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Cheapest MultiMeter on BangGood

FrgMstr

FrgMstr

Just Plain Mean
Staff member
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May 18, 1997
Messages
58,484
What to expect when you are expecting....a really crappy multimeter to show up at your door. Nerds only need to watch.

Check out the video.

When I saw this thing for $5, I thought to myself: "how bad can it be"? After a bit of not very scientific testing, it turns out, it's actually pretty accurate. I wouldn't expect durability, and I wouldn't use it to earn my pay, but for a light duty hobby meter it's actually not too bad for most things.

And one more thing..bang good.
 
That meter is the same exact as one of the ones that Harbor Freight sells. The only difference is the color.

Before even watching the video, I had a really good idea that that is what it would be.

I get them free with the buy something get a free item coupons that Harbor Freight has in their ads. It is usually screwdrivers or flashlights and sometimes something different, but the meters show up as the free item every once in a while.

They hold up just fine unless you put voltage through something like an ohms setting. Very easy to do apparently since they stopped marking the dial arrow black. One of the ones I gave away died that way. I now mark the arrows with black sharpie so you can tell what setting you are on without having to look real close.

Edit: I think that the meter in the video is the older version. The newer one has an on/off switch so you don't put excessive wear on the rotary switch.
 
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I keep one in my truck toolbox because it's nice to have a multimeter around when you are having fuse or light wiring problems pulling a trailer. I had two flukes stolen or damaged from the truck so only cheapy ones now. Like cyclone said, they work just fine as long as you don't do anything stupid with them.
 
I've always lived by mine. Old radio shack one... thing I use the most is continuity. The cheap ones are generally great and if you have to replace it? Who cares! Cheaper than a happy meal
 
The 1000Vdc & 750Vac settings are hilarious. Darwinian self-selection waiting to happen.
 
i've found this to be true with a lot of tools out there. i like to do automotive work, and anyone else here that does knows that you need a rather extensive tool set once you start going beyond simple things like oil changes. that tool set can get expensive...most of my tools are from canadian tire and princess auto. i wouldn't want them professionally if i were using them daily, but for the home hobbyist? these tools are awesome.

i've had my electric impact gun for over 10 years now....it was on sale for around $70 with a full set of sockets. i can't kill this thing, i've tried! i do have a couple air impact guns, but i really like the simplicity and instant torque of electric. my air tools are cheapos too :p
 
Honestly, you can find some really good stuff through these direct to manufacturer websites. Often a major foreign company will pay to tool up a Chinese manufacturer and once the manufacturer has fulfilled the order they just keep on making the same product with different labels and sell them at wholesale while they wait for the next major order to come in. Have gotten a few knock off flashlights that are still running strong that way.
 
If you enjoy reviews on this kind of stuff, I highly recommend AVE on YouTube. Also yea, my flukes all stay under lock and key. The cheap shit gets used the most.
 
I use bang good every once in awhile when I want something hobbyist or raspberry pi / arduino components, as they do sell known brands.
 
When I was doing HVAC the radio shack version of this one: https://www.amazon.com/Victor-VC921-Pocket-Digital-Multimeter/dp/B00C3UKEEM
Lived in my shirt pocket along with a small level and a small screwdriver for many years. I never felt the need for another meter.
A pair of pliers and a 4 in 1 screwdriver stayed in my pants pocket. I would say that covered over 90% of service calls without opening my tool box that I mostly carried for looks.
People expected a repairman to carry a tool box so I did. LOL
 
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Won't be using this for my 480v 3phase work. Won't be using this for my 230vdc work. Won't be using this for my 120vac work. Wouldn't use this to verify a 9v battery. Quality DVOM's are expensive for more than on reason. Biggest reason of them all: SAFETY. I would be fired for bring a POS like this into the workplace, just as I would for bringing a NCVDs into work. Nobody should have junk like this around, period.
I appreciate the comment about not using this for work. You shouldn't use it for anything that your fingers might get close to, and that includes changing a light fixture or an outlet out at home.

I am an industrial maintenance electrician and have seen people die due to junk ass meters.
 
Bang good has a lot of fpv quadcopter stuff. Have used them a lot. When you select a product you can sometimes pick US vs China warehouse. Price gets adjusted. Usually free shipping also. Not a bad site.
 
I have the HF version of these. Honestly it's hard to get a "not useful" cheap tool these days. I bought a $15 edge router from HF that has a flush bit in it (cost more than the router) and it does the same job as all the other edge routers out there.

Sometimes you don't need to buy the big name brands. I've saved tons of money by getting good enough products.
 
alxlwson said:
Won't be using this for my 480v 3phase work. Won't be using this for my 230vdc work. Won't be using this for my 120vac work. Wouldn't use this to verify a 9v battery. Quality DVOM's are expensive for more than on reason. Biggest reason of them all: SAFETY. I would be fired for bring a POS like this into the workplace, just as I would for bringing a NCVDs into work. Nobody should have junk like this around, period.
I appreciate the comment about not using this for work. You shouldn't use it for anything that your fingers might get close to, and that includes changing a light fixture or an outlet out at home.

I am an industrial maintenance electrician and have seen people die due to junk ass meters.
Click to expand...

Your experience and position is all about professional. You have lived with equipment your entire career. For the diyer playing with some leds or some other low voltage stuff, I feel that they would do a perfect job - especially since the review came out. Just like a hobbyist would be over spending when getting a top of the line fluke or amprobe, a multimeter bought from banggood is perfect for the hobbyist buying the majority of electronics that they sell. 3.3 and 5.0 volt stuff. The person putting together a led circuit or a raspberry or arduino. Not to be confused for a professional level meter. Just something to use when a idea, old 18650's and leds come together.
 
