Top 5 compared
The best tape measures
Curtain rods, a bookcase kit, a new couch that has to fit through the door: measured right the first time, in inches or centimetres.
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The top 5 at a glance
A tape measure is a thin steel blade that pulls out of a case and winds back in on a spring, for measuring a wall, a window or a board before it’s cut. Pocket tapes of about 5 m (16 ft) cover furniture and curtains, and 7.5 m (25 ft) tapes reach across whole rooms. Most hold the blade out with a slide, a thumb lock or a button.
That little wobble in the hook isn’t a fault. The hook slides on its rivets by exactly its own thickness, so the reading is right whether it’s hooked over an edge or pushed against a wall. A wider blade, about 25 mm (1 in) or more, stays straight further when it’s pushed out across a gap.
What matters
- Inch and metric markings, if you work from both.
- A self-locking blade, if you often measure one-handed.
- A magnetic hook, if you often measure from steel studs or frames.
#1Amazon Basics Tape Measure, 4.88 m (16 ft), turquoise
$10–$20
- Reads in inches and centimetres
- Light at 180 g
Inches and centimetres run side by side on its 19 mm (3/4 in) blade, so a curtain rod sold in inches and a shelf kit drawn in millimetres both read straight off it. At 180 g, with a belt clip and a lanyard, it goes to the hardware store as easily as it sits in a drawer.
What owners say: Buyers rate it as working very well, better than other tapes, and it holds the blade in place once it’s locked. The build, the colour and its easy handling go down well, and no fault comes up again and again.
A closer look: Its 4.88 m (16 ft) covers furniture, windows and shelves, and the small case fits a kitchen drawer, a glove box or a tool pouch. For a whole room or a deck, a longer tape saves moving it partway along and adding two readings together.
Best for: Light to carry
- Length
- 4.88 m (16 ft)
- Markings
- Inch and metric
- Lock
- Push-button lock
- Magnetic hook
- No
#2WORKPRO Magnetic Tape Measure, 7.6 m (25 ft), pink
$10–$20
- Hook grips steel
- Long enough for whole rooms
- Inch markings only
A wide 25 mm (1 in) blade, a magnetic hook that grips steel, and a nylon coating that keeps the markings from wearing off. The markings run every 1/8 inch in black and red on a yellow blade, so they’re quick to read.
What owners say: Owners find it smooth and sturdy, heavy duty enough to last, and like the pink case, which they say others in the house are less likely to borrow. Its size divides them.
A closer look: Hook the magnet onto a steel stud, a metal door frame or a car body and it stays put while you walk the blade out to the far end. Wipe the blade clean before reeling it in after a messy job, so grit doesn’t wear the markings.
Best for: Magnetic hook
- Length
- 7.6 m (25 ft)
- Markings
- Inch (1/8 in marks)
- Lock
- Thumb lock
- Magnetic hook
- Yes
#3Komelon PSE55E Self-Lock Tape Measure, 5 m (16 ft), inch and metric
$10–$20
- Locks itself as you pull
- Reads in inches and centimetres
- Printed on both sides
The blade locks as soon as you stop pulling and goes back only when you press the button, so one hand holds the tape while the other marks. Inches and centimetres are printed on both sides of its 25 mm (1 in) blade, so the scale shows whichever way the blade is turned.
What owners say: Owners describe a well-constructed, dead accurate tape, find the inch and metric scales easy to read, and like that it locks without pressing a button.
A closer look: The hook has a lip top and bottom, so it catches an edge whichever way up the tape is held. The yellow blade stands out against wood and drywall, which helps when it’s read at arm’s length on a ladder.
Best for: Self locking
- Length
- 5 m (16 ft)
- Markings
- Inch and metric, both sides
- Lock
- Self-locking, button release
- Magnetic hook
- No
#4IRWIN Bi-Material Tape Measure, 8 m (26 ft), metric and imperial (IWHT36346)
$10–$20
- Covers a whole room
- Reads in inches and centimetres
- Glare-cutting white blade
Eight metres of blade, marked in centimetres and inches, reaches across a living room or a deck in one pull. The white blade cuts glare in bright light, so the numbers stay easy to read outdoors.
What owners say: For home projects its mechanism works well, owners say, and they find it accurate and very solid, built to last for years. Most feel they paid a fair price.
A closer look: The case has an extra-grip section that keeps it steady when it’s braced against a wall for a layout mark. Set the slide lock before letting go, so the blade stays out at its length while the far end is marked and the reading taken.
Best for: Long metric reach
- Length
- 8 m (26 ft)
- Markings
- Inch and metric
- Lock
- Slide lock
- Magnetic hook
- No
#5DEWALT Atomic Compact Tape Measure, 7.6 m (25 ft), DWHT38125S
$30–$50
- Double-sided markings
- Fractions printed on the blade
- No metric scale
A 28 mm (1-1/8 in) blade that DEWALT builds for long reach, enough to span a ceiling or a doorway with nobody holding the end. Fractions are printed on the blade, both sides carry markings for reading overhead, and a finger brake controls the blade as it returns.
What owners say: Well made and practical, owners report, with markings that are quick to read at a glance, and most find it fairly priced.
A closer look: Feather the finger brake as the blade comes home, so the hook doesn’t slam into the case and stays accurate for longer. The case is about a fifth more compact than DEWALT’s older 7.6 m (25 ft) tapes, which makes it easier to hold, and a wear-resistant coating keeps the markings fresh.
Best for: Strong blade
- Length
- 7.6 m (25 ft)
- Markings
- Inch, fractions, both sides
- Lock
- Slide lock, finger brake
- Magnetic hook
- –
Side by side
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1Amazon Basics 16 ft | #2WORKPRO 25 ft | #3Komelon PSE55E | #4IRWIN Bi-Material 26 ft | #5DEWALT Atomic 25 ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best premium | ||||
| Picked Rating | 9.6 | 9.4 | 9.4 | 9.3 | 9.3 |
| Price | $10–$20 | $10–$20 | $10–$20 | $10–$20 | $30–$50 |
| Length | 4.88 m (16 ft) | 7.6 m (25 ft) | 5 m (16 ft) | 8 m (26 ft) | 7.6 m (25 ft) |
| Markings | Inch and metric | Inch (1/8 in marks) | Inch and metric, both sides | Inch and metric | Inch, fractions, both sides |
| Lock | Push-button lock | Thumb lock | Self-locking, button release | Slide lock | Slide lock, finger brake |
| Magnetic hook | No | Yes | No | No | – |
| Best for | Light to carry | Magnetic hook | Self locking | Long metric reach | Strong blade |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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