COMPARISON · MULTIMETERS
Fluke 117 vs KAIWEETS HT118A: Is Fluke Worth the Extra Cost?
Fluke 117 vs KAIWEETS HT118A: the Fluke cost roughly six to seven times as much on Amazon when we checked, and the KAIWEETS lists more functions. Homeowners, car and HVAC hobbyists should buy the HT118A for its microamp range, temperature probe and 1000 V rating. Electricians who prove circuits dead every day should pay for the 117: its LoZ mode rejects ghost voltages, and Fluke's ratings agree across every document it publishes.
By the OhmSavvy Research Team ·
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Fluke 117
4.8★★★★★The meter working electricians actually buy with their own money, not just the one brands push.
KAIWEETS HT118A
4.4★★★★☆True RMS, CAT III 1000V and µA current with NCV and temperature at a low price.
Specs side by side
| Fluke 117 | KAIWEETS HT118A | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.8★★★★★ | 4.4★★★★☆ |
| Accuracy | True RMS | True RMS, 6,000-count |
| Safety rating | CAT III 600V | CAT III 1000V / CAT IV 600V |
| Auto-ranging | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Electricians, serious hobbyists | Budget all-rounder for home, car and hobby |
| Safety category | CAT III 600V | CAT III 1000V / CAT IV 600V (manual) |
| Max voltage | 600V AC/DC | 1000V DC / 750V AC (maker's text also says 600V) |
| AC volts accuracy | ±(1.0% + 3) | ±(0.8% + 3) |
| LoZ (ghost-voltage) mode | Yes, AutoVolt about 3 kΩ | Not listed |
| Non-contact voltage | VoltAlert | NCV plus Live-wire alarm |
| Lowest current range | 6.000 A (1 mA steps) | 600 µA (0.1 µA steps) |
| Capacitance | To 9,999 µF | To 100 mF |
| Temperature | No | -40°F to 1832°F, probe included |
| Battery | One 9V, about 400 h | 2 × AA (manual) or 2 × AAA (product page) |
| Weight / warranty | 550 g / 3 years | 550 g (Amazon listing) / 3 years |
Specs checked against manufacturer documentation and official Amazon listings. Fluke 117 is hands-on tested by OhmSavvy; the KAIWEETS HT118A assessment is desk research. How we research.
Key differences
- →The Fluke 117 has AutoVolt LoZ, a low-impedance input of about 3 kΩ that drains ghost voltages; KAIWEETS lists no LoZ mode for the HT118A.
- →The HT118A reads current from a 600 µA range in 0.1 µA steps; the 117's smallest current step is 1 mA.
- →The HT118A adds a K-type temperature probe, capacitance to 100 mF and frequency to 10 MHz; the 117 has no temperature input and stops at 9,999 µF and 50 kHz.
- →KAIWEETS's manual rates the HT118A CAT III 1000V / CAT IV 600V, but its own product text also says 600V AC/DC; Fluke's 117 documents all say CAT III 600V.
- →On paper the HT118A's AC volts spec is slightly tighter, ±(0.8% + 3) against the 117's ±(1.0% + 3); DC volts are close at ±(0.5% + 3) and ±(0.5% + 2).
- →Both carry a 3-year warranty; the Fluke runs on one 9V battery rated for about 400 hours.
The feature count favors KAIWEETS by a wide margin
Put the two spec sheets side by side and the HT118A covers more ground. It measures microamps, milliamps, temperature, frequency to 10 MHz and capacitance to 100 mF, and adds a flashlight, a kickstand and a Live-wire alarm. The 117's function list is shorter: volts, amps from 6 A up, resistance, continuity, capacitance, frequency to 50 kHz and its two electrician's tools, VoltAlert and AutoVolt LoZ.
Worked example: tracking an illustrative 25 mA parasitic drain on a parked truck. The HT118A in series on its 60 mA range shows 25.00 mA, and KAIWEETS's ±(1.0% + 3 digits) spec gives ±(0.25 + 0.03) = ±0.28 mA. The 117 has to use its 6 A range, where the display reads 0.025 A in 1 mA steps, so a 2 or 3 mA circuit behind one fuse changes the display by only two or three digits. For automotive and battery work that difference is decisive, and the best multimeter for automotive guide ranks the HT118A on exactly that basis.
The same logic applies to furnace flame sensors, whose signal is typically a few microamps. The HT118A's 600 µA range shows it in 0.1 µA steps; the 117 cannot display it at all. Our microamp meter picks go further on that job.
What the Fluke 117 does that the HT118A doesn't: LoZ on a dead circuit
The 117's case rests on one job: confirming that a conductor is dead before you touch it. A high-impedance meter can show tens of volts on a disconnected wire that runs beside a live one, because capacitive coupling puts a voltage on it that has almost no current behind it. Fluke's AutoVolt position switches the input to about 3 kΩ, which drains that coupled voltage away, and it selects AC or DC on its own. KAIWEETS publishes no LoZ mode and no input impedance figure for the HT118A, so it cannot do this.
