This is a nice touch, but we also found that it had one of the weaker blade locks of any tape we looked at. They also sell tapes that have no rigidity in the blade, so they lay flat on your workpiece. The locking lever is strong and easy to use, with a nice texture that prevents the thumb from slipping. We used the other tallies to determine the best-intended usage for the tape measures that excelled in our tests. Read on to learn more about what makes the best tape measure options stand outand dont miss the pros and cons we discovered in our hands-on testing. Still, using the PowerLock for a carpentry project, we were comforted knowing that it is 100 percent dead-on accurate. In our testing, we found that the 1-inch blades were the easiest to use overall, even if it meant sacrificing some stand-out. Get the DTAPE laser tape measure on Amazon and at Sears. It demonstrated rigid blade standout to just over 7 feet, making it a very decent tape measure for the price point, all things considered. For length, we only looked at 25-foot tapes. In other words, its perfectly manageable. Using the DeWalt, you have to add 3 inches and the Snap-on makes you add 3 inches. The tape started recoiling with even the slightest movement. Get the LEXIVON 16 ft. tape measure on Amazon and at Walmart. The FatMax has a top-hooking tang. But unfortunately it was discontinued. It had the toughest blade of any tool we tested, its locking mechanism and belt clip were easy to use, and it combined a stable, wide base with a blade thats a quarter of an inch slimmer (and therefore flatter and more convenient) than your typical 1-inch contractors tape. The blade of the tape measure almost always goes first. Mark Clement, Case durability is also important, but less so for a homeowner. Oftentimes, Im taking a measurement on a horizontal surface like a tabletop and I lock the blade so I can work with both hands. The stainless steel crank arm is snug without any play, and it features a 5-to-1 gear ratio, which allowed us to wind up the entire tape with just a dozen or so turns. First, the magnets are usually so powerful that they stick to everything, so dont even try to take a measurement near your refrigerator. The fact is that plastic cases are simply the norm these days, and they offer enough durability to get the job done. But as cool as they sound, they can only measure areas that have a positive edge (like a room). The people we asked to handle the tapes had similar experiences. After 1 foot (12 inches), the Stanley tape shows both feet and inch measurements and cumulative inch measurements. Small black diamonds appear every 19.2 inches, another standard spacing for wall studs or floor joists, although 16-inch O.C. Any quality tape can handle a normal 4-5-foot fall, and the heavy-duty construction ones, most outfitted with a rubbery padding, can go from four or five times that height. Compared to most of the 1 tapes, the tang on the FatMax is small. The tape is self-locking as well, making it well suited to anyone who doesnt want to take the extra time to set the lock manually. Instead, the 100-foot reel tape measure is made to obtain longer measurements, and its typically used outdoorsfor laying out foundations or determining the length of a proposed fence line. For the diagonals, we planted the tang at the lower corner, extended the tapes, and then bent them over with a twist in order to read the upper corner. Disclosure: BobVila.com participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for publishers to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Im neither here nor there on this one. For example, it shows both 30 inches as well as 2 feet, 6 inches. We noted the quality of this tape measure during the initial inspection. With its ergonomic locking lever and durable blade coating, it was a contender, but the fact that its as tall as the PowerLock and as wide as the chunky FatMax made it difficult for smaller hands to grasp and use comfortably. We found the tape to be highly accurate and durable. Still, the measurements are highly accurateslipping notwithstandingand we could use the green button to lock the blade manually. He spent 10 years in high-end construction as a carpenter, foreman, and supervisor. All of the other tapes were either perfect or off on one of the measurements by 1/64 inch or lessnothing most people would notice. Both DeBoer and Clement agreed that a tape measure that can stand out unsupported for 7-8 feet is more than enough for at-home use. The numbers are easy to read, and the tool features a dual blade-locking system that impressed us. Fortunately, they dont require a firm grip to use, so theyre usually not too cumbersome. As this map shows, the US is one of the only countries that doesnt use the metric system. From what we could tell, in most ways its identical to the G-25 (same blade, same size, same tang, almost the same locking switch), so it appears that the additional cost is because of the spaced-out over-mold aesthetic. Unless youre working with steel studs or metallic electrical conduits, theyre a problem. Finally, everyone has different hands, so in order to test general ergonomics I gave the top contenders to my wife and some other friends to play around with and considered their feedback. For this guide, I read what few reliable articles I could find online (there arent many) and talked to two other tool experts: Clint DeBoer, editor of Pro Tool Reviews and the writer of a very thorough 12 