On Saturday, January 28, 2017 at 7:46:08 PM UTC-5, Ralph Mowery wrote:

On ebay there are devices like the Peak that are not in a case but are
functional. They are only about $ 20. They do not rip you off like
Peak in that one device will check the transistors and capacitors
(active and passive components).
I have one and put it in a case. I works very well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZ49GCnf0V4 Review of the Peak Atlas.

It acquits itself quite nicely against some pretty high-end meters. So on the "pro" side:

a) it is accurate against some industry-standard devices.
b) it is self-contained and serves both to measure capacitance and ESR. Doing two things well rather than many things less well.
c) it will discharge capacitors without damage.
d) it is NOT made in China.
e) it will measure in-circuit and out.

I keep four meters on the bench:

B&K LCR meter
Fluke "true RMS" VOM
Peak Atlas Transistor/diode checker

And the aforementioned meter. In my traveling kit (Kutztown twice per year, and when 'in the field', I keep a very vintage Radio Shack Japanese VOM, and the AnaTek ESR meter.

Paying a premium for my meters to get reliability, predictability and function is by no means any sort of rip-off. I have been known to pay $40 for a pair of box-joint Linesman Pliers (ChannelLock) rather than $8.99 for a similar-in-size piece of Chinese Junque.

Good (new) tools are not cheap. Cheap (new) tools are not good.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA