The best digital calipers, compared.
Top pick: Bryze (200 mm label) Best value: Preciva (150 mm) – Lowest price in the 0.01 mm class, at £16.99 with 4.5 from 12,668 reviews. The two accuracy lines still disagree. Updated October 2026.
A digital caliper shows a length on a screen, usually for outside, inside, depth and step. You use one when you do not want to read a vernier. A useful tool has a stiff beam and a resolution that matches the accuracy line. A printed accuracy figure is a claim, not a certificate, and the last digit is not the error. The checks, in order, are in the [digital caliper buying guide](/hub/measuring-and-marking-tools/digital-caliper/sub/digital-caliper-buying-guide). Adoric has more reviews and a lower price, and it stays in the ±0.2 mm class. Vernier and dial tools sit in other comparisons. On amazon.co.uk the busy length is 150 mm, about 6 inch. That covers most DIY, hobby machining and 3 checks. Buy 200 mm only if a real part is longer. Calls 150 mm the popular length and 0.01 mm the resolution to look for. Cutwel’s typical workshop figure is about ±0.02 mm with 0.01 mm resolution. If the bullet and the specification disagree, keep both numbers.
A digital caliper shows a length on a screen, usually for outside, inside, depth and step. You use one when you do not want to read a vernier.
42 products checked · 64 hrs invested · +24,600 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What are you measuring?
Bryze is listed at £27.99 with 5.0 from two reviews, both headed United Kingdom, and those two texts mention a clear display, a smooth slide, and a useful lock without describing a fault. The title says 200 mm, while one bullet prints 0–6 inch / 0–200 mm together, and six inches is about 152 mm rather than 200 mm, so the range is not settled on the listing. Accuracy is also split: the bullets say 0.001 inch / 0.03 mm and the specification says ±0.02 mm / 0.001. The bullets claim hardened stainless steel and ABS, four modes, and a thumb locking screw, with one nonstandard battery whose size is not named. At 388 g and only two reviews, the star line is too thin to treat as evidence that this is the longest or the most accurate tool in the comparison.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A buyer who has measured a real part longer than 150 mm and will confirm the live range before checkout.
Less suitable: Anyone treating 5.0 from two reviews as proof, or who needs a range that the listing states once.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the range 150 mm or 200 mm?
The title says 200 mm. The accuracy bullet prints 0–6 inch / 0–200 mm together. Six inches is not 200 mm. The listing does not resolve that pair.
What accuracy is printed?
The bullets say 0.001 inch / 0.03 mm, with resolution 0.01 mm. The specification says ±0.02 mm / 0.001. The inch side of that spec line does not name the unit fully.
How many UK reviews are on the listing?
The listing score is 5.0 from 2. Both reviews are headed United Kingdom. They mention a clear display, a smooth slide, and a useful lock. They do not describe a fault.
HARDELL’s stainless 150 mm caliper is listed at £19.99 with 4.6 from 1,291 reviews, and the bullets claim a resolution of 0.0005 inch / 0.01 mm. Accuracy is printed twice and the lines do not match: the bullets say ±0.001 inch / 0.03 mm and the specification says ±0.02 mm / 0.001 inch. It names depth, step, outside, and inside, a knurled thumb roller, a locking screw, and an OFF button that is said to cut power completely, with two LR44 cells required and included. Waterproof and stain-resistant wording appears without an IP code. A storage case is not named, and UK reviews call the LR44 cover fiddly. At 360 g it is one of the heavier beams in the set, which helps if you want stainless steel rather than a flexing carbon-fibre body. You still have to live with two accuracy lines.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A daily stainless 150 mm caliper when a full-off button and a heavy beam matter more than a case.
Less suitable: Shoppers who want one accuracy figure, a printed IP rating, or a battery cover that reviewers call easy.
Specifications
Common questions
Why are there two accuracy figures?
The bullets print ±0.001 inch / 0.03 mm. The specification prints ±0.02 mm / 0.001 inch. Resolution in the bullets is 0.0005 inch / 0.01 mm. Both accuracy lines are on the listing.
