The 7 Best Tape Measures, Tested and Reviewed

Best Overall

Irwin Strait-Line Tape Measure

$20 at Amazon $18 at Lowes View on Acmetools.com

Built to take a beating and keep working, this professional-quality tape measure has a very sturdy housing that resists damage even if dropped from high. The tape measure has a sliding lock to hold the blade extended when in use, and we found it very easy to slide with just one thumb during testing.

An additional feature we loved was a "finger brake" opening at the bottom of the tape measure that lets the user control the speed of the blade as it retracts—no more abrupt motions that can cut your finger or knock the tool out of your hand. Although a bit on the large side, we found that both the 16-foot and 25-foot models were easy to hold and felt comfortable in our hands.

The 1-1/4-inch-wide blade is coated for durability, with the first 6 inches double-coated to prevent fraying, bending, or cracking. The measurement indicators are large and easy to read, with lines sized appropriately to make it easy to tell at a glance if you are looking at 1/16-inch, 1/8-inch, 1/4-inch, or 1/2-inch markings. Standard stud and joist spacings are also marked.

Both sides of the blades have the full range of measurements, so it's easy to use the tape measure even over your head or in tight or awkward spots. The one downside we found was the standout of this tape measure—the distance the blade of a tape measure can stand out straight without support before bending towards the ground—wasn't quite as good as some others in our tests. The 25-foot model tested at around 13 feet, not the 17 feet claimed by the manufacturer. The 16-foot model, however, had an acceptable standout of around 12 feet.

The dual-sided hook helps keep the blade in place when measuring without an assistant. The belt clip easily attaches to a belt or strap, but this measuring tape is a bit bulky for the designated tape measure holder on some tool pouches. Overall, we found this to be a very accurate, durable, and useful tape measure for professionals, DIYers, and around-the-house users alike.

_{Dimensions: Not specified | Blade Width: 1-1/4-inch | Weight: 1.2 pounds | Autolock: No | Magnetic Hook: No}

Best Budget

Komelon Contractor LR Tape Measure

$22 at Amazon $17 at Lowes View on Menards.com

If you just need a basic tool for taking measurements around the house, there's no need to break your budget for a tape measure. We found the 25-foot Komelon Contractor LR to be very accurate, although its awkwardly placed blade lock required us to reposition our hands to use it.

It also has a somewhat aggressive recoil, meaning that if you don't take care, the retracting blade might nick you. Still, for the price point, this is a fine, sturdily constructed tape measure.

The measurements are in black on both sides of the blade. The blade itself is white on one side and yellow on the other, which gives you options when using the tape measure in a spot with dim light that makes it a little harder to read the measurements.

The blade is double-coated nylon for durability but is somewhat flatter than many other tape measures, which reduced the standout in our tests to around 9 feet. While this isn't the best choice if you need a tape measure for frequent or professional use, it's a worthy addition to the tool box of anyone who wants a decent tape measure for occasionally measuring objects around the house.

_{Dimensions: 3.25 x 2.25 inches | Blade Width: 1 inch | Weight: 1 pounds | Autolock: No | Magnetic Hook: No}

Best Automatic Locking

Milwaukee Compact Autolock 48-22-6825

$18 at Home Depot

This sturdy tape measure automatically locks in place at the point where you stop pulling out the blade. A well-placed top button gently releases the blade when you're ready—a feature that comes in handy when measuring a long distance without an assistant. We tested both the 16-foot and 25-foot models and found them both very accurate in terms of measurements.

We also liked the compact size of this tape measure, which fits comfortably in the hand. We noted that the belt clip was somewhat stiff, but the tool still clipped in place fairly easily. However, despite the manufacturer's claims of up to a 12-foot standout, we found that 10 feet was more accurate, as the tape measure blade is a bit flimsy.

Still, this tape measure has a lot to recommend it. Most tape measures just have small lines to indicate fractions of an inch, but that can be tough to read. If you need very precise measurements without the bother of squinting at tiny lines, you'll appreciate this tape measure as much as we do.

Unlike most other options, this one has a fractional scale—that means the fractions are printed right onto the nylon blade—so you can see clearly indicated 1/8, 1/4, and 1/2-inch numerals, plus small lines to indicate 1/16ths of an inch.

_{Dimensions: 3.5 x 1.875 inches | Blade Width: 1 inch | Weight: 1 pound | Autolock: Yes | Magnetic Hook: No}

Best Readable

Crescent Lufkin Shockforce Dual-Sided Tape Measure

$17 $16 at Amazon $40 at Walmart $23 at Home Depot

Admittedly, many tape measures are not easy to read. However, that's not the case with this one, which has the measurements in the standard horizontal orientation on the top of the blade and has them in a vertical orientation on the blade's bottom. That's especially useful when measuring over your head or in tight spots or places that aren't easy to access.

