Top 5 Best Multimeter for Electronics (2024 Guide)

Top 5 Best Multimeter for Electronics

In a hurry? No problem. Check the top 5 picks below. Keep reading for more detailed information.

1. Fluke 115 Compact True-RMS Digital Multimeter
2. Fluke 87-V Digital Multimeter
3. Proster Autoranging Multimeter
4. Fluke 287 True-RMS Electronics Logging Multimeter
5. Klein Tools Digital Multimeter, Auto-Ranging, 600V MM400

I know how it looks, I tried by all means to not go for only Fluke multimeters, but trust me I couldn’t find anything better on the market.

Fluke makes really good multimeters for electronic uses. I also want to make clear that I am not sponsored by Fluke in anyway they are simply just the best.

Why This Guide For The Best Multimeter For Electronics

Electronic circuits have a wide array of components, everything from resistors, capacitors, regulators and integrated circuit boards.

These circuits are very delicate and as you know nothing beats a top quality multimeter in your toolkit. 

I am sure you know by know, a quick look in the market for the best multimeter for electronics will leave you with so many options.

How would you know which one is best for you? Which one should you ultimately choose?

No need to be worried. I attempt to answer those questions in this guide. I use my personal experience with multimeters combined with thorough research to ensure that you are getting clear and honest reviews.

I also keep this post updated periodically, so you can be sure that you are truly getting a glimpse at some of the best multimeters for electronics.

What Are The Important Features of The Best Multimeter For Electronics

When using a multimeter for electronics there are a couple of key parameters that you need to be aware. I will break these down for you below.

Digital Multimeters (DMM) are better than Analog for electronics

Analog multimeters used to dominate the scene in the 90’s and very early 2000’s. As of late they have drastically lost market share – and rightfully so.

Most people nowadays use the digital multimeter. This multimeter is much better than it’s analog counterpart for a multitude of reasons. Namely:

Display:

DMM’s have what is referred to as a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) screen.

This screen allows for much more accurate readings than the analog meter which used to operate with an analog dial.

This added feature of the LCD screen is superbly helpful in that it also gives room and space to use internal circuitry to create really cool features.

Such as continuity display signals, mode operation displays on screen and warning or error signals that can notify the user and help prevent damage to the equipment.

The LCD display also allows for a variance in the backlight of the screen making it easier to use your multimeter when working or diagnosing electronic circuits.

The analog multimeter on the other hand is very cumbersome and there are a lot more mechanical parts involved in measuring. This can create serious calibration issues in the long term.

This is especially pertinent given the sensitive values of electronic circuits.

I can tell you from experience almost nobody actually uses analog multimeters for electronic measurements anymore simply because of this feature: the constant need to recalibrate the multimeter.

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Input impedance:

When it comes to multimeters for electronic circuits this is a crucial technical advantage that a digital multimeter has over it’s analog counterpart.

DMM’s have higher input impedance. When a multimeter is connected across a circuit, it basically acts as a load. What this means is that it draws current whilst a measurement is being performed.

As you can imagine this is not ideal at all, especially given that electronic circuits are more susceptible to electro-magnetic interference. 

To counteract this natural phenomenon an input impedance is placed between the two measurement terminals. The purpose of this input impedance is to create a short circuit like effect between the two measurement terminals.

Therefore, the higher the input impedance the better. Typically this value ranges from 1MOhm up to 10 MOhm for electronic multimeters. The very best multimeters in the market provide for values up to 1GOhm.

Auto ranging vs manual ranging for electronics multimeters

When looking for the best multimeter for electronics, this is certainly something to consider. Manual ranging or auto ranging multimeter users for electronics are polarized, and I will explain to you why below.

Firstly lets look at the manual ranging multimeter, whenever you use this type of meter, you need to be aware of the range of the measurement.

So if you are going to measure an electronics circuit, typically around 5-20V, you need to know this before hand so that you can select the best dial.

This is one of the pet peeves of using this meter.

The reason you should choose the right dial for the measurement range is because this greatly improves the overall resolution.

People who are against manual ranging multimeters think that this is very tedious.

Good multimeters will also generally provide you with some kind of warning via a beep or an overload protection ‘OL’ signal on the LCD screen to let you know that you are the wrong dial.

Autoranging multimeters have the benefit that you do not need to know the range of measurement, you only need to know whether you are going to measure current, voltage, resistance or capacitance.

The trade-off you make however is the calibration time. Autoranging multimeters take longer than the manual ranging type to stabilize.

My honest opinion, for electronic circuits, if you are going to go for a budget multimeter I would recommend a manual ranging type, simply because you will get much higher resolution, and it will save you time.

Especially if you are going to be measuring multiple points all at once.

The autoranging multimeters can also work, you just need to ensure that the input impedance is high enough and the stabilizing time is reasonably short to ensure comfort of use.

All the multimeters in this guide have been checked for this so rest assured that I am recommending only the best to you. 

Advanced multimeter features for electronics

When working on electronic circuits, there are a couple of really cool advanced features that are worth considering that can add immense value.

I will discuss a couple of my favourite below and let you in on why I think they are really great additions to have on any multimeter, let alone one you use for your electronic projects.

