Having compiled the bare facts on a selection of meters, we gave the machines to our reviewer for his comments:
REVIEWING TEST EQUIPMENT, especially in large quantities, is no mean feat (at the last count there were 31 meters in this review--although others may slip their way in before we go into print). All sorts of difficulties arise in attempting to be unbiased and objective. One of the biggest problems is how to present the large amount of information in an understandable form. The next big problem is deciding what information must be presented in the first place.
We've decided that the information you need is--everything. So, as you'll imagine. compiling it has been a bad dream. Displaying it, on the other hand, has merely been a nightmare! Putting all of our brains together (in serial or parallel?--Ed.) we've figured out that a table is probably the easiest way for you to find the information you need. But for the minor details the table can't cover, we've also included brief particulars about each meter individually.
Altai KD-55C
Price: £ (x 1.4 USD) 46
Altai meters have been around for a long time now, and as such the company knows the market well. This meter is a good quality, general purpose tool, with an adequate number of ranges. The instruction manual is well written and presented in an easy-to-follow form. A circuit diagram is included, but no circuit board layout diagrams.
Our source: Greenweld. 443A Millbrook Road, Southampton, SO1 OHX.
Altai NH-56R
Price: £ (x 1.4 USD) 14
Altars analogue meter we tested, is not of the same quality as the company's digital offering. Nevertheless it represents good value for money for the enthusiast with only the most limited of resources. A reasonable instruction manual, which includes a circuit diagram, explains basic operations.
Our source Greenweld, 443A Millbrook Road, Southampton SO1 OHX.
Avometer 1000
Price: £ (x 1.4 USD) 50
If you've been around any electronic workshops or laboratories, you'll know and love/hate the Avometer 8 meter--a big, black, brute of a meter. The Avometer 1000 analogue meter is much neater, smaller and light, but appears no less robust than the '8'. Perhaps the 1000 will become as common a sight as its predecessor, in the years to come.
We certainly couldn't fault it (perhaps with the exception that it features no continuity test) as a good, general purpose high quality meter.
Our source: Thorn EMI Instruments Ltd., Archcliffe Road. Dover, Kent CT17.
Avometer 2001
Price: £ (x 1.4 USD) 95
Where the Avometer 1000 falls short of perfection (well, it is an analog meter, innit?) its big brother digital meter, the Avometer 2001, takes over. This is an example of everything-you wanted--from-a-meter-but-were-afraid-to-look-for. A meter like this will keep the long-lasting Avometer name alive for ever (even if the name does now belong to Thorn EMI), with no fear of extinction.
Right; have we waxed lyrical and mixed superlatives enough now? If so let's get back down to earth. If you can afford it, buy it. That's simple enough, isn't it? Our source: Thorn EMI Instruments Ltd., Archcliffe Road. Dover, Kent CT17.
Bewa DMM 3510
Price: £ (x 1.4 USD) 55
This, unfortunately, was another meter which arrived unboxed and with no details or instruction manual. To all intents and purposes it appears to be identical in all technical ways to the Bewa DMM 6010GS (see above). We presume there must be some differences, but without details we couldn't find any.
Our source: House of Instruments, Clifton Chambers, 62 High Street, Saffron Walden, Essex CB10 1EE.
Bewa DMM 6010Gs
Price: £ (x 1.4 USD) 40
Three meters arrived on the Electronics Monthly test-bench unboxed, with no instruction manuals, and with no details. This meter was one of them. We tried not to let this color our views, however, as we wanted to give a review of the meters themselves and how they performed under test. This particular meter is a reasonable quality digital meter, with an adequate number of ranges for amateur and professional use.
Our source House of Instruments, Clifton Chambers, 62 High Street, Saffron Walden. Essex CB10 1EE.
Circuitmate DM10
Price: £ (x 1.4 USD) 32.
The DM10 is the lowest specification example from a complete range of meters. It has the lowest input impedances of the meters in the range, doesn't feature a continuity test, and cannot measure AC current. On the other hand, it is reasonably priced, is simple to use, and features adequate ranges for other measurements. The instruction manual is straightforward, well written, and easy to follow. No circuit diagrams or board layout diagrams are included, however. Our source: Beckman Instruments Ltd., Mylen House. 11 Wagon Lane. Sheldon. Birmingham B26 3DJ.
Circuitmate DM15
---------------
DM20, DM25
Price: £ (x 1.4 USD) 43
(DM15), £ (x 1.4 USD) 47
(DM20). £ (x 1.4 USD) 58
(DM25)
These three meters in the Circuitmate range are very similar in features, with only a few small differences in the number of measurement ranges or facilities. The case and circuit boards are, in fact, almost identical, except for the positioning of components and switches etc. The similarities between meters are mirrored in the fact that one instruction manual covers all three meters. Circuit diagrams and board layout diagrams are included.
