Allsun Multimeter Guide: 7 Meters, Pens and Fence Testers

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Someone typing allsun multimeter usually wants a small meter for household checks, though some are really looking for a voltage tester for an outlet or a fence line. Allsun lists pocket and folding digital multimeters, a non-contact voltage pen, a receptacle tester, electric fence testers and an insulation tester, and several listings share bullet text. This guide sorts the seven Allsun records that fit a meter or voltage-tester use, sets out the ranges, counts and category wording each listing states, and names every conflict we found.

Quick answer

• For the widest stated function list in a pocket meter, the EM3085A record names DC and AC voltage and current, capacitance, frequency and continuity, with an IEC 61010 reference and a CAT II 600V category. Its AAA battery is not included.
• For a basic pocket meter with few decisions to make, the EM3081 record names DC current only in its bullets, even though its title says Amp.
• For a non-contact voltage check, the GK28 pen offers a 12V and a 48V sensitivity setting. Its specification block says Cat III 1000V, while a bullet says CAT II 100V, so check the category before use.
• For fence lines and outlets, the EM555 fence tester reads pulse voltage and the EM9807 checks outlet wiring. Neither is a multimeter.

Allsun records by use

The seven records below fall into three groups. Each entry uses only what the listing states, and each conflict is named where it appears.

Pocket and folding multimeters

The EM3081 record, model EM3081, is a box-type pocket meter with a 3 1/2-digit LED display and a maximum reading of 1999. Its bullets list DC and AC voltage, DC current, resistance, diode and continuity. The specification block gives the measurement type as multimeter and the standard as CE, RoHS and UL. The bullets say the meter runs on two 1.5V cells, and that the insulating piece must be removed before use. Its title describes an amp meter, but the bullets name DC current only, so no AC current is claimed for this record.

The folding record, model 10 with part number allsunEM308, is a mini folding meter with automatic range selection. Its specification block lists ammeter, multimeter and voltmeter as its measurement types. Its bullets state auto power-off, a 3 1/2-digit LCD with a maximum reading of 1999, data hold, a low-battery indication, an overrange indication and negative polarity. The bullets list DC and AC volts, AC and DC amps, ohms, diode and continuity with a tone, and they say the unit runs on two 1.5V button cells. The bullets give no ranges for voltage or current.

The EM3085A record, model EM3085 and listed as “upgraded”, is a 3 3/4-digit auto-range pocket multimeter. Its bullets state DC and AC voltage, DC and AC current, resistance, continuity, diode, capacitance and frequency, plus a non-contact AC voltage detection function, data hold and automatic power-off. Its bullets also give a 500mA/250V fuse, a design reference to IEC 61010 and a measurement category of CAT II 600V with pollution degree 2. The AAA battery is listed as not included.

The manual-range record has no specification block. Its bullets describe a small folding design, DC and AC volts, ohms, amps and continuity with a tone. The bullets also say the meter is not auto-ranging and has no automatic shutoff, and that the insulating tape must be removed before the first use. The bullets add that the meter is not made for commercial use or large loads.

Non-contact voltage pen and outlet tester

The GK28 record, model GMGK28 and style GK28 with buzzer and LED, is a non-contact voltage detector. Its bullets describe a high-sensitivity mode from 12V to 1000V AC and a low-sensitivity mode from 48V to 1000V AC. It adds an LCD analog bar graph, a flashing red LED and a buzzer that rise with signal strength, a white LED flashlight and automatic shutdown after five minutes. Its specification block gives Cat III 1000v, and its bullets give CAT II 100V for indoor use. The bullets also tell the user to verify accuracy on a known AC source first.

The EM9807 record, model EM9807, is a receptacle tester for North American outlets. Its bullets list six results: open ground, open neutral, open hot, hot and ground reversed, hot and neutral reversed, and correct wiring. They describe a GFCI trip test held for six seconds, a fault legend printed on the body and an ABS housing. Its bullets rate the tester at 100V to 125V AC, 60 Hz. Its specification block lists the measurement type as voltmeter, but the bullets describe lamp indications, not a voltage reading.

Electric fence testers

The EM555 record, model EM555, is an electric fence tester. Its specification block gives a measurement range of 300V to 9900V pulse voltage, a wire length of 57 inches and a pulse rate of one pulse every 0.5 to 2 seconds. It needs one 9V battery, which is not provided. Its bullets describe an LCD readout from 0.3kV to 9.9kV, a power-saving mode that wakes on a pulse and turns off about four seconds after the last one, and use on the fence line and the controller.

