It can be tough to pick out one multimeter among many multimeters on the market, especially if you are interested in one brand in particular. But, if that brand is Innova, you have come to the right place.
I will pick one multimeter per low and medium price range and write about what makes them best in their price range. I will also show you one alternative choice for the low price range multimeter.
There’s one more thing before we get started. We need to define what prices should you expect if you decide to buy a multimeter from a specific price range. Multimeters in the low price range can cost up to fifty dollars. Multimeters in the medium price range can cost up to one hundred dollars.
So, let’s get on it.
Top 3 Best Budget Multimeters
OUR TOP PICK
Innova 3320 ARDM is an affordable multimeter that will satisfy beginners and people that are buying on a budget (This is really the best budget option at the moment on market).
The first feature that I noticed on Innova 3320 was the battery level test indicator. This simple feature is designed for DIY users that are not very tech savvy. All that you need to do to test the battery from, for example, your remote control is to place the probes on the battery. The LED indicator will then show you if the battery is full, half full, or drained. But batteries are, of course, not the only thing Innova 3320 can test.
You can measure AC and DC volts, amps, continuity resistance and capacitance with this multimeter. These are the basic functions that can be found on every other multimeter, and if you want a multimeter to practice on, this is the model for you.
Innova 3320 has a reverse polarity indicator. This is one more feature that was designed for new users because they can sometimes get confused easily and then mix up the polarities when testing. Reverse polarity indicator indicates that it detected reverse polarity on the LCD screen of your multimeter by displaying a minus on the left side of the screen.
The casing on this multimeter could have been a bit tougher, but since this is a lower price range model, it really doesn’t matter, since it has a sturdy protective shell. The protective shell is elevated a bit on the sides so that you don’t have to worry if the front side of your multimeter gets busted in case the multimeter falls. If Innova 3320 does not fall from medium to high heights, it will be just fine since the protective shell can handle it.
The not so good side of Innova 3320 is its accuracy. As with all multimeters from lower price ranges, the readings fluctuate and the values displayed could have been more accurate. Accuracy can be improved by calibrating this multimeter, but since this model is designed for and will be used the most by beginners, they could have some trouble with it.
The manufacturer should have designed this multimeter for a higher safety rating. This multimeter is only CAT I rated, and this is not good, especially as Innova 3320 is designed for beginners. And we all know that beginners need to make mistakes in order to learn.
If you can, it would be best if you would replace the fuse that comes with this model with a medium to high-grade ceramic fuse.
To summarize, Innova 3320 is a lower price range multimeter that will be excellent for new users that seek out a model to practice with. The number of features, combined with affordability make this a great multimeter model for users that want to practice using the most common functions.
Once the new user masters this multimeter, he or she can then get more accurate, better models and start using multimeters in a more serious manner, with the experience they gathered on Innova 3320 backing them up.
EDITORS CHOICE
You shouldn’t underestimate Innova 3340 because it is in the medium price range. This beautiful multimeter will satisfy professional car mechanics and DIY car enthusiasts alike.
This multimeter looks very similar to Innova 3320, with the only difference being the additional plug-in hole and four buttons above the dial. However, when it comes to performance, Innova 3340 outperforms 3320 in almost every category.
The casing is made of more tougher plastic, although it still isn’t comparable to Fluke’s standard. The plastic shell on the corners works fine, but I believe that the plastic material of the shell is the same like on Innova 3320.
Innova 3340 ADM can measure standard multimeter functions with the addition of features that are unique to the automotive branch. Some of those functions are frequency, temperature, and RPM.
Innova 3340 has an auto-ranging, backlit LCD display.
The accuracy of this multimeter is good for its price range and, once again, the accuracy can and should be improved by calibration. I believe that potential users that are interested in this multimeter already gathered enough experience to be able to calibrate this multimeter easily.
Innova 3340 is fused, and CAT III certified. The fuse that is shipped with this multimeter is of good quality.
When you buy this multimeter, you will get standard test leads and temperature probes. Temperature probes are somewhat thin, and I’ve seen better ones, but these ones can do the job too.
This multimeter is a significant improvement over the 3320 model, but it still has some issues. Innova 3340’s most significant issue is accuracy, before calibration. Although this level of accuracy is expected from multimeters in this price range, I expected something better. However, this multimeter will positively surprise you once you calibrate it.
Another issue is the lack of rubber protection. I can understand that the manufacturer decided to put rubber instead of plastic protection on Innova 3320, but I can’t understand why they didn’t put rubber on this multimeter, mainly because it is in a higher price range and of higher quality when compared to 3320.
The final issue that I found on this multimeter is the backlight. The manufacturer has decided to install a very powerful backlight that drains the battery like crazy, and this level of light is merely unnecessary.
Since this is an automotive multimeter, most users will use it in car repair shops, and garages and these places are all lit.
To summarize, Innova 3340 is an automotive multimeter that is an excellent choice if you are an experienced multimeter user, car mechanic or maybe not so experienced DIY car enthusiast. Once calibrated, this multimeter is significantly more accurate, even more so if we were to compare it to Innova 3320.
Although Innova 3340 has its problems, they won’t impair your quality of work with this multimeter. On the contrary, the good sides of Innova 3340 will enable you to do very good work with this nice multimeter.
BEST VALUE
What makes Innova 3300 best as an alternative to Innova 3320 is an even more approachable price paired with the basic automotive functions. This multimeter should be used by beginners that want an automotive multimeter to practice working on.
Innova 3300 is a hands-free multimeter. This means that you don’t have to hold it in your hands while measuring, but you can instead place it on the stand that is on its back or strap it on your hand with the elastic band. This feature will probably not be used so much when working in and around the house, but if you plan on using this multimeter on your car, this feature will definitely come in handy.
The problem with this multimeter is that it has no fuse. This could be a deal breaker for some people that plan on using their multimeters with more powerful currents.
Another issue that is very important when it comes to multimeters is accuracy. Innova 3300 is not very accurate, as expected from an entry price range multimeter. You must calibrate it if you want to use it, but this multimeter is not very accurate even after calibration.
To summarize, Innova 3300 is an excellent entry level multimeter designed for users that want an automotive multimeter to practice on.
If you plan on using this multimeter for anything more serious, you should get either a 3320 or 3340, depending on if you need an automotive multimeter or not.
Conclusion
These models are the most prominent multimeters when it comes to Innova. Although their level of quality is not like Fluke’s, you won’t be disappointed as these multimeters are among user favorite models when it comes to basic and automotive multimeters.
I have only more recommendation when it comes to Innova, and that recommendation is related to the multimeters probe quality. If you can get better probes. These ones are good, but if you get better ones, the accuracy of your multimeter will significantly improve. And that’s it.
I hope that you decide to get one of these multimeters so that you can test them out for yourselves and see that they are indeed excellent products.