A look at the ~$2.5 analog multimeter MF-110A

[kalel]

At ~$2.5 this is possibly the cheapest multimeter. This one is not new and surely was reviewed already somewhere and perhaps in more detail. I'm only taking a quick look with some images and very basic test results. 

I got a damaged unit, so I am presenting it without the plastic cover. I don't know if functionality is also affected. Things might work different or better with an undamaged unit.

Size:
How does the size compare to a price-competitor DT830D?



We can see that the MF is quite smaller. This might make it harder to read the values, however. On a digital meter, this shouldn't matter nearly as much.

Probes:
The probes (on the right) are quite a bit smaller than standard probes that came with a Mastech multimeter which I'm using with the DT. We'll have a close up look at the the probes later.



(The hot glue is not factory).

Feel:
DT830's build quality feels better overall.

How about some readings:
These could be subject to a bit (or lot) of bias. I did calibrate the meter using the front screw, and for resistance measurements, the pot. But, it's not very easy to read values, especially small values, e.g. 2.25 or such, which would be no issue on DT830.

I'm also using a simple step down module to get a voltage regulated power supply.

Consider all of the readings as my guess on what the displayed value is at the time. Someone else might read the same values slightly differently.

Power supply	DT830D	MF110A 10V Range
1.1	1.24	1.2
2	2.1	2.2
3	3.1	3.2
4	4.08	4.2
5	5.07	5.2
6	6.11	6.2
7	7.08	7.2
8	8.09	8.2
9	9.05	9
10	10.02	9.55
11	11.06	10

Note that the meter was slightly out of calibration after testing (needle points slightly below 0). I'm not 100% sure if this changed during the test, or was an error on my part.

Resistance (some random resistors)

DT-830D	MF-110A X10	MF-110A X100
984	100	8.5
39	3.25	0.2

Resistance (B10k pot)

DT-830D	MF-110A X100	MF-110A X1K
9.6k	Between 110 and 120	7.9

The results are not absolutely stable. Before writing down the data, I did tests with somewhat varying results. But, I was also learning how to use the meter, so it's questionable whether the meter is unstable or not, and that would require possibly a lot more testing.

Images:



Outside:



Inside:




PCB Various components


Does anyone know what the white stuff is?

[Mechatrommer]

$25 DMM is ok, but $2.50 is in the junk territory, analog (d'arsonval) and manual range multimeter is obsolete anybody keeping it just for personal lust.. btw one famous use of this junk dmm is to blow it up next to the brand name DMM, just to show how good the $1000+ brand name is...

[kalel]

$25 DMM is ok, but $2.50 is in the junk territory, analog (d'arsonval) and manual range multimeter is obsolete anybody keeping it just for personal lust.. btw one famous use of this junk dmm is to blow it up next to the brand name DMM, just to show how good the $1000+ brand name is...

I'm sure that these aren't used in any professional setups for good reasons, so for professionals, of course I agree. These are meters with low price/quality.

However, at least the DT can be quite useful for checking some resistors, reading some batteries, USB or other low voltage DC power supply sources, checking for continuity, testing diodes, and so forth, as long as you don't need extra accuracy. I can't find a real fault for those uses. More faults could be found with the analog multimeter however. But this is just a look at the meter, nothing more.

[Fungus]

True story: I was in a shop the other day behind somebody who was returning one of those because it "didn't measure mains AC accurately".

[kalel]

True story: I was in a shop the other day behind somebody who was returning one of those because it "didn't measure mains AC accurately".

Are you sure it was one of these meters, or just some analog meter?

[Fungus]

True story: I was in a shop the other day behind somebody who was returning one of those because it "didn't measure mains AC accurately".

Are you sure it was one of these meters, or just some analog meter?

Judging by the size, price and general appearance... it was one of those.

[kalel]

True story: I was in a shop the other day behind somebody who was returning one of those because it "didn't measure mains AC accurately".

Are you sure it was one of these meters, or just some analog meter?

Judging by the size, price and general appearance... it was one of those.

AC might be be difficult to read with great accuracy from a distance. And you wouldn't want to get too close - just in case. As for holding in your hand, beside not being safe, that would change the needle position, so I guess in every use case it should lie flat on some surface and be calibrated for the surface it is used on, or you can look at the needle prior to measurement and then add or reduce the result by a bit.

The probe jack is not standard (maybe some standard for something) so it would be hard to attach any safer probes to it as well (unless custom made).

[Fungus]

I think I'd rather stick my house keys in a mains socket than one of those.

[Mechatrommer]

$25 DMM is ok, but $2.50 is in the junk territory, analog (d'arsonval) and manual range multimeter is obsolete anybody keeping it just for personal lust.. btw one famous use of this junk dmm is to blow it up next to the brand name DMM, just to show how good the $1000+ brand name is...

However, at least the DT can be quite useful for checking some resistors, reading some batteries, USB or other low voltage DC power supply sources, checking for continuity, testing diodes, and so forth, as long as you don't need extra accuracy. I can't find a real fault for those uses. More faults could be found with the analog multimeter however. But this is just a look at the meter, nothing more.

trust me, i owned few of those. and then if you own $25 and above meter, i think you'll agree with me, i do agree with you it can measure something, but it also in the junk (toy) territory now. for 1st year student who can barely support his life, this thing can be usefull (i was one) but please work for it, for the better meter. btw, some people like to make conclusion from listening to stories, but i'm not (try to not be) one of them.