Ranges, counts and conversions

The table uses only what each listing prints. A blank cell means the listing gives no figure for that field.

Record (listing model)	Measurement type	Voltage stated	Current stated	Count or display
EM3081 pocket	Multimeter	DC and AC voltage (no range)	DC current only (bullet)	1999 maximum reading
Folding mini (model 10)	Ammeter, Multimeter, Voltmeter	DC and AC volts (no range)	AC and DC amps (no range)	1999 maximum reading
EM3085A pocket	Multimeter	DC and AC voltage (no range)	DC and AC current (no range)	3 3/4 digit
Manual-range mini	not listed	DC and AC volts (no range)	amps (no range)	manual range
GK28 pen	Voltmeter	12V to 1000V AC (high) or 48V to 1000V AC (low)	not applicable	LCD bar graph
EM9807 receptacle tester	Voltmeter	100V to 125V AC rated	not applicable	three lamps
EM555 fence tester	Voltmeter	300V to 9900V pulse	not applicable	LCD readout

Three short calculations follow from these listings. A 3 1/2-digit display that counts to 1999 has 2000 possible values, so 1999 + 1 = 2000. That is the same step count as a 2000-count meter, and it says nothing about accuracy, which none of the Allsun listings states. The fence tester’s two range figures agree once units are aligned: 9.9 x 1000 = 9900 and 0.3 x 1000 = 300, matching the 300V and 9900V figures in its specification block. The stated wire length converts as 57 x 2.54 = 144.78 cm, so the 57-inch figure is about 1.45 meters.

Power and battery details

Battery details change what a buyer has to plan for, so they belong in the comparison. The EM3081 bullets say it runs on two 1.5V bottom cells and that the battery’s insulating piece must be moved away before use. The folding meter’s bullets say it takes two 1.5V LR44 button cells and that the insulating tape must come off before the first use. The EM3085A takes one 1.5V AAA battery, which its bullets say is not included, so the first use means buying one. The GK28 pen’s specification block lists two AAA batteries as included. The EM555 fence tester needs a 9V battery, which its specification block says is not provided. The EM9807 receptacle tester’s specification block lists its power source as corded electric, while its bullets do not describe a battery, so that field is worth checking against the box before buying.

How we chose

The seven records come from the Allsun pool. We kept a record when its listing names a multimeter, a voltage pen, a receptacle tester or an electric fence voltage tester, and when its title, bullets and specification block describe the same main function. We also kept a listing only when it states a range, count or category that a reader can check.

Two records were set aside. The first is an insulation resistance megohmmeter, model EM480B, with test voltages of 250V, 500V and 1000V and an ohmmeter measurement type. It measures insulation resistance, which is a different job from the voltage and current checks a multimeter does, so it sits outside this roundup. The second is a second fence tester whose bullets repeat the EM555 range and whose specification block gives a different model number. It adds nothing a buyer can use, so we did not give it its own card.

The fence tester and the receptacle tester are the two judgement calls in this group. Both carry a voltmeter measurement type in their specification blocks, so they count as voltage testers under the product rule. Neither reads household or electronics voltages the way a multimeter does, and their skip-if lines say so. A reader who wants only a multimeter can drop both from the shortlist without losing any of the meters above.

No Allsun record in this group states a category that covers every function. The EM3085A names CAT II 600V, the GK28 gives two conflicting categories, and the rest state no category in their listings.

Where the listings disagree

• The EM3081 title says Amp, but its bullets name DC current only.
• The GK28 specification block says Cat III 1000v, while its bullets say CAT II 100V for indoor use.
• The EM9807 specification block lists the measurement type as voltmeter, while its bullets describe lamp indications and a trip test.
• The folding meter’s specification block says ammeter, multimeter and voltmeter, while its bullets give no ranges for any of them.
• The EM555 specification block gives 300V to 9900V, while its bullets give 0.3kV to 9.9kV. The two agree once the units are aligned.