Does it have a case?
Included Components says digital caliper. The bullets list a ruler, a screwdriver, and two batteries. A storage case is not named.
How is it switched off?
A bullet says the OFF button powers it off completely so it does not draw current. The specification says 2 LR44 batteries are required and included. UK reviews call the cover fiddly.
EVRU’s carbon-fibre 150 mm caliper is listed at £6.79 with 4.6 from 351 reviews, the largest sample in the sub-£7 group. The bullets state ±0.2 mm / 0.01 inch and a resolution of 0.1 mm / 0.01 inch, while the specification line is ±0.01 inches, so the tolerance is not a single figure. UK reviews call the body flimsy and say flex changes the reading, which matches the listing’s own advice to choose stainless steel if you want a stiffer tool. It claims depth, step, external, and internal modes, a 50 mm by 20 mm display, and auto-off after two minutes, with a spare battery whose size is not in the specification. At 100 g it is a light screen for occasional DIY that can live with about 0.2 mm. It is a poor choice when the part has to be held to a hundredth of a millimetre.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Occasional DIY where a light carbon-fibre body and a stated accuracy around 0.2 mm are enough.
Less suitable: Any measurement where beam flex would matter, or where you wanted the stainless tool the bullets themselves point you towards.
Specifications
Common questions
Will this stay rigid?
The material is carbon fibre. The bullets say to choose a stainless steel caliper if you want a stiffer tool. UK reviews call this one flimsy and say flex affects the reading.
What accuracy is printed?
The bullets say ±0.2 mm / 0.01 inch, with resolution 0.1 mm / 0.01 inch. The specification line is ±0.01 inches.
How does it save the battery?
The bullets say it turns off after 2 minutes, and that you can long-press the button to switch it off. An extra battery is claimed. The cell size is not in the specification.
FortCeremy’s stainless-and-ABS caliper is listed at £17.99 with 4.6 from 67 reviews, and the title says 150 mm while the specification range says 6 inches. The specification prints ±0.03 with no unit, and resolution is not on the listing, so you cannot quote a screen step from this listing. The bullets name inside and outside measurements only, so depth and step are not established from the text. Dust and water splashes are claimed without an IP code. Included Components says Tool, while UK reviews describe a plastic case and a spare cell that the specification never names. At 280 g it sits in the stainless price band. The missing resolution and the missing depth line make it a thinner specification than the rows that print four modes and 0.01 mm.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Inside and outside checks around 150 mm when a case mentioned by reviewers matters more than a printed resolution.
Less suitable: Depth or step work, or anyone who needs a single stated accuracy in millimetres and a named cell.
Specifications
Common questions
What tolerance is printed?
The specification says ±0.03 and does not print a unit. The bullets talk about accuracy without a number. Resolution is not on the listing.
Can it measure depth?
The bullets name inside and outside measurements. Depth and step are not named, so those modes are not stated in the listing text.
Is a case listed?
Included Components says Tool. UK reviews describe a plastic carry case and a spare battery. The specification does not name the cell.
Adoric KC24 is listed at £6.99 with 4.5 from 36,738 reviews, the largest count in this comparison, and it holds best-seller rank 1 in Digital Callipers. The bullets and the specification both state ±0.2 mm, with a resolution line of 0.1 mm / 0.01 inch, and those two resolution figures are not the same length. It names inside, outside, depth, and step, an LR44 fitted plus a spare, and auto shut-off after five minutes. The material field says stainless steel, while one UK review says the body is plastic, and the bullets say the buttons are carbon fibre composite plastic. At 68 g and about 24 cm long it is the volume pick when you want a cheap screen and can accept a 0.2 mm claim. The star line does not make it a finer instrument than the £20 stainless rows.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Household and occasional DIY jobs where a widely reviewed £7 screen and a 0.2 mm claim are enough.
Less suitable: Workshop checks that need a 0.01 mm resolution claim and a beam you can treat as stainless without a dispute.
