Well, the question is the title: Is it worth really buying a Fluke for hobbyist use?
I have a cheap meter at the moment. Is it worth spending a 3 figure sum on a nice, shiny, new Fluke? I honestly don't think so, but I'm curious what other's opinions are.
I think you should make sure you select a multimeter that answers the questions you need answered. Or start with a cheap one, and if you need more features / better accuracy, get a better one.
Most folks working on digital electronics need to know if:
Really, to solve all those problems, a $5USD digital multimeter does all that and more.
If you need to measure capacitors, inductors, are panicky about your duty cycle, or need tight accuracy, or you need the thing to survive falling down a waterfall or being inside crazy EMF fields or your'e gonna beat the thing up, I'd look for a Fluke or something.
If you need to watch really fast signals, you should be doing that with a logic analyzer or an oscilloscope anyway.
A brand-name multimeter is absolutely worth it.
Fluke multimeters are some of the most reliable out there. They respond faster than most cheap DMMs, and most of them have a analog bar-graph that tries to bridge the graph between analog and digital meters, and is better than a pure digital readout.
Also, one thing that I do not see mentioned, and is very convenient about them is that they run forever on a single 9v battery.
It may seem a trivial thing, but I've used a lot of no-name DMMs, and they all go through batteries every few weeks, particularly if you forget to turn them off.
Flukes, on the other hand, turn themselves off automatically, and I think I have had the same battery in mine for 3+ years.
It's extremely nice to know that your battery powered equipment will just work when you turn it on, rather than having to try and track down the proper batteries so you can take a measurement.
The big thing is whether or not you're ever likely to be using mains voltages - quality gear like Fluke has significant safety features to prevent injury when things go bad. For hobbyist use, issues like accuracy, robustness and lost time when it breaks are much less important than for professional use, so the benefits of an expensive unit are much lower. If the decision is between cheap DMM plus a cheap scope, or an expensive DMM, the former would usually be more useful to you. Also consider a used name-brand over a new cheapie. You will usually get a better bit of kit for your money, albeit maybe a bit bigger and less shiny.
Depends on how important it is to you to have high-quality good accuracy gear. I bought two Fluke 73 and a Fluke 87-III off ebay YEARS ago. Calibrated them once (a shop I know people at had their calibration people in so I got mine thrown into their calibration run) and they've never, ever let me down.
Personally I try to never buy equipment new. My oscilloscope, logic analyzer, meters, soldering equipment... all used. The only items I purchased new were a Usbee SX, Bus Pirate and my inspection microscope. Sure, the equipment's not latest-tech but generally speaking you don't need it. It's like buying a new car vs buying one a few years old, except that test equipment generally does not die, and Fluke equipment (getting back to your question) is built rugged as hell.
Even if you are only a digital hobbyist, a reasonable meter for about £20-£40 is worth it, a second-hand fluke will fit, and so might an Extech. I have a really nice one of dubious brand name, it's works like a fluke, but eats battery - my Fluke (at work) never did that to me. You will need a backup instrument of some sort anyway, as a beginner so if you have not got something else that gives rough measurements as a reference point it's not so much fun. I go with Andrew K (but I'm still unable to vote here for some reason)
As always it depends on your exact requirements, but I would prefer a cheap multimeter and a digital oscilloscope, than a great multimeter.
I've heard good things about the Rigol DS1000E (2ch 50MHz) and they retail for around USD400.
A good multimeter is absolutely worth it! When it comes to electronics never is the phrase "you get what you pay for" more true than with multimeters. Oscilloscopes become outdated, new DSOs will have more gigasamples and more memory in the future, but for the most part even 30 year old digital hand held multimeters are still pretty good.
Furthermore unlike the Oscilloscopes you can get a pretty top notch Fluke multimeter for 100-300 dollars, so does it make sense to skimp on something that you will own and use for the rest of your life?
What I am trying to say is that the DMM field is mature and it doesn't advance that much. Fluke has led the market for half a century and a lot of their products are iterations on great ideas. So why not buy a good meter?
Cheaper meters will try to impress you with all sorts of features and gimmicks, but nobody quite makes a meter like Fluke. There are some other good brands that are also worth it, Gossen Metrawatt, Agilent or Hioki, but Fluke is still in my opinion above the rest.
If you want a general purpose all around winner, get the now legendary 87 series meter. (87-V is the latest). If you can't afford new, try to score a used one on Ebay, any 87 series is good.
In my opinion it is the best all around meter I've ever used. And I've tried all sorts. Overall it has the best ergonomics, just the dial and the way it clicks exudes quality, every feature is well implemented, there are no features that are gimmicks or afterthoughts, it has absolutely amazing battery life, the resolution it provides is well inline with its stability, and as a result you will probably not experience any measurement drift even if you abuse it.
You might be tempted to get a meter with more resolution, but don't get fooled by the marketing. Fluke 87-Vs 20000 count is more than enough. If you need crazy 6 1/2 digit resolution get a bench meter, because they have proper low drift heated voltage references to provide that. A hand held meter can never provide that and maintain low battery usage, so don't obsess about high resolution. Fluke are the experts at providing low drift voltage references in the hand held meters and they know what they are doing.
When you buy Fluke you're paying for the protection, industrial build quality and confidence in measurement. And it's worth every penny.
Like everything, it depends on what your are doing... For must applications a cheap meter will do the job. One of the advantages of Fluke multimeter is that they give true RMS readings for ac readings. Most of the readings you will be taking will likely be sinusoidal anyways, so this shouldn't be an issue. Other meter's have different capabilities like measuring power. for example a cheap meter will not be able to give an accurate measure of ac power because you will not know the power coefficient, but you would be able to measure its VA's...
I have had the same Fluke 8060A for over 20 years. It is well designed, well built and documentation is available. Since I use it professional I would buy another one.
The Extech meters seem to have good specifications and appear to be popular among hobbyists who are looking for something between a $10 meter and a professional grade instrument.
I have a Fluke 88v...
... bought as an 'as new' externally but with a dead main board off flea bay for next to nothing. I then sent it off to be repaired locally to new at Flukes Service Center at their flat repair rate of $185 AUD. No more to pay; new mo-board, yellow holster and display glass + calibration!
Now I have a mint 88v with the latest rev. 11 edition EMI/RF safe mo-board installed. So you can get a near new Fluke at a reasonable price if you're smart about it.
In Australia the standalone 88v retails for a rediculous $920 AUD!
Mine for $185! 😎!
Picture below shows my Fluke DMM recording voltage ranges off my solar panel array powering my remote amateur radio shack...
