Home Depots- Tool set $15 side cutter, strippers, multimeter w/batt

[ADC-1995]

I came across this set today and if you are central USA you are in luck. Its the store brand Commercial Electric and there are a couple of reviews on the site. Meter would be good for low power projects. Nice price for everything you get including battery and leads.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-3-Piece-Electrician-s-Tool-Set-CE130114/204191768

[ADC-1995]

After unpacking the tools and I was getting ready to toss the multi-meter in with the rest of the cheap give away Chinese meters, I paused and gave it a second look and noticed the leads were decent, not a Fluke, but OK. Someone else did a review of this same meter, but here is a side by side of the quality difference between Cen-Tech and CE MAS830B. And after testing it on its accuracy on resistors, diodes, and voltage... its not to bad for a non-auto ranging meter and the manual specs actually look believable.

I gave it the 'Dave' Twist and no flex, the inside internal fuses look OK, has a case protector, and actually not bad.

[radhaz]

Doesn't look bad at all, especially for the price.

[Vgkid]

Not bad for $15, to bad I dont have a Home Depot close by.

[sleemanj]

Two ceramic fuses - that looks like a really well built meter for $15.

Just looked and it appears this meter doesn't have a continuity beeper - that's a pretty strange omission?! - actually the Centech type meters don't have a beeper either, so not that strange, probably uses the same chipset (for want of a better word).

[MrSlack]

I love meters without beeper. It's needed for continuity of course but the infernal vendors tend to decide to use it for 90 other functions like overloads, when you change mode, when you've left it on for more than a couple of minutes and probably when it's your birthday...beep beep beep beep shuttup!

Looks reasonable though. I keep one like that in the car.

[Lightages]

That's not a bad meter for something thrown into a cheap kit, but to call it an "electrician's" meter is a BIG stretch.

[Muttley Snickers]

I bought a few similar meters when one of our suppliers were clearing them out for $12 AUD, they still carry them but are now asking for $29 AUD just for the meter alone still a handy cheap little meter but not at that price,  the 10 amp range is unfused and mine has standard M-205 fuse for the lower current ranges in addition it has continuity and a backlight which only stays on for about five seconds so a slightly different model perhaps, might be a simple mod for the extra features.

It survived a 25 foot drop from a roof without a scratch, my Flukes and Agilents are not permitted to go above bench height.

[LaurentR]

Similar to the Velleman-branded Fry's $10 special (sometimes $5 or even $0 on sale):
http://frys.com/product/6449882

The Fry's version DVM850BL also has a backlight and the all-important transistor tester.

[ADC-1995]

The Fry's version DVM850BL also has a backlight and the all-important transistor tester.

Thats  a good one, "all-important transistor tester".   As for the MAS830B, CE passed on the back-light feature.

[MrSlack]

I love those transistor testers. I use them for quickly matching pairs for diffamps etc quite regularly and they're quite useful!

(UT33A)

[crispy_tofu]

Wow, looks great for the price, thanks for sharing! 

[boffin]

I just checked the Canadian Home Depot website, and while the same tool set doesn't exist; there is a good deal on the EXTECH EX330 for C$59.99; about $42.50 US

[tooki]

After unpacking the tools and I was getting ready to toss the multi-meter in with the rest of the cheap give away Chinese meters, I paused and gave it a second look and noticed the leads were decent, not a Fluke, but OK. Someone else did a review of this same meter, but here is a side by side of the quality difference between Cen-Tech and CE MAS830B. And after testing it on its accuracy on resistors, diodes, and voltage... its not to bad for a non-auto ranging meter and the manual specs actually look believable.

I gave it the 'Dave' Twist and no flex, the inside internal fuses look OK, has a case protector, and actually not bad.

It's a rebadged Mastech: http://www.p-mastech.com/product/detail/325

Honestly, for the price the Mastech's aren't too bad. I have one someone gave me a few years back, and though it's clearly no Fluke or Brymen, it's not horrible either. (And I agree, Mastech's probes are perfectly adequate.)

In a way, Mastech should give these a new model number: calling them an 830 series does them a disservice. As you've shown, they're worlds apart from the generic 830's like the Cen-Tech.