Specifications
Common questions
How accurate does Adoric say it is?
The bullets and the specification both state ±0.2 mm. The resolution line is 0.1 mm / 0.01 inch. Those two resolution figures are not the same length.
Is the body stainless steel?
The material field says stainless steel. One UK review says the body is plastic rather than steel. The bullets say the buttons are carbon fibre composite plastic.
Does it switch off?
The bullets say auto shut-off after 5 minutes, with an LR44 fitted and a spare in the box. The specification battery line says 1 LR44 required.
Kynup model 170-2 is listed at £21.99 with 4.5 from 13,556 reviews, the largest review sample among the stainless rows that state ±0.02 mm. The bullets and the specification both print ±0.02 mm / 0.001 inch, with a resolution of 0.0005 inch / 0.01 mm, and the tool switches between millimetres, inches, and fractions. It names internal, external, depth, and step, a locking screw, an IP54 splash-proof and dust-resistant housing, a case, and a screwdriver. The specification says three lithium metal batteries are included, the components list two backup batteries, and the cell size is not printed. A UK review says a low battery made the accuracy collapse, and another says the manual diagram mis-numbers the lock. At 399 g it is the heaviest caliper in this comparison. It is the top pick here for a daily 150 mm stainless tool with a stated IP54 line and a large review count, not because a laboratory certified the ±0.02 mm figure.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A daily 150 mm workshop or hobby caliper when you want stainless steel, a unit button that includes fractions, and a printed IP54 claim.
Less suitable: Coolant immersion, a traceable certificate, or anyone who needs the cell size written on the listing before they buy spares.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this Kynup show fractions?
Yes. The bullets say it switches between millimetres, inches, and fractions, and that zero works for relative measurements. Resolution is 0.01 mm and stated accuracy is ±0.02 mm.
What does IP54 mean on this listing?
The bullets say an IP54 splash-proof and dust-resistant housing. They do not say the caliper can be immersed.
How many batteries are supplied?
The specification says 3 lithium metal batteries required, included. Included Components lists 2 backup batteries, and the bullets say one is pre-installed. The cell size is not printed. A UK review says a low battery made readings much worse.
Preciva CS45002 is listed at £16.99 with 4.5 from 12,668 reviews, so you are looking at a heavily reviewed mid-price caliper rather than a two-review newcomer. The bullets print an accuracy of 0.001 inch / 0.03 mm and a resolution of 0.0005 inch / 0.01 mm, while the specification field prints 0.02 mm, so keep both accuracy lines instead of choosing the tighter one. The bullets say hardened stainless steel and ABS, a thumb-locking screw, and dust and splash resistance without an IP code, yet the material specification field only says Black. Weight is 290 g. A UK review measured the inside and outside jaws 0.06 mm apart, described a cell that drains while the tool is off, and said the tray has no polarity marks, while the specification says two LR44 batteries. It is the best value here if you want the 0.01 mm resolution class for less than the £20 rows, on the condition that the accuracy figure stays a claim with a conflict, not a certificate.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A first stainless-class 150 mm caliper when you want 0.01 mm on the screen and the lowest price in that band.
Less suitable: Buyers who need one accuracy figure, a printed IP code, or a cell that UK reviews say stays put while the tool is off.
Specifications
Common questions
Which accuracy figure is on the listing?
The bullets print 0.001 inch / 0.03 mm. The specification field prints 0.02 mm. Resolution in the bullets is 0.0005 inch / 0.01 mm.
What is the body made of?
The bullets say hardened stainless steel and ABS. The material specification field says Black. Those two lines are not the same.
Which battery does the specification name?
The specification says 2 LR44 batteries, included. One UK review calls the cell a 2032, says it drains while the tool is off, and says the tray has no polarity marks.
