Side by Side Comparison of: Etekcity vs Fluke

This product works perfectly. It comes in a nice box which displays the features of the multimeter and the package contents. The package includes the multimeter which is wrapped in plastic, the two leads which are wrapped in plastic as well, and an instruction manual. At first glance, the product may seem confusing with the barrage of symbols decorating the dial. If you are unsure of what anything means, the instruction manual explains the definition of the symbols and gives clear, explicit instructions on everything from changing batteries to measuring AC voltage. It is very important that you read the instruction manual because it outlines several warnings. If you do not abide by these warnings, you risk ruining the device. Thankfully, there aren't too many and they are mostly common sense (DO NOT use leaking batteries). The display is clear and easy to read, and the back light is bright and allows for even easier viewing, though I have not needed it much so far.
The meter itself is accurate and easy to use. Simply rotate the dial to the setting of what you want to measure, and place the leads at the correct point in the circuit. The output is accurate. I gave it a test run with a 5V fixed DC voltage in series with a 100 Ohm resistor, and the resulting current, voltage, and resistance measurements were either spot on or very close, which is understandable.
The only complaint I have is that the hold button, which saves whatever number is displayed on screen, is located on the meter itself, which means it is difficult to press unless you are particularly agile or have 3 hands. It would be much simpler if the button were located on one of the leads, but this flaw is small and relatively easy to work around.
The product works perfectly and is very cheap, so it easily earns 5 stars from me.

I bought this because in my spare time I like to take apart broken electronics and try to see if I can understand how they work and how to fix them. Most of the time I end up breaking the electronics even more. This Multimeter does just what I need, check the voltages around little circuit boards and helps me find what resistors or capacitors have blown. I wouldn't use this if it was a life or death scenario, but it works well with little electronics like the circuit boards of TV's.

I would recommend this to anyone who finds themselves dumpster diving for broken gadgets and trying to spend as little money.

Works just fine, as expected. Remarkable value for the price. I checked it against another comparable meter and the results tracked very closely (of course they may use the same chipset!). My only complaint is that the backlight does not automatically turn off after a few seconds, as on my other meter (Velleman brand) that seems essentially identical to this one by Etekcity. I'd like an automatic shut-off, but that is not an available feature. Some people said that the continuity buzzer does not work, but mine does. My meter had the internal clunking that some purchasers have reported. In my case it was caused by loose fit of the 9V battery in the battery compartment. I had some self-stick felt and used that to tighten up the fit: no more clunking. Some folded-up paper would also have done the trick.

You know, for the price, I wasn't expecting much out of this device, but I was surprised as to how accurate the readings I was getting from it ended up being. I compared it to one of those $200 multimeters, and it was spot on perfect compared to the higher priced one. The hold feature is definitely appreciated, as is the light up display. The leads for this are of good quality. They should hold up for many years.

This instrument was used for measuring electrical output in a science fair project. It was very easy to use, giving us amps and volts for calculating watts. It is unlikely that this instrument will collect dust as we have already found uses around the house such as testing batteries, troubleshooting automotive electrical issues, and continuing to learn about electricity. *Consider safety first when doing ANYTHING with electricity.*

I decided to try on of these cheaper Fluke meters as I don't like my more expensive ones being abused on the road. This one covers almost everything I do on a daily basis so the expensive ones only come out when required.Big and high contrasting display is easily readable, the back light is a nice touch. Included leads are Fluke quality as expected. Great little metter

Since becoming an Electronics/Computer Service Technician (and DIY home electrician) more than 25 years ago I've always known the outstanding quality, constant accuracy and unmatched durability of FLUKE. I've owned a less than stellar DMV that finally gave up the ghost in the middle of an electrical project at my home. I was afforded the opportunity to purchase and excited to receive my new FLUKE 115. Excellent product that performs exactly as advertised. I look forward to many years of service from my new FLUKE 115. I HIGHLY recommend this product to my colleagues, friends, neighbors and YOU!!

Now that I have had a chance to use this meter for a while, I can say I feel it was an excellent purchase. I first brought the meter to work and compared the readings to one of out NIST traceable calibrated meters. The comparisons were well within the meter's specifications. The meter is intuitive to use and the display is easy to read at most angles. Highly recommended.

