Top 5 compared
The best multimeters
Check for a flat car battery, a blown fuse or a broken wire before calling anyone out.
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The top 5 at a glance
A multimeter is a handheld tester that measures voltage, current and resistance through a pair of probes, and beeps when a wire or fuse is unbroken. It goes back to the AVOmeter, devised in the 1920s by British Post Office engineer Donald Macadie and named for the amps, volts and ohms it measured.
The safety rating (CAT II or III, and a voltage) is the maker’s own. Fluke’s advice is to choose a meter rated for the highest category it could be used in: CAT II covers plug-in appliances and sockets, CAT III distribution panels and branch circuits. For work on the wiring itself, Electrical Safety First’s advice is that electrical work should be left to competent professionals.
What matters
- Auto-ranging, so the meter picks the scale itself.
- True RMS, for AC readings from electronics, dimmers and motors.
- A backlit screen, easy to read in poor light.
- Capacitance, temperature or a non-contact live-wire check, if the jobs need them.
#1AstroAI AM33D Digital Multimeter
Under £10
A simple, sturdy first meter for car batteries, fuses, sockets and household batteries, with a backlit screen for dim corners and a rubber cover that takes the knocks.
What owners say: Owners say it’s ready to go straight from the box, battery already fitted, and find it dependable for car and low-voltage checks.
A closer look: Ranges are chosen by hand, so set the dial to the one just above the voltage expected, then step down if the screen shows only a digit or two. Current is DC only, which covers car circuits and battery-powered projects but not mains appliances.
- Continuity buzzer and diode test
- Data hold
- Auto power-off
- Protective rubber cover
Best for: Car and battery checks
- Display counts
- 2,000
- Auto-ranging
- No
- True RMS
- No
- Safety rating
- CAT II 500V
- Current
- DC only, to 10A
- Also measures
- Basics only
- Backlight
- Yes
#2Crenova MS8233D Digital Multimeter
£20–£30
Home and car jobs in one meter: rated CAT III 600V, with a 6,000-count screen, auto-ranging with a manual override, and AC current, capacitance and a non-contact live-wire check on top of the basics.
What owners say: Owners like getting crocodile clips as well as probes, plus a protective case and a manual written in clear English.
A closer look: Clip the crocodile leads on to a car battery or a circuit board and both hands stay free for the dial and the screen. Start on auto-range for anything unfamiliar and let the meter choose the scale; the RANGE button holds one scale when a reading keeps jumping between them.
- Crocodile clip leads
Best for: Sockets and circuit boards
- Display counts
- 6,000
- Auto-ranging
- Plus manual
- True RMS
- No
- Safety rating
- CAT III 600V
- Current
- AC and DC, to 10A
- Also measures
- Capacitance, Hz, NCV
- Backlight
- Yes
#3Fluke 117 Electrician’s Multimeter
Over £300
An electrician’s meter: true RMS, rated CAT III 600V, and a VoltAlert tip that lights and beeps near a live cable before the probes go anywhere near it. A low-impedance mode stops stray ‘ghost’ voltages on a dead circuit from fooling the reading.
What owners say: Owners find it accurate, dependable and built to last for years, and rate the live-wire alert; a few think the display feels cheaper than the price suggests, and some find it pricey.
A closer look: Hold the top of the meter against a socket or cable and VoltAlert flashes and beeps if it’s live, a quick check before anything comes apart. On the Auto Volt setting it picks AC or DC by itself, and LoZ is the one to use on wiring that should be dead. It runs on a single 9V battery, which Fluke rates at about 400 hours without the backlight.
- Auto Volt picks AC/DC
- Runs on a 9V battery
- About 400 hours without backlight
Best for: Electricians and serious DIY
- Display counts
- 6,000
- Auto-ranging
- Yes
- True RMS
- Yes
- Safety rating
- CAT III 600V
- Current
- AC and DC, to 10A
- Also measures
- Capacitance, Hz, NCV, LoZ
- Backlight
- Yes
#4VENLAB VM-600A True RMS Multimeter
£20–£30
More ranges for bigger jobs: true RMS, rated CAT III 600V and CAT II 1000V, current up to 20A, and temperature with the thermocouple in the box, for heating, solar and car work as well as the house.
What owners say: Owners coming from older meters find it a step up, solidly built and quick to read at a glance.
A closer look: The magnet on the back holds it to a boiler casing, radiator or car panel, leaving both hands for the probes. Plug in the thermocouple for temperature, handy for checking a radiator or a boiler’s flow pipe, and switch on the backlight for readings in a dark cupboard.
- Magnet holds it to radiators
- Hanging hole
Best for: Boilers, radiators and solar work
- Display counts
- 6,000
- Auto-ranging
- Yes
- True RMS
- Yes
- Safety rating
- CAT III 600V, CAT II 1000V
- Current
- AC and DC, to 20A
- Also measures
- Capacitance, temp, Hz, NCV
- Backlight
- Yes
#5ULTRICS Digital Multimeter (UT0021YB)
Under £10
A no-frills meter for batteries, fuses, bulbs and small electronics, with a transistor tester for hobby work and a fold-out stand so it sits up on the bench.
What owners say: Owners find it simple to use and easy to read, and accurate enough for home and hobby projects.
Heads up: ULTRICS doesn’t give it a CAT safety category, and Fluke’s advice is to use a meter rated for the highest category of circuit it will be used on.
A closer look: Readings on the 10A socket are for quick checks: ULTRICS specifies no more than 10 seconds at a time. A transistor’s legs go straight into the hFE socket on the front, a quick way to sort parts from a hobby box.
- Fold-out stand
- Diode test
Best for: Batteries and hobby electronics
- Display counts
- 1,999
- Auto-ranging
- No
- True RMS
- No
- Safety rating
- Not stated
- Current
- DC only, to 10A
- Also measures
- Transistors (hFE)
- Backlight
- Yes
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1AstroAI AM33D | #2Crenova MS8233D | #3Fluke 117 | #4VENLAB VM-600A | #5ULTRICS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Runner-up | Best premium | Most features | ||
| Picked Rating | 9.2 | 9.1 | 9.1 | 9.1 | 8.9 |
| Price | Under £10 | £20–£30 | Over £300 | £20–£30 | Under £10 |
| Display counts | 2,000 | 6,000 | 6,000 | 6,000 | 1,999 |
| Auto-ranging | No | Plus manual | Yes | Yes | No |
| True RMS | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Safety rating | CAT II 500V | CAT III 600V | CAT III 600V | CAT III 600V, CAT II 1000V | Not stated |
| Current | DC only, to 10A | AC and DC, to 10A | AC and DC, to 10A | AC and DC, to 20A | DC only, to 10A |
| Also measures | Basics only | Capacitance, Hz, NCV | Capacitance, Hz, NCV, LoZ | Capacitance, temp, Hz, NCV | Transistors (hFE) |
| Backlight | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Car and battery checks | Sockets and circuit boards | Electricians and serious DIY | Boilers, radiators and solar work | Batteries and hobby electronics |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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