Do I spy a Bosch electrical test meter? Yes, Bosch is entering the electrical test equipment market with a bunch of new tools.
Bosch has been expanding into various new tool categories, and this looks to be another first for them.
Bosch’s new lineup of electrical testers includes a digital multimeter, clamp meter, fork meter, a voltage tester with probes, and a non-contact voltage tester for checking to see if a line or device is energized.
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Here’s the full line so far:
- Digital multimeter – GDM 600-15
- Non-contact voltage tester – GVD 1000-17
- Voltage tester – GVT 1000-15
- Clamp meter – GMC 600-15
- Fork meter – GFM 1000-15 Professional
The new Bosch meter’s form factor and user controls look a little different from those on other professional multimeters.
It also features an impact resistant design and IP65 rating for dust and water resistance.
Here are some quick specs for the digital multimeter:
- 600V max voltage (AC, DC)
- 10A max current (AC, DC)
- Measures voltage, current, resistance, capacitance, continuity, frequency
- CAT III 600V safety class
- True RMS measurements
It’s good to see more tool brands get back into the pro electrical tester market.
Will Bosch have what it takes to grab some market share from market leaders such as Fluke? At a glance the new test meters look like they could be competitive, and so it’ll be interesting to find out!
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At this time USA details have not yet been announced.
Tom M.
They have a solid background in automotive diagnostics, so it’s honestly a logical space for them to expand to based on existing core competencies. I like it. Well done, Bosch.
Jared
I was thinking along the same lines – that Bosch somehow seems instantly credible in this space. That’s probably not fair, they haven’t earned any reputation yet, but it was still my initial reaction.
Stuart
They also make meters under the OTC brand. As a company, Bosch tends to be very compartmentalized. We also don’t know if they designed these in-house; they could have worked with an OEM or ODM.
That said, I’m allowing myself to be optimistic.
Nathan
They are in other diagnostic markets so not a shock
Would like to see a good comparison of accuracy between these Klein amprobe etc. for the cost
Stuart
Amprobe is a Fluke subsidiary.
I’ve been hesitant about Klein’s multimeters ever since an industry acquaintance cautioned me about what their destructive test results revealed. I’ve had okay experiences with some of their testers, but my gut feeling tells me that these Bosch meters will be positioned somewhere between Klein (lower) and Fluke (higher). Maybe they’ll be inline with Amprobe? Although Amprobe also has the benefit of specific industry experience.
Jim Felt
Oddly enough I think I recall seeing a Home Depot one day sale recently that included Fluke meters.
(BTW they were a great client for many years).
Stuart
They’re had a couple of Fluke deals sprinkled into a bunch of deals of the day.
Kevin W.
I have a couple of Klein meters that I use. I have been happy with them aside from a few complaints with the user interface. I am curious about the details of the issues that you heard about.
Stuart
I don’t remember all of the details, but if I recall correctly the fuse designs and similar were done differently compared to best practices. This was a long time ago, but I never shook the impression.
John
Cat III 600v is a pretty low rating, I would like to see cat 4 1000v for industrial use. But they seem fine for automotive or low voltage use. Any word on price?
Stuart
200 GBP including VAT for the meter, which converts to around $269 USD.
166 GBP excluding VAT is around $223 USD.
Based on that, I would guess >$200 for the meter. Maybe $249 with tariffs?
Matt_T
Agree the Cat III rating is too low. Really needs Cat IV 600V minimum for professional use. And 1,000V is definitely preferred for industrial use if VFDs/inverters are in the mix.
What’s kinda strange is the IP65 rating. Seems unnecessary for a meter with an indoor Cat rating. Would be good for vehicle and equipment techs but that doesn’t appear to be the target market. The clamp meter is AC current only.
Regards estimating US pricing from UK pricing 1:1 seems to work as well as anything regardless of the exchange rate. So my guess is $200 USD or under.
Stuart
Interestingly, the GMC 600-15 clamp meter is “CAT III 600 V / CAT IV 300 V.”
IP65 protection seems good to have.