Favorite Multimeter Leads?

[Fly Fishing Rick]

I kind of hate the test leads that come with the Klein meters so I bought myself a cheap set of silicone leads and they've been amazing. Zero resistance, very fast continuity checks, super flexible with no memory/tangles. The only downside is they're more of a needle point style and they didn't come with cat III/IV caps, so I kind of hate pushing them into receptacles. I'd like to find another set but with a more standard probe size. Anyone have any favorite aftermarket ones? I'm considering these WGGE leads since I'm not willing to pay $45 for a set of Fluke leads. Would love to hear any suggestions for decent ones for $20 or less. I'm not using them daily or I'd likely be willing to spend more. I just want to have things more convenient when I am using and storing them, and Klein has set the bar pretty low in those regards lol.
WGGE Test Leads - Amazon

 

[Rusted Nut]

Probe Master. Top quality, made in USA, family owned. Very happy with mine. No affiliation.

DMM Multimeter Test Leads Made in USA | Probe Master

Probe Master manufacturers quality test leads for digital multimeters such as, spring loaded test leads, extendible test leads, automotive test leads for Fluke and many other multimeters. Made in USA

probemaster.com

 

[ZX3ST]

One of my pet peeves is how stiff the cheap stuff gets when cold.

I'm partial to Pomona myself. Nice products, huge catalog. Above your $20 price point but if you take care of them, it's a lifetime purchase.

 

[nadogail]

One of my pet peeves is how stiff the cheap stuff gets when cold.

I'm partial to Pomona myself. Nice products, huge catalog. Above your $20 price point but if you take care of them, it's a lifetime purchase.

Low price and high quality are mutually exclusive.

 

[gte718p]

Low price and high quality are mutually exclusive.

I agree. $50 is pocket change for a lifetime quality product.

It depends on what I am doing, and the level of precision and repeatability.

If I am working on the car or house, amazon special silicon leads.
For work with electronics or in the lab, authentic Fluke silicon leads.
For calibration/high end work Keysight is my go to.

 

[Fly Fishing Rick]

Can't recommend the WCGE leads I linked above if you do any residential work. I got them today and the probe ends are too short to check a standard receptacle...

Edit to add: They do work in my outlets in my home. Going to have to use them for a bit, but it looks like maybe I judged them too quickly after testing just one outlet at a friend's place.

 

[cgrutt]

Can't recommend the WCGE leads I linked above if you do any residential work. I got them today and the probe ends are too short to check a standard receptacle...

Do the covers unscrew or pull off?

 

[Fly Fishing Rick]

Do the covers unscrew or pull off?

Yes, but the probe area after the threaded section is just too short to fit all the way into a receptacle. They are decent quality with a resistance level of 0, but will probably only see automotive use now.

 

[cgrutt]

Yes, but the probe area after the threaded section is just too short to fit all the way into a receptacle. They are decent quality with a resistance level of 0, but will probably only see automotive use now.

Believe you can buy tip extensions if it is standard size.

 

[Fly Fishing Rick]

Believe you can buy tip extensions if it is standard size.

Just tried them again on my outlets now that I'm home and they read them. Maybe I better tell my buddy to replace the one in his kitchen... lol

 

[Wubicon]

Probe Master. Top quality, made in USA, family owned. Very happy with mine. No affiliation.

DMM Multimeter Test Leads Made in USA | Probe Master

Probe Master manufacturers quality test leads for digital multimeters such as, spring loaded test leads, extendible test leads, automotive test leads for Fluke and many other multimeters. Made in USA

probemaster.com

Are probes relatively universal across different makes? I've read reviews of different (cheaper) alligator clips that don't stay on the probe tips. Would a more expensive example stay on the probe tip better? Should I stay within the brand of multimeter I'm using?

Mostly I want an alligator clip to free up a hand while I use the other probe while testing.

 

[Snip's]

I always look for lead wires made from stranded copper... Many of the offshore brands use some kind of crazy plated aluminum stranded wire...

 

[Steve_P]

Another vote for Probemaster. I found out about them here years ago, and they're a well-kept secret in comparison to the big brands.

 

[Nobody-named-Olli]

Favorite is hard to say and I must admit, I never found anything wrong with the leads that were supplied with my 2018 Klein Tools MM700. They are not as high-quality/flexible as those that came with my 2015 Benning MM 1-3 but they work fine for what I do.

I did purchase another set of Benning leads & accessories when I wanted some clamps.

