DC Load, can you help me choose? What am I missing?

[Moriambar]

Hello,
christmas is near and I thought of buyng myself an electronic load: it's a piece of equipment that sometimes I need and that I don't feel comfortable building myself.

I narrowed down my choice to three candidates (based on my requirements):

• Siglent SDL 1020X-E
• ITECH 8511A+
• BK Precision 8542B

The problem is that I don't understand why the BK costs double the price of the others, am I blind looking at the specs? Also the Siglent (which is the cheapest, albeit by 7€) seems to me to have the best specs.
What am I missing here?

Thanks!

[Jwillis]

Location Location Location . Facility cost , labour cost , quality control cost , service cost , etc. Although B&K equipment may have a higher price tag you'll probably get better construction quality and better customer service . You may also experience longer intervals between calibrations . Which can be important to a company that can't afford unnecessary down time. Less expensive equipment may be better for the hobbyist  or student that won't be using the instrument for 8-10 hours, 5 days a week. 

[Moriambar]

Location Location Location . Facility cost , labour cost , quality control cost , service cost , etc. Although B&K equipment may have a higher price tag you'll probably get better construction quality and better customer service . You may also experience longer intervals between calibrations . Which can be important to a company that can't afford unnecessary down time. Less expensive equipment may be better for the hobbyist  or student that won't be using the instrument for 8-10 hours, 5 days a week.

thanks. Very clear.

[bingo600]

See
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/witch-dc-load-maynuo-9812-or-itech-8512a/msg1129594/

I like the ITECH IT8512A+ that i got
It's made by the same designer that made the BK's

BK is a "Brand" like Keysight ... You pay premium price for that.

Itech is more like Rigol , but is fully as durable

/Bingo

[Electro Fan]

Maybe add the Maynuo M9712 to the list.

http://www.maynuo.com/english/pro.asp?tid=25

There are some older threads around here that discuss the lineage of early DC load designs and supposedly sometime after one of the early foundational designs was commercialized the designer either went to Maynuo or made the next version of the design for Maynuo.  The M9712 has been around for several years and it doesn't have the pretty looking UIs of some of the newer models but it has been a solid performer with a pretty high degree of accuracy, so if nothing else it might provide somewhat of a benchmark.

[Jester]

Take a peak at the East Tester series if cost is an issue.

[Moriambar]

See
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/witch-dc-load-maynuo-9812-or-itech-8512a/msg1129594/

I like the ITECH IT8512A+ that i got
It's made by the same designer that made the BK's

BK is a "Brand" like Keysight ... You pay premium price for that.

Itech is more like Rigol , but is fully as durable

/Bingo

So basically ITECH gets all the goodness of bk at a cheaper price?
I like that

[mcinque]

Go for Maynuo! BK only rebrands stuff, no added value, only price increase.

[Moriambar]

Go for Maynuo! BK only rebrands stuff, no added value, only price increase.

I thought it was ITECH, not manyuo.
So now I am confused.

[Electro Fan]

I think if you trace it backward for about 8 years you will get to Maynuo.

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/first-use-of-maynuo-m712-electronic-load/msg275266/#msg275266

This is not to take away from ITECH or other brands and models.  Probably have to study/compare the current specs, prices, support arrangements, etc.

[trp806mo]

I took some measurements on the SDL (check dedicated topic) and on BK8500. If you want no ripple stay away from the SDL