Kynup KY-21S is listed at £19.99 with 4.5 from 1,332 reviews, in hardened stainless steel, with the bullets and the specification both printing ±0.02 mm and a resolution of 0.01 mm. It names depth, step, external, and internal measurement, a locking screw, a case, and two extra button cells, and the bullets claim a full off button plus splash-proof wording without an IP code. This is not the IP54 Kynup; that code is on model 170-2. The specification says one LR44 is required while the components list two extra cells. One UK review says the tool broke within three months. At a listed 200 g it is lighter on the page than the 170-2. It is a sensible stainless 150 mm choice when you want a case and a consistent ±0.02 mm line and do not need a printed IP rating.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A cased stainless 150 mm caliper at £19.99 when you want one accuracy figure and can do without IP54.
Less suitable: Coolant or splash that you want covered by a printed IP code, which is the other Kynup in this comparison.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this the IP54 Kynup?
No. This model is KY-21S. The bullets say splash-proof and do not print an IP code. The IP54 wording is on the other Kynup listing, model 170-2.
What comes in the box?
Included Components lists one digital caliper, one case, and two extra button cells. The specification says 1 LR44 battery required, included.
What accuracy is stated?
Bullets and specification both print ±0.02 mm, with resolution 0.01 mm. A zero button and a full off button are in the bullets.
Ueznirn UEZ-2024 is a stainless 150 mm caliper listed at £18.34 with 4.5 from 147 reviews, and both the bullets and the specification state ±0.02 mm. It names inside, outside, depth, and step, a locking screw, a finger wheel, a CR2032, and a portable storage case, plus a screwdriver in the components list. The same bullet prints IP54 and the word waterproof. IP54 is splash and dust protection, not a licence to immerse the tool, and the listing does not print IP67. The bullets say two batteries while Included Components lists one CR2032, and resolution is not printed. One UK review put everyday accuracy nearer ±0.2 mm, which is one review rather than a certificate, and another says the case hinge failed. At 330 g it is a complete-looking stainless kit if you read IP54 as splash only.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A stainless 150 mm kit with a case and a printed IP54 line, used away from immersion and washdown.
Less suitable: Coolant or outdoor washdown, or buyers who need a printed resolution and a battery count that matches on the page.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this caliper waterproof?
The bullets say IP54 and also say waterproof against splashes and dust. IP54 is the code that is printed. The listing does not print IP67.
What is included?
Included Components lists one digital caliper, one screwdriver, one CR2032, and a portable storage case. The bullets say two batteries, one installed and one spare.
What accuracy is stated?
Both the bullets and the specification say ±0.02 mm, with a zero button and a millimetre/inch switch. Resolution is not printed. One UK review put everyday accuracy nearer ±0.2 mm. That is one review, not a certificate.
The Generic listing at £6.45 scores 4.5 from 41 reviews and prints a 150 mm range with a resolution of 0.1 mm. The title says stainless steel, while the specification and the bullets say carbon fibre composite, and a UK review describes the body as plastic. That conflict is the reason to treat the material as unsettled before you buy it for stiffness. The bullets state an accuracy of ±0.02 inch / 0.2 mm, and the specification prints ±0.2 with no unit on that line. Auto-off is two minutes, and the cell size is not named. A UK review says a light comes on too easily. At 60 g it can sit in a drawer for coarse checks if you accept that the beam is not the stainless steel the title advertises.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A coarse 150 mm check when you have already accepted a carbon-fibre or plastic body and a 0.2 mm class claim.
Less suitable: Anyone who chose it because the title says stainless steel, or who needs a beam that does not flex.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the body stainless steel?
The title says stainless. The material field says carbon fibre, and the bullets say woven carbon fibre composite. A UK review describes it as plastic.
How fine is the display?
The bullets print a resolution of 0.01 inch / 0.1 mm and an accuracy of ±0.02 inch / 0.2 mm. The specification accuracy is ±0.2 with no unit on that line.
Does the listing name the battery?
No cell size is in the specification. The bullets say the display switches off after 2 minutes. A UK review says a light comes on too easily.