I have purchased about 6 of these for my lab and for my clients. After various cheaper meters I really appreciate the solid, repeatable measurements year after year from this meter. If you shop you can find this meter for one twenty five or so which is a bargain for a Fluke. Several of the meters have been used in outdoor field work and still look and work like new. I recommend Pomona 5953A probes, especially for PCB work.

Just what I wanted. I used Fluke meters for 25 years. They were our field kit standard meter. I also used to calibrate meters in a government calibration facility. I was amazed at the number of Flukes that passed every test year after year, never needing the first adjustment. I was sold on their quality. And, they're accurate...Recommended. I will buy again...if ever I need another multimeter.

This Digital Multi Meter is perfect for the home do it your selfer and is even a good buy for the professional. I find it to be 100% accurate when tested against other high dollar DMM's. The unit itself is a solid unit, feels good in the hand, not cheap. Has all of the major features that are expected and needed for a good DMM plus a few extras such as a display light. I disagree with a few of the draw backs that I have read here. The display is not hard to read. Even at angles. The test leads are of good quality and do accept accessories that are sold separately such as alligator clips. Everything the add says that the unit comes with was in the package. Including the case. I think what some don't understand is that the yellow jacket around the meter is the case. It comes off to replace batteries and fuse. You can use the unit without it if you like. But it is there to protect it. The vinyl zipper case is what I think some of the posters thought is what comes with it. But this is not so. That is a sold separate accessory. All in all, great unit from Fluke.

A nice little meter for the price. A couple of handy features include a well-designed backlight that can be switched on or off to help save the battery, and a fold-out rear stand that props the meter up at an angle for easier viewing from the bench top.

But a few caveats would have to include the extremely poor contrast of the markings for voltage and current on the front panel of the meter. They’re hard to see since dark green on black just doesn’t show up very well, and in dim light they barely show up at all! A more significant shortcoming is the lack of any useful sensitivity for the AC voltage range. Whereas the DC range offers 200 mV to 500 V full scale readings, the AC range is limited to only 200 V full scale.

Two minor issues are the difficulty in replacing the internal battery since removing the access panel requires use of a number 00 Phillips screwdriver which is smaller than many folks carry in their toolkit. Finally, the meter would be easier to read if the scale multiples were done in decades of 10 rather than the 2 or 20 being used now. It would make the displayed readings less confusing to interpret.

 I bought this to repair my tv. I used it to check for bad fuses. Worked fine. I have to say the test probes felt a bit cheap. And while using the continuity mode, sometimes it does take half a second longer than it should to make a beep sound.

The back light is bright. I don't have anything to compare it to to check for accuracy though but for hobby use, I'm sure it will be fine.

Uses a 9V battery which comes with the unit.

First, I do not use this tool for my profession, or on a regular basis. However I did need to test my car battery and alternator, and I decided to purchase this Etekcity Digital Multimeter for that task. It worked flawlessly. I was able to acquire an accurate test result, and the multimeter worked great. For the price you can not beat this device. For simple home projects I would suggest this tool for the do it yourselfer. The tool comes in a nice small package so it will fit into any small tool box. hope this helps. thanks

Great for the price. Includes the 9V battery needed to operate, so you can use it right out of the box. Measures everything you see on the dial on in the picure: DC Current up to 10A, Resistance 200 Ohms, AC/DC Voltage up to 500 V, checks for continuity (with audible beep), and transistors. Includes leads, has a backlight, and the ability to "hold" or freeze a measurement on the screen until you clear it (or turn it off). The red rubber casing is a nice touch, in case you drop it, and the DMM has a flip out stand on the back. If you are looking for an affordable DMM, you can't really beat this one.

AC, DC, and Oms. I'm no electronics specialist and this is my first multimeter I've ever purchased. for the price it does a all around good job if you aren't a pro. So I would recommend it. But it might not be for everyone, especially a pro. I wish the prods that came with it also came with clasps since you practically need four arms to hold the two wires, the multimeter, and the cable and/or ports you are trying to test.

Watch a couple of YouTube tutorials before you use this or you might hurt yourself. The instructions aren't really clear.

