Not all clamp meters are the same, and this video shows just that. In a recent teardown by [Kerry Wong], the new Fnirsi DMC-100 proves that affordable doesn’t mean boring. This 10,000-count clamp meter strays from the classic rotary dial in favour of a fully button-based interface – a choice that’s got sparks flying in the comments. And yes, it even auto-resumes its last function after reboot, like it knows you’re busy frying other fish.
What sets this meter apart isn’t just its snappy interface or surprisingly nice gold-tipped probes. It’s the layered UX – a hackable interface where short- and long-presses unlock hidden menus, memory functions, and even a graphing mode. A proper “hold-my-beer” moment comes when you discover it can split-display voltage and current and calculate real-time power (albeit with a minor asterisk: apparent power only, no power factor). Despite a few quirks, like accidentally triggering the flashlight when squeezing the jaw, it holds up well in accuracy tests. Even at higher currents where budget meters usually wobble.
Typo in title: FNIRSI, not FRNISI.
But if we’re being honest, that doesn’t matter.
It’s that Chinese brand F-keyboardmash that makes slightly less shitty test equipment
I call it Frinsi.
“Do not use the device while it is charging”
Is the USB-C jack live when the voltage leads are plugged and connected?
I hope it doesn’t turn off when you charge it. I’d really love to put a Qi charger into it. I’ll follow up on its behavior unless someone beats me to it.
I’d hope not live because even just leaving a cable attached would be hazardous. I think I’d rather have it lock out when a charge cable is attached or just not be rechargeable at all.
Not bad for about $50. Test equipment has come far from our days.
I’m kinda impressed, it’s cheap enough and getting decent reviews that I’d add one to my toolkit for the handful of occasions I need to measure more than 10 amps. Shame it’s not got lower current ranges too but for the price it looks good
On clamp meters such as this, you can achieve a lower effective current range by looping the wire through it multiple times — e.g. can have 1 A range by looping 10 times.
Oh now that’s useful if it works, thank you
Indeed.
My mains test lead has 1 turn and 10 turn loops in the phase so I can get 1mA resolution, and a 100 turn loop in the ground to measure ground leakage with 100uA resolution.
A product that labels one of its buttons “mune” doesn’t inspire much confidence.
Sure Willy would have been a lot better, but it didn’t fit the available space.
The MUNE label existed on units shipped as v1.2. The second unit I bought corrected this MENU spelling and was shipped as firmware 1.3. Tested RMS with non-sinusoidal waveforms and found it accurate (against Fluke) to about 1kHz, then it diverges. Couldn’t figure out how to zero out DC current, until a quick press of the power button revealed it. It isn’t Fluke quality, plastic, and standards (safety?) compliance, but it is 1/15 of the Fluke price meaning you can have more than 1.
If they are going to use a rechargeable battery, it would be nice if they would use a standard one like a 14500 or a BL-5C so it could be easily replaced. These will just become e-waste within a few years.
It looks like a regular pouch cell, you should be able to find one that’ll fit for the next few decades. It probably wouldn’t be the right shape but you can find something that’ll fit.
Heeeeeell no!
The only thing worse than touch screen controls, is short/long press context sensitive controls.
The SINGLE acceptable use for a long press is for actions you want to make harder to accidentally do, that aren’t used often.
Long press to power off is fine.
Long press to open the menu is NOT FINE.