Why My Fluke 87V Got Replaced by a Rice Lake Weighing Systems Multimeter in the Factory

I've been handling instrumentation orders and field troubleshooting for about 6 years now. In that time, I've personally managed to ruin two expensive meters, misdiagnose a $3,200 scale controller failure (which wasn't actually a failure), and learn a hard lesson about why you shouldn't just grab whatever multimeter is closest for a load cell test.

Here's the short answer: For plant-floor work involving load cells, thermocouples, or sensor signal tracing, a dedicated industrial meter like the Rice Lake DM350 often beats a “premium” electrician's meter like the Fluke 87V, and it can cost less than half as much. The big surprise? It wasn't about basic accuracy—it was about features I didn't know I needed until I'd wasted several hundred dollars.

The Confession: Why I Didn't Trust Rice Lake Meters At First

I'll be honest. When I first saw the Rice Lake DM350, my reaction wasn't great. I thought, “They make load cells and scales. Why would I trust their multimeter over Fluke?” If I remember correctly, I actually said something like that out loud. It looked a bit like a Klein meter, but the branding said “Rice Lake Weighing Systems.” I was skeptical. It felt like buying a tire from a bakery.

But our company specs a lot of Rice Lake hardware—load cells, junction boxes, and a few of their class f rice lake weighing systems process indicators. So I was forced to use their DM350 for a wiring check. The manual had a dedicated section for thermocouple and RTD testing. That's when I paused. Fluke doesn't put that stuff front and center in the 87V manual because their meter isn't designed for it.

The Specifics That Changed My Mind (And Saved $450)

Let me be specific about what I found. I keep a log of my screw-ups. After about 6 months, I had a clear picture.

1. The Dedicated Sensor Mode (that I didn't know I needed)

The DM350 has a dedicated “Sensor” mode. Sounds gimmicky until you are knee-deep in a thermocouple issue and your standard multimeter is giving you millivolt readings that you have to manually convert using a chart on your phone. The DM350 reads the type of thermocouple (J, K, T, etc.) and gives you the temperature in Celsius or Fahrenheit directly. It also works with RTDs.

The cost of forgetting this: I once spent an entire afternoon diagnosing a “bad sensor” that turned out to be a perfectly good Type J thermocouple being read by a meter programmed for Type K. The conversion is non-linear; the numbers are different. The client almost paid $450 for a replacement sensor and a service call. I caught it during the final check. That's when I learned: use the right tool for the job, not the most popular one.

2. The Load Cell Testing Edge

This is where the Rice Lake meter genuinely beats the Fluke for our industry. The DM350 has a specific mode for testing strain gauge bridges. It can do a quick balance check and measure in microvolts per volt with reasonable sensitivity. A standard Fluke 87V or a typical Klein meter (in the klein vs fluke multimeter debate—I've used both) is just not optimized for this. You can get the numbers, but you have to know exactly what you're looking for. The Rice Lake meter is designed to make that test simple.

Looking back, I should have bought the DM350 2 years earlier. At the time, I thought I needed the “best” meter for electrical work. But my job isn't primarily house wiring or motor controls. My job is process control and measurement. That's a different world.

Wait—What About the Klein vs Fluke Multimeter Debate?

Let's address the elephant in the room. The klein vs fluke multimeter or even Fluke vs. the world is a fair comparison for electricians. Fluke is the gold standard for electrical safety (CAT ratings, robust build). A Fluke 87V is a tank. I still have mine. For high-energy electrical work, motor controls, or variable frequency drive (VFD) troubleshooting, I would reach for the Fluke 87V first. Its low-pass filter for VFDs is excellent. Klein meters like the CL800 are also great for general commercial electrical work.

But here's the nuance that most online reviews miss: industrial weighing and sensor work gets treated as an afterthought by electrician-focused brands. They assume you have separate devices for those applications. Rice Lake assumes sensor work is the primary application. That's a huge difference.

I have mixed feelings about the comparison. On one hand, the Fluke is built like a brick and has better surge protection. On the other, the Rice Lake DM350 has features I use every day that the Fluke simply lacks. I compromise: the Fluke stays in the tool bag for electrical panel work, and the DM350 lives on the calibration cart.

Defining “Value” Beyond the Price Tag

Every vendor says they are the best value. So let's be real about the numbers. The Rice Lake DM350 costs roughly $150-$250 depending on the kit. The Fluke 87V is around $450-$500. So the Fluke is double the price. If you are a bench electrician, the Fluke is worth every penny.

But if you're working in a plant with rice lake weighing systems, checking load cells, and calibrating process sensors, the DM350 is not just a cheaper alternative—it's a better tool for the specific task. The features that matter to you (sensor mode, microvolt readings, bridge balancing) are the features that a general-purpose meter compromises on. I've come to believe that the “best” meter is 100% dependent on what you measure, not who makes the most durable casing.

Here's a final thought on transparency, which is something I didn't fully appreciate until I'd been burned. When I first looked at Rice Lake's pricing, the DM350 seemed “cheap” to me, and I assumed it was inferior. The price didn't intimidate me. But the hidden costs of using the wrong tool—wasted time, misdiagnosis, ordering parts we didn't need—were far higher than the cost difference between the two meters.

I've learned to ask “what works for my specific application” before asking “what's the most famous brand.” The vendor who asks you about your load cell type and thermocouple requirements upfront—even if their meter looks simpler—is probably going to save you more money in the long run than the one who just sells you the most popular electrical meter. The total cost of ownership isn't just the price of the multimeter; it's the cost of the mistakes you make because you didn't have the right feature.

The Honest Verdict (and a Practical Suggestion)

If you are an electrician who occasionally touches a sensor, stick with your Fluke or Klein. They are excellent tools. But if you are a process control technician or an instrumentation engineer who spends 70%+ of your time on sensors and load cells, the Rice Lake DM350 is not just a cheaper option—it's the smarter one.

Oh, and one more thing. I should add that the Fluke may still beat the Rice Lake meter in the klein vs fluke multimeter durability contest. The DM350 isn't built for being dropped off a 10-foot ladder every day. But for the sensor cart, where it lives on the bench or harness, it's perfectly fine. Know the boundary conditions of your purchase. Don't buy a tank if you need a sports car. And don't buy a sports car if you drive off-road.