What Brand Is Harbor Freight's Highest Rated Multimeter & How Much Does It Cost?
Having a solid multimeter is imperative for various types of work but it's not always necessary to have a massively expensive one if your readings are not a life-or-death situation, be it figuratively or literally. When shopping for budget tools, it's virtually impossible not to turn your eyes toward Harbor Freight. When you do, you'll see that America's favorite discount tool supplier has a myriad of multimeter options that span a wide range of prices. Surprisingly enough, though, the highest-rated offering is one of the most budget-friendly.
The Cen-Tech 9-Function Digital Multimeter with Audible Continuity is the highest-rated offering and costs only $19.99. You might be surprised by its features, too. Despite its reasonable price tag, this multimeter might be the exact companion you're looking for, whether you're a hobbyist working on your car or small electronics or you're a professional electrician. As one might expect, and is the case with many brands, Cen-Tech is available exclusively through Harbor Freight. It's a brand that makes a myriad of tools related to electricity, like battery chargers, scales, and wiring components.
Cen-Tech 9-Function Digital Multimeter with Audible Continuity
This Cen-Tech digital multimeter from gets a 4.8-star overall customer rating, with 100 percent of polled customers stating they'd recommend it, making it the highest-customer-rated multimeter from Harbor Freight. The next-highest-rated multimeter from Harbor Freight has a 4.5-star rating and costs nearly five times as much, so it seems that the Cen-Tech offering is a solid balance between functional and affordable.
It's a compact unit with two 42-inch test probes (including the cables) and reasonably simple controls. It has a high-accuracy 6000-count backlit display and a data hold mode that retains displayed information after completing a test. Thanks to its CAT III 600V safety rating, it can measure AC/DC voltage up to 600 volts and capacitance to 10,000 microfarad. As one might expect of a basic multimeter, it can measure DC, resistance, and diode. It also has an audible alert to confirm continuity.
Harbor Freight's website advises comparing this multimeter to the Klein Tools MM300 multimeter, which costs $34.82.
Cen-Tech 9-Function Multimeter vs. Klein Tools MM300
The Klein Tools MM300 multimeter also has a CAT III 600V safety rating, meaning it can measure up to 600 volts. Like the Cen-Tech offering, it meets all the very basic multimeter requirements, such as measuring direct current, resistance, diodes, and continuity.
The Klein multimeter's significant advantage is its robust housing, built to withstand drops up to 3.3 feet and daily wear and tear. This attribute is more suited for professional use, but it might be an advantage worth considering if you're particularly hard on your tools.
Ultimately, these fairly basic multimeters are well-suited for general DIY electrical use and hobbyists. They are quite comparable in functionality, and likely both do exactly what basic users would need them to do. However, if you're looking to shop the most budget-oriented and aren't too concerned about destructive use habits, the Cen-Tech model from Harbor Freight and its high customer rating seem quite appealing.