Amprobe PM55A Pocket Multimeter with Non-Contact Voltage Detection

Amprobe, cousin of Fluke This is a really nice pocket meter. Keep in mind it is a low voltage/current general purpose tool. Both on my job and hobby wise, I often need to check the status of batteries and this is where it shines. Accuracy is 0.5% +-3 digits at 6V or less. So at low voltages its more accurate than my other cheapees. Above that, the accuracy declines but it can't easily be acertained because you just crossed the 6000 count i.e. after 6V you only get 2 decimal places i.e. less resolution. This is not necessarily a bad thing; are you critical of whether an AAA cell is 1.603V or 01.60V ?? LOL Pros Nice, compact and light Nice clear display It beeps in a second to indicate the reading is ready Loud beeps for continuity In manual selection for continuity, it latches pretty well In fact if the modes are manually selected the autoranging is really fast eg. less than half a second on all voltages I've tried thus far A CR2032 replacement battery is quite common Permanantly attached to the leads is this rubber holder to protect the lead tips Leads are sharp Case is a nice touch Non-contact AC current magnitude works ok Frequency/duty cycle readings are ok too Cons Test leads wires seem really thin. Test leads lack the stoppers which prevent sliding There is a strange discoloration on the display after turning it off-this disappears in approximately one minute Closing Remarks This is a handy low voltage/current device. Input impedance is in the order of KILO ohms not Mega. Use accordingly. Coupled with the AutoTech for checking voltage/current/resistance/impedance/capcitance/continuity without changing the scale or pressing a single button, this one is staying in my shirt pocket most anywhere I go :-] UPDATE 2015-11-10 I incorrectly gave the meter a bad review due to erroneous behavior when attempting to power it on. The meter didn't indicate a low battery right away. A CR2032 at 2.996V has to be changed. Something to watch out for and keep a spare in the pouch. I own an AM270 and this PM55A is still my favourite.

Excellent device. I keep it in my office backpack, and have found it very handy to use, very accurate. The energy detect/circuit live works nicely, as does the Freq measurement. I finally broke one I'd carried for 2 years when I shipped it in checked luggage and the LCD got smashed; I immediately ordered another one. Highly recommend (I'm a manufacturing system engineer)

Handy and small enough for everyday carry

Perfect replacement for my last one that broke and had a similar design to this one. It's compact and easy to use. GREAT FOR FIELD TECHS who work with Low Voltage.

awsome mutimeter , this is my second 1 in 15 yrs , the 1st one i left on my dash , & the sun destroyed it , but this meter is always the 1st meter i grab , when i have a no heat or no a/c call

Compact autoranging multimeter. Reasonably priced at $64/ea. This is essentially the same product as the Greenlee Textron PDMM20 multimeter. Identical function and specifications. However, you can find the PDMM20 for about $20 less. Would be useful if one of the contact probes/leads were of a clip-on type to make these more of a one-handed operation.

Pros: - It is a re-labeled Brymen BM27s meter (decent quality) - Tiny size - CAT II (600V) & III (300V) certified - Built-In Non-Contact Voltage Tester - Capacitance Measurement Cons: - Highly-Inflated Price for U.S. customers - Poor Warranty - Awkward User-Interface - No TrueRMS (uses averaging) - Has diode test but cannot test LEDs - Lacks basic accessories such as probes clips and hanger strap - No backlight The "Good": It is a relabeled Brymen BM27s (Taiwan) which IMHO makes decent quality products. It is one of the smallest fully-functional multimeters that you can buy. There are several reviewers on YouTube that have thoroughly dissected and tested this product for its safety and durability. It has additional features like a non-contact voltage detector and it can measure capacitance for HVAC work. Its tiny size is great to slip in your pocket, tool-pouch or EDC bag. The "Bad": The user interface is awkward. You either have to leave it on Auto and wait or you have to guess where to change the selector switch and hit the SELECT on it multiple times to find the right function. Auto mode annoyingly beeps at you when it gets confused. The auto-power off function powers off too quickly and can become annoying. It is not TrueRMS - it uses averaging. The diode test function works with standard diodes but it does not seem to measure LEDs which have a higher forward voltage. It uses a CR2032 coin battery so there is not a backlit function for the screen. This model is rather dated now and could use some updating. The "Really Bad": The BM27s retails in Europe for 33 Euros - that's about $36 USD. Amprobe seems to be the exclusive retailer here in the U.S. for this model and as such jacks US customers for $109 retail price. For the additional costs they do throw in a rather worthless thin rubber boot and cheap-o bag. I believe Amprobe is owned by Fluke now, which usually gives at least a 3-year warranty on their meter products. However, Amprobe only gives a 1-year warranty on this (??). For this price, they could have at least added useful accessories such as probe clips and a hanging strap. Conclusion: If you are a professional that works on AC appliances or electric, needs safety certification, and need the absolute tiniest multimeter, then it's probably the best you can currently get in this size. I am in this group unfortunately as I want it for a small handheld tool bag and it fits perfectly for that. I mostly like it, however, I have a real-problem with paying 2-3x for it for no real reason and I definitely will not be buying any other Amprobe products. If you are a hobbyist that wants a pocket DMM and mostly works with non-lethal voltages, then check out the Hioki 3244-60 ($29 Amazon) or a Zoyi ZT-08 ($11 Temu).

I received one of these as gift and was very impressed with it. I use is for work and it stores nicely in the bag that I carry my computer and other items in. Because of it's size/performance, I purchased one as a gift for someone who is training to go into the computer repair and IT fields.

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Compact

Recomiendo este producto, para personas que no hacen un uso intenso, sino esporádico, pues lo puedes llevar en la mochila o en el bolsillo de la chaqueta. Lo que más me ha gustado: la función de Medición de Campo Eléctrico: pues permite acercarte a un cuadro eléctrico y saber si está alimentado, antes de tocar. Se hace mediante un pitido que aumenta cuanto más te acercas a los cables que están alimentados. Lo que menos: que las puntas de prueba NO sean desmontables....pues me temo que por ahí es por donde se romperá.... aunque espero sea dentro de muchos años.

Muy práctico y sobre todo muy completo, fácil de llevar en el bolsillo, además su estuche facilita que no se dañe, altamente recomendable

I have been looking at this particular meter for a number of years, a very nice meter for a limited range of tasks, which is why I bought it.