Tools:

FastCap PSSR25 25 foot Lefty/Righty Measuring Tape
https://amzn.to/2Nmp6Gn

Komelon Measuring Tape, 1-Inch X 25Ft
https://amzn.to/2LbHHYd

Kutir Measuring Tape, 1-Inch X 25Ft
https://amzn.to/2NRaoZ0

Transcript:

I’m Donald Bell for Cool Tools and today we’re talking a look at three different 25 foot tape measures. I bought these all from Amazon. I stayed away from name brand just because they tend not to innovate. People buy name brand because they want the same thing, but I’m looking around to see what’s out there that’s different. You can find links to all three in the video description, and by using those links you’re helping to support my videos and the Cool Tools blog.

First up, the FastCap PSSR25. This one cost me $10, and it is packed with a ton of features. One of the most unique is that the tape is labeled so that it can be used left or right handed.

I’m not left handed, so I can’t speak to whether or not this is a huge deal or not, but I can say that it does make for a pretty crowded tape that’s hard to read. There’s a lot going on here, including labels for the fractional measurements—which I like, but not when they’re this cramped together.

One feature I really do like, though, is this whiteboard on the side that you can write on in pencil when you want to jot down a measurement. That seems pretty handy.

There’s also a pinch clip used on the back here which makes it a little easier to clip to your pocket, but isn’t quite wide enough to clip a pencil.

You also get a pencil sharpener here in the back. And on the bottom you have this finger stop, which is great for manually feeding the tape in and out without pinching your finger.

But with this particular design, the finger stop prevents the tape housing from laying flat on the table when you have it upright.

This is my least favorite of the three tapes, but if you’re a lefty or if you really like the idea of having the sharpener and sketchpad on here, it could be perfect.

Next up is this option from Komelon—the Gripper Speed Mark. It cost me $9 and in some ways is the complete opposite of the FastCap in terms of features and tape design.

This tape keeps it simple. There’s no finger stop, no pencil sharpener, no magnets or special tricks.

What you get is a solidly built, inexpensive tape measure that’s extremely easy to read. Look at the tape on this. The numbers for the first foot are gigantic and uncluttered. Even after that you get large, legible markings all the way down, with fractional measurements labeled, plus these red markings that quickly translate inch measurements to a combo of feet and inches.

Maybe this says more about me than the tape, but I find myself reaching for this one more than the other tapes just because it’s so easy to read. And my eyes are fine, but I just feel like the faster I can read the measurement, the faster I can work.

That said, this next tape is very cool. This is the Kutir 25-foot tape measure. It’s around $13 on Amazon. It feels solid and includes a little strap on the back. There’s no finger stop on this one, but what it does have is this cool blade on the front.

The blade has these little horns that stick up so that you can hook it under things to take your measurement. It also has some neodymium magnets on the front that can hold pretty well to metal. It also works for picking nails and screws off the floor.

The top of the tape is a standard arrangement of inches and millimeters. The surprise is that when you flip it over, you get inches with fractions labeled for you. And because the blade can be used both ways, you really can use this up or down.

The one drawback I found on this design is that the rivets in the blade are a little stiff, which could make your measurements off until it loosens up.

So that’s a look at three inexpensive measuring tapes with at least one unique feature. You can find Amazon links to all three in the video description. And remember, you can find thousands of reader recommended tools like these at cool-tools.org.

Find more Cool Tool reviews here:
http://kk.org/cooltools