From someone who uses a meter everyday at work Flukes are great I have many different ones. My meter I use at home for the house and working on this crap is a $12 Craftsman.
But you use a meter every day at work. A novice who does not is more likely to make a mistake and that's where the superior protection of a Fluke, Simpson, Triplett, Agilent, etc. can make the difference between "damn, those fuses are expensive" and a nasty burn or worse.
My theory on meters is buy the best you can afford. That being said, it hurts a bunch less if a 25 buck Harbor Freight meter gets damaged if the user isn't familiar with using DMM's. For more serious users, a Fluke or Agilent is the way to go as their quality will be far better than the cheaper meters. Among my digital meters, I also have a Simpson 260 Series 6 analog multimeter which is a good meter, but has a lower input impedance and is harder to use than the newer DMM's
The VTVM was the way to go before the modern high impedance meters came to be. Check the specs.
i wouldn't recommend a 260 because although its a well built meter, it loads the circuit down at 20k Ohms/Volt.Or look for a used Simpson 260.
What I was taught in electronics courses was the higher input impedance is needed more so in certain RF circuits to avoid loading down the circuit, which prevents you from getting an accurate reading.I like VTVMs. VTVMs like me. I like old Tektronix Analog scopes. I like DMMs. I love pizza. They all work for me. Most of my equipment is a collection of cast off old surplus “stuff”. I would, however, like someone to prove that using a higher input impedance DMM will cause a noticeable difference, even when aligning tube equipment. I don’t mind being proven wrong, either. It’s how you learn. I love all of you folks... just stating an opinion. OK: I’m ready! (Insert Flames Here)