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Multimeters · Comparison

The Fluke 117 meets
the AstroAI DM6000AR

The electrician's standard, with ghost-voltage rejection built in. We tested it head-to-head against the AstroAI DM6000AR across 6 key dimensions.

By Ryan V. · August 31, 2026

Fluke 117 Electrician's True-RMS Digital Multimeter, yellow-and-gray handheld DMM, front view on white showing rotary dial and 'Lo' on the LCD
Fluke 117 multimeter shown at a three-quarter angle with its rear kickstand deployed, LCD reading 600.0 V AC
Fluke 117 multimeter in use, held in a gloved hand while testing wiring inside an electrical breaker panel
Fluke 117 multimeter in use, held in a gloved hand checking voltage at an outlet in a wall box
BEST

Fluke 117

“The electrician's standard, with ghost-voltage rejection built in”

$304.99MSRP
Our Score
89.5 / 100
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AstroAI DM6000AR digital multimeter, red-and-black handheld with blue-backlit LCD showing TRUE-RMS 6000 counts, shown with included test leads, alligator clips and thermocouple
AstroAI DM6000AR multimeter front view with black faceplate and rotary dial, laid out with its full accessory kit of probes, alligator clips and banana plugs
AstroAI DM6000AR multimeter secured in its zippered hard carry case with test leads stored in the mesh pocket
VALUE

AstroAI DM6000AR

“True-RMS and a temperature probe for around forty dollars”

$39.99MSRP
Our Score
68.4 / 100
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01

Head-to-Head Breakdown

Accuracy
28% of score +
Fluke
88
AstroAI
72
Fluke 117

True-RMS with 0.5 percent basic DC accuracy across a 6000-count display. TechGearLab's lab bench gave it the highest score in their test at 81 out of 100.

AstroAI DM6000AR

True-RMS with a 6000-count display and 0.8 percent basic DC accuracy. TechGearLab scored the AstroAI 6000-count model 80 out of 100, a hair off the far pricier Fluke 117.

Safety
22% of score +
Fluke
95
AstroAI
60
Fluke 117

CAT III 600V rated, and the low-impedance LoZ mode drains the phantom voltage that makes cheaper meters read 40 volts on a dead wire. The built-in VoltAlert senses live voltage without touching a conductor, which reviewers at Pro Tool Reviews called the reason it lives on an electrician's hip.

AstroAI DM6000AR

CAT III 600V rated and fused, which covers household and light automotive work, though it lacks the low-impedance ghost-voltage mode and the third-party safety listing you get from Fluke or Klein.

Features
20% of score +
Fluke
82
AstroAI
78
Fluke 117

Auto-ranging, capacitance, frequency, min and max capture, plus AutoVolt that reads AC or DC automatically. It skips a temperature probe, which the budget AstroAI includes.

AstroAI DM6000AR

Auto-ranging with capacitance, frequency, duty cycle, diode, and a temperature probe in the box. Approach Labs made it their featured budget pick for exactly this feature-per-dollar spread.

Build
15% of score +
Fluke
90
AstroAI
62
Fluke 117

The rugged one-handed body is built for daily trade use and is backed by Fluke's lifetime warranty.

AstroAI DM6000AR

A protective holster and kickstand give it a solid feel for the price, but the leads and case are not built for daily job-site punishment.

Trust
10% of score +
Fluke
98
AstroAI
62
Fluke 117

Fluke is the reference every other brand is measured against, and it appeared in all seven reviews we synthesized.

AstroAI DM6000AR

AstroAI is the default budget multimeter brand, showing up in five of our seven sources, though it has none of Fluke's decades of trade reputation.

Ease
5% of score +
Fluke
85
AstroAI
78
Fluke 117

Designed to run one-handed with a bright display and a simple dial. Pro Tool Reviews highlighted how fast it is to grab a reading.

AstroAI DM6000AR

Auto-ranging, a backlit screen, and a stand make it approachable for a first-time user, which This Old House flagged as its strength.