Our source: Beckman Instruments Ltd., Mylen House, 11 Wagon Lane, Sheldon, Birmingham B26 3DJ.
Circuitmate DM73, DM77
Price: £ (x 1.4 USD) 40 (DM73), £ (x 1.4 USD) 46 (DM77)
Again, two meters in the Circuitmate range are similar enough in specification to be incorporated in the same instruction manual. The similarity stops, this time however, with specifications. In appearance these two meters couldn't be more different. The DM77 is a conventional style meter, in an oblong box, but the DM73 is an unconventional style, as you'll see from the photograph.
Both meters are autoranging, which makes them simple to use. The DM73 has no current measuring ranges.
Circuit diagrams and board layouts for both meters are included.
Our source: Beckman Instruments Ltd., Mylen House. 11 Wagon Lane, Sheldon, Birmingham B26 3DJ.
Hills HD 7000
Price: £ (x 1.4 USD) 46
We received this meter too late to make a full test. It comes with its own hard case, leads, battery and spare fuse.
The instruction sheet is rather brief and the English falters in places but all the information seems to be there. It has a single rotary switch control, which is easy to use, allowing a degree of one-handed operation with care. The battery compartment is easy to access. A small packet of silica gel is provided.
Our source: Cirkit Holdings PLC, Park Lane, Broxbourne. Hertford shire EN10 7NQ.
Hills HT-320
Price: £ (x 1.4 USD) 16.50
The Hills HT-320 is a reasonable quality, general purpose analogue meter, featuring an adequate number of measurement ranges. In common with most analogue meters tested (the 1L _J 32, METERS Avometer 1000 being the notable exception) it does not allow AC current measurements. The instruction manual is a little confusing in places, but adequate nevertheless. No circuit diagram is included.
Our source: Cirkit Holdings PLC, Park Lane, Broxbourne, Hertfordshire EN10 7NQ.
Hung Chang HC-501 OT
Price: £ (x 1.4 USD) 46
Overall, this meter is an easy to use, good quality piece of test equipment, at a reasonable price. A good range of measurements are possible, including a continuity test, diode test and transistor hFE measurements. The instruction manual is straightforward and gives all the necessary information, including circuit diagrams and board layouts.
Our source: Armon Electronics Ltd., Heron House, 109 Wembley Hill Road, Wembley, Middlesex HA9 8AG.
Hung Chang HM--102 BZ
Price: $22
As far as analogue meters go, this is a reasonable example. An acceptable number of ranges of measurements, a good instruction manual with circuit diagram, all at a fairly cheap price makes this a good all-round meter.
Our source' Armon Electronics Ltd., Heron House, 109 Wembley Hill Road, Wembley, Middlesex HA9 8AG.
Kingdom ETC-500
Price: £ (x 1.4 USD) 23
Due to the presence of a range doubling facility, the Kingdom ETC-500 analogue meter allows an extremely large number of measurement ranges to be used. It has a high input impedance (for an analogue meter) of 50KV-', or 25KV-' with the range doubled for DC voltage measurements, and so for this reason alone must be worth considering.
The instruction manual is quite clear and straightforward, featuring a circuit diagram.
Our source: Greenweld, 443A Millbrook Road, Southampton SO1 OHX.
Maplin M-102BZ
Price: £ (x 1.4 USD) 15
This meter one of three we looked at from Maplin Electronic Supplies, is identical to the Hung Chang HM102BZ.
We presume both meters are made by the same manufacturer. See the description under the Hung Chang heading for details of the Maplin meter.
Our source: Maplin Electronic Supplies, P.O. Box 3, Rayleigh, Essex SS6 8LR.
Maplin M-5010
Price: £ (x 1.4 USD) 43
Like the previous meter, this one also seems to be made by Hung Chang, although the Maplin M-5010 is not totally identical to the Hung Chang HC-5010T.
The minor differences are extra ranges at the low end of the current and resistance measurements on the Maplin offering. The Hung Chang meter, on the other hand, has a transistor hFE measurement facility, not on the Maplin meter. All other aspects are identical.
Our source: Maplin Electronic Supplies, P.O. Box 3, Rayleigh, Essex SS6 8LR.
Maplin Pocket Size
Price: £ (x 1.4 USD) 7
This analog meter doesn't feature a lot of ranges, it has a very low input impedance, but it is cheap and ideal for carrying around--guess where--in your pocket. It's low input impedance, however, makes it not particularly useful in electronics measurements, because you could never be sure that the measurement you've made is correct.
Our source: Maplin Electronic Supplies, PO Box 3, Rayleigh, Essex SS6 8LR.
Metex 3500
Price: £ (x 1.4 USD) 37
This meter was the third meter which arrived unboxed and without details, on the test-bench. It appears of good quality and has a good selection of measurement ranges.