I buy Chinese stuff from Aliexpress and the likes all the time. Don't buy any known big brand items OR brandless ones that offer incredible features for next to nothing, you'll only get cheated. But do some research and find out about known Chinese brands, like Oukitel, Xiaomi or Cube. You can get very good tablets and phones much cheaper than equivalent big-name one. I guess the same is true for multimeters and such.
 
MaZa said:
I buy Chinese stuff from Aliexpress and the likes all the time. Don't buy any known big brand items OR brandless ones that offer incredible features for next to nothing, you'll only get cheated. But do some research and find out about known Chinese brands, like Oukitel, Xiaomi or Cube. You can get very good tablets and phones much cheaper than equivalent big-name one. I guess the same is true for multimeters and such.
Click to expand...

I have done them both also. I dont get very high priced items though, but I have seen c-net and other reviews sites of smartphones that banggood and aliexpress sells. They say they are a good value. The bottom line is that Chinese stuff can be as good as any other. They arent always cheaper because of substandard materials, they are many times cheaper because of much, much lower labor costs. Chinese stuff wouldn't sell at all if it was immediatly connected to no good. I get discrete electronics and novelty items. Wish I had taken advantage of a couple of fire sales emptying their ware houses of fidget spinners when they were about 77¢ each. Can get $5.00 for them today while they are stil a fad. To really save you have to go free shipping, unless its an item that you really want soon. Free shipping can take a month and a half.

You can sometimes look at google earth and check out satellite pictures of container ships making their way to the united states. Your item is on one of those ships.
 
He's being conned for $5. I had it for $1. My dad use it to check if there's any live voltage, or just simple continuity. Not for accurate measurement.
 
Skylinestar said:
He's being conned for $5. I had it for $1. My dad use it to check if there's any live voltage, or just simple continuity. Not for accurate measurement.
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Using a $5 to check if something is hot is probably not the best use of a cheapo meter especially if talking about 110VAC or worse. Just my 2 cents.
 
The same meter, although in Yellow, or sometimes red, is available from Harbor Freight. Sometimes they are given away with any order. "Normal" price $9.95, but most often available for $3.99......limit 5.
 
jpm100 said:
It's basically if Amazon and Ali Express had a baby with ebay grade products. Useful for some things.
Click to expand...

....but dont forget that virtually 100% of all consumer products, especially electronic, use components made in china. Its the labor costs. Doesnt make sense that a phone costs $600 until you factor in what an american company feels is the right amount of profit. iphones <guessing> are 85% components from china. Designed by apple, components made and assembled in china. Says that its not a quality issue, its who to buy from. Ebay is the same. Top shelf high priced products along with closeouts and the cool ass hard to find no longer made products.

Banggood is very much like amazon, but with a electronics spin. You have mom and pop stores along with the lenovos, Emachines, Huawei - others. Seriously discounted media player/streamers.

I bet that these guys from Ukraine got most if not all of their electronic stuff from banggood or a similar site:



I shop for similar goods also. When I saw them I immediately LOL'd. Its not about the parts its how you put them together.
 
alxlwson said:
Won't be using this for my 480v 3phase work. Won't be using this for my 230vdc work. Won't be using this for my 120vac work. Wouldn't use this to verify a 9v battery. Quality DVOM's are expensive for more than on reason. Biggest reason of them all: SAFETY. I would be fired for bring a POS like this into the workplace, just as I would for bringing a NCVDs into work. Nobody should have junk like this around, period.
I appreciate the comment about not using this for work. You shouldn't use it for anything that your fingers might get close to, and that includes changing a light fixture or an outlet out at home.

I am an industrial maintenance electrician and have seen people die due to junk ass meters.
Click to expand...

So which pair of hot gloves should I use to change a lightbulb?
 
Omegas said:
So which pair of hot gloves should I use to change a lightbulb?
Click to expand...

What are "hot gloves"? Do you mean your insulated rubber gloves with leather protectors on top?

The answer is you don't. You wear safety glasses since 99.9% of the time you are looking up. You also wear cut resistant gloves because blown light bulbs usually blow due to lack seal integrity or damaged glass. You don't need to wear insulated gloves because you are considered non-contact and because the restricted approach distance of 120vac is basically non-existent. I suggest you give NFPA 70E a read, since smartassery is a thing.

However, to directly answer your question, leather work gloves provide more than sufficient shock protection for the task as hand.

Durrrrrrr
 
Just throwing my comments into the mix.. Banggood / Aliexpress. I've probably spent a couple grand between the two over the past 2 years, buying things from tools to electronics, I've only been "Burned" once, never got my $50 item, but Aliexpress gladly refunded me after about a 30 day wait period. A few months back a bought a 20V drill for $50. I figured, hey why not, I'll give it a shot. Compared to my neighbors $150 Dewalt, this thing is damn near the same, just runs a little hot after continuous use, and battery life sucks, but it came with 3 of them, so no big deal.

Dang near everything is made in china as others have said, I enjoy cutting out the American retail mark up as much as possible.

I even got risky and bought a "name brand" chinese mountain bike for $150. Exact same bike was selling for $450 on Amazon. Came within two weeks and I've been riding it every day for a few months, it's excellent. The 10 day to 45 day wait can be annoying, but I'd say out of 2 years, 98% of the time it's worth it.
 
Ready to change that lightbulb!

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