Multimeter!

[Lord Nicoll]

Well, this is unusual. A multimeter that isn't terrible that's cheap, sure there are loads of dinky meters out there, but this one is a full sized and well built one. Ok this puts it into the same category as proper multimeters like Fluke, but it holds it's own somewhat, especially given the price, which is somewhat amazing at €11.99. This is obviously not really meant for mains use, but it worked ok, never exploded, A few time it got it's 10A rail accidentally across 240v with 32 amps on tap, and it must have exceeded that as the breaker saved it, it still worked and read fine. So the question as to whether it's safe, the answer is as long as the mains is properly done to code, that's useless though as a lot of cowboy electricians operate, but let's overlook that for the sake of this. As for the meter, it's built really really nicely, for what it is. The manual ranging switch is as sweet as a nut, its dual ball bearing, and better than some €100 multimeters, it has a satisfying click to it. When in it's rubber holster, it can be moved without the meter spinning, although light pressure is needed is the surface is slippery or there isn't much contact. the plastics aren't nasty or cheap per-say, doesn't feel like a Fluke but absolutely no wobbles what's so ever when the whole case is flexed. the tilting bale on the actual case is a bit flimsy but the one in the holster is tougher but not as stiff, that said they both work. The input jacks are split, and after a few years a bit loose, but they work still, internally colour coded and jacketed. The rubber holster is nice, it protects the meter well, and really nice to hold. It was a mustard yellow but thanks to fading it's now a somewhat New York cab yellow. The LCD is about 1" by 2.3", and is fairly clear and easy to read.It's a somewhat limited range of Resistance, voltage, Amperes, diode check, which will light a white LED, but won't display the forward voltage, continuity check, which is a little slow but not as bad as some,  and a hold and on/off button. It's powered by a 9V battery, which has a shitty battery tab on it. It seems to have either been built in Germany (Powerfix is a German low cost brand for Lidl) or designed in Germany, the company responsible does have a branch in Shenzhen, China, so it wouldn't surprise me if it was built there, but it is built well, not like most of the cheap shit from China. It's held together by two pissy self tappers, particularly small, to access the battery or fuse (just the one, 200mA) the whole case must be removed. Upon remove the back panel, we see most of the multimeter circuitry, it's main processor is a CoB, very little on it, notably very very (basically none) input protection. The case has a fairly burly ridge in it, for a cheap meter at least, and is nicely held in place with 4 more screws. The Test probes are shit, cat II 250v 10A, Egsun (It might be igsun, but I doubt it, I have no idea) brand. The leads have ratings printed for 600v 105ºC 22AWG wires. With all that in mind, have any of you guys found any good cheap meters, this one for the price it think is good, given I got it 3 years ago, and it served be for a time before I moved onto much better ones. I would argue if you just need a meter to check voltages occasionally this is a very very good meter for it, for everyday use not so much. I took a few low res 720x480 photos of it, I posted them on my google drive in a shared folder. https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B5g2zvlBjjyYOGRmcE9MUWZla0E&usp=sharing .

I look forward to hearing from anyone who might know of a better one.

[Muxr]

but it worked ok, never exploded,

The way you wrote that made me spill my coffee laughing. Thanks for the review!

[Lord Nicoll]

Well thanks, I do try