Products > Test Equipment
Looking for my first/last bench multimeter
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Wallace Gasiewicz:
I do not know what you mostly do with electronics. 
I mostly fix radios and test equipment. the TE I fix is stuff I buy cheap and I think I would like to have.Over 95 % of the time all I need is my hand held Fluke 4 digit and a BSIDE component tester.   When measuring volts ohms etc   We are not discussing SA or Scopes here.   
I have two HP 3456 units that I have fixed and they now work well.   Then I had to buy a volt source and a resistance box (good one but not Metrology grade) to make sure these things work.   
Then I had to get the volt source Calibrated. Not Cheap.     
I also have two HP LCR meters.   For more exacting measurements.  And a General Radio LCR Bridge....And MORE...   
Sometimes I get nostalgic and drag out the old analog multimeters for fun. Sometimes I need the old meters because they can measure Kilovolts, they also have the high volt leads.

All of this finally dawned on my little brain that I was "Going Down the Rabbit Hole"   
But it was too late. 

If you really need a very good bench volt ohm meter you need to include in your budget some money for periodic calibration   
Please consider the probable time cost of fixing old equipment also. This may or may not be important if it is your hobby. 
Also consider the cost of proper test leads for fancy equipment.    IMHO this is something that most people do not have, even when they have good equipment.

For most measurements I prefer a separate Multimeter and separate component tester. Just my opinion.  Also cheaper;

Please note that the people who respond here are extremely knowledgeable about their instruments and are very helpful. They typically know a lot about the modern equipment.   
Surely more than I do.
Fried Chicken:

--- Quote from: kendricks on March 31, 2024, 10:30:58 pm ---How about being a little less obsessive and go for a 4 1/2 digit meter?

--- End quote ---

I ended up getting a Fluke 45 and am now figuring out how to get it calibrated.

The only reason I was looking at 6.5-digit DMMs was because I saw a keithley 2001 locally for $300
J-R:
Is the Fluke 45 autorange speed for resistance faster if you select F rate vs. M or S?
Smokey:

--- Quote from: Fried Chicken on April 01, 2024, 05:43:36 am ---
--- Quote from: kendricks on March 31, 2024, 10:30:58 pm ---How about being a little less obsessive and go for a 4 1/2 digit meter?

--- End quote ---

I ended up getting a Fluke 45...

--- End quote ---

... it begins!
Next thing you know you'll have a rack with multiple Keithleys and HPs too.... Then come the power supplies...
Welcome to the club!
Fried Chicken:

--- Quote from: Smokey on April 01, 2024, 08:33:46 am ---
--- Quote from: Fried Chicken on April 01, 2024, 05:43:36 am ---
--- Quote from: kendricks on March 31, 2024, 10:30:58 pm ---How about being a little less obsessive and go for a 4 1/2 digit meter?

--- End quote ---

I ended up getting a Fluke 45...

--- End quote ---

... it begins!
Next thing you know you'll have a rack with multiple Keithleys and HPs too.... Then come the power supplies...
Welcome to the club!

--- End quote ---

Well...:


Not pictured is my analog o-scope (Tektronix Something with Digital Storage.... love not having to wait for a "boot time")

Also not pictured: a DE-5000 LCR meter, a cheap-o LCR meter, and a chinese function generator that's getting sold as the BK Precision is replacing it (although i think it needs service), and my Hakko FX951 soldering thing that I'm not particularly fond of, but gets the job done.

It's my nice little  bench for and and all electronics stuff that needs repairing.
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