EEVblog #1007 - Is a $25 Multimeter Any Good?

Dave looks at the $25 ANENG AN8008 Multimeter
It has some unusually low ranges making it ideal for electronics use. Or is it?

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[RickyX]

This little meter puts many far more expensive meters to shame in terms of general features and performance... A little dodgy safety wise, but safe enough for the test bench.

[powder-phun]

The weird feeling, when dave reviews a "cheap-ass" multimeter, and it's still way batter, than what you have

[Geoffh]

I'm an electronics technician of 40 years and have an Aneng AN8009 and I love it! I use it more than my Fluke 101, partly because of the larger display and partly because the 101 doesn't measure current. So, Dave, the current ranges you criticise in the AN8009 are better than none at all! I find it's superb value for money

[izools]

TL:DR - "It's an excellent meter for its $25"

Thanks Dave!!

[chris-sc]

I just tested an Aneng 8001 (not 8008) against a Fluke 87V on frequencies and RMS voltage. The Aneng gets up to 17 MHz (Fluke to 1.1 MHz) and measurements differ by 0.01%. On RMS voltage, both differ by about 0.1%, but the Fluke goes up to 5kHz accurately, vs. Aneng to 1kHz. Two thumbs up for the Aneng!

[DejanTesic]

Buy 2 for a beginner's lab... not a bad deal.

[DrakkarCalethiel]

Actually I'm​ very surprised! Seems like a very good beginners electronic meter. I might get one if I can.

[Mihail_K.]

7:51 There is even a bonus solder blob between the fuse hloder solder joints. LOL... So if you buy a cheap multimeter first open it to make sure that trere are not any shorts... And I'm using cheap multimeters because I'm not doing anything serious and don't have a lot of money but if you have money just buy a good one.

[sviktor]

After watching this review I bought this little mutimeter in 2018 and it still works, I cleaned the rotator switch 3 times and switched 2 contact plates in it last time.
The best thing how fast and small this thing is, mutch better then bulky and more expensive Fluke, UNIT and other brands. I use it to repair motherboards and graphics cards and only use the V, Ohm and beep function.

[crackwitz]

The reviews of cheap meters are much appreciated. Hobbyists and beginners may want a cheap meter to start, "disposable".
I was disappointed with the missing 10 mA and 100 mA ranges too. Those are THE ranges for hobbyist electronics.

[lawrencel]

Maybe not your intention but I just bought one based on your review. $21 delivered and shipped from a US seller. Man compared to what I paid for a Simpson 260 in the 60s in real dollars, boy has electronics come a long way.

[KennethTanFotografie]

I was so amused with Dave's reluctance to give it a thumbs up that I immediately looked one up on ebay and bought it for $19 shipped.

[TheBdd]

Dave, thanks for the review. ANENG is surely giving their buyers more than their money's worth. I would not trust it at mains or other high voltages but could find lots of low vltage uses for it.

[BigDaddy_MRI]

I bought one of these when I started my TTL project. It’s is a great little meter and so far has survived one drop and thousands of measurements and is a good little signal generator. I bought this before I saw your review and now I’m very happy with it. The missing mA scales is annoying, but for the most part, it is a GREAT little breadboard meter and I give it a thumbs up for TTL experiments and for little breadboard projects. Really a nice little DVM.

[edk]

17:21 The probe wasn't connected to the meter when trying to read the 9mA in micro amp range

[uwezimmermann]

as for the advantage of a "true RMS meter" did you test other waveforms than just sine wave?

[steverobbins]

Looks like the perfect first DMM for my 8 year old niece and nephew. I gave them a Snap Circuits starter kit for xmas and they loved it. They did all the experiments in the book in a few days. Then I gave them a larger Snap Circuit kit (I think it was the "sound and motion" kit) for their birthday (they are twins) and the ate that up too.

[simonyoungglostog]

This meter is great for breadboard/desktop work. This gives a good uA range and another meter can read the mA range. (either side of a Transistor's Base.) It also, doesn't take up much room.

[gregswartz]

Absolutely enjoying your review. On measuring the mA current, didn't anyone else notice that from 16:28 to 17:23 the red lead is not connected? That seems to be why the meter kept reading 0000.

[qfytidw]

Would be possible to do a project to retrofit more protection? Or demonstrate in what situations the minimal protection in this meter would make it unsafe?