'Small Price, Big Precision': The Harbor Freight Tool That's A Great Addition To Any Kit

While they can be used to take reasonably accurate measurements over a distance, it can be a big mistake to use a measuring tape for more precise measurements of smaller items. In these cases, you may want to consider using a caliper instead. Some calipers can make measurements with an accuracy up to 0.001 inches, and these tools simplify the process of taking measurements of odd-shaped objects.

For some people, vernier calipers, also called analog calipers, are considered old school tools that went obsolete. It takes some practice to learn to use the analog versions before you can be entirely accurate with them. If you own one of these, it may be time to upgrade to the modern version, which is a digital caliper that has a display screen. The measurements these tools make are easy to decipher and allow you to work more quickly than the analog version. The display that shows the measurement means you don't have to try to visually interpret the measurement on a printed scale like you do with an analog version.

One disadvantage of using a digital version of this measurement tool is that it costs more than the analog version. To try to save some money, consider shopping at discount hardware retailer Harbor Freight. There are dozens of tools under $50 at Harbor Freight that are worth buying and that have excellent customer reviews, including a popular digital caliper. In fact, you could buy several Pittsburgh 6-Inch Composite Digital Calipers if you had $50 in your pocket. This caliper has a $10 price tag, which is far cheaper than those at Home Depot.

On the Harbor Freight website, 90% of customer reviewers say they'd recommend purchasing the Pittsburgh digital caliper. Most of the customer reviewers praise this tool's ease of use and functionality. "Small price, big precision," one customer reviewer says. "This is a reliable, budget-friendly tool that belongs in every junk drawer or workshop."

The reviewers say they use the Pittsburgh digital caliper for a variety of measurement jobs, including for precisely measuring bolts, holes in materials, drill bit diameters, engine parts, round items, and more. Many users mentioned using it when 3D printing objects to ensure the printed item is accurate to within a tiny fraction of an inch. It can measure items up to 6 inches in length with an accuracy up to plus-or-minus 0.01 inches (or 0.2 millimeters).

With a weight of only 0.12 pounds, it won't add a bunch of heft to your toolbox, making it handy to have with you at all times, and with a length of just 9.5 inches, it is small enough to easily fit inside a normal-sized toolbox or through a loop on a utility belt.

Many of the Harbor Freight customer reviewers say the price is the biggest advantage of this Pittsburgh model. At only $10, the Pittsburgh digital caliper has a far lower price than similar options at other hardware retailers. However, one drawback that several Harbor Freight customer reviewers mentioned is that the Pittsburgh digital caliper consists primarily of plastic, which could cause slightly distorted measurements as the plastic weakens or warps. It's "not as accurate as a steel-machined caliper, but [it] will give reasonable [measurements] to complete work," one customer reviewer at Harbor Freight says. It's common for plastic digital calipers to carry a far lower price than those made of stainless steel.

Home Depot offers several different digital calipers of varying sizes, most of which cost far more than the Pittsburgh digital caliper from Harbor Freight. The retailer carries a steel, 6-inch Husky branded model for $45, in addition to two Wen-branded 6-inch digital calipers. The $33 Wen digital caliper is made of steel, while the $13 Wen model is made of plastic.