Better quality Fluke or more features in an Extech?

[GoodCrossing]

Hi, I am building up my lab and I want to buy a better multimeter (I currently have an 830 series multimeter - well multiple of them as the probes keep disintegrating after a week of use  ) and I am currently thinking of either the Fluke 115 or the Extech EX330. I am not sure whether to go with a cheaper meter with more features like NCV detector and temp probe, or a higher quality meter with a bit less features. Or perhaps there's a better option that I'm not aware of.

Currently, I can get the Extech for 63,51€ or the Fluke for about 130€. Budget is up to 150€.

[janoc]

Those are both rather poor meters. That Fluke is an electrician's meter, so you will lack things like low current ranges on that. And that Extech 330 is hard to recommend, Extech has a lot of problems with manufacturing quality.

Look at the Brymen meters, for ex. E.g. the BM235 (that Dave is also selling) costs about 85 euro and has more features than both the Extech and Fluke - and for less than the Fluke costs. Brymen is a first class meter brand so you would be buying a safe and robust meter on par with the Flukes.

[GoodCrossing]

Right, I see. One of my concerns is long-term durability, as I want a meter that will last for a while. I assume from what you're saying that the Extech won't. How is Brymen on that regard?

[Fungus]

How is Brymen on that regard?

First class.

[GoodCrossing]

Great! Do you know any good places to buy it in Spain/Europe? I'm assuming it's a bit more expensive here because it's shipped from Aus?

[GoodCrossing]

And actually, just a quick question, after buying a decent DMM, how much do I need to worry about calibration? Does it need to be done often? Or do I need to take it to someone qualified every, say, 5 years? Or is it not going to go too much out of cal for electronic projects measurements?

[GregDunn]

I've found some good used Flukes locally at pawn shops; typically a 115 goes for about US$30-50 here while a 179 is typically about US$70.  Every Fluke I've picked up, despite varying age and condition, has been very accurate on all modes, so I haven't bothered to get any of them calibrated.  You can't even buy Brymen or most other quality meters brand new in the stores here, so I really haven't had anything to compare them to except a few off-brands and one Klein DMM I found for pennies on the dollar.  The Flukes compare well to my bench DMMs though, so I haven't had any need to track down a better model.  I use my bench units for precision measurements, though, so I don't worry too much about the portables as long as they're in spec.

[bob91343]

For most hobbyist uses, calibration is a nonissue.  The general run of measurement tools is fine for anything you might care to do.

Callibration is usually only important where you need to prove your measurement's integrity, say for inspection of qualification or scientific disclosure.  Think about the ramifications of a measurement error; you probably won't much care and can't tell anyway.

If I measure a battery voltage at 1.477 Volts when in fact it's really 1.462 Volts, is that going to have an effect on my project?

Sanity check is needed for this stuff.  I am as guilty as anyone; I spent money on a six digit voltmeter that I couldn't really justify, but then this is a hobby and I enjoy having it.  I have several rather accurate voltmeters and thay all agree, which makes me smile.  But doesn't have any other practical effect.

[joeqsmith]

I have used an Extech EX540 (rebranded CEM  DT9939) for almost seven years now for work.  It's coming up for calibration.   So far, the lettering has scrubbed off in a few places, the case has faded, co-worker broke the selector switch when they turned it past the dead stop.   That's really been the only thing I have noticed.  The worse parts IMO of the meter are the stand is hard to pull out. Normally, I use a screwdriver.  The bargraph updates at the same rate as the rest of the display, making it useless.    Ruby Electronics had these for $120 USD.  I think this was less than I paid for the 115.   

[GoodCrossing]

Thanks for the suggestions, by the way, does anybody with an Extech EX330 have any comments on its durability?

Those are both rather poor meters. That Fluke is an electrician's meter, so you will lack things like low current ranges on that. And that Extech 330 is hard to recommend, Extech has a lot of problems with manufacturing quality.

Look at the Brymen meters, for ex. E.g. the BM235 (that Dave is also selling) costs about 85 euro and has more features than both the Extech and Fluke - and for less than the Fluke costs. Brymen is a first class meter brand so you would be buying a safe and robust meter on par with the Flukes.

I am seeing other reviews saying it has good build quality, so not sure on who's right haha

[2N3055]

Great! Do you know any good places to buy it in Spain/Europe? I'm assuming it's a bit more expensive here because it's shipped from Aus?

Welectron, TME.. and others...
Google Brymen

[janoc]

Thanks for the suggestions, by the way, does anybody with an Extech EX330 have any comments on its durability?

I am seeing other reviews saying it has good build quality, so not sure on who's right haha

I didn't have 330 but I had two EX470 and it was a mess - one arrived DOA, with broken range switch, the other one was a replacement for it but it was all sorts of flaky, so I have sold it. Extech is a low end brand, meters cheaply made and the quality varies depending on which Chinese subcontractor has assembled the meters for them (some are even straight rebrands). If you have 150 euro budget you can do much better than buying Extechs.