Test leads set TA3, 8 pieces, Type: 8 | Hoffmann Group

Buy Test leads set TA3, 8 pieces, Type: 8 at the Hoffmann Group eShop: ✓ Personal advice ✓ Exclusive top products

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And as far as I can tell, they are as high-quality as those that came with the Benning multimeter.

But the true game changer for me, was this set - obviously especially because of the long, retractable, leads. But the quality is good as well. As far as I know, it’s a rebrand and available from other brands as well, so shop around if you want a set like this. For me, purchasing it off the truck as Blue-Point was the best option at the time.

Snap-on Store

shop.snapon.com

I’ve worked with all of this out in the freezing rain, flexibility has never been an issue to me.

I’d like to try the Probe Master some time to compare.

Kind regards,
Olli

 

[BreeStephany]

Good Fluke leads are my go-to when they carry the ones you are looking for. For everything else, for custom leads or for leads you may need to modify for a specific purpose (i.e. MC4 connector leads before Fluke started making them or custom molex leads), Probe Master is my go-to.

DO NOT CHEAP OUT ON YOUR LEADS and always get leads rated to the maximum voltage rating of your meter.

 

[KnurledNut]

I kind of hate the test leads that come with the Klein meters so I bought myself a cheap set of silicone leads and they've been amazing. Zero resistance, very fast continuity checks, super flexible with no memory/tangles. The only downside is they're more of a needle point style and they didn't come with cat III/IV caps, so I kind of hate pushing them into receptacles. I'd like to find another set but with a more standard probe size. Anyone have any favorite aftermarket ones? I'm considering these WGGE leads since I'm not willing to pay $45 for a set of Fluke leads. Would love to hear any suggestions for decent ones for $20 or less. I'm not using them daily or I'd likely be willing to spend more. I just want to have things more convenient when I am using and storing them, and Klein has set the bar pretty low in those regards lol.
WGGE Test Leads - Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Fluke-TL175-Twistguard-Leads-Diameter/dp/B005CTI592?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[BreeStephany]

I kind of hate the test leads that come with the Klein meters.

The Klein meters aren't half bad... they aren't Fluke, but they arent half bad. With that out of the way, the leads and lead accessories they send with their meters are absolute trash in my opinion.

They definitely do make a lower price point by producing the cheapest leads they can. The insulation commonly separates at the meter terminal connectors after prolonged use. In my opinion, the internal conductor should fail long before the insulation on any meter lead set.

 

[BurtEggley]

Cheap Amazon for basic stuff. Build my own from good test lead wire, banana jack that fits and the probes for anything high quality. Most meters have a zero function so you will get reasonable accuracy with the Amazon stuff unless you are doing really really low voltage high-impedance tests. Guys I know in that volt range are using Oscilloscopes to read voltage and not VOM or VTVM.

 

[willf650]

https://www.amazon.com/Fluke-TL175-Twistguard-Leads-Diameter/dp/B005CTI592?tag=atomicindus08-20

Ok, just bought a couple sets of these after seeing them on YouTube posted by a channel mentioned before for scraping this forum for videos. I suspect he saw your post as well as I didn’t see until today.

Those leads are very nice. I’ve flashed myself twice in my career via meter leads and one was within the past year.

I bought 2 sets and am contemplating buying 2 more so most of my meters I have on the truck have them.

 

[KnurledNut]

Ok, just bought a couple sets of these after seeing them on YouTube posted by a channel mentioned before for scraping this forum for videos. I suspect he saw your post as well as I didn’t see until today.

Those leads are very nice. I’ve flashed myself twice in my career via meter leads and one was within the past year.

I bought 2 sets and am contemplating buying 2 more so most of my meters I have on the truck have them.

Guaranteed. Video today covers these leads again plus the Sunflag I showed recently. I wouldn’t mind it if credit was given to the source, but that never happens. Seems to be a greedy unhappy me-first person who doesn’t respond well to any criticism.

 

[nadogail]

I have said it before, Pomona leads are, my opinion, superior in quality to any others I have personally used.

 

[ripperd]

I have said it before, Pomona leads are, my opinion, superior in quality to any others I have personally used.

These with pogo ends are what I use and love for circuitboard work.

 

[Ohmthis]

I’m another Pomona user. Just like BreeStephany said earlier. Do Not use leads rated lower than the meter. Some may not use there meter into those voltages, but it’s foolish to think that all silicone leads are the same. To me, only use screw on adapter (alligator, hook, extension) probes.