The Verdict

The Fluke 117: Still the Gold Standard for Electricians — But It’s Not Perfect

Let me be blunt: if you’re a professional electrician or a serious DIYer, you’ve probably already heard of the Fluke 117. It’s the multimeter that shows up on every jobsite, in every van, and in every “what should I buy” forum thread. But at roughly $200, it’s not an impulse buy. So what do you actually get for that money — and where does it fall short?

What’s in the Box

The Fluke 117 arrives with the meter itself, a pair of TL75 test leads, a 9V battery (installed), and a basic user manual. That’s it. No hard case, no magnetic hanger — though the back has a fold-out tilt stand and a built-in holster with a magnet that actually works surprisingly well for sticking to electrical panels. The meter measures 6.2 x 3.2 x 1.8 inches and weighs about 14 ounces, so it’s pocketable without being bulky.

Performance and Build Quality

The headline feature here is Auto-V. You set the dial to this mode, and the meter automatically determines whether you’re measuring AC or DC voltage. In practice, this is a huge time-saver when you’re chasing wires in a junction box and don’t know what you’re dealing with. It reads the voltage, shows the type, and gives you the reading on a bright 6000-count display.

The non-contact voltage detection (the “NCV” part of the name) is built into the top of the meter. You press the button, sweep it near a wire, and the display turns green with a beep when it detects live voltage. It’s not as sensitive as a dedicated NCV pen, but it’s accurate enough to verify a circuit is dead before you work on it — which is the whole point.

Build quality is quintessential Fluke. The rubber over-molding absorbs drops, the input jacks are recessed, and the Cat III 600V rating means it’s rated for distribution-level work, not just residential. Accuracy is rated at 0.5% on DC voltage and 1.0% on AC, which is solid for field work.

What Buyers Consistently Praise

Scrolling through the 240 ratings, one theme dominates: reliability. A buyer named Mark wrote, “I’ve dropped this off a ladder twice and it still reads perfectly. My previous cheap meter lasted a month.” Another verified purchaser said, “The Auto-V feature alone is worth the price. I stopped carrying a separate NCV pen because this does both jobs.”

The magnetic hanger gets surprisingly frequent mentions too — electricians love sticking it to a panel while they work hands-free.

Where It Falls Short

Here’s the honest part. For $200, the lack of temperature measurement is a real gap. If you’re doing HVAC diagnostics or checking appliance thermostats, you’ll need a separate thermocouple meter. The Fluke 116 adds temperature for about $20 more — worth considering.

The included TL75 test leads are functional but stiff. They don’t flex well in tight spaces, and the probes are a bit fat for probing small terminal blocks. Plan on spending an extra $30 for silicone leads like the Fluke TL175 or aftermarket options.

And one quirk: the backlight doesn’t auto-off. If you leave the meter on with the light on, you’ll kill the 9V battery faster than expected. It’s a minor annoyance, but at this price point, you’d expect it handled.

Who Should Buy This

• Professional electricians who need a reliable daily driver that survives drops and reads accurately in commercial settings
• Serious DIYers doing panel work, wiring, or appliance diagnostics who want a “buy once, cry once” tool
• HVAC techs — but only if you get the 116 or buy a separate temperature probe

Skip it if you only need to check car batteries or household outlets occasionally. A $50 multimeter from a reputable brand (like Klein or Extech) will do that fine, and you won’t cry if it gets lost.

FAQ

Q: Is the Fluke 117 true-RMS? A: Yes, it’s true-RMS, which means it reads non-sinusoidal waveforms accurately — important for variable frequency drives and electronic loads.

Q: Can it measure capacitance? A: Yes, up to 10,000 µF. It’s not as feature-rich as bench meters, but it handles motor start/run capacitors.

Q: Does the NCV feature work through insulation? A: Yes, it detects voltage through wire insulation up to about 0.5 inches. It’s not designed for through-wall detection, though.

The Verdict: 4.6/5

Buy it if you’re a working electrician who needs a tool that won’t lie to you, won’t break when you drop it, and saves you time on every troubleshooting call. The Auto-V and NCV combo genuinely speeds up diagnostics.

Skip it if you’re a casual user or need temperature measurement. You’ll be paying for professional-grade features you won’t use.

The Fluke 117 isn’t cheap. But if you make your living with your hands, it’s cheaper than a service call that goes wrong because your meter gave you bad data. That’s a trade worth making.

Where to Buy

👉 Check Price on Amazon →

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Last updated: 2026-08-06. Ratings and prices current as of review date. Verify on Amazon before purchasing.