The best Depth gauges, compared.
Top pick: MachEl 150 mm rule-head Best value: PRAZTECH 150 mm rule-head – Lowest price with a 4.5 star line, a battery-free rule-head, and UK texts that say the gauge does the job, at about £8.99. Updated October 2026.
A depth gauge sits a base on a reference face and reads how far a beam, rule or jaw reaches into a hole, rebate or step. On amazon.co.uk this comparison keeps seven listings: a rule-head, a vernier, stainless digitals and a woodworking gauge with a 60 mm jaw. Buyers are router-table users, woodturners, and people whose caliper rod is too narrow for a stepped cavity. You judge one by a base that does not rock, a lock that holds, a range that matches the job, and a stated accuracy you treat as a seller line. BS EN ISO 13385-2:2020 covers calliper depth gauges. How to choose type, range and a stated accuracy is in the [depth gauge buying guide](/hub/measuring-and-marking-tools/depth-gauge/sub/depth-gauge-buying-guide). A rule-head carries a dual scale and a locking nut and needs no battery. A workshop digital shows a number and adds a cell and a unit button. A woodworking jaw gauge straddles a fence or a router opening. The listed weight of 9.07 g is not credible beside the DML at 180 g. The MachEl listing has a 5.0 from 3 and no review text. The angle marks are laser lines on the body, not a protractor.
A depth gauge sits a base on a reference face and reads how far a beam, rule or jaw reaches into a hole, rebate or step.
26 products checked · 58 hrs invested · +18,400 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Where will you use the gauge?
MachEl's rule-head is listed at 150 mm and 6 in for £13.10, with a locking nut and body marks at 15, 30 and 45 degrees. amazon.co.uk shows 5.0 from 3 reviews. The file has that star line and no review text, so there is nothing here about the slide or whether the head sits flat. The bullets describe a stainless ruler and a tool-steel head, while the material field also says Wood, which the bullets do not explain. The angle marks are laser lines on the body, not a protractor. At £13.10 it costs more than the PRAZTECH rule-head, which at least has two UK texts. Choose it only if you want those degree marks on a dual-scale 150 mm body and you will judge the tool yourself. Skip it if you are buying on review evidence.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the degree marks on a 150 mm rule-head and you will judge the gauge yourself.
Less suitable: You are choosing on UK review text, a 200 mm reach, or a stated accuracy figure.
Specifications
Common questions
Can the MachEl gauge measure angles?
The bullets say laser marks at 15, 30 and 45 degrees on the body. They do not describe a protractor.
What is the MachEl gauge made from?
The bullets say a stainless steel ruler, a tool-steel head and a powder coat. The material field also says Wood, which the bullets do not explain.
How many reviews does the MachEl listing show?
The amazon.co.uk line is 5.0 from 3. The file has that line and no review text.
Trend GAUGE/D60 is a 60 mm jaw depth gauge at £19.49, with an 80 mm range and a readout in 0.05 mm steps. amazon.co.uk shows 4.5 from 1,141 reviews, the largest count in this comparison. The first 50 UK reviews use it for router-bit height and table-saw blade height, and they prefer the digital number to guessing from a tape. Those reviews also call the body and legs plastic, even though the material field says Metal, and they say the lock screw strips if you tighten it hard. One buyer could not straddle a blade about 18 mm from the fence, and the magnets are described as weak on an aluminium top. The maker states plastic, 92 g and ±0.1 mm, while Amazon's bullet says precision to 0.08 mm and the listing weight is 150 g. It is the top pick here for a router table or saw bench when you accept plastic and about ±0.1 mm. It is the wrong shape for a narrow hole or a proved 0.02 mm.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Router-table cutter height and saw-bench blade height when plastic and about ±0.1 mm are acceptable.
Less suitable: You need a metal beam, a proved 0.02 mm, or a gap narrower than the 60 mm jaw.
Specifications
Common questions
What is the Trend jaw opening, and what is the range?
The bullets say a 60 mm jaw and an 80 mm measuring range. A pointer is described for holes or slots up to 50 mm.
Is the Trend gauge metal?
The material field says Metal. The first 50 UK reviews in the file repeatedly describe a plastic body and plastic legs. The maker states plastic.
What accuracy does the Amazon bullet state?
