Mitutoyo 500-196-30 Advanced Onsite Sensor (AOS) Absolute Scale Digital Caliper, 0 to 6/0 to 150mm Measuring Range, 0.0005/0.01mm Resolution, LCD

I’ve used these calipers and many other mics and tools offered by Mitutoyo in my career. They never failed me. Tough. They take the oily, dirty jobs you are work on.

Just holding it and looking at it you can tell the difference in quality. The fit and finish are amazing. The slide is smooth and doesnt wobble or feel loose. The display is easy to read and its spot on. You dont have to re-calibrate. It knows its exact position wherever it is when you turn it on. Ive had it for a few months now and the battery isnt dead unlike all the other look-a-likes you can find for $25-$30. Made in Japan not China. It does not have an automatic shutoff. some like that, some dont. I kinda like it when you get distracted (wife, kids, buddy with beers in hand) the measurement is still on display when you come back.

Works a sdesigned and well constructed. Silky smooth operation and smooth operating wheel for nominal adjustment.

I am a hobby machinist constantly overhauling flat head engines. Having a repeatable accurate vernier caliper is a must. This is a quality tool at a reasonable price.

Purchased this to replace a Mitutoyo caliper that Ive been using for over 15 years. This set works great.

I purchased this after reading up for a couple of days about calipers, how and when they should be used, and what to expect from them. I started looking after I came across a Starrett #231 micrometer and compared measurements with my $30 Chinese calipers. I was stunned to find they were 3 thou off at 3/4 inch, but right on at 1 inch! Rude awakening! Into the trash. I was then surprised to find that there are problems with counterfeiters. Look, all I want is a caliper accurate to a thou. Seems to be a tall order. I am slowly learning that it is worth buying quality tools, and the cheap stuff is an illusion. These cost 3x what I would have previously spent, and given the possibility of a counterfeit I was hyper critical when they arrived. These are the genuine article, based on the photos on the web, and from comparisons against the Starrett. The calipers came with paperwork that claimed this unit is good to a half thou across its full travel. They work smoothly, and are very repeatable. I had grown used to fiddling with my calipers - these simply work. Having no other reliable reference over 1 inch, I’ve decided to trust these until proven otherwise. As funds permit I’ll be getting 1-2, and then 2-3 inch micrometers, reputable ones, in the future. Stay away from the cheap stuff! I would recommend these to my friends.

I had a cheap pair that seemed to function fairly well except if you left the battery in even while turned off, the battery would go dead. No big deal, I just took the battery out between uses. After about 3 years, they started to give weird readings at the low end of the scale, where they were used the most. So I pitched them and decided to buy these Mitutoyo calipers. These appear to be the real deal. They are identical to the ones that we use at work. We buy directly from Mitutoyo and pay several dollars more for these. But Mitutoyo is probably the best out there. Them or Starrett. These dont have a data port. We have both at work, ones with a data port and ones without. Also they come in the exact same chintzy plastic box with a folding hinge that will break after repeated use, just like the ones at work. I actually kept the case my cheap ones came in, because it is a better case with an actual hinge that pivots on a pin, and looks like the case our older Mitutoyo calipers came in. Theyre butter smooth and hold zero.

What is there to say? Mitutoyo is the gold standard. This was my first caliper, and I immediately checked its accuracy (perfect within the limits of what I can check). Ease of use is excellent: measuring inside, outside, or depth; metric or imperial; absolute or relative. The case is rugged and convenient. Unlike other calipers, this one doesnt devour batteries (solar obviously doesnt use batteries at all but does require that it sit out in strong light and is considerably more expensive). BE SURE TO BUY FROM AMAZON. Do NOT buy from a third party through Amazon. There are simply too many counterfeits floating around. Amazon is an authorized dealer and so your caliper will be genuine (other reviews on here will help you ensure authenticity when it arrives). This was the best deal I could find from a legit source. There are purists who want dial or vernier, and thats fine, but for a first caliper you want something that does imperial and metric and is a no-brainer to operate. My only critique is that Amazon doesnt make it easy to find genuine accessories. In my case, the shoulders for depth measurements. There are other very reputable brands out there, but for this product Mitutoyo is the default unless you have some compelling reason to grab something else.

It’s been over a year since I purchased my calipers and they’ve held up greatly. Within half a thousandth accuracy repeatedly just making sure I’m straight and not canted is the difference and used micrometers to double check and usually within .0001” to .00005” and held up to the coolant droplets and shavings of metal that I constantly wipe off to measure.

No comparison to the cheap calipers.