I second the Hakko. I’ve got it as well, and for the past three years has never let me down. Plan on passing it on to my son, as that’s how confident of it’s construction.
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The really low-end ones (usually <$20) break and can’t be relied upon. If you’re thinking of buying one, buy two so you can use whichever one isn’t broken to diagnose the problems with the other. The next cheapness tier up tends to neglect the ammeter function. Some just don’t work, others lie about the fuses, etc. Anything cheap probably shouldn’t be used for current probing at all.
As @shigginpit mentions, the counts is a differentiator. At some point though you get diminishing returns because the dynamic range of values you’re looking at will be well-constrained. Of course if you’re aligning test equipment or something very sensitive that’s a different matter. Depends on the application.
Some of the really cheap DMMs update the display too often. Combined with cheap LCDs it’s a blurry mess, basically unreadable. The really expensive meters have fancy secondary indicators on the screen to deal with the fact that updating numbers too quickly is a no-go. But even those seem to be pushing the limits of the ADC* while the analog meters make a different tradeoff.
*Edit: the limits are probably characteristic of the whole front-end, not just at the converter itself.
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As @shigginpit said YT is a good place to check them out and places like EEVblog do tear downs and comparison vids. There are a ton of affordable DMM’s out there so it can be a bit of a minefield especially as many of those DMM’s are basically badge engineered so the same unit is offered by different manufacturers (at different prices).
@smosher makes a valid point about safety, It depends on what sort of work you’re doing. I wouldn’t do any AC or DC current measurement with a cheap meter when working on potentially lethal voltages.
I use a few different meters daily at work that they provide and get calibrated. We use Fluke process meters and multimeters as well as Megger stuff for earth loop and insulation resistance testing. I can grab one out of the van if required while I’m at home but on my bench I have a Brymen meter that does most of what I want it to do. It’s not a Fluke or Keysight meter for sure but it’s accurate, sturdy and does the job. Ive used Uni T meters that I wasn’t so impressed with but in fairness they have a pretty big range of models so I’d expect some to be better or worse than others.
Let us know how you get on as Im sure they’re are other ‘nauts who’ll be considering buying a meter.
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Hi guys, first of all thanks again for this amazing input about all things soldering. Definitely nails the fact that is community is here to help!
Turns out the 404 has other issues which make it beyond impossible for me to repair so I’m better off returning it. The seller has accepted the refund.
I’m sure however as you pointed out that this post will be useful to other newbies - most likely me in a few months when my MPC1000 tact switches will die once for all.
Thanks again everyone
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My weapon of the moment
Look at that filthy tip!
Anyway. Even with the best kit, you still need good technique. You can do an excellent job with an average iron like this if you practice a bit.
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Yea I’ve built a dozen or so eurorack modules, repaired some stuff like headphone amps and re-attached wires that have come loose from connections etc. I use a dirt cheap Amazon iron and an even cheaper multimeter - both have done me fine! And I’m someone that genreally goes for the best gear (all the gear no idea is me all over) and am very wary of ‘buy cheap/buy twice’. I think if it’s for a few odd jobs or dipping your toe in the water this is the best approach.
I’ve heard similar advice with tools in general - buy the cheapest one you can, learn how to use it, inevitably break it, then get a decent replacement. This goes against my general approach in life which attempts to avoid frustratingly cheap equipment but there’s something to be said for not buying something expensive just to ruin it, which is a risk with tools.
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