PUIBERS PBDC08-EU is listed at £37.99 with 4.4 from 19 reviews, and none of those 19 reviews on the listing is headed United Kingdom. The title says stainless steel, USB-C, and IP54, while the English bullets say one battery and a water-resistant display and do not mention USB-C or IP54. The specification prints an accuracy of ±0.01 mm, which is a tighter figure than the ±0.02 mm lines elsewhere, but that figure is not repeated in the English bullets and resolution is not printed. The material field says metal. Measuring modes and a lock are not named in the English bullets. At 380 g and the highest price in this comparison, you are paying for a title that the English description does not fully support. Italian, German, and French reviews on the listing are not UK shopper comments.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Only if you have checked the live English listing and still want the ±0.01 mm specification line.
Less suitable: Buyers who need USB-C charging, IP54, or UK review text confirmed in the description rather than the title.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the English listing say it charges by USB-C?
The title includes USB-C. The English bullets say one battery is supplied and do not mention USB-C. The specification says 1 nonstandard battery, included.
Is IP54 in the description?
IP54 is in the title. The English bullets say the display is water-resistant and do not print IP54. The material field says metal, while the title says stainless steel.
Are the reviews from the UK?
The score is 4.4 from 19. None of the 19 reviews on the listing is headed United Kingdom. They are headed Italy, Germany, or France, so they are not UK shopper comments.
Acual’s plastic 150 mm caliper is listed at £5.89 on amazon.co.uk, with 4.2 from 45 reviews, and the specification states 0.2 mm accuracy at 0.1 mm resolution. The model number is Plastique, and a UK review describes a plastic head and plastic measuring parts, which fits a light tool for jewellery or household checks rather than a stiff beam. The bullets say it switches on when you slide it and off after five minutes, and a UK review names a single LR44 cell. Only five of the reviews on the listing are headed United Kingdom, and two of those five say the tool was faulty or stopped within three days. Step measurement is not named. At 70 g it is the lightest openly plastic row here, useful if you want to avoid marking a soft part, though 0.2 mm is a much looser claim than the ±0.02 mm lines on the stainless rows.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Light household or jewellery checks where a plastic jaw is less likely to mark the part and about 0.2 mm is enough.
Less suitable: Hobby machining, 3D-print fits, or any job that needs a stiff beam and a ±0.02 mm claim.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this caliper metal?
The specification says plastic, and the model number is Plastique. A UK review describes a plastic head and plastic measuring parts.
What accuracy does the listing state?
The specification prints 0.2 mm. The bullets print ±0.2 mm / ±0.01 inch, and a resolution of 0.1 mm / 0.01 inch. The bullets say it is not for industrial-grade work.
Does it switch itself on?
The bullets say it powers on when you slide it and switches off after 5 minutes. A UK review names a single LR44 cell.
Scores use the amazon.co.uk fields already stored for these twelve listings: shelf price, stars, review count, stated accuracy, resolution, material, modes, power, lock, case and ingress wording. There is no laboratory measurement and no UKAS certificate. Deductions apply where the title fights the specification, where no review is headed United Kingdom, where the range contradicts itself, and where a review reports early failure or a cell that dies while the tool is off. The top pick and best value are the awards already stored on those listings.
Amazon stars
21%Stars are the amazon.co.uk average. A 5.0 from two reviews does not outrank a large sample, and a star rating is not a calibration.
Review depth
21%Review depth follows the amazon.co.uk count on a log scale. Fewer than ten reviews is capped hard.
Accuracy and resolution
20%How complete and consistent the accuracy and resolution lines are. Two conflicting figures score below one repeated figure. A 0.1 mm and ±0.2 mm budget line scores below a consistent 0.01 mm and ±0.02 mm line.
Beam and kit
19%Material, four modes, a lock, a case and a printed IP code. Plastic or a flexing carbon-fibre body scores lower than stainless steel.
Price against class
19%Price is judged against that class. A £7 screen is not scored as if it were a 0.01 mm tool.
Choose the range, then the stated accuracy against the resolution, then the beam, then the cell. This page keeps twelve amazon.co.uk listings. The score is not a laboratory accuracy test and not a UKAS certificate. Vernier and dial calipers are other comparisons. A Mitutoyo Absolute 150 mm at £112.28 on 20 October 2026 is outside this set.