Those numbers are illustrative, not measured; the point is the behavior. Without LoZ you are left guessing whether 38 V means a back-fed circuit or harmless coupling, and the safe answer is to keep investigating. The HT118A's NCV and Live-wire alarm help find a live conductor but can't tell you a phantom reading is harmless. Our article on voltage on a disconnected circuit explains the mechanism, and the Fluke 117 review covers how we tested the meter on our own bench.
A LoZ reading is not a lockout
Ratings you can check: why the paperwork matters
The Fluke 117 sources we used, its product page spec tab and the 110 Series datasheet, say the same thing: CAT III 600V, one 9V battery, about 400 hours of life. The HT118A's documents don't agree with each other. KAIWEETS's spec table and manual give 1000 V DC and 750 V AC under CAT III 1000V / CAT IV 600V, but descriptive text on the same product page says 600V AC/DC. The product page lists two AAA batteries where the manual lists two AA, and gives the screen as 2.9 inches in one place and 2.7 in another.
None of that proves the HT118A is unsafe; we have not tested it, and this is desk research from its maker's documents. It does mean the most conservative reading of its rating is 600 V, the same as the Fluke's, so we would not count the 1000 V figure as a reason to buy it for high-energy work.
The chart is a reminder that the Fluke premium isn't about headline accuracy: on a 120 V outlet the 117 allows ±(1.2 + 0.3) = ±1.5 V and the HT118A ±(0.96 + 0.3) ≈ ±1.3 V. What you pay Fluke for is LoZ, a rating documented the same way everywhere, and, on this site, a meter we have actually used.
A cheaper Fluke with LoZ doesn't exist in this pair
Who should buy the Fluke 117, and who the HT118A
| Buyer and job | Better fit | Deciding spec |
|---|---|---|
| Electrician proving circuits dead daily | Fluke 117 | AutoVolt LoZ, about 3 kΩ |
| Homeowner checking outlets and breakers | KAIWEETS HT118A | True RMS and NCV at a fraction of the price |
| Car, RV or boat parasitic draw | KAIWEETS HT118A | 60 mA range, 0.01 mA steps |
| Furnace flame sensor | KAIWEETS HT118A | 600 µA range, 0.1 µA steps |
| Supply and return air temperature | KAIWEETS HT118A | K-type probe included |
| Variable-speed drive output voltage | Either | Both True RMS |
| Low-light work in an attic or crawlspace | KAIWEETS HT118A | Flashlight and kickstand |
| A meter you want documented consistently | Fluke 117 | CAT III 600V on every source |
For a wider view of the budget side, see best multimeter for beginners, where the HT118A ranks near the top, and Fluke 117 vs Klein MM400 for another lower-cost alternative to the 117.
Choose the Fluke 117 if…
- ✓You verify de-energized circuits for a living and want LoZ to rule out ghost voltages
- ✓You want a meter whose safety rating reads the same on the product page, datasheet and meter
- ✓You'd rather buy the meter we bought and tested on our own bench
Choose the KAIWEETS HT118A if…
- ✓You need microamps for flame sensors or milliamps for a car's parasitic draw
- ✓You want a K-type temperature probe and capacitance well past 9,999 µF
- ✓Your budget is closer to a pair of test leads than to a Fluke
The bottom line
For most buyers the KAIWEETS HT118A is the better value: more functions, a microamp range, temperature and NCV for a small fraction of the Fluke's price. The Fluke 117 is worth the extra cost for electricians who test for dead circuits every day, where AutoVolt LoZ and consistently documented CAT III 600V ratings matter more than a longer feature list.
Frequently asked questions
Is the KAIWEETS HT118A as accurate as the Fluke 117?+
On paper, yes, and slightly better on AC volts: KAIWEETS lists ±(0.8% + 3) against Fluke's ±(1.0% + 3). DC volts are close, ±(0.5% + 3) against ±(0.5% + 2). Those are each maker's published specs; we bench-tested the Fluke but not the KAIWEETS, so we can't confirm how the HT118A holds its spec over time.
Does the HT118A have a LoZ mode?+
KAIWEETS lists none on the HT118A product page, and it publishes no input impedance figure. It has NCV and a Live-wire alarm, which help locate live conductors, but neither drains a ghost voltage the way LoZ does. The Fluke 117's AutoVolt switches to about 3 kΩ and picks AC or DC automatically.
Is the HT118A really rated CAT IV 600V?+
Its manual and meter face say CAT III 1000V / CAT IV 600V, and the product page's spec table agrees. Descriptive text on the same page says 600V AC/DC, though, so KAIWEETS's own sources conflict. We'd treat 600 V as the safe working limit and keep service-entrance work for a meter with a consistently documented CAT IV rating.
Can the Fluke 117 measure temperature?+
No. Fluke's datasheet for the 110 Series gives the thermocouple input to the Fluke 116 only, so the 117 has no temperature function. The HT118A includes a K-type probe and reads -40°F to 1832°F. If HVAC temperature work matters, that is a strong point for the KAIWEETS or for the Fluke 116.
Which has the better warranty?+
They match on length: Fluke gives the 117 a 3-year warranty and KAIWEETS gives the HT118A 3 years as well, per each maker's site. Fluke also publishes battery life, about 400 hours from one 9V cell without the backlight. The KAIWEETS product page we checked lists no battery-life figure, and its documents disagree on whether the meter takes AA or AAA cells.
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