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Best try square: five UK options compared

Updated: October 2026

You are lining up a cut across a shelf or flooring board, and the tool in your hand needs to give you a dependable 90° line rather than merely look square. The best try square for that job is not automatically the one with the highest star rating: blade length, joint security, scale layout and the evidence behind each listing all matter. The [try square comparison](/hub/measuring-and-marking-tools/try-square) covers the five amazon.co.uk products and their listing details. Here the aim is narrower: match each square to a user, say who should skip it, and show why every new square still deserves a flip test.

You are lining up a cut across a shelf or flooring board, and the tool in your hand needs to give you a dependable 90° line rather than merely look square.

Our top picks

WORKPRO WORKPRO 200 mm try square

Best overall

WORKPRO WORKPRO 200 mm try square
9.2/10about £11.99
View offer
S & S PRODUCTS S & S 150 mm try square

Preis-Tipp

S & S PRODUCTS S & S 150 mm try square
8.2/10about £4.49
View offer
Prexiso PREXISO 250 mm try square

Alternative

Prexiso PREXISO 250 mm try square
8.7/10about £16.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Who each try square is for
  2. 2.Where the review file is not this size
  3. 3.Thin evidence, sharp edges and listing conflicts
  4. 4.When you should buy a different tool
  5. 5.Which listing to take to the bench

Who each try square is for

The £4.49 S & S 150 mm square suits trim and small pieces if the punch joint is firm and a flip test passes. Reviews mention looseness, factory glue and lines that moved after a flip. It will not cross a wide flooring plank. At £7.98 the Gunpla claims 300 mm at 140 g. One review describes centimetres on one edge and inches on the other, the dimensions field says 30 × 15 mm, and a rivet came off for one owner. The £11.99 WORKPRO is the strongest general-purpose match: 200 mm, a 2 mm stainless blade, and metric and imperial scales on both sides, with 4.7 from 652 reviews. Stars do not measure the angle, and reviewers warn of a razor edge. The £16.99 PREXISO is for the 45° face, vial, 5 mm notches and screw-in scriber. Only 15 reviews sit behind 4.5 stars, and a knife may cut the aluminium edge. The Presch states 300 mm with 45°, a vial and a pin, at 490 g and £24.99. Its graduation field says 18 cm, and the review file mixes sizes.

Where the review file is not this size

A large review count can make a product look safer than it is. The Presch headline is 4.5 stars from 1,266 reviews, but the same file refers to 200 mm and 400 mm squares as well as sets. Some owners say a flip test passed. Others returned a sample that was out of square. That is not one controlled test of the 300 mm listing. The country-of-origin field says China, so talk of German design is not a made-in-Germany claim. When the angle matters, use how to check a try square instead of treating popularity as a measurement.
WORKPRO WORKPRO 200 mm try square

Testsieger

WORKPRO WORKPRO 200 mm try square
9.2/10about £11.99
View offer

Thin evidence, sharp edges and listing conflicts

PREXISO has the broadest marking aids here, and only 15 reviews support its rating. A small file means one experience carries more weight. The attribute says aluminium, while one reviewer describes a steel blade with an aluminium stock, and another says a utility knife can cut the straight edge. WORKPRO's listing says the edge is passivated, while UK reviewers describe a razor edge and one cut finger. Inspect the arris without running a finger along it. A joint repaired with glue, as one S & S owner did, is not reassuring. The try square buying guide puts length, scale and joint ahead of extras.

When you should buy a different tool

Choose outside this set if you need a certified workshop reference. None of these listings states BS 939, and the word engineer in a title does not create a grade. A graded engineer's square is an all-metal precision purchase. It is not interchangeable with a low-cost fixed square that includes a vial. Buy a different mechanism if the job needs a repeatable depth or offset. A fixed try square marks and checks 90°. A combination square has a head that slides and locks along its rule. That distinction is in try square vs combination square.

Which listing to take to the bench

For ordinary DIY, the conditional top pick is the WORKPRO, for its useful size, both-side scales and stronger review base. Choose the PREXISO when you will actually use the scriber, notches and 45° face. Keep the S & S for short marks only after the joint is firm and a flip test passes. Leave the set if you need a graded reference or a sliding depth gauge.

Common questions

Which try square is best for a wide board?
Gunpla and Presch both state a 300 mm format, so either can cross a wider face than a 150 mm S & S in one pass. Gunpla is lighter and cheaper. Presch adds a 45° reference and a marking pin. Both have conflicting listing fields, so confirm the supplied dimensions and run a flip test before you start the project.
Is the cheapest try square the one to avoid?
Not necessarily. The S & S can be useful for short marks if its joint is firm and it passes a flip test. Its limits are the 150 mm reach and reviews that mention looseness or glue. Paying more buys different materials or extras. It does not remove the need to check 90°.
Does WORKPRO's rating make it the most accurate?
No. The 4.7-star line from 652 reviews is evidence of general owner satisfaction, not a calibration result. The listing does not claim BS 939, and no star average shows the angular error of your sample. Check the edge finish and perform a flip test before use.
Who should choose the PREXISO?
PREXISO suits you if you want a 250 mm square with a 45° face, vial, scriber, marking notches and a support. Those features can reduce tool changes during marking. Skip it if you intend to run a knife against the edge or you want a product supported by hundreds of reviews.
Can the Presch review count be treated as 300 mm evidence?
No. Its review file includes references to 200 mm, 400 mm and sets, while the listing itself conflicts between a 300 mm title and an 18 cm graduation. The large count gives context for the wider range. It should not be presented as 1,266 reviews of one exact size.

Related pages

How to use a try square

Try square

Try square buying guide: choose the right size and scale

How to check a try square using a simple flip test

Try square vs combination square: which should you buy?

Sources

Public UK sources for this comparison. Prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures in the listing files, not a live reload.

  1. BSI, BS 3322:1981 — carpenters' squares and bevels (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  2. BSI, BS 939:2007 — engineers' squares (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  3. Wonkee Donkee Tools — engineer's square accuracy (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  4. Wonkee Donkee Tools — how to use a try and mitre square (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  5. Wood Workers Workshop — flip test (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  6. Axminster — measuring and marking (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  7. Axminster — types of woodworking square (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  8. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 22 (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  9. Faithfull — carpenters' try squares (retrieved 16 October 2026)