If you want a Brymen, then the Polish TME is a good and reliable importer:
https://www.tme.eu

https://www.tme.eu/fr/details/bm235/multimetres-numeriques-mobiles/brymen/#

I have bought the BM867 from them and no problems whatsoever sending it to France. Btw, even that meter would fit in your 150 euro budget - it costs 142 eur - and it is a totally different class of meter compared to the two you have been asking about. The only complaint is that it is HUGE (no joke - almost 1.5x the size of BM235 and that isn't a small meter) and that it doesn't measure temperature (869 does, I think).

I have got my BM235 from Dave directly, it was slightly higher price due to the extra AU$20 shipping (didn't have to pay any customs or VAT on import). I have paid AU$155 all together in 2016, so about 94 EUR. However, the prices have changed since, that was at the time when it was a brand new model. But still, 94 euro is a fair price for that and it supported Dave, so no problem! (Dave's meter also has a blue "bumper" and EEVBlog branding, the original Brymen has red one one and lacks the EEVBlog logo).

Both the 867 and 235 are so solidly built you could probably bludgeon someone to death with them (esp. with the 867!) and they would be no worse for the wear. I didn't attempt any worse abuse on them than just having them on the bench but they feel extremely rugged.   

[tautech]

Great! Do you know any good places to buy it in Spain/Europe? I'm assuming it's a bit more expensive here because it's shipped from Aus?

You can get the BM235 from moderator Simons UK shop:
https://simonselectronics.co.uk/product-category/test-equipmant/

[GerryR]

I use clamp meters when not in my shop / lab.  I have the Extech EX655 and it has serve me well for some time now.  I have several Extech instruments and have not had any problems with any of them.  Following is a product review I did for the EX655 meter (no affiliation with Extech):

I went crazy looking for a full function Clamp Meter and came across the EX655 from Extech (parent company FLIR).  I design, build and service automation equipment and control systems, and when an older meter of mine, also a full function clamp meter, started to give me problems, the search began (my older meter is no longer made).  Many meters, both expensive and inexpensive have truncated ranges of resistance, frequency and capacitance, some with no "Lo-Z," no Lo-pass Filter for troubleshooting Variable Frequency Drives and with no "inrush" capability, so I had to carry multiple meters to cover all my needs. (Most meters are designed today for very limited, specific service needs, like HVAC.)  When I thought I had finally found one with all the capabilities I needed, it came with a display with no back-light.  Back it went for a refund.
       Well, the EX655 has it all in one neat compact package and it has a fast display update as well.  I am very pleased with it and hope to use it for a long time. (At my age, I'm thinking my son will get to enjoy it as well!)  Good product, good value.

[NoisyBoy]

To answer the OP's question about the Extech 330, I have two of its little brother - Extech 320 (minus the capacitance and temperature function), otherwise same form factor and display.

Both meters are slightly off out of the box, so it gave me a reason to open them up and adjust them using the voltage reference I have.  I can tell you the horror story about the 330 build quality is true, soldering was of poor quality, it resembles more of a home-made kit made by someone without much soldering skill.  I use these two meters periodically, and neither of them have failed, properly adjusted (there are 2 pots in the 320, 4 pots in the 330), they give reasonable accuracy, not great.  I would put these meters in the low-mid end market, if I can only have one meter, they will not be the one I pick.

I do not have the Fluke 115, but I have a new Fluke 179.  It does not have the NIST cert option, but out of the box, the meter was spot-on against the reference.  If there's any difference, it is in the last digit, well within specification.  The build quality is excellent, it is a meter you can trust out in the field.  But as other have pointed out, it is more geared towards electrician, and not for bench work if you need high resolution in the low current/voltage range.  I think the 87 V might be a better all-purpose meter for mixed use.

For hand held meters, the calibration only involves 1-3 pots in the low end models (typically DC voltage and AC voltage).  You can easily accomplish this with a cheap e-Bay voltage standard and an calibrated function generator.  For more sophisticated ones like the higher end Fluke, the cal is done through the control and there is no need to open up the case, but there are a lot more test points which would require more cal equipment. 

No experience with the Bryman, but if Dave trust them, I trust his judgement.

[MosherIV]

I would advise NOT to adjust your dmm yourself.

The Cal laboratories have equipment to test and adjust ALL functions, that is Volt, Amps, Resistance, temperature, Capacitance, Hertz etc
The normal procedure is to select a range, apply a known value usually 75/80% full scale for the range. Then adjust the dmm reading to mtach the applied source.

Cal labs usually do NOT adjust equipment unless they are out of specifications for the device.

I doubt that most hobbyists have the equipment to do this.
(How many of you have a voltage source up to 1000V? Current source upto 20A etc)

Yes, it is a good idea to have equipment to verify the dmm is working correctly (the Vrefs, test resistor etc) but they should NOT be regarded as calibration standards.