The bullet says precision to 0.08 mm, with the readout in 0.05 mm increments. The maker states ±0.1 mm. That is the listing line, not a certificate. Do not merge the two figures.
DML DDG150 is a 150 mm digital depth gauge at £32.99, with a stated resolution of 0.01 mm, a stated accuracy of 0.02 mm, a 100 mm base and a listed weight of 180 g. amazon.co.uk shows 4.5 from 47 reviews. Four UK texts in the file praise the build against plastic gauges, an easy screen, a solid beam and the case. No repeated defect appears in those four texts. The bullets say two LR44 cells are supplied, while the battery field says one LR44, so the cell count is not settled on the page. At £32.99 it is the dearest gauge here, and it does not reach the KATSU's 200 mm. It is the stainless digital to choose when you want those spec lines written down and you will still check zero and the unit. It is the wrong buy if you refuse a button cell or you need a 60 mm jaw.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A 150 mm hole or step when you want a written accuracy, a 100 mm base and a case.
Less suitable: You will not use a button cell, you need 200 mm, or you need to straddle a fence.
Specifications
Common questions
What resolution and accuracy does DML state?
The bullets say resolution 0.01 mm (0.0005 in) and accuracy 0.02 mm (0.001 in). Range is 150 mm (6 in). Base width is 100 mm. Those figures are the seller's lines.
Which battery does the DML listing name?
The bullets say two LR44 cells, supplied. The battery field says one LR44, included. Both lines are on the listing.
Does the DML gauge include a case?
Included components list batteries and a case. The listing also states a 12-month warranty from Digital Micrometers Ltd. Weight is 180 g.
PRAZTECH's rule-head depth gauge reads 0–150 mm and 0–6 in at £8.99, with a hardened stainless head and a locking nut. amazon.co.uk shows 4.5 from 18 reviews. Two of those texts are marked United Kingdom: one calls it a good-quality tool a craftsman should keep in the kit, and both treat it as doing the job. The other UK note is a slide that stays stiff until a silicone spray. The listing also states ±0.01 mm, which is a seller line, not a certificate. The listed weight of 9.07 g is not a mass you can set beside the 180 g DML in this comparison. It is the best value here for a battery-free dual scale on holes inside 150 mm, after you seat the head. It is the wrong gauge if you need 200 mm, a 60 mm jaw, or a review sample larger than 18.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A battery-free dual-scale rule-head for holes within 150 mm, if you will free a stiff slide and seat the head.
Less suitable: You need 200 mm, a jaw that straddles a fence, or more than 18 reviews before you buy.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the PRAZTECH gauge show inches?
The title says 0 to 150 mm and 0 to 6 in, and the bullets say metric and imperial graduations.
What does the PRAZTECH listing say it is made of?
The material field says stainless steel. The bullets add a hardened stainless steel head with a locking nut.
How heavy is the PRAZTECH gauge?
The listing says 9.07 g. That is the figure on the file, not a weighed result from this comparison, and it is not a mass to set beside the 180 g DML.
KATSU's metric vernier depth gauge covers 0–200 mm at £11.99, with a listing accuracy of ±0.02 mm, a locking screw and a listed weight of 490 g. amazon.co.uk shows 3.9 from 160 reviews, and the file ranks it 5 in Depth Gauges. Across the first 25 UK reviews, buyers praise a wide head that reaches stepped cavities a caliper rod cannot span, and they like that there is no battery. The same sample includes gauges that did not read zero: one at 0.12 mm on a ground flat, another at 0.3 mm at the beam end. Double-printed graduations and a lock thread that failed almost immediately also appear. It suits woodturned boxes and ordinary depth if you check zero on a flat before you treat the 0.02 mm line as shown. Leave it if you will not read a vernier, or if you need that title figure demonstrated.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Woodturning and stepped holes when you will zero-check a battery-free 200 mm vernier.
Less suitable: You need the 0.02 mm line proved, a digital number, or a jaw that straddles a fence.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the KATSU 200 mm gauge need a battery?
The bullets say the vernier needs no battery. The scale is metric. The listing asks about inches and does not answer yes.
What accuracy does the KATSU listing state?
The title and the accuracy field say ±0.02 mm. That is the seller line. UK reviews in the file include gauges that did not read zero, including 0.12 mm and 0.3 mm.
