Clamp style DMM recommendations for beginners - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: Gabbaking
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: August 18, 2025, 05:15:16 am
content: Hey everyone,I'm looking for recommendations for a clamp-style multimeter (DMM) as my first one. I'm hoping to spend around $100, unless there are significant differences and advantages to stepping up. I know Fluke and Brymen are considered the gold standard, but I'm looking for something more reasonable to get started.I'm a DIY renovator/hobbyist and I'm just learning the electrical basics. I'll be using it to check household appliances for faults and to test multiple cables in the roof as a precautionary measure before my insulation batts replacement project.The Uni-T UT210e seems to be a popular recommendation for beginners, but I've read about discrepancies between European and mainland China sourced models, and there's a significant price difference ranging from $50 to $120. Any suggestions for sellers, too? Like the official Aliexpress store or others?Please feel free to suggest other brands as well, given that Uni-T's integrity has been questioned a few times in threads I've read. I'm a strong believer in buying it once and buying it well, but I'm also mindful of how much use I'll actually get out of it.Thank you all,GK

author: J-R
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2025, 07:44:20 am
content: Do you mean $100 USD or AUD?The UT210 series is a popular choice. I personally prefer the D because of frequency and temperature, but the E is better if you need to measure low currents. Best to buy from a reputable seller. $60 USD should be a common price point. (There is also the UT211B for even lower currents, but it's priced a bit higher from what I've seen.)Due to your location and the fact you're posting on this forum:https://eevblog.store/products/eevblog-bm036-ac-dc-clamp-meterHowever, the use cases you've described maybe don't require a clamp meter, so then there is the BM235 or BM2257.For household use, I've found fork meters to be better than a clamp when trying to squeeze inside distribution panels. There is the UT256 and rebrands, although it ONLY measures AC/DC current and has NCV EF detection.

author: Poroit
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2025, 08:13:24 am
content: G'day Gabbaking,How old are these cables you are wanting to test and how are you planning to test them?You should not be getting into a Roof Space without isolating the power.https://www.wa.gov.au/government/multi-step-guides/electrical-safety-home/working-the-roof-spaceRemember that you only clamp one conductor in typical Power or Lighting cables.

author: BennoG
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2025, 10:56:29 am
content: Quote from: J-R on August 18, 2025, 07:44:20 amFor wat it looks like only the D and E versions of the UT210 can measure DC current.I have a owon CM2100 that cal measure AC and DC currentBenno

author: Gabbaking
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: August 18, 2025, 11:48:05 pm
content: Thanks all. Apologies in advance as I'm typing this on a mobile phone and quoting multiple responses are a bit of a punish.J-R- I should have clarified that first. Yes, 100 AUD. Thank you, I will check those models as well.Curious to understand: where do you see the need for clamp meters over standard DMMs? My understanding was a clamp meter would be more appropriate for beginners to without the initial contact.Initially, I was looking at fork meter, but the reviews I've read about Uni-T models show discrepancies in readings between the fork versus a clamp-style meter.Poroit- The house was built in the 1990s, and we bought it about 5 years ago. However, the previous owner swapped all the halogen lights for LED downlights, and multiple cables running from one end to another are really messy all around. My intention is to place these GPOs on the joists so they're a bit neater and tidier before replacing the insulation. That's a great point! Thank you. I'm based in New South Wales.

author: J-R
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2025, 01:01:07 am
content: - The clamp itself (not the entire DMM) can only measure current. It can't measure voltage or be used to detect whether a circuit is hot or not (alone). Many clamp meters have NCV/EF detection, but that is a separate sensor inside, and many handheld (non-clamp) DMMs also have this feature.- The clamp can only measure current when clamped around a single wire, not the entire cable. This means for typical house wiring you can really only use it inside the breaker panel or junction box where the conductors are split apart. You could also cut open an extension cord or buy a plug-in device that splits the hot wire out into a 1X or 10X loop for use with a clamp meter.- The electric company typically only charges residences for real/true power, not VA, so measuring current with your clamp is not going to be an accurate way to measure power draw (or money) in most cases (there are clamps with this feature, although typically a lot more expensive).I use the fork meter for basic information gathering in the breaker panel so I can see if there is current going somewhere I didn't expect. In my house, a LOT of my IT loads have low power factors, so I might measure 2A at the breaker and think that is 240W (120V US), but in reality it is only half of that. My larger clamp meter that can measure power is really hard to fit inside the panel.However, picking up a UT210 D or E from a reputable seller seems like a reasonable choice here given your budget. It's still a handy device for the money and you can use the clamp when working on your car too.

author: Poroit
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2025, 09:00:07 am
content: Thank you for clarifying the age.I thought you may have an old joint with cloth covered wire and porcelain insulators......Death Trap.I have worked with heaps of Sparkies and have never seen one use a Clamp Meter in a Residential application. Multimeters & RCD Testers only.Industrial ....yes.Have a chat to the boys at Obiat in NSW for some guidance.We had a couple of these in my previous business which were great for fault finding.https://obiat.com.au/product/prova-model-11-acdc-ma-clamp-meter/