I bought this to help test components eg diodes, transistors (NPN/PNP) and finally.. capacitors, all worked pretty much except for caps it will give you the values correctly but the final test should be with an ESR meter as the fluke provided accurate capacitance but he ESR meter diagnosed a defective component that other wise you would have thought was good

Yes, there is a bit of delay due to the auto ranging feature, but having a very precise easy to interpret read-out makes the delay acceptable. Also, the display is a little faded if you must view it from straight-on and pretty much unreadable if your eyes must be above straight-on (especially with the backlight on). This can be a nuisance, but more often than not one is looking at the display from below straight-on and under that condition the contrast is excellent. If using the built-in stand causes you to be looking down on the display, close it and lay the meter flat on the ground or your work table or similar. The large display lets you look at it from an angle (below straight-on) and still have amply sized digits.I don't have a way to test accuracy, but I think mine is reading high by about 2% high. Fresh 1.5 V alkaline batteries read 1.62 volts on this meter while they have always read 1.59 V on my previous meters (a Craftsman and a cheapy from Harbor Freight). Any comments on this would be welcome. Have alkaline batteries changed? Were my old meters reading slightly low?The meter feels rugged and I think will last far longer than any less costly meters I've had in a long time.

Fluke is the Toyota of multimeters.It means that 10 years from now, it will still be working just fine and most importantly, it still will be accurate.The meter does not have a mA current range, which other meters in this price range incorporate.

Just got this meter. I wish it had included the elementary magnetic strap instead of a piece of parer asking for me to order more stuff. Just an extradelay and silly inconvenience. I will be using it in a few days. The thumb wheel is a good feature.

If you deal with lithium-ion batteries in either your work or hobby, you are taking a big risk by not using a Fluke!I work with various li-ion chemstries, from the unstable yet powerful LiCo02 to the extremely safe LiFePo4. Many aren't aware that li-ion can have slightly different internal chemistries trading safety for power-density.In either case, because of the very narrow range of operational voltages, getting that voltage right contributes to battery safety and long life, which is something you can't trust with a cheap multimeter.Hobbiests: don't be unsafe. Use a Fluke for reliable, accurate, and repeatable performance year after year. I'm not a salesman, but an owner that does not want to take chances with batteries so powerful. Around li-ion, I need to trust in my tools. I've found that the 115 will do the job.

I've used Fluke meters at work for quite a while. This one works just like the older ones in that it gets quick readings but the biggest issue I've seen is the display. It works, but it has a viewing angle problem where the digits are not perfectly clear looking straight on like one would expect. Instead on needs to look at an angle to get decent contrast with the LCD display. Not too big of a deal but it's the largest weakness I've seen with it.

I bought this two years ago and just finally get around to using it. A project I wanted to work on was put on hold due to school. Anyways, I noticed permanent marker on the bottom and toward the left center. I start to scratch it off. One covered a CE logo (Used to approve products being sold in Europe) and Excel (Actual company that made it). Doing a search online it's an Excel XL830L Digital 3 1/2 LCD Voltmeter Ammeter Ohmmeter Multimeter Black & Yellow.

The bottomline here...make sure you double check your order to ensure it is what it is. Blacking out logos is some shady business practices so I'd say give them a pass completely. I gave it three stars as the product works even after two years and used it once to test a battery. I'll be using it more with Arduino projects and hope it continues to work...if not, no bother, I'm currently eyeing a MasTech ms8229 or other sub $50 equivalent.

This is a good starter multimeter. It's got all the basic functions of a multimeter, especially for small-electronics type hobbies and/or repair. It's easy enough to figure out how to use it, although the included instructions were also nice. The backlight works fine, although I never used it. Audible continuity tester is ok. I don't use one of the uber-expensive models at work, so I don't know if it's too quiet in comparison or not. It was fine for my workshop, as long as the kids weren't around. It even has an hFE transistor tester, which I never used.

However, I knocked down my rating because when the inevitable happened and the 200 mA fuse blew while measuring current through my project, I popped off the back to replace the fuse. Only to discover that it's not what you would call a field-replacable unit. The fuse (tiny) is soldered into the board, and I have not found the same fuses anywhere. So it will now become my back-up multimeter. And I'm in search of a replacement. It'd be nice if you could sort by whether or not the fuses are replaceable.