02

Strengths & Weaknesses

Fluke 117

+ Strengths
  • TechGearLab's top lab score at 81 out of 100 and the go-to electrician's meter across four of our sources
  • LoZ mode kills phantom voltage so you do not chase ghost readings on a dead circuit
  • Built-in VoltAlert senses live voltage without probing, and the lifetime warranty backs it
− Weaknesses
  • At around $253 it costs six times the AstroAI value pick
  • No temperature function, which even the budget AstroAI includes
  • The Fluke 87V is more accurate if you do demanding industrial work
Key flaw: It skips a temperature function, which is odd given that the $40 AstroAI value pick includes a probe.

AstroAI DM6000AR

+ Strengths
  • TechGearLab scored the AstroAI 6000 model 80 out of 100, within a point of the Fluke 117 at a sixth of the price
  • Includes a temperature probe and capacitance that the Fluke 117 leaves out
  • Auto-ranging and backlit, so a beginner can get a clean reading right away
− Weaknesses
  • No low-impedance mode, so it can show phantom voltage on a dead wire
  • CAT III 600V rating lacks the third-party safety listing of the pro meters
  • Leads and housing are not built for daily professional use
Key flaw: There is no LoZ mode, so on a long cable run it can show phantom voltage that a Fluke would reject, and a new user can misread that as a live wire.
03

The Verdict

Our Bottom Line

On our weighted formula the Fluke 87V (94.1) scores higher than our Best Overall pick, the Fluke 117 (89.5). That is expected and honest: the 87V is the more capable instrument, with 0.05 percent accuracy, a 20000-count mode, and a CAT IV rating. We still name the 117 Best Overall because it is the meter that fits the most buyers. The 87V costs nearly twice as much, and its extra precision and industrial safety rating are overkill for the residential and general electrical work that most people actually do. The 117 delivers the professional essentials, True-RMS, LoZ ghost-voltage rejection, and non-contact voltage sensing, at a price a working electrician or serious DIYer will actually pay. Buy the 87V if you do industrial or utility work; buy the 117 for everything else.

BEST
Fluke 117
Fluke 117 Electrician's True-RMS Digital Multimeter, yellow-and-gray handheld DMM, front view on white showing rotary dial and 'Lo' on the LCD

The Fluke 117 is the meter that hangs on more electricians' hips than any other, and our sources back that up. It appeared in four of the seven reviews we synthesized, TechGearLab handed it the highest lab score in their test at 81 out of 100, and Pro Tool Reviews called it the Best Fluke for the working trade.

Best for:
  • Electricians who need a trade-standard meter with real ghost-voltage rejection
  • Serious DIYers doing their own wiring who want to trust every reading
  • Anyone who wants a meter they buy once and keep for a decade
  • Buyers who value the built-in non-contact voltage alert
  • Tradespeople who want Fluke resale value and a lifetime warranty
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VALUE
AstroAI DM6000AR
AstroAI DM6000AR digital multimeter, red-and-black handheld with blue-backlit LCD showing TRUE-RMS 6000 counts, shown with included test leads, alligator clips and thermocouple

The AstroAI DM6000AR delivers most of what a homeowner or hobbyist actually needs for around forty dollars. It is True-RMS, auto-ranging, and reads to 6000 counts, and TechGearLab scored the AstroAI 6000-count model 80 out of 100, one single point behind the Fluke 117 that costs six times as much.

Best for:
  • Homeowners checking outlets, batteries, and fuses a few times a month
  • Electronics hobbyists who want True-RMS and a temperature probe cheaply
  • Car and RV tinkerers who need capacitance and duty cycle
  • Students learning to use a meter without a big outlay
  • Anyone who wants pro-adjacent features for around forty dollars
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04

Specifications

Spec Fluke 117 AstroAI DM6000AR
True-RMS Yes Yes
Resolution 6000 count 6000 count
Accuracy 0.5% DC 0.8% DC
Safety CAT III 600V CAT III 600V
Key Features LoZ + VoltAlert Temp + capacitance
Power 9V (400 hr) 9V battery
Read the full Multimeters review
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