To me, Fluke has always represented the reference standard by which all other are judged. But Fluke meters have also been more expensive than I could justify, so Ive always made do with lesser brands. Some of those so-called lesser brands have served me for decades, but when I finally needed to replace one of them, I thought I would finally get myself a Fluke. A 179 kit with probes and case was almost $400 new, so I bought a used one. I figured that the highly-vaunted Fluke brand, just a few years old, would have to be better than the decades-old lesser brand meter that it was to replace. When I got my long-awaited meter, I was immediately disappointed at just how gross and dirty the once-yellow case had become, but I wanted to verify that it was working, so I did ... MoreTo me, Fluke has always represented the reference standard by which all other are judged. But Fluke meters have also been more expensive than I could justify, so Ive always made do with lesser brands. Some of those so-called lesser brands have served me for decades, but when I finally needed to replace one of them, I thought I would finally get myself a Fluke. A 179 kit with probes and case was almost $400 new, so I bought a used one. I figured that the highly-vaunted Fluke brand, just a few years old, would have to be better than the decades-old lesser brand meter that it was to replace. When I got my long-awaited meter, I was immediately disappointed at just how gross and dirty the once-yellow case had become, but I wanted to verify that it was working, so I did some simple testing and comparison to a recently-calibrated meter. It was close enough for my purposes, but no closer than some of my lesser meters that havent been calibrated in years. So much for Fluke magic. As I was checking out the meter, the battery went dead, so naturally I went to replace it, whereupon I discovered that the battery door was cracked so badly around the screws that pieces fell out when I removed the screws. It was degraded so badly that it wouldnt stay on anymore. No problem, Ithought, Ill just get a replacement. Which is when I discovered that Fluke parts are even more outrageous that Fluke meters. That little piece of (apparently weak) yellow plastic cost me $20. To put that into perspective, Ive purchased entire meters for $20, that still look and work fine decades later. $20 for $0.20 worth of plastic is just a rip-off. Having reluctantly ordered the over-priced battery cover, I then started scrubbing on the gross yellow case, first with products that I was sure wouldnt harm it, and then when that didnt work, I started working my way up to ever harsher chemicals. Its REALLY hard to clean. The material used by this legendary brand is just awful! It almost defies cleaning. After taking the mater all apart and working on it for hours, it was finally almost like new, but not quite, because in spite of being essentially impossible to clean, it is not impossible to damage. Having the yellow parts so much cleaner called attention to the fact that the clear piece of plastic that covers the display was pretty scratched up, so with less optimism than for the battery door, I searched for a replacement. Its a little thing about 1 x 3. The only one I could find at that time was $40, so I decided to sand and polish the one I already had. That worked fine, but wow. The markings on the rubber buttons are worn too, but I couldnt even find that part, so decided to live with it. Questionable material quality combined with outrageous cost to replace those same materials when they failits a lousy combination. Im sure its a decent meter, but having it is not so pleasing a thing after all as wanting it.

Ever since EE school, Fluke has always been my go-to multimeter in the last 3 decades for electronics work. But it has always been limited to bench meters, I don't have the same need for high accuracy for portable use and my 8 portable multimeters has been other brands like Sanwa, Extech, and disposable Harbor Freight which I use on-the-go. I have a NIST calibrated voltage standard, I know my Sanwa and Extech meters are all within spec (+/- 1-3%), but never spot on.I decided to purchase the 179 (non-NIST) as a more robust handheld meter, out-of-the-box, it is the only meter that is spot on even at its highest resolution at multiple reference voltages. It doesn't have the resolution of the bench meters, but I thought the meter have every bit of the quality that is ... MoreEver since EE school, Fluke has always been my go-to multimeter in the last 3 decades for electronics work. But it has always been limited to bench meters, I don't have the same need for high accuracy for portable use and my 8 portable multimeters has been other brands like Sanwa, Extech, and disposable Harbor Freight which I use on-the-go. I have a NIST calibrated voltage standard, I know my Sanwa and Extech meters are all within spec (+/- 1-3%), but never spot on.I decided to purchase the 179 (non-NIST) as a more robust handheld meter, out-of-the-box, it is the only meter that is spot on even at its highest resolution at multiple reference voltages. It doesn't have the resolution of the bench meters, but I thought the meter have every bit of the quality that is worthy of the Fluke name.

Been using Fluke 17x for many, many years. They are my standard order for any new employee who needs a meter and for any "new bench" supply. The 179 is high reliable and accurate. Battery lasts forever. All the features you need are there, easy to use. You can trust the measurements. Some may say the Name adds a needless price tag difference, but the devil is in the details and I disagree.Features that really make the difference:- Fast and accurate continuity check (easily one of the most commonly used and important features in product development labs)- Fast bargraph- Very accurate TrueRMS AC measurements.- Very high input impedance.- High quality probes.It's the portable version of a bench meter, if you don't need the few extra features and ... MoreBeen using Fluke 17x for many, many years. They are my standard order for any new employee who needs a meter and for any "new bench" supply. The 179 is high reliable and accurate. Battery lasts forever. All the features you need are there, easy to use. You can trust the measurements. Some may say the Name adds a needless price tag difference, but the devil is in the details and I disagree.Features that really make the difference:- Fast and accurate continuity check (easily one of the most commonly used and important features in product development labs)- Fast bargraph- Very accurate TrueRMS AC measurements.- Very high input impedance.- High quality probes.It's the portable version of a bench meter, if you don't need the few extra features and resolution of the 87V.I have dropped these and seen them dropped tens of times, never seen one break. Only had to change 1 battery, after many years.You can't go wrong with a 17x.