Old school toner wand vs. the new all-in-one, I'm converted after 8 years

I used to carry a separate toner wand, a probe, and a paper map for every job. Last month in a crawlspace under a 1970s house in Columbus, I got fed up and bought one of those combo units that does tone, trace, and even checks continuity. It cost $240 but I finished a three-drop install in half the time because I could switch between pair mapping and tone without swapping gear. The old way worked but you had to keep everything charged and organized, which never happened. Anyone else ditch the separate tools for a multi-tester, or still swear by the classic setup?

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rayc8311d ago

The part about being in a crawlspace got me. That's the real test right there. Nobody talks about how much time you waste just fumbling with gear when you're on your back with dust in your eyes. My question is, what happens when that combo unit takes a hard drop off a ladder? I've killed two dedicated wands that way, and they were cheap to replace. A $240 all-in-one that bites it on a concrete slab means you're back to carrying three tools anyway. Sometimes the old way is just easier on the wallet when things go sideways.