Handheld LCR meter recommendation

[heathkitman]

Anyone have a recommendation on the best handheld LCR mete? What's important to me is reliability, to be able to test at multiple frequencies, and that it have a wide capacitance range especially down into the low pF range. Thank you.

[Lightages]

I think you will find the most recommended here is the DER EE DE-5000. Search for it here and I think you would be happy with it.

[TheRuler8510]

I really like my BK Precision model 879B.  Check it out. It does 10KHz, 1KHz, & 120, 100 Hz.

Regards,

[Fsck]

I think you will find the most recommended here is the DER EE DE-5000. Search for it here and I think you would be happy with it.

it's also relatively cheap from the Japanese sellers.

[rodpp]

The most recommended here is DE-5000, search in this forum and you'll find various posts. It seems a very good choice.

I have the Keysight (former Agilent/HP) U1733C, its very good.

[EEVblog]

The Keysight U1733C is top notch.
But the DE-5000 is pretty good too and is dirt cheap on ebay.

[ted572]

I have the U1733C and it works very well.  I suggest forgetting the DE-5000 and going for the DE-6000 if you do not want the the U1733C.  The DE-6000 has been significantly improved over the older DE-5000.    Cheers and good luck, Ted

[tautech]

IMHO the top of the line Smart Tweezers leave all other devices in the dust.
Small, fast, accurate and multi-purpose.
http://www.advancedevices.com/st5s/

Sure they're expensive, but you'd pay that much for a new DSO right?
Had mine for 10+ years and would replace them in an instant.
Use on TH, SMD or anything the points will reach.

I'm shocked more EEVblog members don't have them. 

No, I don't sell these or have an affiliation with the manufacturer................yet.

[Alexei.Polkhanov]

I also like my U1733C a lot.

Sorry but tweezers - no way. Almost completely useless. U1733C also comes with optional tweezers, I have them and I never use them, again, useless and unreliable. I even made a video on subject:

I really, really like BK Precision 889B, it is fast, very good for measuring small values (0.1 pF to 16 pF is what I need mostly) but it is not handheld and it is $1300-1500 new - probably overkill for most cases.

I always solder leads to board or solder device to a special jig - every other method turned out to be just pain and frustration, no matter how much Deoxit, acetone and alcohol I use 

[macboy]

I have the U1733C and it works very well.  I suggest forgetting the DE-5000 and going for the DE-6000 if you do not want the the U1733C.  The DE-6000 has been significantly improved over the older DE-5000.    Cheers and good luck, Ted

No, the DE-5000 is not discontinued except by IET, and the DE-6000 is not (necessarily) better. You may want to look at https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/de-5000-vs-de-6000-lcr-showdown/
The DE-6000 is IET's attempt to justify charging 3x the price for the same instrument, by increasing the model number and very slightly tightening the specs.  Spreading the same FUD in multiple threads makes it no more true.