UNI-T UT58A Digital Multimeter

Every repair bench needs a meter it can trust for the basics: checking a battery's voltage, measuring a capacitor, beeping out a broken trace. The UNI-T UT58A covers those everyday measurements in a sturdy handheld body.

The UT58A is a digital multimeter from UNI-T. It measures AC and DC voltage, current, resistance and capacitance, and has diode and continuity tests, a data hold button and auto power-off. It has a 60 × 54 mm LCD, measures 179 × 88 × 39 mm, weighs 350 g and runs on a 9V battery.

When the UT58A is the right tool

• Checking battery and charger voltages.

• Finding broken traces or failed connectors with continuity.

• Testing diodes and capacitors on a damaged board.

• Replacing a meter that's dropped, damaged or reading wrong.

Good habits

Pick the range before connecting the probes, and move the red lead to the correct jack before measuring current, then back again afterward. Forgetting that step is the most common way to blow a meter's fuse.

For phone boards, pair the meter with fine-tipped leads so you can reach small pads. Use data hold when you can't look at the screen while probing.