It works....after I installed a new battery. Only took a glance to diagnose the problem noting the switch was in the ON position as well as the light switch set to ON. Oddly packaged, too, like put in the product box with no interior packaging. I think the product is OK but the circumstances seem a little fishy. Perhaps a return? Could it be a refurb? Maybe the work of a disgruntled employee?

This is a cheap multimeter, and there is a reason why. I got about 3 weeks worth of use out of mine before it smoked. It still reads volts and resistance, but does not read current anymore. It just suddenly quit reading current shortly after I loaned it out. It read current before and (yes, and) after I gave it to them, but when I got to class the next day, it would no longer read current. We tried replacing the fuse, and still got nothing. I am not too upset because it was a cheap multimeter. Had this been a $25+ one, I would be a little pissed. It is a little more of an inconvenience than anything else right now. As a multimeter, it would be a 1/5 if it weren't for the price being so lo. That is why it is a 3 for me. It was decent quality for $9 while it lasted. My advice: if you are going to be using your multimeter for a long time, spend a little more on it. Flukes are the best, but are harder to work with and have expensive fuses. I recommend getting something in the $20-$30 range, that is what I am getting now.

It is not the same quality as other Fluke multimeters. The test probes, which normally are very flexible, in the 115 are hard. Also (and it is my fault I did not notice) it does not have the ability to measure mA. I think other manufacturers, for this price, offer something superior. I will stick in the future only to high-end products from Fluke. This lower-priced options are disappointing.

I would rate Five stars but there is a bit of False advertising here. I read that I would also recieve a carrying case, nothing fancy but something I could use to carry around the multimeter. I didn't get any sort of case so I claim a small bit of false advertising. Other than that, its amazing

I purchased one of these a few days ago. It appears to work okay. But the banana plug on the black test lead that came with the meter is so loose that I am going to have to replace the test leads. Also, the finish on the front panel is not very good, looks like bad quality control on the plastic.Since the test leads were no good, I ordered a set of Fluke TL71 test leads. One of the probes was badly warped. I am returning them.It seems like Fluke has forgotten how to do quality control.

Recived fully functional meter on time. The meter's packaging had been broken open when dropped during distribution process and there were brown scuff marks on the case of the meter. Also the backing card was put in backwards and upside down. product specs were not visible. Over all I am pleased with the product. Just one request though......dust it off if you drop it!

The AC285 clips don't fit the test leads that come with the 115 meter? What do I need?

The purchasing process threw Amazon was excellent. My other purchases and this item came ahead of schedule, even at this time of year. The representative was cordial and patient, even though we had a hard time understanding each other. Now to the nitty-gritty. I have used different brand multimeters for a number of years. Traditionally Fluke DMMs have been top on my list for accuracy and durability. After researching Amazon for a new DMM, it was a choice between the Fluke 115 and the 117. In the descriptions the 115 came with a "holster" and the 117 did not. My final choice was the 115. I called Amazon in reference to the missing "holster". The Amazon representative finally explained to me that the "holster" for the 115 was the "yellow covering". My question is does one have to buy the yellow "protective" covering AND a "case" for the 117 or does "holster" in the description mean "case" ? My understanding is that "case" and "holster" are synonymous. In the 117 description, it implies that case and holster are synonymous. Could even a legal representative read the descriptions and figure it out? I now understand? but don't like the way words are twisted. After this agitation I'll probably go to a box store and pick up a "case". That might be a better solution anyway. With a "X" brand case I'm not announcing to the world that I've got an expensive DMM inside. I haven't used this multimeter enough to tell if it lives up to it's reputation.

Dial broke after a month.

Used it twice for simple household testing of batteries etc. It died 1 week out to of the Amazon return period. You get what you pay for move on to something with a bid more quality so it works when you need it.

upon arival i notice it had something loose inside, reluctantly i remover the two small philips screws to try and avoid the hassle of sending it back. i found a metal 1/8 inch ball. if i left it in there it could have shorted the internal elictric circuits. I have no idea what it was in there for, everything seems to be working, im giving it 2 stars for poor assembly. te backlight is a good feature, i will be using this in the automotive feild to test continuit, resistance, voltage, and amperage for parisitic draw tests. seems good enough o do the jobas longas i donoksomething up wrong and fry it like the last one.

