Sadly snobbery is everywhere. Sometimes even total beginners are forced to start with expensive equipment and use it only for measuring AA battery voltages of the TV remote.
Yeah, I enjoy electronics stuff but haven't invested enough time in it to feel like I'd get enough value out of expensive tools. I'm still using the cheap little digital multimeter my dad bought me for college 20 years ago, and when my inherited Weller soldering iron broke I replaced it with a cheap Amazon model with more features because I only use it a couple times a year. I use an inherited soldapult because I just don't need it often enough to justify a desoldering iron purchase.
I tried it against my other meter, which is a Tenma with usb logging the the results were the same. I checked the capacitance against my Peak Atlas ESR+ meter and it was very close.
Pushing buttons to change mode gets old real quick. Specially if you miss the target, the only way, is to go around again... pushing buttons galore. The display is nice for filming and updates quick.
The three "first" modes are quite good at autoselecting what I need so it's not too bad. I suppose some design compromises need to be made. Filming iis the big one for me. LCD under studio lighting means finding the right angle or you just get a reflection of the ceiling.
Those removable tip covers are actually probe CAT changers so you can't measure resistance of the skin at the same time when measuring higher voltages :)
Looks better than some of the cheaper ones. I forget the name but there was a Chanel pushing a multimeter just last week that was £8. Now, i dont know if its me, but are these things really electrically safe?. I would not want to be probing 240v AC with something that cost £8. This one however does look much better.
Sweet Kaiweets KM601 meter. My wish list is for Kaiweets to come out with a 5 digit meter for calibrating circuit boards, etc. That would be a game changer. 😎 Thank you.
I had an old Tenma 75-045 multimeter I bought in 1985 that I wanted to update. I watched your video and was impressed by the quality. I ordered one and it showed up in a couple of days. Out of the box it feels good. The plastic looks like glass fiber reinforced. The probes are nice and came with protective plugs in the connection end. The case was hard to get off but once off it was easy to install batteries. This is a really nice meter. I fired it up and used it to check some voltages and diodes. It works well and is easy to read. Downside, no fold out stand.
Looks like a decent unit for the price. Nice that it checks capacitance. My meter is a 40 year old Beckman digital that was a gift from a friend. I used to also have a Simpson Model 260 which I used when repairing old valve radios. This one could have been considered “snobbery” I guess, as it was the one everybody told me was the best for the job, so I just had to get one. The ultimate for me would have been an AVO 8, but you don’t see them in the US (I should have brought one with me when I emigrated).
This meter seems like a pretty good bench top hobbyist meter. The screen is nice a bright and the Auto switching function seems pretty nice for quicker troubleshooting. I already have a Kaiweets HT118A, but I think this would fit nicely in my collection. Thanks for the review.
Thing with voltage ratings is if they lie about them, then you have to worry about the fault current that comes with it. Typical household MCBs are rated to safely break 240vrms at 20,000amps, even the 6amp breakers can take a 20kA surge. Some of these meters can't handle it and it will burn out the case or leads into your body. But, on a happy note and not being a snob. it's good enough for the girls I go out with. I wouldn't take it on mains stuff. that's what my fluke and megger etc is for. It's plenty good for everything else.
Didn’t realise until I went to their site that I’d picked up one of their even cheaper meters a few months ago. Currently at £22 before any discount. It does everything I need and I’m well happy with it.
I seem to be missing a sponsored content tag on this video. You got it sent to you for free if i heard you correctly and the making of the video benefits you. It's payment in kind. If you're nice about it, they sent you more stuff for new videos.
@@MarkFixesStuff not sure if you are being sarcastic there. Usually people don't respond well to me pointing it out. But i have a thing about it missing. Especially for channels getting (does not seem to apply to yours) equipment worth thousands of dollars for free and then claiming not to have been paid while they say "their opinions are their own". If you have to say it, you know you're in the wrong. I don't mind them getting the stuff, they have to make a living too. But put the tick mark for sponsored content on at the least.
