The best tape measures you can buy
The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.
The Insider Pick:
-
No toolkit is complete without a great measuring tape. From the professional contractor's work to the DIY home repair, countless projects call for precise measurements. The QuickDraw DIY Self Marking Measuring Tape is our top choice because its innovative built-in pencil ensures you mark the same spot you measured.
If you want to measure the area of a room prior to the purchase of a new carpet, couch, or coffee table, you're going to need to use a measuring tape. If you want to see if that new furniture will fit in the back of your vehicle, that's another time when a measuring tape is key. Should you want to build a fine piece of furniture from scratch to perfectly fit that space in your home, then you're certainly going to need a quality measuring tape.
A measuring tape or tape measure is useful for landscape design, interior decorating, construction, crafts projects, and so much more. Imagine seeking the perfect placement for a painting, calculating the size of a bedroom, or planning the design of new kitchen cabinets and countertops without a tape measure — nothing would ever look or fit quite right. That old adage of "Measure twice, cut once" is oft repeated for good reason.
I've been using the same Stanley tape measure for years because the damn thing just won't break. I almost wish it would, because a few of the newer releases in the measuring tape category feature innovative and clever features, such as laser-assisted measuring and digital displays. For most people, a basic 25-foot tape measure is about all they'll ever need, but as a reliable tape measure should last for many years, it's OK to spend a few extra dollars and get some special features.
If you're in the market for a new tape measure, you're shopping at an exciting time. Well ... as exciting as tape measures get, anyway.
Although the QuickDraw DIY Self Marking Tape Measure is our top pick, for the reasons laid out in the slides below you should also consider the Stanley PowerLock 25-Foot Tape Measure, the WorkPro 100-Foot Fiberglass Measuring Tape, the General Tools LTM1 2-In-1 Laser Tape Measure, and the eTape16 Digital Measuring Tape.
The best tape measure overall
QuickDraw/Business InsiderWhy you'll love it: The QuickDraw DIY Self Marking Measuring Tape helps prevent human error in carpentry, construction, and craft projects with its built-in graphite marking wheel.
Even if you have carefully measured out a length of lumber or chosen the exact right spot on the wall, your painstaking measurements won't count for much if you make a mark in the wrong spot and then cut, drill, or sink a nail in the wrong place. The QuickDraw DIY Self Marking Measuring Tape eliminates that all-too-common problem thanks to a graphite marking wheel built directly into the base of the unit. All you have to do is jiggle the measuring tape ever so slightly once you have it in the right position and you will create a clear dark gray mark exactly where you need it.
And speaking of finding the exact right spot, this tape measure makes that easy, too. It has a bright red marking indicator band and a "Tru-View" sight that lets you see exactly where the measurement you need lines up with the surface underneath.
You might think an advanced measuring tape like this is only suitable for professional builders or designers, but in fact, it's much the opposite: This measuring tape is perfect for those of us who need all the help we can get with our projects. You also might think it would be expensive, but at around fifteen dollars, this is hardware that fits any budget.
One satisfied customer calls his QuickDraw measuring tape "an ingenious idea" he wishes he had owned "years ago." Another user called it "easy to hold, easy to lock" and of course said the tape measure makes it "easy to mark materials."
In a review on ToolGuyd.com, a writer appreciated that the tape measure's marking wheel can make up to 1,000 marks before needing a graphite rod replacement, while in a video review from Tech Trends, a gear demonstrated how quickly it can be used to make and mark measurements, even when being used with one hand.
Pros: Easy and precise marks, clear measurement indicator, great price point
Cons: Rather bulky, blade wobbles at longer extensions
Buy the QuickDraw DIY Self Marking Measuring Tape on Amazon for $15.89
The best low-cost tape measure
Stanley/Business InsiderWhy you'll love it: The Stanley PowerLock 25-Foot Tape Measure is tough enough for commercial use, durable enough to last for years, and yet it still costs only ten bucks.
Stanley tape measures are something of a benchmark for this category of tool. They have been around for generations and, arguably, are the original retractable tape measure brand. A man named Hiram Farrand patented the first modern spring-operated retractable tape measure in the 1920s, but the product rights were subsequently sold to Stanley Works. This basic, no-nonsense tape measure is a fine example of the years of design experience the company has to offer.
This tape measure features a one-inch wide, 25-foot long blade that will stay straight without bending (often called standout) for eight or nine feet, provided you have a steady hand. Its case looks like polished chrome but is in fact made from high-impact ABS plastic. The hardware is well protected, but the overall piece is relatively lightweight.
As the PowerLock portion of the name implies, the blade stays locked in place when you have the locking slide pushed forward, so once you have a measurement calculated, you can count on the tape staying steady while you note the length or make your marks.
While this tape measure is short on bells and whistles, it's big on quality, and that's the true measure of success here.
With well over 1,000 reviews posted on Amazon, this tape measure has a glowing 4.5-star rating. One satisfied Stanley customer named Todd puts it best when he says: "After buying several newer designed tape rules and having them fail in a matter of months or even less I went back to the first one I ever used thirty years ago. They lasted my dad decades and they seem to be built the exact same way as they were thirty years ago."
The experts at The Sweethome said the Stanley PowerLock "delivers the best basic combination of durability, ease of use, and accuracy — and all for a very low price." A writer with Popular Mechanics reports that "the blade feeds out quickly and smoothly and reels back into its housing the same way. The design is elegant, simple, and extremely rugged."
Pros: Great low price, time-tested design, smooth extension and retraction
Cons: End hook breaks off some units
Buy the Stanley PowerLock 25-Foot Tape Measure on Amazon for $9.88
The best extra-long measuring tape
WorkProWhy you'll love it: If the area you need to measure is too long for a standard 25-foot tape measure, chances are the WorkPro 100 Foot Fiberglass Measuring Tape can handle it with ease.
Most measuring tapes are between 15 and 25 feet long, and for most projects, that's plenty of reach, but for measuring the area of extra large rooms or for plotting out design schemes for landscaping, patios, and other outdoor projects, you often need a tape measure with some extra reach. If the WorkPro 100 Foot Fiberglass Measuring Tape can't handle the job, it's probably time you call in the professionals anyway.
Thanks to the soft, flexible material used to construct this measuring tape, it tucks that impressive 100-foot long tape into a disc-shaped housing that will fit in most toolboxes and that is lightweight yet durable. The tape dispenses rapidly with minimal pressure and has a large metal loop on the end that can be hooked over a nail, screw, ground stake, or many other protrusions. The tape rewinds rapidly as you spin a retracting handle, which then folds flat into the case.
This measuring tape is ideal for use in larger construction projects as well as for scientific or classroom research. It can also be used for work ranging from surveying, thanks to its long length, to measuring a person's waist, chest, arms, and inseam for tailoring, thanks to its flexible design.
The WorkPro 100 Foot Fiberglass Measuring Tape has a fine 4.5-star rating on Amazon, with customers calling it "incredibly well made," "better quality than I expected," and noting that it "operates quite well considering the cheap price."
The product writers with Ali Express noted the WorkPro's "durable, comfortable, and highly visible" overmolded ABS plastic case, which protects the tape and retraction mechanism and should see the unit last for years.
Pros: Extra long length, lightweight design, flexible tape useful for myriad applications
Cons: Manual rewind required
Buy the WorkPro 100 Foot Fiberglass Measuring Tape on Amazon for $11.99 (originally $19.00)
See the rest of the story at Business Insider