We tested both the 16-foot and 25-foot versions of this tape and found that the blades pulled out smoothly and recoiled well (although with a bit of a catch on the 25-foot model). However, we found it a bit tricky to hook the tape measure onto our belt.

This is a very sturdy tape measure with a 1-3/16-inch matte nylon-coated blade that reduces glare. It has excellent standout, with the 16-foot model testing at around 11 feet and the 25-foot model testing at around 13 feet. The measurements are black against a yellow tape for improved readability, and the marks are down to 1/16th of an inch the entire length of the blade. It also has standard measurements for studs and joists.

_{Dimensions: 3.85 x 2.3 inches | Blade Width: 1-3/16 inch | Weight: 1.2 pounds | Autolock: No | Magnetic Hook: No}

Best Magnetic Hook

DeWalt Tough Series Tape Measure

$20 at Amazon $30 at Walmart $20 at Home Depot

With a rubbery outer molding, this tape measure is easy to grip and resistant to damage if dropped, although it might be a bit large for those with small hands. We tested both the 16-foot and 25-foot models and found this tape measure to be very easy to read, with big, bold markings on both sides of the blade.

Measurements are indicated down to 1/16ths of an inch, with additional markings showing stud and joist spacings. The entire length of the 1-1/4-inch-wide blade is coated for sturdiness, but the first 6 inches have an additional rip-shield coating to ward off kinks or damage. In our tests, the standout of the 16-foot version was around 12 feet, and the 25-foot model was only slightly longer at around 13 feet.

The tape measure includes a magnetic tip, which is very useful for holding the end in place when measuring metallic objects. The magnetic tip can be removed if desired, a useful feature not found on many tape measures.

There's a slide lock for keeping the blade extended at your desired measurement, and we found it easy to lock and unlock the blade with just one hand. The recoil, when releasing the blade, can be quite strong; we felt like it might actually knock the tape measure right out of our hands if our grip wasn't secure. However, this is an accurate, sturdy, and reliable tool, especially if you tend to drop tape measures or put them through rigorous use.

_{Dimensions: 3 x 2.9 inches | Blade Width: 1-1/4 inch | Weight: 1 pound | Autolock: No | Magnetic Hook: Yes}

Best with Fractions

Milwaukee Compact Tape Measure

$22 $20 at Amazon $19 at Walmart $19 at Walmart

If squinting at the tiny measurement markings on a tape measure isn't your favorite part of using these tools, then you'll appreciate the clearly marked fractions on this tape measure, which are actual numerals, not just lines, indicating 1/8, 1/4, and 1/2 inches. However, you'll still need to count line markings for 1/16s of an inch. We tested both the 16-foot and 25-foot models and found them to be very accurate, comfortable to hold, and quite easy to read.

The 1-inch-wide blade is coated with nylon for durability, and the tape measure's case is very sturdy. It has a rubbery coating for an easy grip and added protection against damage from drops. In our tests, the standout of both the 16-foot and 25-foot tape measures was around 9 feet, which is shorter than most others we evaluated.

The blade lock was easy to use with just one thumb, and the recoil was smooth and not overly aggressive. This makes the tape measure well-suited for home, workshop, or garage projects. It's also very reasonably priced. While this is not a professional-level tool, it is a fine choice for the average user, especially one who struggles to read the markings on most other tape measures.

_{Dimensions: 3.1 x 1.7 inches | Blade Width: 1 inch | Weight: 1 pound | Autolock: No | Magnetic Hook: No}

Best Heavy-Duty

Stanley FatMax Tape Measure

$40 at Walmart $40 at Walmart $40 at Home Depot

This tape measure from Stanley is very durable and designed for use on a job site where drops, rugged use, and rough working conditions are the norm. We tested the 16-foot and 25-foot models and found them somewhat bulky but still easy to hold for users with average-to-large hands. It has a thick, rubberized case and a MAXSHIELD blade coating with an additional protective coating at the heavy-duty multi-catch hook for even more protection against damage.

On both models, the blade lock was easy to slide with just one thumb, and the belt clip also worked easily with one hand. Both tape measures were very accurate in our tests. Like most such tools, the markings are in 1/16-inch increments, with standard studs and joist spacings also indicated on the blade.

The numbers are large enough for easy reading, but the 1-1/4-inch-wide blade only has measurements marked on one side of the tape. We found the blade pulled out smoothly and retracted well, although when we stopped the recoil halfway through, we needed to give it a boost to start it again.

In our tests, the standout of the 16-foot model was around 10-1/2 feet, and the 25-foot model had an average standout of around 12-1/2 feet. While this heavy-duty tape measure is probably more than you need for typical use around the house, we highly recommend it for people who need a tape measure that can survive the rigors of a job site.

_{Dimensions: 3 x 3.1 inches | Blade Width: 1-1/4 inch | Weight: 2.1 pounds | Autolock: No | Magnetic Hook: No}