@@bzuidgeest not, not sarcasm. Its the rules on RUclips and I think I’ve made a mistake. There is a checkbox and I must have missed it this time. If you look at my other videos you will see the little message appears at video beginning. Sorry if my reply seemed sarcastic. I’m looking for the switch on mobile but I think I need to be on the computer. Genuinely grateful for the heads up 😊
Yes. I had missed the box. It's fixed now. Thank you. I know what happpened as well. I used a new feature in my editing software that automatically uploads the video to RUclips after it's processed. Because of this I didn't do my usual "scroll through" of the settings. I also missed another video recently so I fixed that too. Thank you for this. It's really helpful to save me from potential trouble later on with RUclips.
@@MarkFixesStuff A rule that a very few seem to follow correctly unfortunately. I don't think I am going to fix the internet on that point. ;). I recently had a discussion with "two bit davinci", he was claiming that accepting free hotel stays, flights and stuff was not a form of payment and was not a violation of journalistic integrity. Until I pointed him to the texts on that from several journalistic organisations that clearly said it was and at the very least needed to be made clear to the consumer. Never heard back again.... At least they recently introduced a law in my country that basically holds social media pundits to the same rules for advertising as TV channels have to stick to. It doesn't immediately fix everything, but its a start. For me, I just like to have a few shining examples when someone says its fine because nobody else does it. Techmoan, RMC, you, etc
That would have been nice. The fuses are inside the back panel, so not too difficult to access. I do wonder if there's some safety rule that says they need to be behind a secured panel becuase my other meters are the same.
I think Kaiweets is a brand used (maybe created) by Amazon. Same DMM sells by the name of Habotest HT116 in the usual Chinese web sites, which is the one I have. It serves its purpose and justifies its price. It has replaced the Aneng 8008 in my nerd backpack. Note: Habotest comes with a pair of cheaper looking probes and only one set of batteries though.
I think Kaiweets is an external company to Amazon and they have their own website as listed below. Probably use the Amazon fulfilment service and almost certainly brand products as you say.
I just got my Kaiweets KM601 delivered today and will do the job for me as a relative noob when it comes to retro repairs. I can also confirm that my unit came with 6 batteries as well so it looks like this is maybe a standard thing.
It's been about a week since I installed them and they are still working after a decent bit of use. No idea how good these pack-in batteries actually are either. I'll update if it turns out to be the Game Gear of multimeters.
I very nearly bought this exact meter three months ago, but wasn't sure if the batteries would last very long. It looks like it's probably OK, though. I'm tempted to just buy one, as it has to be better than the crappy "Vichy VC97" I've been using for the past ten years. lol (the dial on the Vichy is the worst part, and the contacts have been bad for a long time, which means I often have to re-dial the function and/or hit the Reset button before using it. I tried many times to fix the flimsy contacts, but it always fails again.) The Kaiweet looks like it responds WAY faster than the Vichy as well. In auto-ranging mode, the Vichy can take a whole four seconds just to get a resistance reading. Tempted to just buy a new meter finally, as I was looking at this one anyway. My only other concern is how fast it responds in continuity BEEP mode, as I use that almost as much as Voltage and Resistance mode.
1000V lol - as these might be used to measure potentially dangerous voltages, the only relevant tests are whether it explodes when you put it in resistance mode and then ("accidentally") measure between L1 and L2 of a three phase mains outlet. Would you trust it in that regard?
I don’t do that sort of work, highest I’d ever be doing is checking that 230v is present on the input of a PSU. I don’t have any three phase here. Sorry!
@@MarkFixesStuff Well, then, 240V is already the danger zone. And I don't trust that multimeter to survive measuring resistance across a mains circuit. Which is an easy mistake to make.
