TP7040 20-Range AC/DC Analog Multimeter General Purpose with High Accuracy and Well Built Details, Strong Needle

It's hard to get a good idea what you're purchasing without holding it first, playing with the settings and getting a feel for it. Pictures just don't do the trick. I initially bought the Greenlee AM-6 for the same price and returned it because it didn't have a low enough resistance setting. I needed X1. I flipped through pages of multimeters and read all the reviews. I settled on this one. And boy am I impressed. And I'm not easily impressed. It's heavy. The plastic case and sheath are made of good quality plastic. The analog dial moves smoothly without much delay. Seems accurate. It feels very durable. Like if you dropped it it wouldn't be a big deal. The lead wires are strong and flexible. The Greenlee AM-6 wasn't nearly as well built, and it was the same price (with shipping). In this price range, you can't beat it.

I've had a digital meter for years. There are times when you just need an analog meter. I scrutinized over many meters on Amazon and finally chose this one. I couldn't be more pleased. The meter is very well made. The contour is perfect to fit in my hand. The operation is straight forward. The outer casing protects the meter if it is dropped. All pros and no cons on this one.

This is an accurate, reasonably tough instrument. I just got it today, so I can't vouch for it's durability yet, but it looks and feels tough. Out of the box, fit and finish are excellent. The switch action is smooth and has a positive feel. The test leads are of decent quality. When compared to my calibrated HP3457A bench DMM, on every range of DC Voltage and DC Current, errors are less than I can see by the mirrored scale - which is very good for this kind of meter. AC Voltage is well within spec (I estimate about +2% by squinting) at 60Hz mid-scale on all ranges. Resistance measurements are very good over the right 2/3 of the scale, but a little rough on the crowded left side of the scale. Like any meter, (even digital), you get the best results when you choose the range with the right resolution. The large meter scale is a boon to an older guy like me. Cons: I would like to see TekPower add a combination fold-out prop and hanging hook for use when working in a large electrical panel, or when working overhead. The continuity beeper is too faint and raspy. The meter window is domed and protrudes - it will certainly get scratched in normal use, and it could easily be cracked if dropped. A slightly recessed flat window would be an improvement. I bought a zipper pouch to protect this meter when transporting it. A protective case is mentioned in the manual under "accessories". The instructions say to "Turn the meter off" when not in use to save the battery. There is no "Off" setting on the TP7040, but VOM meters which have an "Off" position do so to protect the meter movement during transport (not much to do with saving the battery). They do so by shorting across the meter coil, which damps needle movement from shock and acceleration via dynamic braking. You can accomplish the same thing by selecting the 10A position when the meter is not in use.

Very nice adjustable meter, great for general work and troubleshooting.

It's heavy and solid feeling. It's got an audible continuity check, which is ever useful. Been a while since I had an analog voltmeter. I like them so much more than digital! You get a better feedback on what's actually happening. Know what I mean? If you touch the leads, you see it jump and you know that instant that something is there. By comparison with digital you're looking for where the decimal lands when it 'sorta' settles down. I've only used it to test continuity on one small job, but still feel very happy to have it in my toolbox.

Works well, could be better if you could store probes in the case. Terrific price too. Sometimes a digital meter just will not do.

Received it this week, with limited use since. However, it appears to be what I expected from the ad, and is what I needed. Bought primarily because tweaking gear with a DMM can be more frustrating than watching needle deflection. What I like: the form factor (shape) is excellent. Love the large meter face, while the portion in my hand is easily gripped. While not ideal, the range choices are adequate for most measurements I make on AC or DC. The supple protective case seems if good quality. I removed and reattached it easily. Supplied test leads seem good quality, though I can't speak to wire insulation adequacy. Probe tip guards fit well. Printing on meter face is crisp/ sharp. The unit arrived very quickly! What I don't like: doesn't have a manufacture date, but just a date code. Thus I've no way to tell how old batteries are without opening the unit. A rear tilt support (prop) would have added minor cost to device but greatly improved utility. Blue text on the bottom is hard to read in reduced lighting. A poor color choice! The Ohms zero pot it erratic near zero I don't abuse my tools I expect it to work well for five years. If it does I'll be happy and give another star LATER. I opened the hard case without difficulty by removing top and bottom rear screws, and tested all batteries with my Fluke DMM. All supplied batteries exceeded voltages expected for new batteries, though they were by an unfamiliar Chinese maker.

Avoid this cheaply made piece of junk. Opened box and saw that the needle was not at zero, but was near the center of the scale. Not good. Checked preinstalled batteries, 1 AA was 100%, one was at 80%, and the 9 volt was completely dead--zero %. Put new batteries and no change was seen. The zero adjust knob for zeroing ohms had no effect. The instruction sheet stated if there was a problem it was likely caused by rough handling during shipment. Sounds like they know they have a problem. Save yourself some time and aggravation and stay away from this worthless junk.

Very good unit