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My cheap Chinese piece of garbage finally crapped out on me. I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did, and I was kind of questioning it's accuracy anyways.
So, I'm looking for a new meter that is dependable but won't break the bank. Sockets for transistor hFE reading is an absolute must.
Thanks.
the hFE part has been a big issue for me... i can't find another with it (that isn't online). no hardware stores anywhere around here have them 
looking forward to peoples suggestions!
this is what i have =] http://www.harborfreight.com/7-function … 90899.html
works beautifully =]
Matthew, it's a big issue for me too. I understand that most people don't work with discrete circuits anymore, but there are still the few of us who absolutely need to take hFE readings.
I'm building with old germaniums here at some point, and those things vary so much that I need an accurate read to figure out which of these things to toss out before finding out the hard way.
Last edited by hotmessization (Oct 16, 2011 12:50 am)
Alright, so I'm settling on getting a higher-end multimeter without hFE.
I found the Peak DCA55 for all of my transistor needs. IT EVEN MEASURES THE LEAKAGE!
I've had very good luck with the Mastech MAS830 that is available for around 10 Euros which I think is an unbeatable price point for what it does (including hFE)
Here's a pic: 
There is also a MAS830L with a backlight. Got mine at a local electronics shop but have also seen it in online stores. Good luck!