@@MarkFixesStuff Well, I wouldn't stick this thing into mains, at all. Neither are the leads safe, nor should you trust the input protection. The unfortunate reality is that you can't trust these devices to be built to actually meet the stated CAT standards. Also, if you are measuring inside a PSU connected to 240V, the primary side capacitors will already be charged to 340V DC. Also, I watched a few more reviews, and it turns out it can't accurately measure anything below a few Ohms, which is a pretty big problem for fixing retro stuff, as it can't really show the difference between an actual short and just a low resistance. Basically, it has 0.5 Ohms (in addition to plus/minus 1%) error, even at resistances in the same range.
Sadly snobbery is everywhere. Sometimes even total beginners are forced to start with expensive equipment and use it only for measuring AA battery voltages of the TV remote.
Strongly agree.
Yeah, I enjoy electronics stuff but haven't invested enough time in it to feel like I'd get enough value out of expensive tools. I'm still using the cheap little digital multimeter my dad bought me for college 20 years ago, and when my inherited Weller soldering iron broke I replaced it with a cheap Amazon model with more features because I only use it a couple times a year. I use an inherited soldapult because I just don't need it often enough to justify a desoldering iron purchase.
That looks like a pretty decent bit of kit for the price. Thanks Mark.
+1 up for "The never ending story" sound track :D
I got it too!! How i love to probe stuff. Might start my own channel !!!" Dieter Probes Stuff"
You should! I'd watch that.
Did you test against components with a known value (measured with a more expensive meter) to validate it’s accuracy?
I tried it against my other meter, which is a Tenma with usb logging the the results were the same. I checked the capacitance against my Peak Atlas ESR+ meter and it was very close.
If it doesn't sound like a 1980s washing machine programe selector then I ain't interested.
They actually have that sort of selector on one of the models on the link LOL.
Love it, if Frankie Howerd did tech reviews and repairs I imagine it would be a lot like this!
Excellent!!
Pushing buttons to change mode gets old real quick.
Specially if you miss the target, the only way, is to go around again... pushing buttons galore.
The display is nice for filming and updates quick.
The three "first" modes are quite good at autoselecting what I need so it's not too bad. I suppose some design compromises need to be made. Filming iis the big one for me. LCD under studio lighting means finding the right angle or you just get a reflection of the ceiling.
Those removable tip covers are actually probe CAT changers so you can't measure resistance of the skin at the same time when measuring higher voltages :)
I had an idea that was what they were for but no idea what they were called. Thank you very much!
they're not for protecting the user its for testing voltages in tight places and don't accidently arc the two leads together
Oh no, the soot has returned to the Amiga!
Oh no!!!!! 😂
I need a new multimeter. Thank you for the code!
You're welcome!
How many ohms across a gummy bear?
Gummy Bears are measured in Noms per Chomp
Are UK laws even that allowing of litigious lawsuits of people claiming they got bad advice?
Probably knowing my luck. Increasingly litigious here now.
I thought you said you were going to take it on a 'Test Drive' - walk out shop. hop in a car, put it on the passenger seat, and drive a car around!
Oh man I wish I'd thought of that...
Looks better than some of the cheaper ones. I forget the name but there was a Chanel pushing a multimeter just last week that was £8. Now, i dont know if its me, but are these things really electrically safe?. I would not want to be probing 240v AC with something that cost £8. This one however does look much better.
Sweet Kaiweets KM601 meter. My wish list is for Kaiweets to come out with a 5 digit meter for calibrating circuit boards, etc. That would be a game changer. 😎 Thank you.
There is a very good reason it comes with six batteries. They do not last very long… Still nice of them to add an extra pair.
I had an old Tenma 75-045 multimeter I bought in 1985 that I wanted to update. I watched your video and was impressed by the quality. I ordered one and it showed up in a couple of days. Out of the box it feels good. The plastic looks like glass fiber reinforced. The probes are nice and came with protective plugs in the connection end. The case was hard to get off but once off it was easy to install batteries. This is a really nice meter. I fired it up and used it to check some voltages and diodes. It works well and is easy to read. Downside, no fold out stand.
