Fast Multimeter Suggestion

[JeffNichols]

I'm looking to buy a new multimeter to augment my UNI-T UT60A. I bought the UNI-T from Sparkfun years ago and it's always performed acceptably.

Now I'm in the market for a second meter, and I've got a bigger budget to work with. I'm looking for something in the $100 to $250 range, but I could probably go higher for the perfect meter. This is for electronics work (<30V); I doubt I'd do any work at all with mains voltages.

I want a fast multimeter. Fast auto ranging and fast continuity response. The faster the better. I searched through the forum trying to find people discussing fast multimeters, but I didn't see much.

I'd be nice to have more resolution (and the associated accuracy, of course!), but this is not essential.

I want to know that the 10kohm I'm probing is a 10kohm as soon as I touch my leads to it. I don't want to wait 3 seconds for the meter to find the right ohm range, only to have my leads slip before it can make the final measurement (this happens all the time, at least to me).

Another great feature would be a auto-capture mode where it beeps when it's done with the measurement, so I can keep my eyes on the circuit board. I don't know if this has a specific name. I feel like I've seen this feature before in one of Dave's multimeter reviews, but I'm not certain.

So, anyone have any suggestions? Thanks.

[Wytnucls]

Hioki claims to be making the fastest meters around, but any high-end Fluke or Agilent should do and they'll have the auto-hold feature you're asking for.

[Lightages]

I am sure that everyone is expecting me to chime in with a Brymen recommendation. I guess I can't disappoint!

I have a Brymen BM257, BM525, and a BM869. None of the Brymens have an autohold feature. It can be faked using the Min/Max function or using the Crest function, but most people don't want to play around to get that. So if you want the autohold feature and it is a deal breaker, then forget Brymen.

The Brymens are very fast meters, well built and safe. They also usually offer more features for the same or less money than the big names. You did not indicate what country you are in, so it is difficult to provide any specific information on where to buy for you. But you can get good service from Franky here, AKA iloveeletronics. He sells Brymens:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brymen-BM829-Digital-Multimeter-Dual-Display-AC-DC-TRMS-Dual-Temp-10-000-Count-/201070664254
This hits all your requirements except for autohold.

With the wide price range you have mentioned you will get all kinds of recommendations. Above $150 you will also find most of the better manfacturer's models will be well protected for high energy. If all you want to do is <30V, there are many cheap options but they won't be fast or any better built than what you have already.

[nanofrog]

FWIW, Agilent U1251B or U1252B have the Auto Hold feature Brymen's are missing, but they're also over your budget ($390 & 419 MSRP in the US respectively).

Another trick that can speed up a meter is to turn off Auto Ranging.

Good quality probes are also important so the meter gets a good signal (tips need to be clean, so if doing automotive for example, clean any grease/crap off first IMHO). The latter usually isn't an issue on more expensive meters, as they're likely to be bundled with decent probes. More budget oriented meters OTOH, may come with the cheapest garbage for probes ever made. So be prepared to budget some extra cash towards probes on the more budget oriented meters.

 I've even found the Brymen I own benefited from better probes than came with mine (BM857).

[macboy]

FWIW, Agilent U1251B or U1252B have the Auto Hold feature Brymen's are missing, but they're also over your budget ($390 & 419 MSRP in the US respectively).

...

Even better, how about the Agilent (ugh, Keysight) U1273A with dot-matrix OLED display? I posted a brand new one for sale today in the Buy&sell for $300 USD shipped. https://www.eevblog.com/forum/buysellwanted/fs-agilent-(keysight)-u1273a-4-5-digit-oled-multimeter/

[JeffNichols]

Auto-hold. Thank you, that was the term I was looking for.

Any specific Fluke or Agilent models I should look at? I've always found Fluke's numbering system hard to understand, but I'm sure it makes sense to people with more experience.

Yes, I think auto-hold is an important feature for me. If I can't find any with auto-hold in my price range then I'll definitely take a closer look at Brymen's offerings.

I'm based in the USA, and I've updated my forum profile to reflect that.

I'm looking at those Agilent models now. They're outside my price range, but it could be something I could pick up second hand. Probes are a good point. I'd never considered them.

