CMU School of Drama


Friday, April 19, 2024

Best Tape Measure Reviews for 2024

Pro Tool Reviews: Tape measures are a staple in everyone’s toolbox from the most seasoned Pro to the greenest DIYer. Ranging in length and price, most cost less than $30, and there are options under the $10 mark. But are all tape measures created equally? Of course not. We’re breaking things down into the categories our Pro team says are most important when looking for the best tape measure.

6 comments:

Theo K said...

Everytime I come across one of the “best of” articles I am always shocked at how much variability there can be in a simple tool. Obviously there is a large difference between the uses and functions of a laser and standard tape measure but was surprised by the differences in standard tape measures. I am relieved to see school of drama’s beloved fatmax on the list for best budget tape measure. After taping out the rehearsal room I can confirm from personal experience that not all tape measures are not made equal but I am curious how different a “good” tape measure is from another quality tape measure and why anyone would invest in a bad product. Overall even after reading this article I am going to stick with my trusty FatMax because it gets the job done. I hope that this article could help inform first time tape measure customers to find the right tool for the project.

John E said...

Yes! Exactly what I needed today! A ranked listing of the best tape measures! And to the surprise of no one it was actually really interesting and fascinating to read and learn about the sheer number of how many different kinds of tape measure there are because I had no idea. This article was really cool to read. I am also loving this article because not only did they say the name of the tape measure but they also provided a picture which is really helpful for me since I have no idea what any of these look like. I also love that they provided a link to where you can buy it from as well as the prices which is really lovely because they could have omitted the price and made you click on the link to view the price but I love that they gave that information to you without you having to go and find it!

Abigail Lytar said...

When I first started reading this article I really was not expecting much. I was thinking “oh great another list of good and bad tape measures.” But as it turns out I thought it was an interesting read. Personally I have never put much thought into what kind of tape measure I own because to be honest I have always just seemed to have one. I have never bought my own, and honestly as long as it measures correctly I am happy with it. However after taking Scenic Stage craft with Ben Carter I was interested to see where his go to tape measure landed on the list or if it was on the articles radar at all. Sure enough, the Stanley fat max was rated “Best tape Measure for the Money” which came at no surprise since it is durable, reliable and affordable. However, my favorite tape measure will always be the Milwaukee Stud, which also made this list.

Karter LaBarre said...

Seeing as the school of drama scenery shop, or more specifically Ben Carter, is such a huge fan of Stanley fatmax I went into this review with a little bit of bias. In full honesty I really didn't, but I definitely was looking for the name Stanley FatMax. When I initially started scrolling through the article I didn't see Stanley fatmax, and I was astonished. Having seen the best tape measure rated as something else kind of surprised me. Once again this is just because I'm very unfamiliar with tape measures, and CMU has such a specific type of thing that they like. I think this is very similar to being able to get the best thing just because it's the best. Just because the tape measures the best doesn't mean you should pay so much money for it. glad to see the Stanley FatMax was the best for the cost.

Alex Reinard said...

This is pretty cool. It’s kind of fun to read about tools that you usually don’t think twice about. I’m pretty sure Jim has the Lufkin Shockforce, by the way. Good for him. I don’t think I’ve ever used a Milwaukee or DeWalt tape measure, but I guess they seem good enough, at least. I was surprised to see DeWalt as the most durable tape – not that DeWalt’s a bad brand, but I don’t think we necessarily think of durability when we think of DeWalt. I’ve always been a fan of Lufkin or Stanley tapes, though I’ve used and enjoyed Kline tapes before. I’ve never even seen a rolling distance measurer like in the article, but I can see how it would be handy where a tape measure would just be cumbersome or tricky. I was a little disappointed to see how little mention of auto lock tapes there was, since a Stanley LeverLock is usually my go-to tape.

Carolyn Burback said...

I wish one of the categories for “best” was “best compact tape measure” because I’m always looking for the smallest version of things that don’t sacrifice quality or ability. I hate when a tape measure is bulky or heavy because it weighs down belts and pant loops and sometimes for tension grid work it threatens to fall off. I thought the Stanley Fat Max was going to be at the top because Ben always pulls that baddie out and keeps feeding it out until it snaps in the middle to show stagecraft how sexy and strong it is. I wonder what every teacher in the school of drama who regularly uses measuring tapes is their go-to measuring tape and how they compare to each other especially by department. I’m surprised there wasn’t much mention on how these tapes are able to glide and stop and lock. I think sometimes the downfall of a tape measure is how user friendly it is to bring it back in and out and locking it in place.