Unpopular take: those $500+ diagnostic tools aren't worth it for small shops

I was in a Facebook group for HVAC techs last week and someone was swearing by that Snap-On Zeus, saying it's the only way to go. But honestly, for my one-man computer repair side gig in Phoenix, my $80 used ThinkPad with a generic USB multi-meter does everything I need for simple board-level fixes. Half the time those expensive tools give you data you don't even need, you know? Anyone else running a small shop with cheap gear and getting by just fine?

2 comments

2 Comments

schmidt.grant4d agoMost Upvoted

haha dude i feel that. i've got a decade old multimeter that's missing half the rubber boot and the probes are held together with electrical tape. the funny part is i accidentally shocked myself with it last week trying to test a live circuit on a power supply and it still works fine. fancy gear won't save you from your own dumb mistakes i guess.

the_james4d ago

man you're dead on with this lol. i run a small laptop repair shop in tucson and i've been using a $15 multimeter from harbor freight and a cheap hakko soldering iron for years. those fancy diagnostic tools are mostly just showing you stuff you can figure out with a simple continuity test or a visual inspection anyway. i had a guy come in last month trying to sell me on some $700 thermal imaging camera for finding bad caps and i was like bro i can just touch the board with my finger and feel where it's hot. honestly the only thing i splurge on is a good microscope for microsoldering but even that was like $200 not $500 plus. save your money and spend it on parts or marketing instead.