Whats your take on FLUKE multimeters?

[Nealcrenshaw]

I've been doing some looking into these,and wanted to hear some comments on the fluke meters. I may be ready to upgrade from my trusty radio shack meter.

They look and sound pretty nice,is worth shelling out the dough or is there another brand you would recommend.I'm not looking to use it for electrical engineering
just your basic troubleshooting for house,car,electrical motors.

 

[wreckercologist]

I can't speak about the "new" Flukes, but I can tell you my 15 year old Fluke keeps right on going even after being dropped several times.

Ditto for the DVM the shop owns at my work. It's a Fluke 88 plus the clamp on amp meter. Tough as nails.

Hope this helps.

In the future, I plan on getting my own "88" too.

 

[rsanter]

I like them
popular opinion has been that they are good quality and durable
my experience with them only suports that

bob

 

[J.A.F.E.]

Fluke meters are pretty much the standard. I have a 77 that's gotta be 20 years old and it's still a great meter.

Go for it.

 

[Diablo]

Im an electrician and ive owned cheapo ones, UEI's, TPI's, Meterman, Ideal, Greenlee, and probably a few others. My current one is a UEI, its nice gets the job done but i will soon be upgrading to a Fluke, should have just bought it in the first place but i was a bit reluctant to believe all the hype. They are more money but there worth it, reliability, quality of finish, durability, totally worth it.

 

[Merkava_4]

I want one real bad is my take on them.

I've got a Fluke 85 sitting on my kitchen table right now, but it's not mine and I have to give it back.

 

[GuidoK]

Fluke meters are very nice, easily availabe, durable and probably market leader.
But there are other manufacturers who make multimeters which are just as good (or better?) like Gossen-Metrawatt, Benning, Metrix etc.
But they're just as expensive (or even more ) and more difficult to obtain.
But for normal troubleshooting around the house they all do just as well.
But saying that your trusty radio shack meter probably does just as well too provided you have good test leads.

Maybe you can get a good 2nd hand deal on one of the brands I mentioned above because 'it isn't a fluke' and the person who sells it doesn't know wat he has.

 

[Nealcrenshaw]

wHAT MODELS WOULD do you RECOMMEND?
They seem to have a few. I see 73,85,86,87,110,115,175,179,90210's.....

 

[Merkava_4]

Fluke meters are very nice, easily available, durable and probably market leader.
But there are other manufacturers who make multimeters which are just as good (or better?) like Gossen-Metrawatt, Benning, Metrix etc.

German multimeters, who would've known..............

You got anymore brands I've never heard of?

 

[Merkava_4]

I downloaded both the Gossen-Metrawatt and the Benning catalog PDF's. It's nice to know that Fluke has some serious competition to keep them on their tows.

 

[GuidoK]

You got anymore brands I've never heard of?

I used to have a Metex (asian brand) I really liked (I now use a simple fluke).:
http://www.imetex.com/html/product/product_dmm.asp

Agilent is another brand which makes really nice dmm's, I think they're maybe a sub brand of HP (which makes all kind of awesome measuring&logging equipment)

There's also a brand called Nieaf-Smitt; which has origins in the Netherlands
There's a brand called chauvin-arnoux, but I think they rebrand Metrix meters (maybe not all models)

kyoritsu- nice dmms etc from japan

Dynatek is (I think) a big manufacturer (you see them over here regularly; probably cheap)

I think that meterman/amprobe also makes nice multimeters

My opinion is that most multimeters are accurate enough (even the really cheap ones) for 'household use', and the difference is usually found in durablilty, quality of test leads (most important part of the meter ), measurement possibilitys (does it do capacitance, inductance, temperature true rms, frequency.... and do you need it?) and service/warranty.

Knowing what you want to measure is the hardest part to decide

wHAT MODELS WOULD do you RECOMMEND?
They seem to have a few. I see 73,85,86,87,110,115,175,179,90210's.....

Depends on what you want to measure; maybe the fluke 115 or 117? (leave the 114/116 (no high amps)!)
I think basic dmm's should have the following specs:
ACV and DCV (both up to min. 500v)
ACamp and DCamp (both up to 10A; ACamp preferably true rms)
Resistance (0,1 - 10M ohm)
Diode-continuity check

Frequency, capacitance, temperature, transistorcheck are all nice but on average less used, and often not so accurate in a dmm; specialist tools sometimes do the job better.

 

[Merkava_4]

I used to have a Metex (asian brand) I really liked (I now use a simple fluke).:
http://www.imetex.com/html/product/product_dmm.asp

Agilent is another brand which makes really nice dmm's, I think they're maybe a sub brand of HP (which makes all kind of awesome measuring&logging equipment)

There's also a brand called Nieaf-Smitt; which has origins in the Netherlands
There's a brand called chauvin-arnoux, but I think they rebrand Metrix meters (maybe not all models)

kyoritsu- nice dmms etc from japan

I downloaded all those PDF's too.

 

[Enloe]

I just bought 2 model 287 Flukes they were pricey but worth it.

 

[Merkava_4]

Check out this DMM - talk about bright! ...

"2000:1 contrast ratio" - yeah, I guess so ...

 

[GuidoK]

I just bought 2 model 287 Flukes they were pricey but worth it.

How much are they on average in the US?
In europe they're prette expensive; a 287 costs about € 550,- (thats about $790,-)
A Fluke 115 costs about € 205,- ($295)

... oh wow, I see online deals in the US for a 287 for about $465,-
That's way better

 

[fatfillup]

I've used a fluke 36 for 15 years and love it. Had it repaired once and it starting to act a little flakey but still works. I really need a meter to do both ac and dc amps(100 plus amps) with a built in clamp and this fluke was the first one I saw that was reasonably priced back then. Most meters were $4oo plus and the fluke was $250 and I have been happy with its performance. That meter rides in my truck so it sees heat, cold and bumps and has held up.

I have a similar mac meter at the shop that I also like but no model number. It was $200 on sale. Have used a similar cman meter that I disliked because it would flash random reading until you actually made good contact. Guy who worked for me bought it and paid $99. but he blew it up trying to test a transformer incorrectly. Glad to see it go.

Yes, I think flukes are worth the money if you are going to use it often.

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

wHAT MODELS WOULD do you RECOMMEND?
They seem to have a few. I see 73,85,86,87,110,115,175,179,90210's.....

Neal,

If you are using it for your auto needs and general household work, take a look at the 88V. It is designed (and marketed) as an auto meter and should last you for years if you take care of it. The only thing wrong with mine is that it took me too long to buy it. Should have gotten one years ago...

 

[volvo420coupe]

I owned a c-man meter through college and got jealous of all the fluke meters very quickly, I bought an 88 as soon as I could (find a good deal) after I was working. I think I paid $100 for just the meter with no leads or case, I have gone through a couple sets of leads so far (name brand) but the meter has never given me a problem.

 

[Enloe]

I ordered 2 from Newark Electronics and they gave me a better price $412 each.

 

[AutoTech]

Neal checkout these guys I think they make the meters for Matco. There good meters tough as nails and very accurate. http://www.esitest.com/

 

[Adam McLaughlin]

I have a Fluke 87 Mark IV that I use for auto diagnoses and a Fluke 8000 that I use on my bench to diagnose transmission specific electronics; I would buy each of them over again if given the chance.

Adam

 

[84TurboBuick]

wHAT MODELS WOULD do you RECOMMEND?
They seem to have a few. I see 73,85,86,87,110,115,175,179,90210's.....

If you look in the new Sears Tool Catalog ( Page 99 ) there is an inset with 6 or 7 meters with all the specs.... its a good way to compare.

 

[kidatari]

I have an older Fluke 77 that I purchased on eBay for ~$50 a few years ago. Tough as nails, and works like a champion. I just wish that the screen was easier to read in low light.

When I was working in aircraft maintenance in the Air Force, all we used were Flukes. Good stuff