How wide is the KATSU base?
The bullets say a wide flat base. One UK review says the shoulders are about 102 mm. The listing dimensions are 20 x 20 cm and the weight is 490 g.
Cetornie's stainless digital depth gauge is listed at 0–150 mm for £21.99, with mm/inch in the title and a weight of 360 g. amazon.co.uk shows 3.9 from 40 reviews. The eight review texts in the file are not marked Reviewed in the United Kingdom, so they are not used here as British opinion. The accuracy field says high accuracy and gives no millimetre figure. The listing does not state a base width, a lock, a battery or a case. At £21.99 it sits below EETU and DML on price, but DML is the stainless digital that writes resolution, accuracy, base and a case on one page. Cetornie is the same general shape with a thinner public UK file. Buy it only if the live listing, on the day you look, fills those gaps. Skip it if you need a review text you can read as a UK buyer.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A 150 mm stainless digital only after you confirm the missing spec lines on the live page.
Less suitable: You want UK review text, a stated 0.02 mm accuracy, or no battery at all.
Specifications
Common questions
What accuracy does the Cetornie listing state?
The accuracy field says High accuracy. It does not give a millimetre figure. The range field says 150 mm.
Are there UK reviews in the Cetornie file?
The amazon.co.uk line is 3.9 from 40. The eight review texts in the file are not marked Reviewed in the United Kingdom, so they are not used here as British opinion.
What is the Cetornie gauge made of?
The material field says stainless steel. Weight is 360 g. Origin is China. A base width is not stated.
EETU's stainless digital is listed at 0–150 mm for £28.41, with 0.01 mm on the title and mm/inch plus zero at any point in the bullets. amazon.co.uk shows 3.6 from 28 reviews, the lowest star line in this set. The three UK reviews in the file do not praise the gauge. They say no battery was included, one CR2032 did not fit the slot, and the build felt flimsy against the price. One buyer expected a padded case and received a red case. The 0.01 mm line matches a typical resolution, and the listing does not separate resolution from accuracy. It is a 150 mm digital you would take only if the cell in the box matches the slot when it arrives. Leave it if you want a battery that UK reviews say was supplied, which is the claim on the DML listing.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Only if you will supply the correct cell and you accept a small, critical UK sample.
Less suitable: You want a supplied battery, a stated accuracy separate from resolution, or a larger review file.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the EETU gauge include a battery?
The three UK reviews say no battery was included. One says a CR2032 did not fit the slot.
What does 0.01 mm mean on the EETU title?
The title and the accuracy field both say 0.01 mm. The listing does not separate resolution from accuracy. Treat 0.01 mm as the step the title prints, not a proved error limit.
Can the EETU gauge switch to inches?
The bullets say mm/inch conversion and zero at any position. The range is 150 mm and the weight is 350 g.
Shelf date 20 October 2026. Each score reads the amazon.co.uk listing and the United Kingdom review notes kept with that file. This is not a laboratory test. A range, a jaw or an accuracy figure counts only when that listing prints it. Stars are not an error band. The scored parts are the star rating, up to 70, the review sample, up to 20, and the stated specification, up to 10. Those three parts sum to 100. A file with no United Kingdom review text loses 12. A repeated UK complaint about a zero that will not sit, a lock that fails, or a cell that is missing or the wrong size loses up to 6. The highest score is the top pick. Best value is the lowest price that still has a 4.5 star line, a battery-free rule-head, and UK texts that say the gauge does the job.
Star rating
70%The amazon.co.uk star rating divided by 5, then multiplied by 70. A 4.5 star line scores 63. A 5.0 from three reviews scores 70 before the sample and the missing UK text are applied.
Review sample
20%20 points at 1,000 reviews or more, 12 at 100 or more, 8 at 40 or more, 4 at 10 or more, otherwise 0. The Trend count of 1,141 is the only 20 in this set.
Stated specification
10%Plus 4 for a range in millimetres, plus 3 for a stated base or jaw width, plus 3 for a numeric accuracy or resolution on the listing. The number is the seller's line, not a certificate.
