I’ve been in the market for a few new tool upgrades, but like most people out their I’ve been trying to get a good deal on those tools. Well recently I found a great deal for one of the things at the top of my list, a new multimeter. For a while now I’ve been using a cheap multimeter from Harbor Freight and while it worked for most of what I used it for it definitely left a lot to be desired. Luckily for me the Sear’s Hardware store near my house is having a huge sale because they lost the lease on their building and are trying to offload a lot of product before they move. I heard that the sales prices were getting very low lately so decided to stop in and have a look around. I’m glad I did because they had just what I was looking for at a price I couldn’t pass up. The multimeter I purchased is a Craftsman Model 82337 as pictured to the right and while it’s obviously not a Fluke multimeter it does have a few features I was looking for.

The three main things I was looking for in a new meter were that it be a bit more robust, have a continuity testing mode, and if possible it could measure temperature. This meter meets all of those requirements. It is larger and has a rubber casing around it as well as a larger more readable screen, the continuity testing mode has a very audible tone and is a feature that I’ve missed having very much, and the added temperature reading capabilities (with the included Type-K thermocouple) are great. I can even use this meter in a situation involving low light as it has a backlight that can be activated with the press of a button. Overall I am very pleased with this purchase and would recommend the meter to anyone out their looking for something nice on a budget. Factoring in the great deal I got on the multimeter I feel like it is probably one of my more valuable tools right now. You may be surprised that such a small upgrade has made such a big difference to me, but I got so used to using nice laboratory quality tools during my Master’s Thesis project that I’ve really been missing a quality multimeter, power supply, and oscilloscope at my desk.

What about everyone else? Have you purchased any new tools lately that you’re excited about? What’s on your list to upgrade when you can?