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.
7 comments:
I enjoyed this tape measure review. Every carpenter knows how important it is to have a reliable tape measure, one that is durable and easy to read. I like that this article had different categories and gave honest reviews of each tape. It's unfortunate that high-quality tape measures are so expensive now, but they are often worth it. Especially if you find a good one and are able to use it for years. I was happy to see that the Stanley 25' is still at $5. Honestly that's always been a pretty solid tool for me. You definitely notice the difference compared to using more expensive ones, but it does the job. I had a really nice craftsman 25' at the beginning of the year, and it very sadly has disappeared. I miss that tape measure. I may use this list of recommendations to find a new one.
My main take away from this article is that if my tape measure can’t survive a 500 foot drop out of a helicopter, what is even the point of owning it. I did appreciate the digital options that were included, though to be honest, I feel like it's often nice to just have a classic analog tape measure rather than some hundred dollar price of tech that might not even be that accurate. I did also enjoy the induction of the 5 dollar tape measure for a solid option on a budget, especially for something like a tape measure which I tend to lose every few seconds, I would much rather misplace a five dollar tape measure than a 250 dollar electronic measuring device. I think if I ever remember to actually order a tape measure to keep in my tool box, I will have to go with the Stanley Fat Max, which seems to be a good balance between affordable and durable.
Gotta love a good tape measure review! I like the fact that this article did have different categories, but I wish that they had showed us what testing exactly went into those categories. For example, they say that the DeWalt tape measure is the best heavy-duty tape measure, but we don't know how they figured that out. In the article they say that they were throwing it in the air and just letting it fall. There was no other more specific testing shown. I would have liked to see how high of a fall exactly the tape measures fell and onto what surface. Part of this comes from my distaste for DeWalt, which at this point may be more on principle than anything else. I am doubtful that they could succeed in any area. I am also still wary of the digital tape measure, as I don't truly trust digital tape measures. The article says that it is self-calibrating, but that almost makes me trust it less.
You know I’ve never thought about tape measures for this long but this was both an informative and entertaining video regarding the quality of tape measures. I think there's a lot of conversation about tools in general and the quality of them and it can be somewhat hard to be able to accurately judge why people actually like or don’t like a tool when it's very opinionated. I appreciate how logical this review was with specific qualities he was looking for when judging the tape measures. I did appreciate how he discussed digital tape measures as well since I think that's a growing business, digital tape measures in general need a lot of quality improvement but it's coming along in my opinion. I think my personal favorite of the one’s he talked about was the Lufkin tape measure because of the alternated coloring for the lettering, I found that very appealing.
This article did a wonderful job giving multitudes of different options depending on the situation. Even though a limited number of people find themselves in need of a digital tape measure they included it along with ones that suit the every other day DIYer. I particularly enjoyed reading all of the different aspects of a tape measure they believe should be taken into consideration when investing in the tool. I never really thought about the visibility of the numbers because I mostly assumed that many brands want you to be able to read the numbers. I also found the hook design to be an interesting category because many people talk about magnetic hooks and their functionality but fail to mention the actual basic design of the hook. Being able to grab onto any surface with ease allows one to take accurate measurements by themselves efficiently, something that a bad hook would limit.
I’ve always liked the Milwaukee FatMax. But that’s because it's easy to read, has a great standout and has even survived getting snipped in half and is still working accurately for more than 2 years now.. The magnetic feature on it is surprisingly helpful but can also get annoying when it snaps to something other than what you’re measuring or gets a bunch of metal shavings stuck to it. The rubber overmold has been really nice because it has survived many drops but it is now starting to flake off after being scraped against so many times. The contrast of the Crescent Lufkin NiteEye tape is intriguing. It could be really useful in low light situations on stage when lighting is cueing. The novelty of the digital tape like the Reekon T1 Tomahawk Tape Measure seems really cool but over expensive at least for me. I have seen systems that integrate the tape measure to displays on a chop saw and then having a cut list already on a screen for you seems really convenient
I love the wide range and variety of tape measures this article gets into and that they acknowledge the fact that not everyone will want the same thing. From digital to cheap to accessible to extra durable there is a tape measure for almost everyone on this list. I also love the fact that at the end there is a guide for each term used. Some of my favorites on the list were the Stanley 25ft measure, for the convenience and ability to be purchased in large quantities, and the Nite eye version of the Crescent Lufkin Shockforce G2, for the easy to read blade. Some features I think would be fun on a tape measure would be a slower retracting blade, particularly for children just getting into it or for those scenarios where a fast moving object will hit things and knock stuff over. I also think more readable blades would be nice, maybe in different colors such as a blue and orange blade for contrast, it would also be cool to see everyone with their favorite colors as the blade of their tape measure.
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