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Best multimeter in this set: which row to shortlist

Updated: October 2026

You are choosing among twelve amazon.co.uk files, and the star ratings will not tell you which meter prints a category and a voltage. This shortlist is only inside that set. It is not a Voltcraft ranking, and it is not a claim that any meter here proves a circuit dead. Peter F. scored the stored listings on 17 October 2026. There was no lab test. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The [Voltcraft multimeter comparison](/hub/measuring-equipment/voltcraft-multimeter) holds the full table.

You are choosing among twelve amazon.co.uk files, and the star ratings will not tell you which meter prints a category and a voltage. This shortlist is only inside that set.

Our top picks

VENLAB VENLAB VM-600M

Best overall

VENLAB VENLAB VM-600M
8.7/10about £26.99
View offer
Crenova Crenova MS8233D

Preis-Tipp

Crenova Crenova MS8233D
8.9/10about £22.99
View offer
VENLAB VENLAB VM-600A

Rank 3

VENLAB VENLAB VM-600A
9.4/10about £29.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.What this shortlist is allowed to claim
  2. 2.VENLAB VM-600A, the top pick
  3. 3.Crenova MS8233D, the best value
  4. 4.Rows that look close and are not the pick

What this shortlist is allowed to claim

Best here means the highest editorial score among these twelve files, with a printed job you can check on the listing. The VENLAB VM-600A scores 9.4, the Crenova MS8233D 8.9, and the VENLAB VM-600M 8.7. Those numbers are not the Amazon stars. The stars stay 4.6, 4.6, and 4.7. A CAT bullet is the seller's claim, not a certificate. HSE guidance GS38 still sits above the ranking: a test lamp or a two-pole detector, proved before and after, decides whether a circuit is dead. If you need Voltcraft on the box, use the buying guide, because every Brand field here is another maker.

VENLAB VM-600A, the top pick

The VM-600A is £29.99, with 4.6 from 2,083 amazon.co.uk ratings. The title prints True RMS and 6000 counts. The bullet prints CAT III 600 V and 20 A AC/DC. The specification field says CE and RoHS, so the category lives in the bullet. A UK review reports that the lead insulation failed and readings then became intermittent. Stop if the leads arrive split. The Brand field says VENLAB. Skip it for a Voltcraft VC191 or VC232, or if you want a range you set yourself. That manual-range row is the VM-600M at £26.99, 4.7 from 623 ratings, with the same CAT III 600 V and True RMS lines.
VENLAB VENLAB VM-600M

Testsieger

VENLAB VENLAB VM-600M
8.7/10about £26.99
View offer

Crenova MS8233D, the best value

The MS8233D is £22.99, with 4.6 from 9,442 ratings. It prints IEC 61010-1 CAT III 600 V, and True RMS is not in the bullets, so it is the wrong value row for a dimmer or a speed control. Do not borrow that line from the Crenova 890Z. The £9.98 RICOKEY and Beizkna print no CAT rating. The True RMS page lists the rows that print the words.

Rows that look close and are not the pick

The Proster at £25.99 prints True RMS and 20 A, but the spec line is CE and UK reviews say the clips detach. The CAT rating page is where that missing voltage matters. The Kethvoz at £42.99 is the clamp to 400 A, with CAT III 300 V and 4.1 from 56 ratings. Use one conductor. The BSIDE S500 has 3.5 from 6 ratings and no CAT line.

Common questions

Which row is the top pick, and who should skip it?
The top pick is the VENLAB VM-600A at £29.99, 4.6 from 2,083 ratings, with True RMS and CAT III 600 V printed. Skip it if the Brand field must say Voltcraft, if you want a manual range, or if a UK review about failed lead insulation is enough to put you off. The score is editorial. The stars are Amazon's. Neither one is a laboratory certificate.
Which row is the best value, and why not the £9.98 meters?
The best value is the Crenova MS8233D at £22.99, with CAT III 600 V printed and 4.6 from 9,442 ratings. The RICOKEY and the Beizkna are £9.98 and have large review files, and neither prints a CAT rating. The Beizkna listing also conflicts a 200 V table with a household-outlet bullet. A lower price without a category and a voltage is not the value row in this set.
Does the top pick's CAT line sit in the spec field?
No. On the VM-600A the specification field says CE and RoHS. CAT III 600 V is in the bullet. Read that bullet before you buy. A standards acronym in the spec box is not the same claim as a category with a voltage beside it.
Is the Kethvoz the best if I need current?
It is the clamp in this set, to 400 A, with True RMS and CAT III 300 V, at £42.99 and 4.1 from 56 ratings. Use one conductor in the jaw. Do not treat it as the top pick for a consumer unit, and do not ignore the UK reviews about a bad zero and a failed selector. The handheld top pick states 20 A, which is a different measurement.
Can I call the winner a Voltcraft?
No. The VM-600A Brand field says VENLAB. Rapid's Voltcraft VC232 and VC191 are not rows in this folder. Calling the top pick a Voltcraft would describe a product that is not on the listing. A folder name does not change that field.
Do six ratings on the BSIDE support a best-of line?
No. The BSIDE S500 is 3.5 from 6 ratings, at £59.99, with True RMS and 20000 counts and no CAT line. Both United Kingdom reviews in the file are about small electronics. That file is too small for a recommendation beyond a low-voltage bench check.

Related pages

Multimeter comparison

Voltcraft multimeter

Voltcraft multimeter UK: brand, price and listings

CAT III 600V multimeter guide: category and voltage

How to use a multimeter: DC volts, continuity, stop

True RMS multimeter: dimmers, drivers and sine waves

Sources

Public UK sources from the research digest for this comparison: Rapid Electronics for the Voltcraft brand and the VC191, VC232 and VC-86 pages, the separate amazon.co.uk VC-86 listing, HSE GS38, the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 and Fluke. Listing prices, star lines and review themes for the 12 models are the stored amazon.co.uk figures, not a fresh page view. Updated 17 October 2026.

  1. Rapid Electronics, Voltcraft brand (retrieved 17 October 2026)
  2. Rapid Electronics, Voltcraft VC191 (retrieved 17 October 2026)
  3. Rapid Electronics, Voltcraft VC232 (retrieved 17 October 2026)
  4. Rapid Electronics, Voltcraft VC-86 (retrieved 17 October 2026)
  5. amazon.co.uk, Voltcraft VC-86 listing (retrieved 17 October 2026)
  6. HSE GS38, electrical test equipment for electricians (retrieved 17 October 2026)
  7. Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, regulation 16 (retrieved 17 October 2026)
  8. Fluke, true measurements of non-linear loads (retrieved 17 October 2026)