tape measure showdown, and Mark Clement, licensed contractor and co-host of the MyFixitUpLife radio show. The largest portion of our tape measure testing consisted of using the tools as we completed a number of carpentry projects. We performed this three times with each tape. In fact, the PowerLock is one of the least expensive tape measures that weve looked at. The tang is reinforced with three rivets for durability, and the Ryobi blade is smooth and durablewe were able to extend it to nearly 8 feet (standout) before the blade bent. Also, one of the FastCaps was off 1/32 inch in the accuracy test, and the blades of both tapes barely made it across the 7-foot mark when I tested stand-out. Rather than the user needing to manually press a blade lock, the Komelon secured the blade in place by itself. It also features graphic markings every 16 inches and 19.2 inches, making it well suited for installing or pinpointing standard-spaced framing members. Getting precise measurements is essential for many projects, even ones as simple as hanging art or estimating how much wallpaper will be necessary for a specific room. We awarded points for durability and the quality of materials and workmanship and noted when a tape included both imperial and metric measurements. It doesnt cover any user wear and tear, but if there is something inherently wrong with the tool, theyll give you a new one. Theyre useful in construction settings but are unnecessary for your everyday tasks. Weve continued using the PowerLock since 2015 as of 2021 were still impressed. With the DTAPE Laser Measure, theres no hooking a tang over a nail head or recruiting a helper to hold the end of the tape. Once enough mud and grit are pulled into the case, thats it for the tape. As a framer in the Pacific Northwest, hes working in an extreme scenario, but the point is still taken. Weve checked over this guide and added some long term test notes, and we remain confident in our picks. This is an excellent feature for those who dont want to engage the blade lock by hand (some are quite stiff). Stuart Deutsch of ToolGuyd also reviewed the PowerLock and the only fault he had with it was that he felt the smooth design of the case and sweaty hands dont mix too well. Get the Stanley 25 ft. tape measure at The Home Depot, Ace Hardware, and Tractor Supply Co. There are tapes that will make a mark for you, tapes that have telescoping measuring rulers, and others with centering scales that show you the center point of any measurement. Its also on the pricey side for a 1-inch tape. The purpose of these is so you can send the tape underneath something (like a closed door) and then hook it from below. I can hold the [PowerLock] in my hand, pay out tape, and bend the tapesay for measuring across a floor or from floor to ceilingin a fluid motion without having to readjust the tape in my hand.. He also raises sheep and has a dairy cow that he milks every morning. After dropping, extending, and scrubbing the blades of 19 different tape measures with 60-grit sandpaper, we found that the best one is the classic 25-foot Stanley PowerLock Tape Measure. These tools, some as small as a pack of cards, shoot a laser point and give the distance on a little screen. First, the belt hook is a simple metal clip. We tested its calculations, and while theyre accurate, its much quicker to figure estimates on a standard construction calculator. We hooked the tang over a nail and stretched the tape out to its maximum length. Subscribe now for unlimited access. 2022 Wirecutter, Inc., A New York Times Company, Stanley 33-725 25-Feet FatMax Tape Measure. The PowerLock handled this repetitive bending and kinking with no problems, but we were surprised at how quickly this task worked over some of the tapes, like the Keson and the Tajimas, which quickly developed slight warps and wrinkles in the thin blades. Lengthy measurements, such as across an entire lot or from a curb to the back of the house, require the use of a long reel tape, and thats just what the Komelon 300-foot open reel tape measure is designed to do. A lot of the other wide-blade tapes were taken out of the running because of their massive tangs. In the industry it has become a bragging right to have the tape with the longest stand-out, with some tapes claiming to go as far as 13 feet. In short, its better to have the length and not need it than to need it and not have it. Two other tapes tested, the DeWalt and the Johnson Big J, have locking switches that are so stiff they literally take two hands to operate. Another category of measuring tools is the laser distance measurers. The durable metal of the blade allowed us to extend it to nearly 10 feet before the blade bentquite an accomplishment compared to thinner blades that bend at 5 feet or less. Learn more. Larger tangs can cause other problems as well. Theyre typically accurate to around of an inch, which is suitable for figuring wall space. Everything we recommend for mounting heavy stuff on a wall or ceiling. From this general use, we got a sense of quality and handlinghow easy the different tapes were to read, whether or not the tangs hooked on what we wanted them to, and how well the belt clips worked. Any of the tape measures that earned a spot in our lineup can be considered to be among the best models available. When we finished checking measurement accuracy, we pushed a bright green button, and the blade retracted smoothly.
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