The DB Power Autel OBD-2 code reader is a small solid basic code reader. The device can read codes, save a snapshot of the codes, and reset the codes - all pretty standard features of a code reader. The control package is rugged, the buttons and LCD have a membrane cover. This is for the backyard mechanic that will do occasional reads, it is not a commercial reader, one that an auto mechanic would use every day. All that said, this is still a solid device with heavy insulation on the wire and good strain relief. For the price, this is extremely well built.The cable is just over two feet long - exactly the right length to plug in the analyzer and sit in the driver's seat. The LCD is backlit with reasonably sized characters. The two buttons have a solid distinct sound when they are pressed.The instruction manual is excellent. There is a long preface about OBD, the abbreviations used, and the caveats for which era of cars will work with the analyzer (the simple answer, if your car is newer than 1988, you can probably read the codes.Using this device couldn't be easier - turn off the car, plug in the connector, turn on the ignition (without starting the car - the battery light will be lit up on the dashboard), press enter on the scanner. There is nothing more to do. When finished, turn off the ignition and unplug the scanner. There's no reason to overcomplicate using this.The OBD connector is easy to find in most newer cars - the Federal government requires the plug be within a short distance of the steering column. Unlike most things in a car, these connectors are in a similar location. You might want a flashlight to find the plug. Sometimes the sockets are covered by a flip down panel.This tool only reads stored codes. It does not do real time reading. It does not read additional data like some of the USB / wireless readers.I tried this on a variety of cars and managed to reset a code on one car. Bottom line - the thing flat out works. I fully expected it to work easily on a 2002 Buick Rendezvous and a 2012 Ford Focus (I was able to read the VIN on both of these cars). I expected the Mercedes to not work at all - I have read that there are odd things about Mercedes that doesn't fit standard. Well in fact it worked perfectly on a 1999 Mercedes E320. Vin number for Mercedes is not supported. There are numerous cautions in the manual about certain compatibility issues with Japanese and European cars - that is for very old cars. Current production cars will have no problems with this analyzer. If your car does not scan - more than likely you had the ignition on before plugging in the meter, or you have the engine running. I did not expect the analyzer to work on a Ford Focus Electric (this is a full battery electric, NOT a hybrid) - it in fact did not work, there is nothing to read on that car, it is zero emissions. The operative thing, with the electric, the tool went through every protocol and then showed an input error and stopped scanning. Exactly as I expected.Resetting codes was super easy. There is a menu setting to erase codes, after pressing enter, there is a Yes / No display. If you press Enter again, all codes are reset. If you press Scroll, the codes are not erased. I like the &#34;are you sure&#34; moment on the display. Yes / No is a weird thing to display - there is no button to press for No. After codes are reset, it will look like nothing happened. I rescanned, and the code remained. In order to see the actual reset or clear in of the code, you need to turn off the car and turn the ignition back on.The manual has a huge list of error codes. I was surprised to find the exact code from a Mercedes. I didn't expect to find that code in the book.This is a reasonably priced reader. For a backyard mechanic that knows which end of a wrench to use, this is a great tool. For the average person, this is probably a needless purchase - unless you understand cars pretty well it is difficult to do anything about those codes. For example - what would you do about a P0938 - Hydraulic Oil Temp Sensor CKT Range/Performance - code? Most of the codes are that cryptic to the average person. The only way the average person saves money with this is if they try to bypass set codes to pass an emission test (if your state requires OBD scan emission tests). If you are really going to repair a Check Engine light, a mechanic already has more sophisticated tools to read the computer, and that will be part of the cost of the repair (he isn't going to reduce the cost of the repair because you tell him the code is P0938, and he might want to check the hydraulic oil system).