Fluke 114 117 Kit Multimeter vs Smallest Fluke Multimeter: Total Cost Comparison

I've been maintaining electrical and process instruments for about eight years—maybe seven if you don't count the internship. In that time, I've made mistakes that cost real money. The one that changed how I buy tools happened in 2017: I tested a contactor coil with a meter that didn't have LoZ mode. The display showed no voltage, so I replaced the contactor. The new one did the same thing because a floating neutral was creating a ghost voltage the meter couldn't load down. That mistake cost roughly $450 in parts and a return visit. Since then, I compare test tools by total cost of ownership (TCO), not by the price on the screen.

So when someone asks about the Fluke 114 117 kit multimeter versus the smallest Fluke multimeter, I don't start with a spec sheet. I start with what the tool will actually be used for, what it could cost if the reading is wrong, and what you have to carry to get that reading.

What the two options really are

The 'Fluke 114 117 kit multimeter' usually refers to a bundle that includes the 114 and 117, giving you one dedicated electrician's meter (114) and one general-purpose True RMS meter (117). The 117 measures current, frequency, capacitance, resistance, continuity, and has non-contact voltage. The 114 is simpler: voltage, resistance, continuity, AutoVolt, and low-impedance mode. Together they are a strong troubleshooting pair.

The smallest Fluke multimeter I know of in the current lineup is the Fluke 101. It is compact, CAT III 600V rated (per Fluke's published specs at fluke.com), and covers AC/DC voltage, resistance, capacitance, continuity, and diode checks. It cannot measure current. That missing current range is a bigger deal in some jobs than in others.

Capability: the kit wins, but not where you'd expect

The obvious answer is the kit. If you need True RMS AC readings or 10A current, the 117 is the right choice. If you do basic voltage checks in panels, the 114 adds low-impedance mode to kill ghost voltages. But there is one part of my work where the small meter has proved surprisingly useful: millivolt measurements.

How to test a Rice Lake load cell

Load cells are a good example. Over the years, I've tested a lot of them—including several Rice Lake cells—and the procedure is the same:

1. Disconnect the load cell from the junction box or indicator.
2. Measure input resistance between +EXC and -EXC. Most single-ended Rice Lake cells read around 350Ω.
3. Measure signal resistance between +SIG and -SIG. It should also be close to 350Ω.
4. Apply the recommended excitation voltage (usually 10V DC) and measure the output on the mV DC range. A 2 mV/V cell should produce roughly 20mV at full scale.

I've done this with both the Fluke 101 and the 117. The result was the same. For a load cell diagnostic, the kit's extra current ranges and True RMS don't change anything.

Carry weight: the meter you have with you beats the meter in the van

I almost didn't buy the small Fluke because the kit already lived in my van. I went back and forth for two weeks. The kit offered more features; the small meter offered convenience. On paper, features won. In real calls, convenience won more often than it should.

Last year, a 1200 HPLC kept throwing an autosampler error. The cause was a loose 24V supply terminal. I had the small Fluke in my laptop bag, so I checked the supply on the spot and fixed it in about ten minutes. (Should mention: I had a meter in the van, but walking back through a cleanroom line costs time.)

A few days later, I used the same Fluke 101 to check the sensor that detects a centrifuge tube in a sample-prep instrument. That was a simple continuity check. The kit would have worked, but it was back at the bench. The small meter is the one I actually had.

One more thing: kits are easier to store, but they are not easier to carry. A case full of leads and a second meter is great in a service van. It is less great when you are on a ladder or sitting beside a lab bench. I keep a set of short leads with the Fluke 101; that whole setup weighs less than one fully loaded kit.

Wrong-reading risk: where price stops being the point

I only believed in low-impedance mode after ignoring it and paying for it. The 2017 mistake above was a classic ghost-voltage trap. The 114 and 117 both have LoZ mode; the Fluke 101 does not. If your work involves control panels with shared neutrals, LoZ is not optional.

If your work is mostly on isolated lab equipment, sensors, or low-voltage circuits, the ghost voltage issue is less common. That's the caveat. This is where the smallest Fluke multimeter becomes a better value: for isolated measurements, the missing LoZ doesn't hurt you.

Fuses, calibration, and the costs hiding in the fine print

One detail people often skip is that the Fluke 101 has no current input, so it has one fewer way to destroy a fuse. I once left leads in the current jacks of a meter and measured voltage. The fuse blew, the replacement cost about $35, and I wasted half a day finding a distributor that stocked it. The small meter cannot make that exact mistake. That's not a reason to buy it, but it is a line in the TCO.

Calibration is another line. Any precision meter, including a Fluke, should be verified on a schedule. Fluke's own calibration guidance links calibration intervals to usage, not to a one-time guarantee. The phrase 'never needs calibration' is not a claim I'd trust from any manufacturer. If your quality system needs calibration records, owning two meters means two calibration costs. That is a real reason to choose one primary meter instead of a kit plus a pocket meter.

Even shipping belongs in the calculation. I once paid $32 in freight because the distributor's 'free shipping' threshold was just above the meter price. For context, a USPS First-Class letter stamp is $0.73 as of January 2025 (usps.com), but a boxed multimeter is not a letter. The point is not the stamp; it's that every extra fee should be counted before you compare vendors.

Which one should you buy?

Set a simple rule: list what you measure in a typical week. If current, True RMS, or ghost-voltage troubleshooting is on that list, buy the Fluke 117. You don't necessarily need the 114/117 kit; the 117 alone handles most of it. The 114 makes sense as a spare or for a second tech.

If your weekly list is voltage, resistance, continuity, capacitance, and the occasional millivolt signal—like a Rice Lake load cell or a lab sensor—the smallest Fluke multimeter is enough. Skip the kit for now and spend any remaining budget on good leads and a calibration verification.

Before you buy, write down the three numbers that matter: the cost of the tool, the cost of a wrong reading, and the time cost of walking back to the van. That is your total-cost comparison.

I went back and forth between the kit and the small meter for two weeks. The kit offered capability; the small meter offered mobility. I eventually bought both, but they have different jobs. The 117 sits in the shop for the production-floor work. The Fluke 101 lives in my bag for the calls where getting a reading quickly is worth more than every extra feature. Dodged a bullet—I was one click away from buying another meter without LoZ, which would have repeated the 2017 mistake. That said, this is my experience on industrial and lab instruments. Your setup might be different, so use the total-cost checklist, not my backpack.