Choosing by job

For a pocket meter that reads the most functions in one body, the EM3085A is the record to read first, and its CAT II 600V statement is the only Allsun category that appears without a conflict. Its AAA battery is not included, so plan for one. For a meter that only needs DC current, the EM3081 is the simpler choice, though its title suggests more than its bullets claim. For a folding meter with auto ranging, the folding mini is the one to compare, while the manual-range mini suits a user who wants to pick every range.

For a voltage check at an outlet or a switch, the GK28 pen gives a two-step sensitivity choice, and the EM9807 is the receptacle tester for checking wiring faults and the GFCI trip. For a fence line, the EM555 is the only fence tester carded here, and it reads pulse voltage, not household voltage. If you want a broader look at the voltage detector category, the pen voltage detector picks compare pens from other makers, and the auto-ranging multimeter picks describe the meter category the EM3085A belongs to.

Safety and the voltage ranges

The OSHA electrical overview says electricity has long been recognized as a serious workplace hazard, and that OSHA’s electrical standards are designed to protect employees from electric shock, electrocution, fires and explosions. OSHA’s work-practices rule says a qualified person uses test equipment to test circuit elements and electrical parts, and that live parts must be de-energized before work on or near them.

The Purdue extension sheet says voltage is the difference between two points, and that the same measuring principles apply to DC battery work and AC house wiring. It also says working with live circuits is hazardous without proper tools and safeguards, and that a user should move cautiously while probing circuits.

The EM3085A is the only Allsun meter in this group whose listing gives a fuse rating, which its bullets state as 500mA at 250V. The listing says nothing about how that fuse limits the meter’s voltage ranges, so the fuse figure should not be read as a voltage limit for any function.

Those sources do not cover fence energizers, receptacle wiring tests or insulation testing, so the safety statements for the EM555, EM9807 and GK28 come from their listings alone. A fence tester reads a pulse voltage that the listing gives in kilovolts, and a receptacle tester reports wiring faults, which are different questions from a voltage reading. Mains work, panel work and fence work on a live system should be left to a qualified person, and the manual that comes with each unit should be followed before any connection.

What we could not verify

• Accuracy. The Allsun bullets give no accuracy figures for the meters, and the documents we opened do not cover Allsun’s accuracy.
• The category for the GK28. Its specification block and its bullets give different categories, and the documents we opened do not settle which one applies.
• The current ranges for the EM3085A, the folding meter and the manual-range meter. The bullets name the functions without numbers.
• Whether the EM9807’s trip test works on every GFCI receptacle the listing mentions. The documents we opened do not cover it.
• The EM555’s suitability for a given fence energizer, since the listing does not name one.
• Whether the GK28 bar graph and alarm thresholds match its two sensitivity settings. The bullets name the two modes without giving the thresholds.
• Whether the box contents of the EM3081 and folding meter match each other, because the listings repeat battery steps.

FAQ

Which Allsun meter has the most functions?

The EM3085A names DC and AC voltage and current, capacitance, frequency, continuity and a non-contact function, with a stated CAT II 600V category. Its AAA battery is not included. It is the only meter in this group whose bullets state both a category and a current function.

Does the EM3081 read AC current?

No. Its title says Amp, but its bullets state DC current only. If you need AC current, look at the EM3085A, whose bullets name both AC and DC current.

Can the GK28 pen replace a meter?

No. It is a non-contact voltage detector with an alarm, a bar graph and a flashlight. It gives no numeric reading, and its category wording conflicts between the specification block and the bullets.

Is the EM555 a multimeter?

No. It is an electric fence tester that reads pulse voltage from 300V to 9900V. It is for fence lines and their controllers, and it does not replace a multimeter for household or electronics work.

What should I check on an Allsun listing before buying?

Look for a stated range or category in the bullets, not only in the title. Compare the specification block with the bullets, because they often disagree on the measurement type and the category. Check the battery type and whether it is included, since two listings say the battery is not provided or must be removed from its tape before use.

Bottom line

Choose the Allsun record by its stated function, then confirm the range or category in the bullets rather than the title. Where a specification block and the bullets disagree, check the listing before buying, and leave mains, panel and fence work to a qualified person.

Sources

• Electrical (OSHA overview): electrical hazard and standards context for the safety section.
• 29 CFR 1910.333, Selection and use of work practices (OSHA): qualified person test equipment and de-energizing wording.
• Voltage Meter Basics (Purdue University Cooperative Extension, 4-H project sheet, PDF): voltage as a difference between two points and the hazard of live circuits.