Any Real World Experience With Doyle True RMS Multi-Meters From HF?

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Dockmaster

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The Doyle meters from HF look like they have good features at good prices. Anyone use them? I find I need quite a few meters to have something in all the tool set ups I need so I'm always looking for good value tools if the quality is decent.
 
I also use DMM's weekly, used to use them daily.

I only use Fluke for the important jobs... but do have a Klein that I picked up to do some equipment validations at Medical Device companies and it worked well for the task.

HF Doyle is seeming to be rebranded or copied designs of Ames and Mastech. Same shit they do with Snap On, now; Copy, copy, copy.

I'd stick with Fluke since the cost difference isn't really that big of a gap. Then again... most of my high end tools are now 25+ years old and have been worth every penny. Pretty sure one of my Fluke meters was bought the week after the Twin Towers went down, still works like a champ.
 
I have a Fluke for work... It's awesome and no one questions results from it since it's easily certified, which is more awesome.

My dune tools have a HF Ames job. It also works well and seems to be accurate enough for anything I do automotive-related. I'm not calibrating shit with this thing, just diagnosing. It's been through hell and back, still kicking. Switch has a quality feel to it, and I haven't had to zero it the entire time I've owned it. Shit, maybe I'll send it off on the next calibration cycle and see if it sucks. :ROFLMAO:
 
What do you need to use it for? Is it once every few years or random troubleshooting for continuity, is voltage present and roughly what you'd expect, etc? OR are you looking for actual indications and more deeply troubleshooting?

Accuracy. That's what should drive your requirement. If you don't need it then the HF or Kleins, etc will get you down the road at a significant cost savings.

Fluke 87V is 10 times more accurate for DC voltage than the harbor freight model. If I'm troubleshooting a 12v automotive system occasionally to see the difference between 3V and 12V or if it is even present then I don't need the Fluke, but if I'm troubleshooting the system components to see the difference between 11.8V and 12.5V then I absolutely need the accuracy of the Fluke.

Calibration/Metrology and test equipment... anything that measures anything has been my world for 35 years.

Attached are the spec sheets for the 87V and the Doyle.

Fluke has many different models of handheld meters and effectively owns that space for quality meters. If the 87V is overkill, you do not need True-RMS, etc. then I'd look at different models tailored to what you need... but I wouldn't look anywhere but Fluke for handheld multi-meters.
 

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HozayKwarvo said:
What do you need to use it for? Is it once every few years or random troubleshooting for continuity, is voltage present and roughly what you'd expect, etc? OR are you looking for actual indications and more deeply troubleshooting?

Accuracy. That's what should drive your requirement. If you don't need it then the HF or Kleins, etc will get you down the road at a significant cost savings.

Fluke 87V is 10 times more accurate for DC voltage than the harbor freight model. If I'm troubleshooting a 12v automotive system occasionally to see the difference between 3V and 12V or if it is even present then I don't need the Fluke, but if I'm troubleshooting the system components to see the difference between 11.8V and 12.5V then I absolutely need the accuracy of the Fluke.

Calibration/Metrology and test equipment... anything that measures anything has been my world for 35 years.

Attached are the spec sheets for the 87V and the Doyle.

Fluke has many different models of handheld meters and effectively owns that space for quality meters. If the 87V is overkill, you do not need True-RMS, etc. then I'd look at different models tailored to what you need... but I wouldn't look anywhere but Fluke for handheld multi-meters.
Click to expand...
I have not seen a tenths difference (12.5x volts on both, for example) between my Fluke and Ames on voltage readings.

The Fluke is definitely king shit and worth the money, but not for things like the above.
 
Do you just need a simple volt meter? Get the Doyle. I used an unbranded freebie harbor freight MM for years and it did what I needed it to. When I started electric power technology (Trade school), I told myself I wouldn't buy a fluke till I knew why they were so expensive. Once I found out, I upgraded but to a klein. Fluke and fieldpiece make great meters and I don't think too many people would complain once they own them.
 
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