Which multimeter?

[SimonN]

As the title says, I need to buy a multimeter for a wide range of jobs. Any recommendations?

[Stew F]

I bought one of those el cheapo ones about 15 years ago after my good one packed up. Hasn't ever let me down, apart from one of the probe wires come off. Quick solder job and all good. Depends on what you want to do with it. 

[Redracn]

Pretty much any CAT II (safety spec) will do for around the house and use on a car. True RMS meters are better than averaging ones. But the main point is that it has the measurement range and other specifications such as input impedance and accuracy to be useful at measuring what you want to measure. I.e most cheap meters are not very good with small A/C current or low resistance. Then there are other practical features like measurement hold so you can make difficult to reach measurements while watching what you are doing with the probes (as slipping or touching the wrong thing can be a disaster ) then view the result. Or the ability to null the meter at a given reading which can be used to zero out the lead resistence when measuring very low resistance. 

As usual you will get what you pay for. Happy Hunting.

I generally shop from the Fluke or Agilent(now Keysight but originally HP) catalog.

 

 

[Harvs11]

This one comes with an inductive pick up lead for RPM measurement as well as many other features which are a complete mystery to me. 

http://www.jaycar.com.au/automotive-dmm-with-inductive-pickup/p/QM1444

 

[SimonN]

So thanks for the advice. I decided that for my purposes, as an occasional user, to buy top of the range but from a  cheap make, SCA, from SuperCheap Auto. It's not what I usually would buy but it has all the features I needed for $80. As advised, and having done some more research, I went for a True RMS (6000 counts model and it's Cat III as well. I decided against an auto one because I really don't need the features with my car (dwell angle isn't a lot of use!), while I am sure I will get the use of the other features over time.

I haven't tries anything too testing yet, but checked out a few things on the car that I wanted to know were OK. In particular, I wanted to check when the WOT switch was activating and adjust it to my own reference. Of course, I should have known better, because somebody (I presume PR Tec) had already been there and it was just like I wanted it.

[Redracn]

Should get most jobs done and keep you out of trouble. Did it come with a K type thermocouple probe. Has lots of uses such as checking Air Con performance. 

Forgot to mention the main thing I have to have. Auto Off. If using it a bit it is anoying to keep turning it off so you leave it on and in the end forget with the end result a flat bettery. 

[SimonN]

Should get most jobs done and keep you out of trouble. Did it come with a K type thermocouple probe. Has lots of uses such as checking Air Con performance. 

Forgot to mention the main thing I have to have. Auto Off. If using it a bit it is anoying to keep turning it off so you leave it on and in the end forget with the end result a flat bettery. 

Yes, it has a K type thermocouple probe which has already resolved an argument with my wife over the reverse cycle being different temps in different rooms, which it wasn't! And it has auto power off. So it has all the features, a great price, but i am under no illusions about quality! It should do all I need and if it fails and it is longer than the 2 months of the warranty, then I think again.