Under $50 Multimeter Hunt

Just taking a look to see if you can spend under $50 and get a usable multimeter. Even if you simply want to replace the joystick module in a game controller, it’s worth having a multimeter by your side.
00:00 Intro
00:50 The selected meter
02:52 Test
08:15 Final thoughts

[@NicksStuff]

Uni-T has some pretty good meters (including DC current clamps, which come in very handy on some occasions), safe with ceramic fuses, that feel pretty sturdy and are hackable (you can edit the EEPROM to increase the count, change the default function, increase the timeout of the backlight or the auto-off function).

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

Thanks, I'll take a look at them.

[@briandr]

Thanks for another excellent video. I appreciate the high production quality and the well thought out content.
For a cheap DMM the AstroAI DM6000AR has been pretty reliable for me for the last 4+ years. I use it for hobby electronics and for vehicle / appliance diagnostics with different probes. The magnetic hanger gets in the way at times but I rather have it to keep the meter from falling when perched in odd locations. The meter does allow manual setting the range. No flashlight or the no-contact voltage sensing. pretty decent website with a pdf of the manual.
I paid $35 but now it seems to be temporarily marked down to $27 as of 2024-01-19.

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

That is one I looked at. I think it was about the lowest-cost 6,000-count meter I saw. But it looked like it used a 9-volt battery, so I removed it from consideration. I don’t think the flashlight or the no-contact sensing are worth anything. But not using a 9-volt battery is worth a bit to me. I tried with two different browsers on their website; they must have been having problems at the time. If the website had worked, I would have bought their M6K0R instead of the Kaiweets HT118A; I think they are the same meter.

[@55nimrod55]

Excellent video as always.

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@MainelyElectrons]

Great video! I love my Innova 3320's. I got one on sale from walmart for like $10-15 almost 10 years ago now and it's still going! Pretty sure I have accidently put way more current than 10A/DC through it and it's getting the job done. I got a 2nd one for work, so if it falls of a ladder I don't have to stress. It tells me what I need for the jobs I'm doing and I have a slightly nicer Ideal 61-747 that has a AC/DC clamp meter and temp probe. I got that one just because I was impatient and didn't want to order one online.

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

I’ll put that on my list to take a look at. I always think of Innova as automotive stuff. I have an OBD2 code reader from them; it's been fantastic.

[@iwantagoodnameplease]

Why not 9V batteries? Is that just because you don't like to keep some in stock? :)

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

If there were only one reason, I guess the top reason is cost per watt; AA batteries are about 1/3 the price per watt. Also, a meter using a 9-volt battery is probably using an older chip set, which in itself doesn’t have to be a drawback. But why make life more difficult when I don’t have to? It’s not that I don’t like having one in stock. It’s that I only have one, and when it comes time to find it, I won't buy another meter that uses a 9-volt battery.

[@MarkATrombley]

I have no idea what 4000 or 6000 count mean.

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

It’s how the meter displays the value. 4000 count will display 0 to 3999. 6000 count will display 0 to 5999. 20000 count will display 0 to 19999. So if you are checking a supply at 5.010 volts, the 4000 count will display 5.01, whereas the 6000 count will display 5.010. Not that the accuracy of the meter is that good, but it can be used for comparison.