IMHO, with instrumentation in general, devices that can be trusted to be accurate and reliable are worth much more than the price tags they command. I would rather pull out a 40 or 50 year old "dumb" device, use it, and move on, than fiddle and fart around with some new-fangled, clunky, junky equivalent. The more useful equipment you have in your belt or box, the lighter it becomes to accomplish the same tasks. The time saved, the reduced frustration, and the consistent results compound quickly.
In nearly all cases, professionals can point to certain instruments they would be lost without. Having become familiar with specific products, it is next to impossible to convince them to switch. In the HVAC industry, the manifold gauge set is one of these instruments. Choose wisely.
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