In this Clough42 video, James looks at digital calipers at 3 different price points and asks if the expensive models are worth it over cheaper tools.
He raises some good points here, like the fact that, for most non-precision measuring (e.g. general shop use, woodworking, etc.), an inexpensive set of calps is perfectly fine. Is being a half-a-thousandth of an inch off worth spending ten times as much?
Where he argues you might want to spend more bread to get a more expensive tool is for the quality of the manufacturing, the feel of the tool, and some of the higher-end features of an expensive tool.
Personally, while I would love a pair of $150 Mitutoyo calipers, I don’t need them for most of the work I’m doing. I usually reach for my $9 TackLife calipers, or if I want to feel a bit more confident, I use my $42 iGaging calipers. Honestly, I don’t see that, for most of us, you need to splurge more than $50 on a pair of calipers.
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