EZCal Fractional Digital Calipers

I bought these because I wanted to try them, I have some of their other tools and I really really like them, they are for woodworking. These digital calipers are right on the money, I'm rekeying my home and couldn't find the one I normally use. I had a bunch of pins that I dumped out of the cylinders and I wanted to put them back into my pin box. The first pin I tried, these were right on the money. Thought I better compare them to another set that I have, actually 2 of them. The first one was a Mititoyo DC and it was right on the money too, so I decided to try measuring the pin with a set of Harbor Freight DC's and they too agreed with the EZCal by IGaging. This digital Caliper measures in MM, In's and Fractional Inches. I was a little disappointed in the screen but after wiping it off a couple of times the gunk (probably from the manufacturing process) came right off, we were good to go. They are very solidly constructed and everything works very smoothly. To my surprise, there is even a chart on the backside of the body that is an inch to decimal. Wow, you don't find that on the higher end calipers. These even came with a really small tipped Phillips screw driver and an extra battery with some nice instructions and it rests when not in use in a very nicely padded plastic case. If you're looking for a nicely priced set of digital calipers, give these a shot, I really don't think you will be sorry you bought them, I'm certainly not. Give these a try, I'm glad I did.

I'm used to using my Mitutoyo 505-626 analog caliper. I figured "It's not the seventies any more, analog calipers went the way of bell bottoms" & decided to "upgrade" to digital. I read a bunch of reviews and watched a bunch of demo videos. I didn't want to spend a fortune, I already have a caliper, and new Mitutoyos are like $200 for a digital one. Analog Mitutoyos are $80! So, I bit the electron & bought a digital iGaging IP54. By the looks of it, I suspect other companies make this same caliper. The good: cheap; digital display makes it easy to read (although it FEELS weird, like going from an analog speedometer to a digital one, your brain has to interpret the numbers, it can't just "feel" the measurement); looks cool; comes with a snazzy, well-padded, although all-plastic, case; pretty accurate (see below); new. The bad: not as smooth as the Mitutoyo (I never considered the Mitutoyo "smooth," but it's WAY smoother than the iGaging); the box that houses the electronics is too large (it isn't svelte like the analog, its boxy in a big-boxy way); quality of materials and craftsmanship, including case, is a notch lower. Why it comes with a spare battery I don't know. I hope it doesn't eat batteries like I do Gummi-bears or we're in for a short honeymoon. I measured a stock piece of cylindrical material used to test and calibrate measuring tools. I guess it's 1/8". Both the analog Mitutoyo and the digital iGaging measured identically: .1265. Now, I KNOW 1/8"=.125, but maybe that is operator error, or maybe the temperature of the materials, but at least both machines were the same. I also tried measuring using different parts of the iGaging caliper's jaws and the reading was identical the entire length. I'm not sure how much more you could ask for, other than the buttery smoothness of the Mitutoyo, but for what it costs, I don't think this tool can be beat.

I bought mine in November of 2016, and they're still working as of September of 2024. They see use almost every day, and I've almost never had any issue with them. I hope they will serve me well into the future. This brand has my recognition as being high-end and worth every penny, for such a well-made and well-calibrated device. Before I bought these, I always said "ahh, a tape measure is good enough", but no.. These types of tools change your perception, and your life. This device is quick to power on, has good physical buttons, is very accurate and fast to obtain the measurement, and then very easy to read! If I had to pick one thing to nit-pick about, it would be the battery tray. Sometimes the battery tray gets hung up on the metal contact surfaces attached to the PCB of the display, for the negative battery connection, and I have to fight with it (gently!) to release. The tab for the negative side of the battery is very thin and fragile, and pushes up from the middle of the unit to make contact with the bottom of the battery. It comes in a very nice case, with an instructional manual, the calipers, and an IP-54 seal for splash protection against liquids and dust. Even the hinges for the case have lasted longer than I ever thought they would, being that they're a plastic. The case is friction-fit to hold closed firmly, and requires a decent amount of effort to open, using both hands, on a barely-textured smooth case surface. I am a procurer, restorer, and reseller. Sometimes when I'm making 3D replacement parts, or I'm selling something to someone (like washers or bolts) the measurements need to be exact. Just a fraction of an inch off on the head of a bolt or the thickness of a washer in a set of 4 can throw off an entire project. This tool is essential to my daily life.