Looks like a decent unit for the price. Nice that it checks capacitance. My meter is a 40 year old Beckman digital that was a gift from a friend. I used to also have a Simpson Model 260 which I used when repairing old valve radios. This one could have been considered “snobbery” I guess, as it was the one everybody told me was the best for the job, so I just had to get one. The ultimate for me would have been an AVO 8, but you don’t see them in the US (I should have brought one with me when I emigrated).
This meter seems like a pretty good bench top hobbyist meter. The screen is nice a bright and the Auto switching function seems pretty nice for quicker troubleshooting. I already have a Kaiweets HT118A, but I think this would fit nicely in my collection. Thanks for the review.
Thing with voltage ratings is if they lie about them, then you have to worry about the fault current that comes with it. Typical household MCBs are rated to safely break 240vrms at 20,000amps, even the 6amp breakers can take a 20kA surge. Some of these meters can't handle it and it will burn out the case or leads into your body. But, on a happy note and not being a snob. it's good enough for the girls I go out with. I wouldn't take it on mains stuff. that's what my fluke and megger etc is for. It's plenty good for everything else.
I don’t do too much work on the mains you’ll be pleased to hear.
I think anyone is allowed to be a snob when a meter claims 750AC/1000DC.
Didn’t realise until I went to their site that I’d picked up one of their even cheaper meters a few months ago. Currently at £22 before any discount. It does everything I need and I’m well happy with it.
I seem to be missing a sponsored content tag on this video. You got it sent to you for free if i heard you correctly and the making of the video benefits you. It's payment in kind. If you're nice about it, they sent you more stuff for new videos.
Oh, thanks Bart! There is a check box in the video settings that I might have missed this time. I’ll look right now!
@@MarkFixesStuff not sure if you are being sarcastic there. Usually people don't respond well to me pointing it out.
But i have a thing about it missing. Especially for channels getting (does not seem to apply to yours) equipment worth thousands of dollars for free and then claiming not to have been paid while they say "their opinions are their own". If you have to say it, you know you're in the wrong.
I don't mind them getting the stuff, they have to make a living too. But put the tick mark for sponsored content on at the least.
@@bzuidgeest not, not sarcasm. Its the rules on RUclips and I think I’ve made a mistake. There is a checkbox and I must have missed it this time. If you look at my other videos you will see the little message appears at video beginning. Sorry if my reply seemed sarcastic. I’m looking for the switch on mobile but I think I need to be on the computer. Genuinely grateful for the heads up 😊
Yes. I had missed the box. It's fixed now. Thank you.
I know what happpened as well. I used a new feature in my editing software that automatically uploads the video to RUclips after it's processed. Because of this I didn't do my usual "scroll through" of the settings. I also missed another video recently so I fixed that too. Thank you for this. It's really helpful to save me from potential trouble later on with RUclips.
@@MarkFixesStuff A rule that a very few seem to follow correctly unfortunately. I don't think I am going to fix the internet on that point. ;).
I recently had a discussion with "two bit davinci", he was claiming that accepting free hotel stays, flights and stuff was not a form of payment and was not a violation of journalistic integrity. Until I pointed him to the texts on that from several journalistic organisations that clearly said it was and at the very least needed to be made clear to the consumer. Never heard back again....
At least they recently introduced a law in my country that basically holds social media pundits to the same rules for advertising as TV channels have to stick to. It doesn't immediately fix everything, but its a start.
For me, I just like to have a few shining examples when someone says its fine because nobody else does it. Techmoan, RMC, you, etc
Came for the innuendo, was not disappointed.
No innuendo on this one. Nothing was slipped in.
@@MarkFixesStuff Fnarr!
Coincidently, I bought this one exactly 6 months ago. I'm quite happy with it so far.
That's good to know half a year down the line. It's certainly very easy to use.
I would have been impressed if the thing had easy access to the fuse holder and an extra fuse.
That would have been nice. The fuses are inside the back panel, so not too difficult to access. I do wonder if there's some safety rule that says they need to be behind a secured panel becuase my other meters are the same.
