Popular Multimeter Brands Ranked Worst To Best (According To Reviews)

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A multimeter is a versatile tool used primarily for measuring voltage, resistance, and continuity. Mechanics use multimeters when working on cars to ensure components are getting or producing the correct voltage and to check the continuity of wiring in the search for broken wires or poor contacts. Some multimeters include a function that allows testing batteries, so you can make sure that battery is actually dead before tossing it out.

Testing a car's 12-volt system, continuity of wires, and the efficacy of single-use batteries doesn't necessarily require a state-of-the-art multimeter, although investing in a unit that'll return accurate values is advisable. Safety becomes an issue when testing higher voltages, such as those electricians are likely to encounter. That's why it's important to use a quality multimeter, and why it's not a good idea to even have a cheap no-name unit in your tool kit.

Popular multimeter brands, such as Fluke, Klein, Kobalt, Commercial Electric, and Cen-Tech, offer models that span the electrical testing needs and budgets of hobbyists, serious DIYers, and professionals. We'll take a look at user reviews and prices of some of the most popular multimeter brands and models, and rank them from worst to best. However, keep in mind that even the worst brand on our list is better than some of the no-name brands you can find.

You'll have to shop at Lowe's to find this one because you won't find Kobalt tools at Home Depot, since it's a Lowe's in-house brand. You'll find six different Kobalt multimeter models at Lowe's with prices ranging from $17.68 to $69.98. The most popular Kobalt multimeter, model DT-103 with a digital display, sells for $24.99. It's intended to measure up to 500 volts of alternating (AC) or direct current (DC) and has a safety rating of 600 volts at CAT II and a CAT III rating of 300 volts.

User reviews (78 total) on Lowe's website give the DT-103 Kobalt Digital Display Multimeter an average rating of 4.1 (out of 5) stars, with 74% of customers recommending the product. Overall, 62% of reviewers give the Kobalt multimeter a 5-star rating with another 17% awarding it four stars, saying it "works great," is a "good value," and that it's a "great meter." However, even some positive reviews report dissatisfaction with the meter's non-standard battery.

Some users expressed frustration that the Kobalt multimeter doesn't come with batteries included. That frustration increased when they had to purchase relatively expensive (compared to AA batteries at least) 23A 12-volt alkaline batteries, found on Amazon in a 4-pack for $5.99. To make matters worse, users complain that the Kobalt DT-103 multimeter doesn't have an auto-shut-off feature to conserve the battery.

Cen-Tech manufactures Harbor Freight's highest-rated multimeters. However, the discount tool retailer only carries two Cen-Tech multimeter models: an auto-ranging 14-function digital multimeter with sound level and luminosity capability priced at $79.99, and the company's top-rated CM300, a manual-ranging 9-function digital multimeter with audible continuity, for $19.99. The Harbor Freight Cen-Tech CM300 measures up to 600 volts of AC or DC voltage with a CAT III 600V safety rating. In addition to expected features such as resistance and battery testing, the CM300 includes non-contact voltage testing. As a bonus, the CM300 comes with the two AAA batteries that are required for operation.

The CM300 multimeter has 723 customer reviews on Harbor Freight's website to date, resulting in an average of 4.7 stars on a 5-star scale. A respectable 97% of customers who left a review said they would recommend it. Users mentioned the meter's price, ease of use, quality, and value as attributes they like best. Positive reviews also commented on the meter's automatic shut-off feature, easy-to-read LCD screen, and accuracy.

Negative reviews found fault with the meter's non-contact voltage-sensing sensitivity, DC voltage readings, and unreliable capacitance measurements. Others said the test leads were inadequate, although Harbor Freight's response to one review mentions removing the leads' protective caps reveals longer probes.

While you might be familiar with some of the tool and supply brands owned by Home Depot, Commercial Electric is another brand found exclusively at the big box retailer. Home Depot carries six variations of Commercial Electric-branded multimeters priced from $59.97 down to the two lowest-priced models at $16.98. Home Depot's most popular Commercial Electric multimeter, model DMM-8301, is available for $29.97 as a stand-alone model or as part of a Technician Maintenance Kit for $49.97. The DMM-8301 is a CAT III 600-volt AC/DC, true-RMS, manual-ranging, digital multimeter. It uses TRMS (True-Root Mean Square) calculations to provide accurate voltage measurements, even with distorted AC waveforms. While its digital readout is easy to read accurately, it requires manual range settings to work properly.