I REALLY LIKED IT AT FIRST UNTIL I REALLY NEEDED IT!!! TO CHECK (IGNITION COIL) FOR Resistance.THAT IS WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT IT DID NOT READ Resistance!!! BECAUSE IT WAS A FEW MONTHS PASS THE RETURN WINDOW AMAZON SAID I WAS OUT OF LUCK AND THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE IT I WAS NOT SEEKING A REFUND SIMPLY ONE THAT WOULD WORK PROPERLY :O( I KNEW IT WAS MADE IN CHINA WHEN I PURCHASED IT,BUT ATLEAST GIVE ME ONE THAT WORKS. AFTER READING THE REVIEWS I TOOK A CHANCE ON IT.... GENERALLY A NICE ITEM TO HAVE AROUND THE GARAGE.

I received this multi-tester in October. It's not the only one I own. I probably used it a dozen times and the probe separated from the lead wire. The wires don't even show any sign of solder. I had hoped this would be a good product but sadly that's not so.

broke after third use.....red tip fell off

I have always sworn by Fluke as the best meter out there. I did until today, when my Fluke 115 I received as a gift in 2009 (from an Amazon wishlist) failed with the EEPR error code. Their website stated there was a flat fee for repair so I called to find out what it is. $141 is the fee. Which is $2 MORE than Amazon charges for a new one. That's not repair. I'm still in shock.So, I am reevaluating my relationship with Fluke. My 5 units at work will probably not be replaced with Fluke meters when they fail. My personal meter will probably not be replaced with a Fluke. How is this considered good business practice?

I want to like this more, but it was one of only a couple of "big" items that I bought for my boyfriend for Christmas. Our problem with it is that it came without the leads it promises in the package. I don't know if there was some sort of packaging error or not--because there is a space in the package for leads to go--but it was empty in ours. Hopefully this won't happen to you, but, it is super frustrating for us. Let me be clear that I'm not talking about the mailing packaging but the actual package that the multi-meter itself is in. This is not a review of how the item was mailed, but a review of how it left the factory.

The meter was sent with no padding in the box. The hard plastic package was open, and broken on an opposite corner.The meter did not look pristine and factory fresh because the film which covers the LCD contained air and dust bubbles. I am certain someone removed and applied it again, most likely after it left the factory.Meanwhile, Amazon arranged a pickup by UPS and made the return very easy.

Electronics is my hobby and I tried to upgrade my aging cheap Radio Shack 42-range multimeter, and thought it would be nice to go with a well know brand (even though it costs 3 times more)... oh boy, that was a mistake.Pros:- Seem to be well built Fluke quality.Cons:- Very poor display contrast. It works fairly well at 90 degrees (looking straight down at the display) or when looking at an angle from below. It is completely unreadable from sides or when looking at the angle from the top. I thought I had a lemon, and went to store and checked another Fluke 117 (similar model to 115). Same issue there.- No uA or mA range. With amperes you'll get as low as 0.001A = 1 mA (with an error of +/-4 mA or so).- For whatever reason diode voltage is limited to 2V... not suitable for testing LEDs.Other thoughts:- Maybe I am so disappointed because I had too high expectations, and didn't carefully check all the specs before buying the multimeter... but come on... display problems and no uA or mA range?- Too bad Fluke doesn't make affordable ($100-$200 range) multimeters for electronics use (uA/mA, LED)... or at least doesn't sell them in US. Will need to return this one and get some another brand... I am not going to pay $300+ for high end Fluke.

I tried 3 of these and they just dont have the same quality as the 87V - Key issue for me was the probe tips - on the continuity test they conducted poorly which would affect other measurements as well. I ended up getting an 87V and havent looked back. There is a big price difference but it's the last meter I will ever own. Plus I dont question the accuracy of the 87V.

