Mastech 5-in-1 Multimeter Review - Conclusion
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In the intro I mentioned this would be a useful tool for electronics enthusiasts, but also for gardeners. Electronics buffs can easily see where a multimeter can come in handy, and also a temp sensor. Someone wanting to put together a silent computer or work area from scratch would do well to use a decibel meter and someone with a high tech laboratory might be interested in keeping humidity levels down so no damage could befall his highly sensitive equipment due to condensation build up.
But wait a minute... gardeners? No, not your average gardener, but more of a trained botanist, someone who is very interested in keeping light, humidity, and temperature levels very, very accurate so as not to disrupt the artificial environment they have so carefully created. Now do these instances justify the hefty $100 pricetag on the Mastech MS8209? Well, for the lab guy or the botanist, I'd say probably. After all, these people might be inclined to purchase instruments that do all the things the 5-in-1 does separately. A digital light sensor=$60+, digital humidity sensor=$30+, digital temp sensor=$10, digital decibel sensor $100+, digital multimeter=$15+...totaling just the first three equals the price of the MS8209.
For the average enthusiast though, this might be a bit of overkill. Most people will have no use for a humidity sensor or a light sensor or even a decibel sensor beyond maybe one or two quick tasks, and there are multimeters available that also feature just a temp sensor for right around $40 or maybe less.
Pros
- Rugged/rubberized sturdy design
- High quality test leads
- Accurate sensors all around
- Backlight
- 5-in-1 concept
- Built in stand/prop
- Included carrying case
Cons
- Steep price if all features aren't needed
- Thermocouple could be of higher quality
- Scratch that shouldn't have passed Q.C.
- Hard to find fuse used instead of a more common one
- Horribly translated manual
That about wraps it up for our look at Mastech's MS8209 5 in 1 multimeter. You can learn more about it, though not much, at Mastech's Website. Questions or comments can be shared in the discussion section linked at the top of this page or sent directly to me (cyd@devhardware.com). Head back to the front page for more hardware news and reviews or stop in our forums to chat about computers or whatever's on your mind.
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