Manufacturer of the pictured meter, Equus — yes, I’m going to spare you the Harry Potter naked with a horse joke — claims it’s “your personal home and auto electrical tester.” And I can’t argue that it looks pretty nice, especially for about $17 on the ‘net. But that got me to thinking: Exactly what makes a good home and auto multimeter?

Off the top of my head, I remember recently using my meter to test auto fuses, to check connectivity in some auto stereo wiring, to test out the leads to an errant videogame controller, and to check a battery I suspected was dead. While I’d totally love to own a sweet Fluke like Sean’s, I’m not sure my measly uses justify the expense.

Or am I out in left field? What do you do with your meter around the house? And how much would you pay for one? Got a favorite? Let us know in comments.

Hands-Free DMM (10 MegOhm) Meter [Equus Products]

Street Pricing [Google Products]

Via Amazon [What’s This?]