Multimeter
Fluke 117
True-RMS electrician's multimeter with built-in non-contact voltage detection and a low-impedance mode that kills ghost voltage.
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Best for
Anyone who will do this more than once a year
Specifications
| Measurement | True-RMS AC voltage and current |
|---|---|
| Key features | VoltAlert non-contact detection, LoZ low-impedance mode |
| Safety rating | CAT III 600 V |
Specifications as published by Fluke. Confirm against the current spec sheet before buying — manufacturers revise models without renaming them.
What's good
- True-RMS reads inverter and variable-speed loads correctly
- LoZ mode makes phantom voltage on a dead wire disappear, ending a classic false alarm
- Non-contact detection built in means one fewer tool in the bag
What's not
- Several times the price of a homeowner-grade meter
- Overkill if you check an outlet twice a year
Our verdict
The meter to buy if you want to buy once. The LoZ function alone justifies it for anyone troubleshooting long runs or switched circuits, where capacitively coupled 'ghost' voltage on a genuinely dead conductor sends people down hours of dead ends.
Compare with the alternatives
- Klein Tools NCVT-3P — confirming a circuit is dead before you open a device or box
- Fluke 1AC-A1-II VoltAlert — a simple, rugged live/dead check on 120 v and 240 v branch circuits
- Sperry Instruments GFI6302 — checking every outlet in a house quickly for miswiring
- Klein Tools RT250 — diagnosing voltage drop or a flaky circuit, not just wiring order
- Klein Tools ET310 — labeling a panel without two people and a lot of shouting
- Klein Tools MM400 — a first multimeter that will not be outgrown for home work
- Klein Tools CL800 — finding out what a circuit or appliance is actually drawing
- Fluke 323 — measuring current in a tight, densely packed load center