FYI, The specifications of the two fuses: F600mA/250V, Size: 6*32mm; F10A/250V fuse, Size: 6* 32mm
I think Kaiweets is a brand used (maybe created) by Amazon. Same DMM sells by the name of Habotest HT116 in the usual Chinese web sites, which is the one I have. It serves its purpose and justifies its price. It has replaced the Aneng 8008 in my nerd backpack. Note: Habotest comes with a pair of cheaper looking probes and only one set of batteries though.
I think Kaiweets is an external company to Amazon and they have their own website as listed below. Probably use the Amazon fulfilment service and almost certainly brand products as you say.
Another clone of these would be GVDA GD128
Kitne k he
Km601s is out now has a stand a rechargeable battery and the leads are on front which I prefer
I have been asked if I'd like to review that! Thoughts?
@@MarkFixesStuff Why not looks like a great multimeter especially for the price
I just got my Kaiweets KM601 delivered today and will do the job for me as a relative noob when it comes to retro repairs. I can also confirm that my unit came with 6 batteries as well so it looks like this is maybe a standard thing.
£42 = PASS
Looks like the sale ended then
How long do three AAA's last with a meaty OLED, though?
Yeah, those spare +3 batteries are there for a reason I suppose...
It's been about a week since I installed them and they are still working after a decent bit of use. No idea how good these pack-in batteries actually are either. I'll update if it turns out to be the Game Gear of multimeters.
I very nearly bought this exact meter three months ago, but wasn't sure if the batteries would last very long.
It looks like it's probably OK, though. I'm tempted to just buy one, as it has to be better than the crappy "Vichy VC97" I've been using for the past ten years. lol
(the dial on the Vichy is the worst part, and the contacts have been bad for a long time, which means I often have to re-dial the function and/or hit the Reset button before using it. I tried many times to fix the flimsy contacts, but it always fails again.)
The Kaiweet looks like it responds WAY faster than the Vichy as well. In auto-ranging mode, the Vichy can take a whole four seconds just to get a resistance reading.
Tempted to just buy a new meter finally, as I was looking at this one anyway.
My only other concern is how fast it responds in continuity BEEP mode, as I use that almost as much as Voltage and Resistance mode.
Hiya Ash! Yeah. It’s good enough for what I do. I do find that continuity mode reacts fast enough for me.
Probably alright as a "Hobby" grade meter but I wouldn't bring it anywhere near a cat III or cat IV enviroment
If you were doing that sort of work I think you’d be inclined to pay more anyway.
@@MarkFixesStuff I agree. I'm just commenting about the stated specifications
@@Rocky-57 Oh yeah, I know.
1000V lol - as these might be used to measure potentially dangerous voltages, the only relevant tests are whether it explodes when you put it in resistance mode and then ("accidentally") measure between L1 and L2 of a three phase mains outlet. Would you trust it in that regard?
I don’t do that sort of work, highest I’d ever be doing is checking that 230v is present on the input of a PSU. I don’t have any three phase here. Sorry!
@@MarkFixesStuff Well, then, 240V is already the danger zone. And I don't trust that multimeter to survive measuring resistance across a mains circuit. Which is an easy mistake to make.
@@graealex don’t worry! I’m always careful on AC power. I don’t need to do it very often either.
@@MarkFixesStuff Well, I wouldn't stick this thing into mains, at all. Neither are the leads safe, nor should you trust the input protection. The unfortunate reality is that you can't trust these devices to be built to actually meet the stated CAT standards. Also, if you are measuring inside a PSU connected to 240V, the primary side capacitors will already be charged to 340V DC.
Also, I watched a few more reviews, and it turns out it can't accurately measure anything below a few Ohms, which is a pretty big problem for fixing retro stuff, as it can't really show the difference between an actual short and just a low resistance. Basically, it has 0.5 Ohms (in addition to plus/minus 1%) error, even at resistances in the same range.