Klein CL800 vs CL900: My Real Test

I used the Klein CL800 and CL900 for a month. I took them to real jobs. I wanted to see which one is best. Here is what I found.

Klein Tools CL800 Review

I used the CL800 first. It felt great in my hand. It is not too big. It fits in my bag well. The grip is soft. It does not slip. I used it on a home repair job. I had to fix a breaker. It worked fast.

One day, I fixed a heater. The CL800 has a heat probe. I plugged it in. I saw the heat level right away. I did not need another tool. This saved me time. I also checked a wire for safety. The “LoZ” mode helped. It showed zero volts. I knew it was safe to touch.

Pros and Cons

The battery life is good. I used it a lot. The batteries are still full. The dial is stiff. This is good. It stays in place. But it misses one thing. It has no “Inrush” mode. I tried to test a big motor. It was hard to see the start surge. But for most jobs, it is great. It is a solid tool.

Klein Tools CL900 Review

Then I tried the CL900. It is huge. It is heavy. I took it to a factory. We worked on big power lines. The jaw is very wide. It opens two inches. This is great for big cables. The CL800 was too small for this.

I tested a big fan motor. The fan kept stopping. The CL900 has an “Inrush” button. I pressed it. I started the fan. The meter caught the surge. It showed me the peak amps. This was very helpful. It felt very strong. It feels like a tank.

Pros and Cons

But it has downsides. It is too heavy for daily use. I missed the heat probe. I had to carry a heat gun too. It is not great for small wires. The readings jumped around on small loads. It is hard to hold. My hand got tired. It is hard to use in tight spots. The body blocks your view. It is for big jobs only.

Detailed Comparison for Klein CL800 vs CL900

Both tools are tough. Both are made by Klein. But they are for different people. One is for daily use. One is for heavy duty use. Here is how they compare.

1. Jaw Size and Power

The jaw size is the main difference. The CL800 has a normal jaw. It works for homes. The CL900 has a wide jaw. It is for factories.

I tried to clamp a big wire. The CL800 could not fit. The CL900 fit easily. But in a small box, the CL900 was too fat. It could not grab the wire.

2. Special Features

This is a big choice. You must pick one. You cannot have both.

The CL800 measures heat. I use this for AC work. The CL900 does not measure heat. The CL900 has “Inrush.” This tests motor starts. The CL800 does not. If you do HVAC, you need the CL800. If you do motors, you need the CL900.

3. Accuracy Test

I checked both tools. I used a lab meter to compare. I tested small currents.

The CL800 was very steady. It read 0.5 Amps well. It matched the lab meter. The CL900 was not as good. It is made for big power. It jumped around on small wires. It is not for fine work. For control wires, use the CL800.

4. How It Feels

I wore both on my belt. The CL800 is fine. It fits in my pouch. The CL900 is a brick. It pulls my pants down. It is hard to grab fast.

The CL800 is easy to use. I can use one hand. My thumb reaches the buttons. The CL900 is too wide. I need two hands. One hand holds it. The other pushes buttons. This is annoying on a ladder.

5. Build Quality

Both felt strong. The CL900 feels stronger. It has thick armor. I dropped the CL800 once. It fell six feet. It hit the floor. It still worked.

The CL900 is even tougher. The dial is very stiff. It will not move by accident. The leads are just okay. They get stiff in the cold. But both are safe. Both are rated for high voltage. I trust them both.

Conclusion

If you work on homes, buy the CL800. If you do AC work, buy the CL800. It is light. It measures heat. It is easy to use. The CL900 is too big for you. Only buy the CL900 for big factory jobs. Buy it if you need 2000 Amps. It is a beast, but it is heavy.