After much research I decided to purchase the Fluke 115 thru Amazon.com. I received the meter a few days ago. Included in the package was the multimeter, the yellow holster and the 2 electrical test leads. It DID NOT include a user's manual, which per the product description, was to be included.When I placed my order I used the Amazon.com system to request that all items noted in the product description be included when shipped to me. This obviously did not make any difference at all. When I spoke with an Amazon.com representative after I received my order, they were fundamentally indifferent. Their statement was to contact Fluke to get the user's manual.I subsequently have contacted Fluke and got the manual electronicaly. I have also contacted Fotronics Corporation thru whom the purchase was acually made. They told me they will send me a manual. As it turns out the purchase was thru Fotronics Corporation with the shipping being from the Amazon.com warehouse.I would have rated the purchase as a 5 if everything had been included. I am lucky nothing else was missing (as another customer has noted in their review). For this much money, everything should have been included ! (p.s. the meter itself is great)UPDATE: I received the User's manual today (12/22/2011) in the mail from Fotronics Corp. The manual is in new condition.

Too often we just accept poor quality. This has to be a cheap knockoff from China, or some such description. I bought two because of the great price and pretty good reviews. But just when you go to depend on it, the cheap probe wire plug-ins fail on you. Nothing more frustrating when troubleshooting continuity and you find it is your meter probes, not an open in your circuit. This occurs where the probe wire connects to the meter. The female socket metal and the male plug metal are so cheap they bend and don't make tight contact. The frustration became so great on both meters they went in the can - a few weeks ago. I wasn't going to say anything, but came home today with another completely different brand, an analog this time, that looked JUST like the old one I had years ago that lasted me 20 years or more. And right out of the box - same probe problem. Sure enough, back of the unit says made in China. That one today was $10 at one home center and $20 at another. I should have looked closer. Guess I'll have to shell out some bigger bucks. You get what you pay for. Piece of sh!t.

Unfortunately junk. Stopped working just outside of my 30 day return window through Amazon. I just don't know what happened. One day working, the next, nothing. It has power and I've tried other batteries, but to no avail. I recommend you stay away. Maybe I'll look into a replacement with the vendor directly.

Came DOA that's fine they mass produce these and it was 11.00. Since it was very impractical to return, I don't currently live in the US I took it apart to find out why all the solder joints were plain S***, I mean I trust a four year old more with a permanent marker than the person who soldered this together every single component had cracking solder joints, not enough solder. it was nightmarish. I'm surprised this company makes anything that works. I have bought these before (...) they are twice the quality half the price and dont feel as cheap in your hand. I wish I could say you get what you paid for but this product sucks, and next time ill borrow the fluke from work.

Guess I got the lemon. Most other reviews are good. First the battery was dead when received (what more would you expect from a battery with the trade name "Colorful"). Now I cannot get any consistency in voltage readings. Sometimes it reads voltage, sometimes it does not. When it does read voltage it sometimes oscillates between 100V and 170V. Sometimes it settles down and is OK. Problem is I never know what is going to happen so there is no confidence in the readings. I suspect a bad internal connection. My quandary is I purchased three as Christmas presents for my children. Now I have one to return and I am wondering if the other two are really safe for the other children to use.

I bought one of these. It was defective on arrival. The display said "333" regardless of the selected range or tested condition. Amazon replaced it. The new one worked just long enough to last through the 30-day return period. Shortly after the return period expired, this one broke. It too says "333' regardless of the selected range or tested condition.

It failed on the first use. I used it to measure a current ranging from 30-700 milliAmps (using the 10 Amp setting). It successfully measured it. However, after that measurement, a number got stuck on the screen, and it wouldn't read any further measurements. Also, the unit feels cheap like a toy. I don't recommend this item at all. Buy a real multimeter.

spent an extra $100 to get the multimeter calibrated ... however the calibration is only good for one more month instead of a year ... beware

Used once. Put in toolbox. Item no longer works.

Bad deal

Obviously a cheap imported approximation of what used to be a world class product. DOA.

Fluke is a great manufacturer, but the models 115 and 117 are a realy bad multimeter. If you measure ac voltage with more than 1500 HZ. The error is big. I work in a electonic lab. And i using all the time a fluke calibrator to certified this issue.

Shipping was fantastic, 1 day.However, I Had To snd the product back as it was missing parts that rendered it inoperable.