Mitutoyo ABSOLUTE 500-196-20 Digital Caliper

• Hardened stainless steel construction for protection of caliper components
• Four-way measurement capability for multiple applications: outside diameter (OD), inside diameter (ID), depth, and step
• Digital, single-value readout LCD display in metric units for readability
• Position memory for retaining measurements
• Function control buttons on the face, for ease of use: Origin, On/Off, and Zero/ABS (Absolute Scale)

These Mitutoyo calipers are much more expensive than the Chinese-made units that you can get in the $10-30 range. However, while the cheap Chinese calipers are probably plenty accurate for most home users, there is a reason for the price difference.

I previously had a couple different Chinese-made calipers, which did have a solid feel and looked to be pretty well made. But they both exhibited a very fundamental problem they did not always return to zero when the jaws were closed. For one thing, just closing them at a faster rate or with a little more force would usually result in a negative reading. But regardless of how they are zeroed (varying force and speed), they weren't even consistent. I never felt confident that the measurements were reliable.

Then I found the Mitutoyo 500-196-20 calipers on sale for $90, so I picked up a pair. Handling the calipers, I was surprised at how light they are. They are probably half the weight of either of the Chinese calipers I previously owned. I installed the included battery and set the origin, and immediately tested the accuracy when closing the jaws. It returned to zero every time, regardless of speed or force. Over the time I've owned them, with regular use and never having re-set the origin, I have yet to see any inaccuracy when closing them or repeating known measurements.

I was very pleased with the obvious quality of these calipers, and then I randomly came across an interesting article comparing calipers in terms of power consumption and accuracy. I'm not allowed to post a URL here, but google "davehylands caliper battery" and it's the first result. There is a good explanation of why you need to use high-quality SR44 silver-oxide batteries, and some experiments showing how the Mitutoyo calipers are superior to their cheaper competitors. Various metrology sites have further information comparing brands, and Mitutoyo are generally considered the best, while not always being the most expensive.

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Another reviewer mentioned quality and battery usage on cheapo calipers. I spent $40 on the best caliper at my local hardware store. It was shiny and had a big display. All that was negated by it burning through one battery a month. Those LR44 button cells are expensive enough. If i had to buy a dozen of them every year, i'd pay for the Mitutoyo pretty quick.

I've seen these calipers at every company i've worked for. They seem to be the most popular quality calipers. I got mine for around $90 as well and love them. Their battery is supposed to last around 4 years or so. I can live with that :)

I know people are used to paying so little for a lot of electronics these days. If you actually NEED a digital caliper, get a good one. This one is excellent.

October 2011 Update:

My caliper still works great and still on the original battery. I was thrilled with it when new and even happier still nearly a year later. Can i give it six stars?

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I'm a mechanical engineer, and I use these at work as well. These are the calipers to buy if you want quality without emptying your wallet. If you have the money though, Starret makes great measurement tools.

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This is a great mid range caliper at a good price. Very accurate (I checked against some gauge blocks and my micrometers) and 0s with no problems. Very well built and I am looking forward to getting years of use from it. Unlike s couple of the cheap Chinese made ones I have seen it will instantaneously convert between inches and mm when you push the button.

A couple of the real cheap ones only work in one or the other e.g. you set 0 push the button and measure and get either inches or mm but not both.

Probably overkill for wood working but still a great tool.

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After using the same product at work for several years I purchased a pair for home use. In the past this brand has worked very well and held up under hard use. When we had these calipers checked for calibration they were always within tolerance, so no adjustment was ever required. Anyway, great product and company if you need a good pair of calipers you cannot go wrong.