Duty Factor

Often when working with electronic circuits, the signals you are measuring are often not purely sinusoidal (straight AC) or purely DC.

This happens often when you are testing a pulse width modifier or using a signal generator to create triangular or square waves as input currents or voltages.

A multimeter that can measure the duty factor can be of great help in this regard, especially if you are not equipped with more expensive equipment such as an oscilloscope.

Duty factor simply means the percentage of time within a single cycle that a measurement is ON.

Temperature measurement

One additional feature I always look for when searching for a multimeter for electronics, is one capable of measuring temperature.

The temperature measurements usually come in the form of a Type K thermocouple. What is great about this thermocouple for electronic use is that it is very easy to setup with any multimeter that has temperature functionality.

It also has a superbly wide range of temperature measurements ( - 200 Degrees Celcius to 1260 Degrees Celcius) for the common Nickel-Chromium type.

Min and max

Another great feature to have within your multimeter for electronic use is the ability to capture the minimum and maximum values of any given measurement.

This is super useful when measuring voltages/currents that are at very high frequencies.

It can also help you determine peak to peak amplitude of signals and assist in making sure that measurements are within range, or do not go beyond certain parameters.

One other thing that you can use this feature for which is not much spoken about is that you can use it to test changes in a signal, given changes in other circuit elements.

For example you can measure the voltage of a signal whilst adjusting a potentiometer to different values.

You can then use the min and max feature to capture the results of this small tweak in your electronic circuit.

Also if you need to capture values for a project, this feature is fantastic. Some multimeters use onboard memory to keep a  number of previous min and max values stored for future analysis. This is a fantastic feature for diagnostics. 

As I said, it is not imperative to have this capability within your multimeter, but it can definitely allow you to do so much more.

Data hold and auto hold

If you use a multimeter often, especially for hard to get to electronic measurements, you will often find that you do not want to vary your attention from what you are trying to measure (be it voltage, current, resistance or capacitance) and the display screen on the multimeter.

That is were the data hold and autohold features come in very handy.

They practically allow you to measure and lock in your measurement without needing to constantly move you eyes back and forth to the LCD panel.

Datahold typically uses a manual push button. So you basically need to tell the multimeter what value you want to hold. Auto hold on the other hand is fantastic as it waits for the multimeter reading to stabilize and then it automatically captures and holds that value for you.

Many of the multimeters that I recommend in this guide have this feature on-board. 

This is such a small feature, but you cannot believe how much time savings it gives you especially when you are trouble shooting or testing multiple points at once, which is vey common for electronic circuits.

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The importance of safety when choosing the best electronics multimeter

When working with multimeters at an electronics level, you are usually dealing with very sensitive circuitry that is susceptible to electromagnetic interference and measurement resolution issues.

I would always recommend that you purchase a multimeter that has been independently tested and verified by a global standards body for safety. These global bodies differ region to region, but they are typically UL, IEC and the CSA.

The higher the safety standard the more expensive a multimeter is generally.

This is simply because it can measure larger voltages and currents due to it’s ability to better manage transients and overvoltage's. However in my experience when using your multimeter for electronic circuits up to CAT III is usually more than sufficient.

Most electronic circuits are protected by double insulation, greatly reducing the risk of overload on the multimeters internal circuitry either way.

All the multimeters I recommend in this guide are optimized for safety on electronic circuits. So you can rest assured that you are seeing the best multimeters for your electronics needs.

What to avoid when searching for the best multimeter for electronics

There are certain features that are non negotiable when it comes to finding and using a multimeter for electronics. These features can be the difference between measurement accuracy, ease of use and a useless multimeter.

For me personally I have listed the three things I believe are most important for you to avoid when searching for a multimeter for your electronic projects.

Low measurement resolution

Typically for most electronic applications, you would want to use a multimeter that has at least 1999 to 4000 counts.

The higher the better and the reason for this is quite simple you do not want to lose out on the extra value as you go above the count of your multimeter.

The video below gives you a great overview on what to consider when you think about counts, resolution and ultimately measurement accuracy.

High settling time

This one is a bit of a pet peeve, however I must include it in here.

When measuring anything for electronic projects, you do not want a multimeter that takes long to settle.

Typically if it takes longer than 2 seconds for a value to stabilize this is often very irritating and uncomfortable to use.

Poor after sales support

A multimeter is a specialized piece of equipment, and to get the right one for your electronics projects cannot be overstated.

However – one thing that I often see people get wrong is that they do not look at the after sale support of the manufacturer. Here are some questions worth considering:

1.  Does this multimeter manufacturer have at least a 1 year product warranty?
2. How long has the manufacturer been in business? (The longer the better)
3. Is it possible to get a refund and is there a sales department I can reach out to?
4. Does this product have an easy to understand part and user manual.

Trust me when I say that you cannot believe how often even experienced electronic operators purchase multimeters without the adequate after sale support.

Overall you do not need to worry, because as I have said above.

I have curated all the multimeters in this list and I have taken into consideration all of the factors above.

So you can rest assured that the multimeters for electronics in this guide are the best.

Detailed Analysis of the Best Multimeters for Electronics