Amateur Multimeter Under 50 - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: szymonm2
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 26, 2016, 08:38:29 pm
content: Hi guys,What is the best multimeter under £50 for a hobbist?Im using the uni-t 890g and i'm thinking of doing an upgrade....

author: TAMHAN
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 26, 2016, 08:45:53 pm
content: Used Keithley 177. Love mine. If you scour the ebay a bit, they can be had very cheap.

author: Lightages
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 26, 2016, 08:58:39 pm
content: Getting a used multimeter is always an option, and always a gamble. If you want new:UT139C, good overall meter and can be purchased for around $50 shipped by ebay. I have one and like it.

author: szymonm2
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 26, 2016, 11:08:55 pm
content: Quote from: Lightages on March 26, 2016, 08:58:39 pmI found the UNI-T UT139C on ebay for 28£. There is an option to receive it with a calibration certificate. Is it worth getting the calibration certificate for paying extra £32?

author: Lightages
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 26, 2016, 11:31:17 pm
content: Quote from: szymonm2 on March 26, 2016, 11:08:55 pmIn a word, NO.

author: michaeliv
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2016, 01:17:10 am
content: UT61E for $50http://www.ebay.com/itm/-/252243542349

author: RobertoLG
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2016, 02:33:06 am
content: Quote from: szymonm2 on March 26, 2016, 11:08:55 pmlike Lightages sayd, no, I would get two instead and it would be cheaper than a piece of paper

author: retiredcaps
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2016, 03:38:32 am
content: Quote from: szymonm2 on March 26, 2016, 11:08:55 pmWas it this auction?http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:5jYyaZxZi9EJ:www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UNI-T-UT139C-True-RMS-Digital-Multimeter-/361440387572+&cd=6&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ca

author: szymonm2
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2016, 09:39:49 am
content: Quote from: retiredcaps on March 27, 2016, 03:38:32 amYes... I am not sure if to buy the UT139C or the UT61

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2016, 04:23:09 am
content: Quote from: szymonm2 on March 27, 2016, 09:39:49 amIf you ever want to use it on mains, I'd recommend the UT139C over the UT61E as it has better protections. However, if you're going to stay at say 30V max, and don't mind drift, the UT61E has higher counts and a few more bells & whistles that may be of interest to you.

author: firworks
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 29, 2016, 08:03:25 pm
content: EDIT: Just noticed you're from Ireland, and I'm not sure which are the local industrial suppliers in your country but it might be something good to look into. The below information might help someone in a similar boat in the US...One trick for getting a multimeter on a budget is to watch places like Zoro that are industrial suppliers which run deals from time to time. Zoro has a huge selection of electrical test jobbies, and also will run 25% off, and even sometimes rarely 30% off any purchase deals. It's somewhere a lot of people don't think to look for this kind of equipment. A 30% off sale stretches your budget up into the 70$ range which provides you some better options.

author: theoldwizard1
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2016, 04:08:20 am
content: I use my DMM "in the field" more than "on the bench". In the <$50 range the most important thing is having a rubber "boot" to protect it when it falls.