A digital caliper shows a length on a screen. The usual jobs are outside, inside, depth and step. You choose one when you do not want to read a vernier. Vernier and dial tools sit in other comparisons. This page stays with digital listings. On amazon.co.uk the busy length is 150 mm, about 6 inch. That covers most DIY, hobby machining and 3D-print checks. Buy 200 mm only if a real part is longer. MQS calls 150 mm the popular length and 0.01 mm the resolution to look for.
Resolution is the screen step. Stated accuracy is the claimed error. A 0.01 mm step with a ±0.02 mm line does not mean the part is within 0.01 mm. The figure on the listing is a claim, not a UKAS certificate.
Preciva, HARDELL and Bryze print one accuracy in the bullets and another in the specification. Keep both. Choosing 0.02 mm because it looks better than 0.03 mm invents a tolerance the page does not settle.
BS EN ISO 13385-1 separates outside error from the error on inside, depth and step. Zeroing the outside jaws does not prove the depth rod. Leaving the slider live also runs the cell down, and a low cell makes the numbers wander.
Resolution is the step the screen can show. Stated accuracy is the error the listing claims. Cutwel’s typical workshop figure is about ±0.02 mm with 0.01 mm resolution. MQS treats 150 mm and 0.01 mm as the usual workshop choice. In this comparison the sub-£7 listings, Acual, Generic, EVRU and Adoric, print about ±0.2 mm and 0.1 mm. Several of those pages also print 0.01 inch beside 0.2 mm. Those two figures are not the same tolerance. Where the bullet and the specification disagree, keep both.
A stiff beam holds the reading. Stainless steel is the £17–£22 band: Preciva, FortCeremy, Ueznirn, HARDELL and both Kynup listings. Plastic and a flexing carbon-fibre body score lower. Acual states plastic, at 70 g, for light checks that should not mark the part. Generic’s title says stainless while the specification says carbon fibre, and a UK review calls the body plastic. EVRU is carbon fibre at £6.79, and UK reviews say flex changes the size. A low cell makes numbers wander.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
Household jobs can live with a sub-£7 tool if about ±0.2 mm is enough and you are not asking the beam to be a gauge. Adoric is that screen: £6.99, 4.5 from 36,738 reviews, and ±0.2 mm in both the bullets and the specification. One UK review says the body is plastic.
Hobby engineering, bike parts, woodwork and 3D printing sit in the £17–£22 stainless band: a readable screen, a unit button and a beam that does not flex. The Kynup 170-2 is the top pick there, at £21.99, with a stated ±0.02 mm line and IP54 on the listing.
If you want 0.01 mm on the screen and the lowest price in that class, the Preciva is best value at £16.99, with 4.5 from 12,668 reviews. Keep both accuracy figures, 0.03 mm and 0.02 mm. A certificate or coolant work belongs with a metrology seller, not this set.
The top pick is the Kynup 170-2 at £21.99. amazon.co.uk shows 4.5 from 13,556 reviews. It has the highest score here: stainless steel, matching ±0.02 mm lines, a 0.01 mm resolution claim, fraction mode, a case and a printed IP54 line. That ±0.02 mm figure remains a listing claim, not a UKAS certificate. Best value is the Preciva at £16.99, with 4.5 from 12,668 reviews, for a 0.01 mm screen below the £20 listings. The bullets say 0.03 mm and the specification says 0.02 mm. Adoric has more reviews and a lower price, and it stays in the ±0.2 mm class. Bryze’s 5.0 from two reviews does not win. A star rating is not a calibration.
Preciva (150 mm)
Lowest price in the 0.01 mm class, at £16.99 with 4.5 from 12,668 reviews. The two accuracy lines still disagree.
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 first, then the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page. Shelf prices were captured on 19 October 2026. The Mitutoyo best-seller price and the scores are from 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 already stored for this set. This is not a laboratory test.