With 69 user reviews on its Home Depot product page, the Commercial Electric DMM-8301 multimeter has a 4.5-star rating. The Technician Kit has an additional 43 reviews with an average of 4.7 stars, with 100% of customers purchasing just the meter or the kit recommending its purchase to others. Positive reviews use phrases like "nice, well built, accurate digital multimeter," "great multimeter," and "good product for home use." In addition, users find the Commercial Electric DMM-8301 "accurate and easy to use" and are pleased that it uses and comes with two AAA batteries. Negative reviews reveal a few instances where the meter didn't work right out of the box. Another found the selector switch didn't match the actual function it activated on the meter; for example, the switch set to ohms displayed DC voltage on the meter.

If you've shopped for multimeters outside of Harbor Freight, you've no doubt stumbled across Klein Tools multimeters, as they are carried by The Home Depot, Lowe's, and Ace Hardware. User opinions of Klein Tools multimeters vary depending on which model they selected and their intended use of that tool. For example, Lowe's sells 17 Klein Tools multimeter variations, including a manual-ranging 600V digital unit for $29.98 and a $179.99 AC auto-ranging TRMS, digital, clamp meter. The Klein Tools MM420 auto-ranging multimeter is the highest-rated Klein Tools multimeter at Home Depot ($69.97) and Ace Hardware ($64.99). The $29.98 manual-ranging MM325 ranks as the highest-rated Klein Tools multimeter at Lowe's.

The MM325 and MM420 multimeters from Klein Tools feature CAT III 600V safety ratings, are built to withstand 2-meter drops, and are designed for testing residential, business, and light-industrial electrical systems. However, the MM420's auto-ranging TRMS technology makes it more accurate than the MM325. The Klein Tools MM420 multimeter from Home Depot has an average user rating of 4.7 stars with 203 reviews at the time of this writing. Of those users responding, 83% would recommend the MM420. Those leaving positive reviews consistently appreciated the meter's easy-to-use auto-ranging features, as well as its reliable performance, price point, and accuracy.

While only 12 of the 203 reviews award the MM420 fewer than 4 stars, there are some issues worth noting. The most common reported user issues include difficulty reading the screen in brightly lit environments, selector knob damage or rough operation, and inaccurate temperature readings.

Home Depot and Lowe's each have 13 listings for Fluke multimeters. The highest priced model is the $1,389.14 Fluke 789 Process Meter from Home Depot, while the Fluke 15B+ Digital Display Multimeter from Lowe's sits at the other end of the scale, normally priced at $129.99, but sometimes on sale for $109.99. The affordable 15B+ Digital Multimeter is the most popular Fluke model at Lowe's. For comparison, the Fluke 117 Electrician's True-RMS Multimeter is Home Depot's most popular Fluke meter, priced at $217.33. Both meters have CAT III 600V safety ratings, TRMS auto-ranging voltage measuring systems, and fill the role as an essential tool for DIY engine maintenance on your vehicle.

The Fluke 15B+ has 15 reviews on Home Depot's website, all 5-star ratings, and eight reviews on Lowe's, seven of which are 5-star and one 4-star. The only drawback to the Fluke 15B+, according to reviews, is its lack of features compared to higher-end Fluke meters. However, the reviewers who mention this deficit also say they don't need the extra complexity. 

Like the Fluke 15B+, the Fluke 117 Electrician's True-RMS Digital Multimeter is sold at Lowe's and Home Depot, although it's priced higher at Lowe's at $281.99. The Fluke 117 has 104 reviews at Lowe's and 117 at Home Depot. Both retail site reviews give it an average of 4.9 stars. Positive reviews mention its easy-to-use design, build quality, and accuracy. The few negative reviews focus on the display's narrow viewing angle, its subpar test leads, and missing features for the price point.

The first hurdle for putting together this list of multimeters was determining which brands were popular among the multitude of multimeter offerings on the market. While we're sure we've omitted someone's favorite brand, we made an effort to include brands that are readily available either online or in-store at popular retail outlets.

Once the brands were chosen, we dug deep into the review sections of retailers that carry them to find a variety of popular models that met the needs of DIYers and professionals alike, where applicable. Of course, not every multimeter has the features required by everyone, especially those meters on the lower end of the price range.