All the directions are in Chinese.
As you turn the selector knob the different plugs are suppose to light up to match to corresponding test.
At first not all of them would light up or they were very dim or blinked on and off.
After turning the dial a few times it appears as if the lights work correctly.

If you're an electrician or in a trade that requires using a multimeter regularly THEN THIS REVIEW IS NOT FOR YOU! In fact, I'm very curious to know why you're even considering this multimeter in the first place!

For the rest of you, I'm giving this multimeter FIVE stars since it meets all my requirements: well constructed and designed for units costing well under $100. If I was shopping for a diamond in rough (that is a unit around the $250 price range that cost under $100) and decided on this unit then yes I would be very disappointed... but I'm NOT, I'm looking for a unit under $100 and found this little gem!

Did my research on multimeter pricing and found the MS8268 on Amazon to BE THE BEST DEAL on the web not just Amazon! I was shocked at the price and amazed how many features it had for a multimeter under $250... met all my requirements and more in what I was looking for. The only issue or concern I had now was does it really work!

After receiving it I looked it over inside and out making sure nothing was missing, broken or just designed bad. Everything looked in place didn't find any issues what so ever. Ran several tests on the accuracy in all the settings and I'm happy to say this MS8268 multimeter performed like a $150 unit!

Everything I threw at it worked without any problems. Large backlit display and feels strong for a multimeter for under $150 and in my humble opinion it's designed and built well! The test leads alone should be WORTH THE PRICE of the unit, they are well insulated and from the feel may infact be made of a high quality silicone, rubber combination that you'll only find in units costing well over $150.

NOW it's not made in the US like the Fluke brands (I doubt they're still made in this country anyway) but it's designed and constructed well from the case to the electronics. If you plan on using this unit everyday then you'll want an industry proven multimeter like a Fluke model, BUT if you're like me who needs a reliable multimeter that offers so much (bang for your buck) testing around the house from AC to DC to automobile or motorcycle component testing AND only need it every now and then, then this multimeter is a STEAL! Infact, you should grab one as long as they are giving this unit away so cheap!

Let me end by saying, I'm very happy and satisfied with my purchase... thank you again Amazon for such a low priced item, and thanks again for the free shipping too!

First impressions are EXCELLENT with this meter. I can say I like it better than my good old Beckman DM27XL which finally gave up the ghost a while back. I was surviving on the Harbor Freight $5 DMMs, but after buying 4 of them I realized I can get this Mastech meter for the same price, so why not give it a try.
Stated accuracy is excellent for any meter in this price range. The auto-ranging feature is great when exploring unknown circuits. The display is easy to read and comes with a light option, which is why I chose this meter over others. That comes in handy when I'm crawling around under the dash of my Jeep trying to find the latest short or open.
Another less advertised feature is the idiot-proof lead placement guide. For which ever function you are using, the appropriate lead sockets will light up and guide you to the correct socket. The red LED backlight then shuts off once plugged in. Note: This does not prevent the full-time idiot from using the wrong color cable... ye be warned.
Accuracy will be tested against a calibrated Fluke RLC bridge at work. If it falls outside the advertised accuracy range I will update this review.
Another deciding factor was the lead holders built into the back of the soft case. I'm not one to leave my leads dangling around, so this was a great solution. The 3 AAA batteries can be accessed behind the kickstand and without taking the soft case off. The meter comes with 3 AAA heavy duty batteries, how ever I HIGHLY recommend you trash these crappy little leakers in favor of alkaline batteries to prevent damage to your meter.

In the middle of a power outage from Hurricane Sandy, the rusty governor spring on my generator finally broke leaving the engine running at idle. Fashioning a replacement spring and adjusting the generator output to 120 volts got us through the outage, but after it was over I wanted to set the governor more precisely to get exactly 60 Hz. I was planning to buy a dedicated panel-mount frequency meter but discovered that many multimeters now include a frequency function, and since the Mastech was under $30, I ordered it. It arrived two days later, a day faster than promised.

My first impressions on opening the box were: 1) it's big, and 2) it's decent quality. The rotary dial and the pushbuttons click into place with authority, the case feels solid and doesn't flex, and the probes are heavy gauge wire. I ran through some AC and DC voltage and resistance checks; the results agree with my other meter though I don't have a NIST-traceable reference to test its absolute accuracy. House power frequency reads 59.96 Hz, as expected. The manual briefly describes the Cat II and Cat III safety standards the meter claims to meet - I have no way to verify compliance but it feels like it could take a beating in a lineman's toolbelt with no problem. A few minor observations that haven't been covered in other reviews:

1) It takes some effort to insert the probes the first time. I pushed until they felt fully seated, but there was still 1/4 inch of plastic sleeve exposed and the LED indicators didn't go out. The sockets are a standard size and the probes from my other meter went in smoothly all the way and extinguished the LEDs, so I forced the new probes all the way in. After that they are still stiffer than my old probes but no longer require excessive force.

2) The LCD display has a good viewing angle range in reflected light, but when using the backlight it is washed out when your eye is above 90 degrees from the display. The display contrast isn't user adjustable, but the default is fine from anywhere without the backlight and from below 90 degrees when using the backlight.

3) You can't set the backlight to stay on - it always fades out after 5 seconds from pressing the light button. But there is a display hold button, so if you are operating in a dim area you could capture the reading you want using hold and then light the display to read it.

4) There are two different ways of reading frequency. You can measure AC voltage or current using the function dial and then press the frequency button to cycle between voltage, frequency, and duty cycle. Or you can select frequency on the function dial and switch between frequency and duty cycle with the button. The manual indicates that the available ranges are different depending on whether the dial is set to voltage/current or to frequency, but either way works fine for 60 Hz power.

5) Other reviews said the beeper is weak; it sounds fine to me. But when using the continuity test function it has an odd stutter sound when making a connection - be-be-beeeeeeeep. Nothing to worry about, just an indicator that there is some electronics involved rather than a simple battery and beeper connected directly to the probes.

All in all a great meter; far more than I expected. Other reviewers say "great meter for the money" but in my opinion it's a great meter, period. The Fluke 175 claims .15%+2 accuracy for DC volts and 1.0%+3 for AC volts; this meter claims .7%+2 DC and .8%+3 AC on most ranges which is more than I need. I'll still use my old multimeter most of the time because it is more compact to carry around (I posted a picture for size comparison with the Equus 3320 Auto-Ranging Digital Multimeter ). But it's nice to have the Mastech for when I need the extra features.

I purchased this multimeter for general use around the house and on my car. I purchased it because of good reviews online. Personally, I've found some good and bad things about it. The meter has most of the functions of similarly devices in the same price range.The auto ranging function is also very convenient and works nearly instantly. However, the feature I like the best is that depending on the setting you choose, the ports will flash and beep telling you if you're in the wrong ports. This is extremely convenient as I don't have to try to figure out which ports I'm supposed to be connected to or wonder if I'm getting correct values.

There are a couple of negatives I've found when using this meter. Firstly, it is extremely large, about 50% larger than most other devices (see photo), so it definitely takes up much more room and makes it less portable. Also, I've found that sometimes the voltage function doesn't read correctly unless I remove and reinsert the probes. I initially thought that I had dead batteries on my hands until I figured out that the reading was just wrong. I've learned to keep an eye out for it so I don't make the mistake again, but it would have been nice if it didn't have that flaw. Other than that though, I haven't really had any issues. The meter works well and is perfectly accurate for everything around the house and in my car.