Why does nobody talk about how much better a good multimeter makes fixing things?

I used to try to fix small electronics with a cheap $15 meter from the hardware store, which gave me wrong readings half the time. After it told me a good battery was dead last month, I finally bought a Fluke 101 and now I actually trust the numbers I see. What other basic tools made a huge difference for you once you got a good version?

2 comments

2 Comments

lindareed6d ago

Ever try to solder with a cold iron? A good temperature-controlled one is a game changer.

the_spencer7d ago

Wait, you were trying to fix electronics with a hardware store meter that cost fifteen bucks? That's like trying to build a house with a plastic toy hammer. No wonder it gave you junk readings. I had a similar one that would show different voltages if you wiggled the leads. Getting a real meter is the first step to actually knowing what's broken instead of just guessing.