These iGaging IP54 calipers have many good points. I've only used them for one day, so I cannot judge long term durability, or whether they are " battery eaters" . These IP54 calipers seem to be accurate, and repeatable. I've compared them to my venerable Mitutoyo 6 inch dial calipers, which I've used for 35 years. The very large LCD numbers on the IP54 calipers are much easier for these aging eyes to read than the dial on my Mitutoyos. I can reliably read to one thou. with the IP54 , while that's a challenge with the dial calipers. The need to read in fractions of an inch is questionable, since 3/4 inch lumber reads as 97/128 . ( Ummm...where's my calculator?) And the IP54 reads in mm too, which my dial calipers do not. One shortcoming of the iGaging IP54 does bother me, however. The calipers have poor balance, and don't feel right in my hand. They are very top heavy, toward the jaw end , and, the thumbwheel is way too far down toward the 6 inch end . My Mitutoyo calipers feel so much better in my hand. There's plenty of room to achieve good balance if they shorten that huge black block that contains the readout, but the designers of the IP54 apparently do not appreciate the balance feature found in high quality tools. In addition, when I hold the IP54 calipers, there are six sharp edges that dig into my hand, plus several sharp points. I feel like I should be wearing gloves to hold this tool. The Mitutoyo has no such sharp edges , even where my fingers have never touched it over the years. This again shows a lack of concern for ergonomics in the design of the IP54. But, I do like the easy readability of the large numbers, and my dial calipers are starting to make some small errors due to wear , so I'll probably start using these iGaging calipers as my first choice . Despite what I consider as flaws, these calipers deliver a lot of precision for the money. EDIT- These calipers were so uncomfortable to hold that I spent 2 hours removing the sharp edges, and sharp corners, from the calipers. I used 220 grit wet or dry sandpaper, and a small sanding block. I did not remove the lower jaw assembly, but I always held the calipers so that sanding grit would fall away from the head end. I found that this job can indeed be done without damaging the calipers, but extreme caution and patience are required. Only enough material was removed to eliminate the " knife-edge" feel of those parts on my hand. No sanding should be done on any of the 4 flat main body surfaces, as those surfaces keep the sliding jaw aligned and tight. However, the sharp outside edges perform no function , which is almost always true of moving parts. The inside edges of the groove on the back can be sanded , since the groove performs no function , other than to contain the depth measuring rod. I used no liquids, as per the caliper instructions, but I did wipe the calipers clean frequently with paper towels. I found that sanding the edges where the thumbwheel contacts the body had no effect on the operation of the thumbwheel. Only the edges where my hand holds the calipers needed to be sanded. Now, after sanding the sharp edges, my IP54 calipers are comfortable to hold and use, and even the balance problem is not as bothersome . There was no effect on the operation or accuracy of the caliper , as I compared before and after measurements on the same items. Failure to soften sharp edges is often found on low priced tools , but seldom on premium tools.

I can find no flaws with these calipers. While I don't have any expensive equipment to compare these against, they always return accurately, slide smoothly, and are generally not a pain in the butt to use. They can be carried in a pocket, so long as you don't find the bulky top section sticking out to be a bother, and there is a handy-dandy conversion table on the back of the reader, which you probably won't need since you can change from millimeters, to decimal inches, to fractional inches with the push of a button. So its probably more useful for rounding as the readout for the fractional inch measures up to 64ths which is probably an unwieldy and unfamiliar for most people to work with. If there were one additional button that allowed you to change from what degree of rounding you wanted these would be golden! Then using them would require absolutely no brain-work at all and they would be entirely worthy of their EZ Cal designation, as opposed to them being simply an accurate, affordable and unfussy tool. But I suppose it's EZ Cal and not Brain-Dead Cal. That would probably be more complicated and thus more costly to make, not to mention that the additional button would make it bulkier and maybe defeat the purpose of this design. Coming back from discursiveness, the actual scale is painted on a metal inlay away a certain distance away from the edge which helps protect it from rubbing off, but of course it's still not laser engraved into the bar. But then I ask for too much. I think I've rambled well enough, needing to mention only that it comes in a nice, protective case with instructions and that it doesn't come with batteries, which are of the small, round 3v variety. Having paid about 30 USD for them, and having them not be effectively useless like another pair I bought at Home Depot, I am entirely pleased with them and will be purchasing more iGagaging products in the future for their excellent quality over price.