[tautech]

A recent thread re continuity specs:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/multimeter-with-low-continuity-test-voltage/msg475506/#msg475506

[tautech]

I hope you have seen this great thread by Wytnucls :
Latest list in this post:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/multimeter-spreadsheet/msg494832/#msg494832

[retiredcaps]

The least expensive new multimeter that I know of that supports the equivalent of Fluke's auto-hold is the Agilent U1231A (MSRP $100).  Martin did a review so you can see the speed, specs, etc.  What it lacks in features is possibly augmented by your existing UT60A?





In the video below, you can see the side by side comparison of Brymen, Fluke and Agilent.  Note the Fluke 115 and 17B don't have auto-hold.  The Fluke 170, 80 and 280 series have auto-hold.  Excavatoree wrote a good Fluke guide at

http://www.ebay.com/gds/Fluke-Meters-Main-Read-First-/10000000007231862/g.html



If you are willing to buy used, I found in my informal tests just now that the original Fluke 87 is slightly faster at VDC and ohms readings (using a 10K ohm resistor) than the Fluke 87V.  I have a Greenlee DM-200A (equivalent to a Brymen BM25x) and its VDC and ohms performance are similar to a Fluke 87V.

I, unfortunately, do not have any equipment or repeatable way of doing a comparison, but they are very close to my naked eye.  One might get a resistance measurement in 1.25 seconds and the other in 1.40 seconds, but I have no way of accurately measuring that.

[retiredcaps]

Here is a youtube video showing the 83, 87 III and 87V doing VDC speed.

[ablacon64]

I'm very impressed by the response speed of the 2 Hioki (posted by Wytnucls).

I've found DT4212 very cheap on Aliexpress (and free shipping to my country): http://pt.aliexpress.com/item/HIOKI-DT4212-True-RMS-DIGITAL-MULTIMETER-Brand-New-DT-4212/1848890821.html

[retiredcaps]

I've found DT4212 very cheap on Aliexpress (and free shipping to my country):

The DT4212 is likely using an off the shelf IC which will not perform the same as the higher end Hiokis.  See

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/hioki-42114212-quality/

In addition, the OP wants/needs auto-hold which the DT4212 does not have as per its brochure

http://www.hioki.com/file.php?t=news&iid=2_15

[Wytnucls]

Here is a filter of the main database, according to your price and auto-hold requirements. Some brands were removed, based on your location.

[retiredcaps]

Here is a filter of the main database, according to your price and auto-hold requirements.

The BK2709B/BK2712/BK392/393 doesn't do auto-hold as per respective user manuals.  Is it included because it does min/max?

[retiredcaps]

The Sanwa PC773 also seems to have no auto-hold.  From

http://www.sanwa-meter.co.jp/prg_data/goods/img/PH41338254769.pdf

page 7

4-3 Data Hold:
When the button is pressed, the value indicated will be held. (“ ” will appear on the display.) The indicated value will
not change if the measurement input fluctuates. When this button is pressed again, the hold status will be canceled and the meter will return to the measurement mode.
(“ ” will disappear from the display.)

[retiredcaps]

I remembered another video showing a Fluke 189 vs U1231A autoranging speed

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/agilent-u1231a-teardown/

Now, I think the reason the U1231A is slower is because it starts off in the mV range whereas the Fluke 189 has a separate rotary switch position for that.

PS. In my own informal tests of the Fluke 187 and 87V, both are very close in terms of autoranging speeds for DCV and resistance measurements.

[Wytnucls]

Yes, that's seems to be the case. What is being described is just a plain 'data hold'. I will update the database accordingly. Well spotted.
So, the BKs and Sanwa are out.

[JeffNichols]

Thanks guys for helping to narrow it down.

I wish there were some standard way of quantifying measurement speed, but alas it looks like there is not. Looks like I've got plenty of research left to do on these specific models!

[Hiwyx]

Hey guys,
I’m new here so I’m sorry if it’s not best practice to up a so old topic but I’m actually looking for a multimeter with same criterias, fast, auto hold and electronic (<30V).
I’m curious if 8 years later there are any new models that may fit this need, considering how Chinese products made good progress maybe there are some budget options?

[NoMoreMagicSmoke]

Take a look at the brymen bm78x series.

https://www.welectron.com/Brymen-BM789-Multimeter_1

[coromonadalix]

some metrix aka chauvin arnoux   recent models are fast ... but $$$