volt meter and circuit tester questions

I have been reading all through this form that a tool or tools that should be in your tool box should be a volt meter and a circuit tester. Is there any agreement as to what type,brand,multi function meters are desirable. What functions should one look for in a tester of sorts? Any one?

[Speckul8r]

My cicuit tester is a cheap, <$10, unit from Lowes. Happens to have a GFCI tester in it. As far as a multi meter, DMM, goes, I'd get 1 I can read the numbers on. Some are tiny and I can't see 'em. Otherwise cheap again is good. This is assuming a less than ideal environment. An analog meter is more helpful to me than a digital because when I'm doing continuity checks, I'd rather see the meter needle bounce than try to see the numbers count. Some, many, digitals have a buzzer for that purpose but I can't hear out of the left ear and I'm deaf in the right!!

Seriously, I have a VERY expensive DMM that I would cry if I ever dropped it in a puddle or if it crashed into the asphalt. Even though it has a rubber crash case. If I'm doing simple stuff like trailer lights and simple house hold stuff, the <$20 Radio Shack analog meter is just fine. Also, don't keep it in the general toobox where it can get smushed.

[B_and_D]

I have one of the plug-in digital volt meters but it is very limited (yet handy). I bought some alligator clips and attached them to some lead wires so I can test other things with this meter beside the current through the 12V outlet. It would be nice to have another voltmeter along with us sometimes, but I've gotten by without it. I mostly use it for seeing how charged up the battery is so we know when to charge it. http://www.avtek2.com/voltmeter.htm Ours is like the one on the left.

The best meter I have found is the Fluke 7-600. It is a digital volt ohm meter (DVOM) that is auto ranging and auto scale. In other words you turn it on and it measures whatever you plug it into. You don't have to worry about plugging it into 110 volts when it's set to read ohms and burning it up. If you plug it to 110, it adjusts to 110, ohms read as ohms, 12 v as 12 v, etc. It also beeps for continuity (ohms) They aren't the cheapest, but mine has made overseas trips and everything and never had a problem. I keep it in a zip lock in the toolbox. Pretty rugged! You can see it here: http://shop.kiesub.com/Detail.bok?no=83 , but you can find it cheaper other places - I got mine for $64 at our local Radar Electric store.

Thanks guys! Thats what I like about this form! I guess I have enought info to do some serious shopping.