The best tape measures

Even if you have carefully measured out a length of lumber or chosen the exact right spot on the wall, your painstaking measurements won't count for much if you make a mark in the wrong spot and then cut, drill, or sink a nail in the wrong place.

The QuickDraw DIY Self Marking Measuring Tape eliminates that all-too-common problem thanks to a graphite marking wheel built directly into the base of the unit. All you have to do is jiggle the measuring tape ever so slightly once you have it in the right position and you will create a clear dark gray mark exactly where you need it.

And speaking of finding the exact right spot, this tape measure makes that easy, too. It has a bright red marking indicator band and a "Tru-View" sight that lets you see exactly where the measurement you need lines up with the surface underneath.

You might think an advanced measuring tape like this is only suitable for professional builders or designers, but in fact, it's much the opposite: This measuring tape is perfect for those of us who need all the help we can get with our projects. You also might think it would be expensive, but this is hardware that fits any budget.

Pros: Easy and precise marks, clear measurement indicator, great price point

Cons: Rather bulky, blade wobbles at longer extensions

Stanley tape measures are something of a benchmark for this category of tool. They have been around for generations and, arguably, are the original retractable tape measure brand. A man named Hiram Farrand patented the first modern spring-operated retractable tape measure in the 1920s, but the product rights were subsequently sold to Stanley Works. This basic, no-nonsense tape measure is a fine example of the years of design experience the company has to offer.

This tape measure features a one-inch wide, 25-foot long blade that will stay straight without bending (often called standout) for eight or nine feet, provided you have a steady hand. Its case looks like polished chrome but is in fact made from high-impact ABS plastic. The hardware is well protected, but the overall piece is relatively lightweight.

As the PowerLock portion of the name implies, the blade stays locked in place when you have the locking slide pushed forward, so once you have a measurement calculated, you can count on the tape staying steady while you note the length or make your marks.

While this tape measure is short on bells and whistles, it's big on quality, and that's the true measure of success here.

Pros: Great low price, time-tested design, smooth extension and retraction

Cons: End hook breaks off some units

Most measuring tapes are between 15 and 25 feet long, and for most projects, that's plenty of reach, but for measuring the area of extra-large rooms or for plotting out design schemes for landscaping, patios, and other outdoor projects, you often need a tape measure with some extra reach. If the WorkPro 100 Foot Fiberglass Measuring Tape can't handle the job, it's probably time you call in the professionals anyway.

Thanks to the soft, flexible material used to construct this measuring tape, it tucks that impressive 100-foot long tape into an open plastic housing that is lightweight yet durable. The tape dispenses rapidly with minimal pressure and has a large metal loop on the end that can be hooked over a nail, screw, ground stake, or many other protrusions. On one end of the casing is a large rubberized handle and on the other a ground stake for easily marking outdoor measurements. The tape rewinds rapidly as you spin a retracting handle.

This measuring tape is ideal for use in larger construction projects as well as for scientific or classroom research. It can also be used for work ranging from surveying, thanks to its long length.

Pros: Extra long length, lightweight design, flexible tape useful for myriad applications

Cons: Manual rewind required

If it featured only its basic 16-foot steel measuring tape, this would be a fine piece of hardware — nothing to write home about, but a decent tool for measuring lumber used for residential framing or for plotting out the area and layout of most rooms in the home. But this is no ordinary measuring tape, this is the General Tools LTM1 2-In-1 Laser Tape Measure, and just above its humble 16-foot retractable tape perches a laser beam that can provide fabulously accurate measurements of distances as long as 50 feet.

The tape measure has an LCD screen that immediately displays the span measured by the laser, eliminating the human error that can come with measuring longer objects or areas with a traditional tape. Laser measurements can also be accomplished using one hand, letting you make notes or even sink screws or nails as you measure.

The drawback of using a laser measuring tape is that it must have a solid object to bounce off of, thus can't easily be used to measure boards or open spaces, but that issue is mitigated by the steel tape of this 2-in-1 tool.

Pros: Great for measuring wide spans, easy one-person use, 2-in-1 function

Cons: Rather expensive, hard to hold laser beam still

You know that frustration when you're staring down at a measuring tape, your eyes mere inches away from its intricately-detailed graduation markings, trying to decide if you should call that measurement five-sixteenths of an inch ... or six? Annoying, right? Well, with the eTape16 Digital Measuring Tape, those days are a thing of the past.

To measure a length of pipe or lumber or the width of a room or outdoor area, just stretch the tape out as needed, then glance down at the digital screen to get a measurement that's easy to read and accurate down to the sixteenth of an inch. Or you can toggle over to the metric system for a measurement accurate to within less than a millimeter.

If you don't have a pen on hand or a buddy to call help you remember the measurement, no problem. The eTape16 Digital Measuring Tape can store up to three measurements at a time, two for long-term storage as well as the most recent measurement. That, friends, is what we call working smart.

Pros: Easy highly-accurate measurements, convenient memory function, standard or metric measurements

Cons: Tape must be pulled out slowly for an accurate reading, rather short 16-foot span

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