Bought a cheap voltage tester that cost me a whole day's pay

Grabbed a $25 no-name tester from a discount bin for a quick panel check last month. Thing read 120v on a dead circuit and nearly got me hurt when I went to work on it. Had to redo the whole job after buying a proper Fluke, which set me back another $300. Lost about $400 in total between the wasted time and the new tool. Honestly felt like throwing that junk tester in the trash. Anyone got a brand they trust that won't break the bank?

3 comments

3 Comments

paulc932mo agoMost Upvoted

Yikes, never cheap out on testers.

thompson.tyler2mo ago

What exactly counts as cheaping out though? I've seen some budget testers that are basically just colored water with no real pigment. But then some mid-range ones seem to do the job fine for hobbyists. Where do you draw the line?

fionarodriguez14d ago

$500 lost because of a $25 tester? That's rough. 120 volts on a dead circuit is the kind of mistake that gets people killed, not just out of pocket. I get trying to save money but testers are one of those things where the cheap ones are basically toys. Next time check if it's got a CAT rating or just skip the discount bin altogether.