Our source House of Instruments, Clifton Chambers, 62 High Street, Saffron Walden, Essex CB10 1EE.
Legot /1500
Metex 3531
Price: £ (x 1.4 USD) 55
This meter is a good quality, general purpose meter, with a good variety of measurement ranges, including a continuity test, diode test, capacitance measurement, and transistor hFE measurement. It also comes with a carry case. The one failing we found was the lack of circuit diagrams and circuit board layouts in an otherwise good instruction manual.
Our source: House of Instruments, Clifton Chambers, 62 High Street, Saffron Walden, Essex CB10 1EE.
Pantec Banana
Price: £ (x 1.4 USD) 24.50
The Pantec Banana is the meter used to complement our regular electronics series. Electronics From The Start, so we have to give it a good write-up, don't we? Fortunately it is a good quality, general purpose analogue meter, with a reasonable selection of measurement ranges. The instruction manual is straightforward and easy to follow (it is multilingual, in fact) although no circuit diagram is included.
Our source: B. K. Electronics, Unit 5, Comet Way, Southend-on-sea, Essex SS2 6TR.
Pantec Challenger
Price: £ (x 1.4 USD) 49
Very few written details are incorporated onto the front panel of this meter, so it was quite tricky to operate without reading the instruction manual.
Fortunately the manual is good. The meter is of high quality and has a large number of measurement ranges, but no continuity test feature. A circuit diagram is included in the manual.
Our source. B. K. Electronics, Unit 5, Comet Way, Southend-on-sea, Essex SS2 6TR.
Pantec Zip
Price: £ (x 1.4 USD) 49
Pantec'c Zip digital meter is identical in specification and quality to Circuitmate's DM73. Look there for specific details. The Zip has, however, a carry case.
Our source. B. K. Electronics, Unit 5, Comet Way, Southend-on-sea. Essex SS2 6TR.
Philips PM2518X
Price: £ (x 1.4 USD) 200
The Philips PM2518X was the best meter, in terms of all parameters that we reviewed. We could not fault it in any detail. Naturally enough, however, it is very expensive. Expensive, perhaps, beyond the reach of most of our readers.
Nevertheless, we thought we'd include it so that a glimpse of "how the other half lives" could be seen. The instruction manual (simply a piece of card) was the clearest we've ever seen, particularly when you bear in mind the complexity of the meter. If you've got money to spend on the best meter, here it is.
Our source Pye Unicam Ltd., York Street, Cambridge CB1 2PX.
Soar 3030
Price: £ (x 1.4 USD) 106
First of a range of three meters from Soar. the 3030 is a good, general purpose meter, with a wide selection of measurement ranges. The instruction manual is well detailed, clear, and includes a circuit diagram, although no circuit board layout.
Our source: House of Instruments, Clifton Chambers, 62 High Street, Saffron Walden, Essex CB10 1EE.
Soar 3100
Price: £ (x 1.4 USD) 40
The Soar 3100 is almost identical in specification, appearance, and use to the Pantec Zip and Circuitmate DM73.
Look under Circuitmate DM73 for details.
Our source: House of Instruments, Clifton Chambers, 62 High Street, Saffron Walden, Essex CB10 1EE.
Soar ME-530
Price: £ (x 1.4 USD) 52
Similar in specification to the Soar 3030, this meter is a good, general purpose meter, though with a limited selection of measurement ranges. The instruction manual is reasonably clear and straightforward, although neither circuit diagram nor board layout diagrams are included.
Our source* House of Instruments, Clifton Chambers, 62 High Street, Saffron Walden, Essex CB10 1EE.
TMK TP-5SN
Price: £ (x 1.4 USD) 25
----------
We received this meter too late to run a full test. It has a clear front panel with a rotary switch and a zero adjust switch.
You have to take the back panel off to change the battery. The instruction sheet is fairly full and includes a schematic.
Our source. Harris Electronics, 138 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8AX.
-----------
TMK VF-7
Price: £ (x 1.4 USD) 33
Again we could not run a full test on this one. It has a single rotary switch control, zero adjust switch and a VAx2 range doubler switch. All the details on the front panel are picked out in glorious color. The instruction booklet is fuller and better laid out than usual. You must remove the back panel to change the battery.
Our source: Harris Electronics, 138 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8AX.
Harris sell through trade outlets, but their meters can also be obtained retail.
TMK NK VF-3
Price: £ (x 1.4 USD) 8
This seems to be identical to the Maplin Pocket Size, and comes in a very similar package, so see that entry for comments.
Our source: Harris Electronics, 138 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8AX.
Note on prices:
All the prices we mention here are approximate, so please check prices, as well and VAT and carriage, before making a final decision.
Also see: ELECTRONICS FROM THE START -- Electrolytic capacitors, and the 555 timer IC.