7 Best Pen type multimeters (Circuit boards, 2024)

Sure, you can use your normal analog or digital multimeter for any kind of circuit measurement. But if you want to have a much better reading experience and a little time saving (especially troubleshooting electronics circuits), then having the best pen type multimeter would be a great help to you.

A pen multimeter is just like using a pen you put it on the joint or node you want to measure and get the results right there.

Now, as a new person or beginner, you may not know what to look for when buying the right pen type multimeter for yourself. You may not know about the technical aspect and perhaps may have a few questions.

Well, if the above short introduction has got your attention. Then I am positive you will enjoy the rest of this article.

Hay! I am Abbas. I will walk you through some top quality pen type multimeters that you can use for any electrical and electronic circuit troubleshooting and analysis.

I am not perfect nor this article is going to be. This is just my limited knowledge try to help you somehow.

I hope you will enjoy it.

Best Pen type multimeters

Pen multimeter comes in handy because of its small size and high accuracy. You can carry one with you anywhere you want to go.

You can use it for the following measurements:

Voltages
Capacitance
Resistance
Continuity
Diode testing

You cannot use it for current measurements – this is one of the downsides of pen multimeters. For this reason, some field professionals prefer these guys as their second to go multimeters.

best pen type multimeter — Pen type multimeter

But one thing that makes a pen multimeter super useful is when you are troubleshooting the circuit. Imagine you have a normal digital multimeter, and you have to look at its screen which is at some distance from you.

You are going from one node to another and keep on turning your eyes to the screen of the multimeter. Well, this activity can sometimes make the whole process hard and unpleasant. To tackle this situation pen multimeters were introduced.

With pen meters, there is no need to look back and forth every time you go from one node or branch to another.

How to choose the best pen type multimeter

The following are the key aspects you should look for when selecting your next pen multimeter.

1- Practicably

Look for a pen meter that has a practical design. I mean it should have safety because you will be using it with your bare hands. So, the insulation must be of high quality.

2- Accuracy

It should be accurate. And by comparing the results of the pen meter with the available normal digital meter. It has been found that the accuracy of these pen meters is quite remarkable.

3- Quality

Of course, the quality of your meter must be high. Don’t invest in any cheap pen meters. Those are not reliable in the long run.

4- Measuring features

By measuring features I mean which parameters the pen meter should have. These features consist of the following:

Voltage measurements
Resistance measurements
Continuity tests
Diode functions
Capacitance
Hold button – this is very necessary because it helps us note the reading while we are using the pen meter in any orientation.
Light screen – this will help you read at any angle and in any light situation.
Tip light – at the tip of your pin meter if there is a small LED that will be very helpful. Sometimes components are soldering closely, in such a situation this little feature makes your measuring process easy.

List of amazing best pen multimeters

Pen multimeters are not that complicated devices. Maybe that is why a lot of manufacturers are out there making different versions of these devices.

The best pen type multimeters that I and field professional recommends is either, or the. These are the best because they come from trusted brands. They are reliable, safe, of high quality, and come with a decent price tag.

Following is a list of some top pen meters.

1- KAIWEETS ST120

Starting with the first pen multimeter from the Kaiweets brand. This meter is called the ST120. Kaiweets is a very popular brand when it comes to electronics measuring and testing devices.

The ST120 from this brand is of high quality and meets our above discussed criteria.

Important features of this pen multimeter:

Auto mode — this means the meter will automatically detect the nature of the quality you are measuring. For example, if you are measuring AC voltages the meter will automatically set itself to AC voltage mode.
It has a unique phase sequence detection. When turning on the “PA” mode, the operator can detect whether the phase sequence is clockwise or anti-clockwise.
It can measure resistance
AC and DC voltages
Capacitance
Live wire detection
Diode function
Continuity feature

In a short summary, KAIWEETS ST120 (Amazon link) has a backlight LCD screen that ensures reading is clearly seen in either dark or bright areas. The flashlight below the red probe helps you to work without concerns under dim light.

2- HANMATEK DM10 Pen multimeter

Another best pen type multimeter is the DM10 from the famous Hanmatek brand. This brand produces high quality electronic equipment.

The DM10 is an auto mode just like the above discussed meter which means it can automatically judge the measurement parameters.

Important features that make this meter a good choice:

It supports an auto range
It is very safe and reliable (CAT III Rated for 600V)
Voltage (AC/DC) measurements
Resistance measurement
Continuity test
Frequency measurement
Diode measurement
It supports non-contact voltage (NCV) detection
Can distinguish the null line and the fire wire to avoid the risk of electric shock.
It has a hold key that can save data with one click and is convenient for reading data

In a short summary, HANMATEK DM10 Pen multimeter (Amazon link) is a good choice as a pen meter for your lab. It has a flashlight function and a large backlit screen, the value can be clearly read even in dark places.

