Review on 🔧 Fluke 87-5/E2KIT True-RMS Industrial Multimeter Combo Kit + NIST-Traceable Calibration Certificate with Data by Barry Taylor

----- Background ----- First, a digital multimeter is sort of the equivalent of a Swiss Army knife or multi-tool: it's for designed for many things, but not necessarily for the best results in each of them. Second, there are many different disciplines that can acquire this gauge. Hobbyists, home electricians, industrial/manufacturing workers, electronics repairers, etc. Of these, Fluke is pretty clear that this is primarily for industrial use (not just this kit, 87V in general). -----I agree 100%, for industrial use, the bright yellow bumper for visibility and protection, the long test leads, and the two types of probes included in this kit are all good choices. The counter basically does what it can. ----- Not Good ----- For hobbyist/electronic/electrical use, all the probes and wires in this kit are wrong (too long, metal tip not sufficiently exposed, etc.), and the meter itself lacks such practical features such as electric field detection, AC+DC, memory mode selection and dual displays to name a few. and some material sticks out on the probes during the molding process. The probe tips in particular had such a large number that I sometimes couldn't connect. I brought the knife to them and cleaned up the excess. In general, I believe the carrying case, sensors, and cables were of much lower quality than the meter itself. By default, the meter always operates in resistance mode rather than continuous mode, which I think is a serious flaw given the target consumer. The backlight does not blink continuously. Non-contact voltage detection is also a major omission, and you'll need to carry a pin detector or something. The included quick reference card does not list the gauge's specifications. Some very basic limitations are printed in the 50 page safety information booklet of which only about 3 pages are in your local language. The card "Going Green" causes laughter in this case. The carrying case is an updated C35 with a small yellow logo that doesn't match any of the photos. I prefer the old style. Most likely, this is a move to reduce costs. --------------------- I bought this counter because people have been raving about how good it is for everything for years. The price I got it for, along with the included NIST certificate, convinced me to give it a try. However, I'm not exactly sure how it will end. For my electronics workbench, workshop, garage, glove box, home tool box, and travel, I have other counters that I think do the job better. I particularly prefer the Brymen brand, although I also own some of the Amprobe products. ------ Suggestions ------ Electronics: you need at least more precision/accuracy/counting and data connection (computer/tablet, data logging etc.)- Workshop: something- something cheaper so you don't do it don't mind getting trash on it! - Garage: a gauge with clamp meters, maybe something you don't mind throwing in a bucket to collect oil. - Glove Box / Travel: Inexpensive pocket gauges are great. Suitable for all your vehicle and travel essentials - House/Toolbox: Non-contact voltage detection is a must have in my opinion. I also offer current clamps here