As a machinist or engineering student, you are most likely in the market for a new set of calipers. If you are looking for a good price but still care about quality, this is your best option. The iGaging EZcal caught my eye because of its price and previous reviews. I am a mechanical engineering student that has done a fair amount of machining and quality engineering work. I have also conducted countless gage reproducibility tests with many types of calipers. I will be focusing on criteria that you will look at when buying a set of calipers. This will include: • Durability • Measurement Consistency • Display Quality • Extra Features Durability When buying calipers, you will want to make sure they will be durable enough to maintain shape over time. These calipers show you that it is possible to achieve this at a low price point. The product is very well constructed. The jaws, or the pieces that are positioned around the object being measured, are firm and do not deflect. The sliding arm, which contains the display and is connected to one of the jaws, is smooth does not feel cheap. The main arm, or the rail that the sliding arm rests on, is solid and does not flex. Measurement Consistency Keeping consistency in the measurements that you are taking is very important. You know that correct measurements lead to a perfect part, so you want to be as close as possible. After conducting an industry standard gage reproducibility test, I can verify that you will be using a consistent tool. Display Quality The digital display on these calipers reassures you that the calipers are taking the correct measurements. It has a much larger display than most other products. It also shows three decimal places and has an option to display fractions. Extra Features iGaging took everything into account when putting this product together. The case is rigid and contains a foam insert in the shape of the calipers. This will ensure that your calipers will stay protected during transport. The sliding arm also has decimal and fraction equivalents in case you need a quick reference. iGaging even sends you two batteries in the package. Conclusion Overall, this is a very impressive product for the price. I would recommend this to any student that does not want to spend a pretty penny on a set of calipers. I am confident you will not come across a better set for this price. It makes consistent measurements and is accurate, which is all that you can ask for in a tool like this.

Ok, I know that on the lower-end, some of these calipers really can't hold zero or aren't repeatable, but if you hunt around, you can find really good models, like the 6" Neiko one I originally had... and lost... which led me here to this one. I knew the Neiko wasn't 'lost' as in 'gone' but 'lost' as in 'it's somewhere in my da*n (that's 'darn' for the censors!) house.' That's why rather than ordering a second 6" Neiko, I figured since I'd find that eventually, I'd try something new, with a larger screen. If it stunk, I'd eventually find my other unit (which I did moments after placing this order BTW!) and if it was good, I'd have a spare! Simply put, this iGaging unit exceeded my expectations! ..by far! The accuracy and repeatability on this thing stay within 3/100 of a mm (usually 1 and a lot of times 0 even on repeated reads sliding back the entire length of the unit without re-zeroing!) and the screen is gorgeously big! With the triple-unit-display... mm/in/fractional in just like the Neiko (and why I tried this one... once you use fractions, you never will buy a unit without them!) but much larger, I could read it from much farther away or at greater angles without having to move the unit making for more accurate measurements because of less movement. Also, the action on the slider is buttery smooth with enough resistance that it won't move unless you want it to, but will effortlessly when you do. The edge- and depth-gauges are dead-flush. If you place this thing vertical on its head, the jaws are perfectly together and aligned and the unit is at zero with no play whatsoever, which is a lot more than I can say about other units. A nice-sized thumbwheel rounds out the design. You really will feel like this is a hundred-dollar unit (if not more) and wonder how the heck they are making them this cheap. Sure, they may not be rated for oil and grease like those units are, but that aside, this is right up there with them in every other way (except one, below!) So basically, the unit I bought to be a fall-back until I found my Neiko, actually replaced my Neiko, which now feels less in comparison. If there was one complaint that I had--and the word 'complaint' is much stronger than how I actually feel--it would be the case. While it is sturdy, and I like the translucent gray design, iGaging likes to mold their cases so there's no actual 'bottom' to them. Just the shell of the mold. And there aren't real hinges on them, rather just thin plastic that will eventually wear out (and has on another iGaging Digital Indicator that I bought). The other thing is there's no padding in the case either. While it's formed to fit the device, there's still enough play that it rattles around in there. Granted, that's an easy fix with some adhesive-backed felt from a craft shop, but still, it's a shame that it's not there considering Neiko has their simple 'hollow shell' case with an actual hinge, and a form-fitted foam insert inside to protect the unit better than this one does, especially since again, you're really going to feel like this thing is a high-quality, precision device and you're going to *want* to protect it more for that very reason. Still, the unit itself is just so freaking good that even with that case issue, it has no bearing on this still being a five-star review. I've got my eye on iGaging and will definitely be considering them over others. (BTW, their $30 Electronic Dial Indicator here on Amazon has the exact same quality... the unit is excellent... the case, not so much.)

Nice caliper. Easy to use and read. It does go through batteries really fast but it’s way better quality than the one I had before.