Professional tradesmen from all aspects are demanding with their tools, and no manufacturer is more aware of this than Klein. For over 160 years, Klein Tools has been making tools for the electrical trade, and we decided to take their MM600K auto-ranging digital multimeter out for a test to see how durable it is.
Impact Test
What do you do in North Dakota when it is -20°F Outside? You play hockey, of course! Instead of a puck, we grabbed our Klein MM600 Digital Multimeter and went outside to see how well it held up to the cold and shock of being hit by a blistering slapshot. We know that you would not normally do this to your meter, but you go to extremes when you must quickly test a unit to the limits. The rubber over-molding did an excellent job protecting the meter from being hit with the hockey stick and bounced along the ice.
Drop Test
Klein proudly advertises that their MM600 multimeter can withstand a 2-meter drop test. We decided to drop their meter from their claimed top limit several times. Hopefully, you will not have this much trouble keeping the meter in your tool pouch.
After several drops and trying to have it land on the face, top, bottom, and sides, we know that they have us beat. Suppose you constantly climb up and down ladders, on and off lifts, or even stairs while on the job. There is no need to worry about dropping this meter. Klein has added all the protection necessary to keep you up and running if an accidental drop happens.
Tumble Test
Do you store your tools all by themselves? Like most tradespeople, the end of the day is a signal to remove some of the day-to-day weight. Do this by pulling your tool belt and setting it into your service van or in your truck toolbox. Just because you carefully placed it there does not mean the tools will be protected while driving home. To simulate the vibration and movement your tools take when not in use, we decided to load an electric cement mixer with tools, including the Klein digital multimeter.
After 10 minutes of tumbling, the Klein multimeter was taken out of the mixer and turned on. Like all our other tests, the meter performed as promised.
Klein Passes the Test
The Klein MM600 Digital Multimeter handled all the tests we threw at it and continued. None of the tests caused the meter to fail. Moreover, when we revisit our methods, I am sure that someone will have an idea that will push the limits. Then again, Klein may have already done that testing. To prove how well the MM600 is designed and built, Klein has backed the meter with a Lifetime warranty. They are not shy about letting their users know that they trust the tools they make. They have a significant following of users who are not shy about letting you know why your next tool purchase should be a Klein tool.
We would love your thoughts about our testing, so please comment below. If you have a Klein Digital Multimeter, we would like to see it in use. Share your pictures on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter by tagging Acme Tools with #DoYourBestWork.
