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Ralph Mowery

In article ,
says...

I bought one because I couldn't resist it for the price, but I find it wildly inaccurate for low value resistance and low value capacitors. I found a calibration procedure on-line that uses a small value cap for a reference, but it only made it worse.

Does identify terminals in transistors accurately though.

No-one would accuse them of being quality items, but very handy nonetheless. I hear there is a new version now & then with ever more functionality.

What is interisting is a company called Peak makes several versions for
around $ 100. The cheat people that are not informed. One device only
tests the solid state devices and the other tests restiors, capacitors
and inductors. That way you are forced to buy two of the units.

They are practically the same as the all in one $ 20 device in a fancy
case.

They are not lab quality instruments but for $ 20 they work very well at
the hobby grade.

As far as forming capacitors, if the capacitor is over 20 years old and
there is any doubt, just replace it. I have read that new capacitors
are formed at the factory at a slightly higher voltage because they will
deterioate just sitting on the shelf. Those may be worth while bringing
the voltage up slow on if they have been on the shelf for a long period
of time