New multimeter recommendations?

kenrhodes

Looking for a new multimeter. I have had some cheep ones in the past all under $100, ok at best. Where I work we have a mix of multimeters from Extech, BK precision, Keysight, and Fluke.
All of the above brands have served us well, the Extechs are clearly not as nice as the other brands. The BK stuff seems to be the best mix of value and accuracy, I'm strongly considering the 393.
https://www.bkprecision.com/products/multimeters/393-true-rms-handheld-digital-multimeter-with-usb-interface.html

Please let me know what you would recommend.

PWRRYD

At work I use my trusty Fluke 87V for most things. It is the cat's PJ's. I also have a much cheaper Fluke 116. It is smaller and I use it when I've got to work in one of our less than clean areas. It works great except it can't do everything the 87V can. Both of those meters are part of our NADCAP calibration program so they get sent out for NIST calibration every year. The cal reports have never indicated they were out of spec.

At home I have a Fluke 117 and it does everything I could ever need for home improvement projects, my automotive hobby, or DIY speaker building. I think I picked it up on Amazon Prime for around $130 all in. It is a solid meter.

I've used Beckmann and BK precision stuff before and they seem solid too.

Does the BK come with a protective rubber case? I've dropped my Flukes several times and they have never been damaged.

dcibel

Fluke are made to survive construction abuse and being dropped from ceiling height onto concrete. For home hobby use maybe not as necessary to have a Fluke. The BK linked above looks fine, I would also have a close look at Greenlee for a decent cost/performance .

Wolf

I have a GB that I've had 20 yrs, and it's served me well. I acquired a fancier Talema recently, and it does a little more than the GB, and it's my secondary unit. I also have the Mastech LC meter. All 3 have the rubber bump sleeve.

4thtry

I recently purchased a new Extech EX530 to replace one of my two older digital multimeters. It has a drop proof case and will measure capacitance up to 40,000uF. Seems OK, but I have limited experience with really good meters for comparison purposes.

6thplanet

I've had a Fluke 10 for bout 25 years, it has the cover on it and has never let me down. I've used 87's for work forever, pretty much the standard for multimeters. That said, BK makes some nice stuff as well.

Tom_S

I have an ancient Fluke 8026 that that I bought at a surplus store for $15 over 20 years ago. Not auto-ranging, but it still works just fine. I bought a Amprobe meter earlier this year. They are somehow affiliated with Fluke. I got the AM-530 and the only downside for me is that it's a little slow to read resistance and it defaults to AC on the voltage setting. I need to measure DC far more often than AC.

kenrhodes

The meter I am shopping for will mostly be used for bench work. For in chassis/fieldwork I will use my newly acquired Klein MM700.
The BK has a rubbery coating on the outside but not the same as the bumper sleeves that are on most service meters. We have a lesser model BK at work that has been in use for 8-10 years and it has held up great to daily use and the occasional drop. I would assume that the 393 linked would be just as robust if not better.
The Fluke 87 is an interesting option, it has been the gold standard for sooooooo long. The Fluke 179 and 177 both look like great options as well.
If the specs are all accurate the BK or a Bryman (eevblog) should outperform the Fluke 87. It seems to me the value in the Fluke 87 is in the fact that it is the "standard" not that it is the best.
It seems like analysis paralysis has set in and any meter mentioned will suit me fine for a long time. I will sleep on it and decide this week. in the meantime keep the recommendations coming,