The unique part of this meter is, that it has an automatic shutdown function, which will automatically shut down the meter if there is no operation within 15 minutes.

3- Extech 381676A Pen Multimeter

Extech is another popular US brand. This company is established in 1971 and has focused on Test and Measurement tools built for professionals.

The pen multimeter, i.e., 381676A from this meter is of high quality with unique right and left hand switching capability.

Important features of this pen type multimeter:

It has nine different functions
It has an auto mode for resistance, diode, and continuity testing
Manual mode for NCV and voltage (Both AC and DC)
It can give you the max results by just pressing the MAX button.
Also, it comes with a hold feature which is very useful especially if the angle of reading is not correct. I mean if you are using the meter upside down.
Includes an easy-to-use rotary function switch that allows you to effortlessly alternate between functions, even while wearing gloves

In a short summary, Extech 381676A Pen Multimeter (Amazon link) is a good pen multimeter that comes with a decent price tag for such valuable features, a large 2000 count high contrast LCD display, and high quality.

4- Amprobe DM73C

This meter, i.e. DM73C covers all the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) safety standard 61010 and is certified for category II installations up to 600V and category III installations up to 300V. Thus making it the safest multimeter to work with.

Important features:

Good safety
Can measure AC and DC voltages
Has diode and continuity functions
Large display for easy reading
The hold function keeps a reading on the display, even after the meter is disconnected
Average-sensing that provides accurate readings when measuring linear loads where the current or voltage has a sinusoidal waveform
An auto power-off mode turns off the unit after 10 minutes of non-use to conserve battery life.
Low-battery indicator signals when the meter’s batteries need to be replaced

In a short summary, Amprobe DM73C (Amazon link) is a small size meter that can be carried in a pocket when not in use. It has an LCD screen that shows readings both in digits and on a 34-segment bar graph.

5- BTMETER BT-38C

Another best pen type multimeter is the BT-38C from the Btmeter brand. The uniqueness of this pen meter that differentiates it from the rest is, that it has capacitance measuring capability.

Important features of this digital multimeter:

It has double insulation protection.
Can measure voltages (AC/DC), resistance, capacitance, diode, continuity
CE certified and has 600V CAT Ⅲ – Thus making it a safe tool.
Auto OFF with “Beep” warning after 15 mins without operation to save your battery
Data hold function
Low battery indicator
Bright flashlight and LCD screen backlit

In a short summary, BTMETER BT-38C (Amazon link) is a compact and high precision electrical tester to troubleshoot a variety of electronics, automotive, and household electrical problems.

The best part is that this meter is backed by a 100% guarantee to let you buy this pen multi-tester confidently.

Another alternative to this meter is the following one which you can also have a look at:

AP-38B Pen Multimeter (Amazon link)

6- ALLOSUN EM3213

Another best pen multimeter is from the Allosun brand. The unique point of this meter is you can measure some small current with this.

Important features:

It is an auto range with the reading of 1999 counts
Portable size
High accuracy
Voltage measurements for both AC and DC
Small current measurement for both AC and DC – which is very useful in circuit troubleshooting
Resistance, diode, and continuity functions

In a short summary, ALLOSUN EM3213 (Amazon link) is an amazing little meter that you can use for a variety of measurements. It has the functions of auto-zeroing, polarity selection, data hold, over range indication, backlight, auto power-off, and flashlight.

7- Hioki 3246-60 Pencil HiTester

The last multimeter that I have for you is the 3246-60 from the Hioki company. Hioki is established in 1937 in Tokyo, Japan. It is a very famous company and a lot of field professionals use its electronics equipment.

Important features of this pen multimeter:

It is a pen-sized meter that can easily fit in a shirt pocket when not in use
It is auto mode
Voltage measurements
Diode, resistance, and continuity functions
Tip protection cap
Flashlight and data hold features

In a short summary, Hioki 3246-60 Pencil HiTester (Amazon link) is a safe pen multimeter because it meets all the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) safety standard. This can be a useful addition to your lab.

Conclusion

I am sure you have heard the word multimeter. Some of you may already have one and has a lot of experience working with it.

It is a very useful device. It has many variations designed specifically for a certain task. Like a clamp meter which is designed for electrician work.

Similarly, one variation of multimeters is pen type multimeters. Pen multimeters come in handy when we are working with electronics components and circuits.

Perhaps there may be a lot of other applications for these meters, but I can only tell that if you are working on circuit troubleshooting then this little device can save you a lot of time and resources.

A pen multimeter as the name suggests is a pen, but it can measure the following parameters:

Voltages
Resistance
Capacitance
Diode testing
Continuity test

The difference between a pen and a normal digital multimeter is – that a pen type has only one probe. It doesn’t have two probes and this makes it unique and very useful.

The downside of pen meters is they cannot measure current.

So that is it guys. This is all I have to share with you about some best pen type multimeters.

I hope this little effort of mine has helped you somehow.

Thank you so much and have a grateful life.