Good HVAC Gauges?

[mattbta]

Last summer, had to the low side port replaced, then it stopped cooling and had the high side replaced. In between each, I ordered these to check pressures myself: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CZB3P4X but they wouldn't fit or I couldn't figure it out so returned them.

Fast forward to now and it's warming up a bit here in TX and it just doesn't seem to be cooling as well. I took it back to the shop that replaced the ports today and of course because ambient is 69*, it's cooling great. Well, yesterday after sitting in the sun for some time and ambient being 85* it wasn't doing so well. They told me it would be a service fee and they would have to evacuate it and pull a vacuum on it to "know how much is in there" to which I asked if they could just put their gauges on it and check. Claimed that would also be $75. Left frustrated, but now I'm more serious about investigating myself.

Any recs on a good gauge set?

 

[LordWayback]

I would check your actuator position and the cabin air filter before anything else I’ve seen people spend hundreds over a cabin air filter or blend door actuator that failed

 

[OR VietVet]

I did a lot of a/c work in the hot and humid temps in KC, Mo. I always trusted Robinair gauges and equipment.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004FZB424?tag=aclabnew-20

 

[mattbta]

Might be a get what you pay for scenario. $217 vs the $53 I initially got. But math checks out.

 

[mattbta]

No cabin air filter, yet, on my 2004. Used my Tech II to recal the actuators.