The only dmm that is worth calibrating at home is the free Harbour Freight or those cheap DT830 dmms.
They often are out of cal new in box and there is only 1 adjustment pot (if you are lucky, some of the most recent DT830 dmms do not even bother fitting the cal pot hence the outof cal new). Most of the time with these you can only make it better rather than do harm, make it worse.

[DDunfield]

Of the dozen or so multimeters in my lab, 6 are Flukes and 1 is Extech, which says something on it's own.

No need to expound on the virtues of Fluke, they are accurate, well built and will generally bounce higher than others meters without damage (I've inadvertently tested this a couple of times) - nuff said.

The Extech that I have is the MN35 which is a lower-end "mini". I got it because I needed a temperature probe in hurry one day and the local shop had it on sale for something like $25.

As expected for the price difference, it's lighter and feels flimsier than the Fluke, but that being said, I've not found it to be a bad meter.

I've seen reports of Extech being poor build quality, but I'd not say that about mine. Everything fits well together, soldering looks good, switch has good action, probe sockets seem good, stand is solid, boot fits well etc.

Accuracy seems reasonable, it has a good set of functions and ranges and quite a nice large/clear display for it's size.

My only real complaint is that since you have to remove the back to remove the battery (I don't use mine enough to keep the battery in it), they should have put metal receivers for bolts to hold the back on. Instead they used screws that just go into plastic bits under the circuit board. So you have to be careful not to over-tighten/strip the threads in the plastic.

I do find the mini Extech a good step up from the tiny meters that live in my laptop bag. Depending on my needs when I am working off-site, it will often get tossed into my scope bag as it has a good set of functions in quite a bit smaller package than most of my other meters.

Dave

[EEVblog]

Those are both rather poor meters. That Fluke is an electrician's meter, so you will lack things like low current ranges on that. And that Extech 330 is hard to recommend, Extech has a lot of problems with manufacturing quality.

Agreed.
You don't want an electricans meter. Not sure about Extech quality these days, but the 330 is an old meter now, better value can be had.

[EEVblog]

Right, I see. One of my concerns is long-term durability, as I want a meter that will last for a while. I assume from what you're saying that the Extech won't. How is Brymen on that regard?

Returns of the Brymen are quite minimal. Not zero though, but no meter has a zero defect rate with time. I don't think a single return has been a physical fault (apart from the early cracking inductor problem that has been fixed), no busted range switches or sockets which are the two parts that get physical wear.
Brymens have a very good well earned reputation. The BM235 is built like a small tank.

[GoodCrossing]

Well thanks for all the insight guys. Now, do I go for the Brymen or buy the EEVblog version? I’ll have to think about it... the blue does look better tho

[EEVblog]

No experience with the Bryman, but if Dave trust them, I trust his judgement.

I've used Brymen from about the mid 90's with their first models. I thought they were pretty good back then for a cheapie brand, but in the decades since they have continually improved to were they are now probably in the top 3 brands world wide.

[EEVblog]

Well thanks for all the insight guys. Now, do I go for the Brymen or buy the EEVblog version? I’ll have to think about it... the blue does look better tho

They are identical, so whatever is cheaper for you. But my one comes with the better probes as standard.
Also, I'm not sure about firmware versions in the Brymen branded models. All the firmware updates and hardware mods have been driven by EEVblog customers, so I'm not 100% sure the Brymen branded one would have those fixes. I presume they would, but beware of someone that might have old stock.

[The Soulman]

Just to mix things up..

There is also a new "budget" metraline series from metrawatt, those will fit in your budget as well (top model is 140 euro incl. vat.)
I have no personal experience with these new ones but they should be pretty good..

https://www.gossenmetrawatt.com/english/produkte/basicdevices.htm

[Fungus]

Great! Do you know any good places to buy it in Spain/Europe? I'm assuming it's a bit more expensive here because it's shipped from Aus?

I live in Spain, too.

If you want the ordinary Brymen version (not EEVBLOG blue one) then you can get one direct from Brymen.

I got mine from welectron, they give some upgrades for a good price and EEVBLOG discount.

[GoodCrossing]

Great! Do you know any good places to buy it in Spain/Europe? I'm assuming it's a bit more expensive here because it's shipped from Aus?

I live in Spain, too.

If you want the ordinary Brymen version (not EEVBLOG blue one) then you can get one direct from Brymen.

I got mine from welectron, they give some upgrades for a good price and EEVBLOG discount.

It's about 95 eur from Brymen and 109 from Welectron. Here in the EEVblog shop it's about 90 thanks to the sale. If I pay with crypto, it comes to about 81, so it looks like it's the cheapest option. I guess it will be a bit slower but I don't mind that. However, do I have to pay import taxes on the meter when it gets to the EU? If so, will it be on the subtotal or the final amount?