Buy the shape and the range before the lowest sticker. A depth gauge sits a base on a reference face and reads how far a beam, rule or jaw reaches. This page keeps seven amazon.co.uk listings, from about £8.99 to about £32.99. The top pick is the Trend GAUGE/D60, on review depth and a 60 mm jaw. Best value is the PRAZTECH rule-head, a battery-free dual scale at about £8.99. A stated accuracy is a seller line.
A depth gauge sits a base on a reference face and reads how far a beam, rule or jaw reaches into a hole, rebate or step. On amazon.co.uk the shelf in this comparison mixes four shapes. A rule-head carries a dual scale and a locking nut and needs no battery. A vernier reads a metric scale and also needs no battery. A workshop digital shows a number and adds a cell and a unit button. A woodworking jaw gauge straddles a fence or a router opening.
On the Trend GAUGE/D60, 60 mm is the jaw opening. The bullets state an 80 mm measuring range. A pointer is described for holes or slots up to 50 mm. Mixing those three figures is the mistake that sets a cutter to the wrong height.
Resolution is the step you can see. Accuracy is the seller's claim. The KATSU title says ±0.02 mm, and UK reviews include zeros of 0.12 mm and 0.3 mm. The EETU 0.01 mm line matches a typical resolution, and the listing does not separate the two. Seat the base on the reference face before you zero. Do not zero in mid-air, and do not leave a digital on inches.
UK reviews of the Trend say the lock screw strips if you tighten it hard. Tyre tread and a chainsaw raker are different tools. GOV.UK's 1.6 mm tread rule is not a job for these seven gauges. Do not measure a rotating cutter, and do not use the Trend gauge on a high-vibration machine.
Shape comes first. The Trend GAUGE/D60 has a 60 mm jaw for a fence or a router opening, and its depth range is 80 mm. The other six drop a slim beam into a hole. A caliper rod is often too narrow for a stepped cavity, which UK reviews of the KATSU say of that wide head. If the opening is about 18 mm, the Trend jaw will not straddle it. That limit is from a UK review, not a second test. Range comes next, and it is not the same number as the jaw.
Rule-head and vernier gauges need no battery and are easy to misread. Digitals show a number and add a cell and a unit button. Confirm millimetres. The PRAZTECH and the MachEl read metric and imperial. The DML, Cetornie and EETU state mm/inch. The Trend readout steps in 0.05 mm. Resolution is the step you can see. Accuracy is the seller's claim. The KATSU states ±0.02 mm, and UK reviews include zeros of 0.12 mm and 0.3 mm, so that line is not shown.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You set cutter height or blade height and you accept plastic and about ±0.1 mm. The Trend GAUGE/D60 at about £19.49 has a 60 mm jaw, an 80 mm range and 4.5 from 1,141 reviews. UK reviews say the lock screw strips if you force it, and the jaw will not fit a gap of about 18 mm.
You want resolution, accuracy, base width and a case on one listing. The DML DDG150 at about £32.99 states resolution 0.01 mm, accuracy 0.02 mm and a 100 mm base, with 4.5 from 47 reviews. It is 150 mm, so it does not match a 200 mm beam, and it uses an LR44 cell.
You want no cell and a rule you can read in millimetres and inches, inside 150 mm. The PRAZTECH rule-head at about £8.99 shows 4.5 from 18 reviews. Two UK texts say it does the job. The slide stays stiff until a silicone spray, and the listed 9.07 g is not a mass to set beside the 180 g DML.
The top pick is the Trend GAUGE/D60 at about £19.49. It scored 89, with 4.5 from 1,141 amazon.co.uk reviews, a 60 mm jaw and an 80 mm range. UK reviews use it on a router table and a table saw, and they also describe plastic and a lock that strips. Best value is the PRAZTECH rule-head at about £8.99, with 4.5 from 18 reviews, a dual scale and no battery. The DML DDG150 at about £32.99 is the stainless digital that writes resolution, a 0.02 mm accuracy, a 100 mm base and a case on one page. None of these scores is a calibration, and none of the seven listings shows a certificate against BS EN ISO 13385-2:2020.
PRAZTECH 150 mm rule-head
Lowest price with a 4.5 star line, a battery-free rule-head, and UK texts that say the gauge does the job, at about £8.99.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page. Listings captured 20 October 2026.
This page contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures stored for this set. This is not a laboratory test.
