If you are a professional electrician and are looking for the best, most reliable, and safe multimeter, you will need to spend in excess of at least a hundred dollars to get the best multimeter for your job.

   Well, if you are just now learning your way around a breadboard, you do not need to spend that much money because there will be at least a couple of years until you will need something as high-end as that.

   However, there are a couple of key features that both professionals and electronics greenhorns need to look out for and they are a good balance between price and functionality and also an audible tone that will allow you to test continuity without having to look at the multimeter all the time. That is why we have actually divided our top 10 best multimeters list into 2 halves.

   The first half is mostly geared towards high-end professionals while the second half is more focused on the needs of dummies and beginner electricians or professionals, who could use owning a multimeter, but who do not use it that often.

   However, we have also created in-depth reviews for each product so make sure to scroll past the list and check out for yourself which features and price range best suit you.

   When it comes to multimeters, all electricians agree that the holy grails have to be one produced by Fluke. Exactly which one that ultimate multimeter might be, is still up for debate, but the one that has the most numerous functions, best accuracy, and most interesting features is the Fluke 87-V Digital Multimeter. It is the most expensive multimeter on our list so we strongly encourage you to think long and hard about whether you need to pay that much.

   It is certainly worth the money but only if you are going to use it to its maximum potential. It has an auto-ranging system, but you can switch it to manual if you need to. It creates an analog bar graph that you can use to follow rapidly changing signals, thus making it an even better choice than an analog multimeter for this type of situations.

   There are 2 features that set the Fluke 87-V Digital Multimeter apart from all other multimeters on the market, above all others. The positive function is the fact that it can take measures as high up as 10A and 20A for 30 seconds at a time. The negative feature is that the multimeter will beep if you get the input jacks wrong, and while an experienced electrician will always set them correctly without any problems, beginners may often get them wrong, particularly in situations where you measure the resistance and thus do not really care about the poles.

Fluke 117 Electricians True RMS Multimeter

PIC. 2  Fluke 117

AMAZON.CO.UK Affiliate Link:  Fluke 117 Digital Multimeter

 

   While we absolutely love the Fluke 87-V, and we really think it is well worth the money, we must agree that even most professional electricians will not use it to its maximum capacity. So our second best choice, and perhaps the one that makes the most sense from a financial perspective, is the Fluke 117 Electricians True RMS Multimeter. It is still too expensive to make any sense for anyone who just dabbles in the field to buy, but it is just what the engineer ordered for most professionals. It has a modern auto ranging system that can be the switch to manual if you need to, and it has one of the best LED screens we have ever had the chance to test.

   In terms of design, it is so well put together that even women electricians will be able to comfortably hold it in the palms of their hands. Among its many features, the more significant is the fact that it uses a true RMS for accurate measurements of nonlinear loads. The one thing that you should know from the on start is that Fluke 117 Electricians True RMS Multimeter does not come with a holster so you would better order one at the same time as the multimeter itself.

Fluke 116 HVAC Multimeter

PIC. 3   Fluke 116

AMAZON.CO.UK Affiliate Link:  Fluke 116 Digital Multimeter

 

   The Fluke 116 HVAC Multimeter is one of the best, highly specialized multimeters on the market today, so you need to be very careful if you decide to go for it. It does have a built-in thermometer for HVAC applications and a microamps feature that would certainly put it in the company of other, more expensive multimeters. However, the way Fluke has been able to keep the price down is that they have taken out the entire high amperage section of the device.

   Of course, people who usually require HVAC applications do not need to measure amperages that go above 1 Amp, but it is well worth noting that, if you do not need those 2 functions, you would better be served by other products on our list. It is also worth noting that the Fluke 116 has LoZ system that prevents false readings and the LED screen is just as good as the one on the Fluke 117.

Fluke 115 Compact

PIC. 4   Fluke 115

AMAZON.CO.UK Affiliate Link:  Fluke 116 Digital Multimeter 

   Although it is still one of the more expensive multimeters on our list, the Fluke 115 Compact is the one and only attempt that Fluke has made to enter the entry and mid-level market. In terms of accuracy, reliability and built quality it is clearly superior to any of the other, under $100 multimeters we are going to feature, but it does have a significant drawback: it costs more than 100 dollars. So, if you can afford it, we would recommend the Fluke 115 Compact even to a beginner electrician because it is the best bang for your buck you are going to get. It has an auto-ranging system that can be switched to manual and a true RMS system for accuracy on nonlinear loads.

   It can only go as high up as 10 Amps, and that keeps it from being a great tool for professional electricians, but it is still great for amateurs. We also appreciate the fact that they actually used the Fluke 117 LED screen in the Fluke 115 Compact multimeter too, making it a very easy to use the device. Other features that may be of interest is the fact that you get a holster and a 9V battery in the package. It is incredibly safe to use even for beginner electricians because it will alert you if you have not set it for the correct amperage or voltage meter, instead of giving you a false or 0 reading like other multimeters do.

INNOVA 3340 Automotive Digital Multimeter

PIC.5   INNOVA 3340

AMAZON.CO.UK Affiliate Link:  INNOVA 3340 Automotive Digital Multimeter

 

   It is a well-known fact that most padawan electricians come from the auto world, usually home mechanics who need to diagnose their car battery, wiring or why the automatic window mechanism is not working anymore. Innova has been designing multimeters specifically for the auto industry for years, but the INNOVA 3340 Automotive Digital Multimeter is their best design for the home mechanic. And we would have to agree that they did an excellent job with this multimeter that has a UL certification. It comes with an inductive RPM clamp and a temperature probe so you can check your engine’s wiring down to the smallest detail.

   It is well worth noting that it goes as high up as 10 mega ohms in it measuring range and that it has an auto-ranging feature similar to the one on the Fluke. Still, the one thing to not is that the INNOVA 3340 Automotive Digital Multimeter was designed for the automotive industry and it does not have the sensitivity that the Fluke has for small electronics, but it also does not carry that huge price tag.

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