iGAGING Absolute Origin 0-6" Digital Caliper, IP54 Stainless Steel, SPC/USB Output Port, Inch & Metric Modes, Case, Manual

What a search it has been, phew! I finally found a DIGITAL set of calipers at a reasonable price. The number of FAKE Mitutoyo calipers flooding Amazon and Ebay and FB Marketplace is dizzying and alarming. I found genuine Mitutoyos for $107 + shipping $15 but these were much less. So, why buy M when my need to measure is not scientific? I use these for DIY, jewelry, and fixing watches, sewing machines when I have to measure replacement parts. I love that I can switch from mm to decimal inches to fraction inches easily.Zero out at origin. There is also a stand you can set this upright, to lower the depth gauge and measure below the base. Very cool feature - check the sliding rod at the back. That is for depth gauge measuring. Comes in a nice box with new battery. Very very happy with this. My Nerdy neighbor has one too, and he recommended it. Buy with confidence.

I purchased this caliper and the compatible USB interface at the same time (see "iGaging SPC USB Cable for OriginCal 100-700 Series" for my very positive comments). The caliper itself arrives in a sturdy reusable storage device, with a battery installed & a spare battery in the case. The fit & finish of the caliper is above average, with no loose or poorly-fitted parts.Test measurements were accurate & exactly repeatable. If you've used this type of instrument before, you know that it's best when they don't do anything unique or creative. This caliper operates smoothly, the buttons all feel exactly alike, the display is clear & uniform. The model I purchased also included a base attachment that allows stable depth measurements.The instructions were easy to understand and completely explain the various features (purists may complain about the quality of the translation). A NIST-traceable calibration test certificate was also included, unusual for this price range.Besides the obvious quality, a key reason I selected this product is because all the reviews I've read state that the "average battery life" estimates are not hype. The problem with many similar products is that even when turned "off", they simply blank the display but are still consuming power, and may kill those tiny, expensive button cells in a week. The OriginCal series uses the much more common CR2032 coin cells, and other reviewers have reported shelf life of a year or more (the instructions list 2 years with typical usage). Of course actual battery life will depend most on how much you actually use the caliper.I did a ton of pre-purchase research because I was convinced I'd need to spend USD300-500 to get what I wanted. I even contacted the manufacturer by phone & they quickly transferred me to a person who could answer technical questions. So far, this product is everything I was hoping for & more.

Used my high dollar 1", 2" and 3" micrometer standards to check accuracy... all measurements were spot on. Very nice quality tool for everyday use around the garage for a very reasonable price!

I may end up returning these for a replacement as the one I got had dirt and grit on the slides and there are noticeable binds when sliding the jaw. My other Igaging calipers are smooth as silk, almost as good as my Mitituyos for reliability.For repeatability, these are great and always go back to .0000 and to the same dimension when using high quality standards.For accuracy, they read .9990" with my 1.00000". Standard +- 5 millionths. Thats... not really terrible, but my cheaper igaging calipers read 1.000 (.9996" -.1004"). That being said, It could be reading something like .9986" and rounding up to .9990 or .9994 and rounding down since the resolution is .0005.I understand if I want to measure sub thousandths, calipers aren't the way to go but the full one thou discrepancy means that these barely passed the certification test of their 2 thou tolerance, +- .001".I'm a bit shocked that what looked like grit was still in the slide and around the jaws. Cleaning wipes helped a bit but the binding is still a problem (yes the screw is not tightened) and while I've taken apart many many calipers before to clean and fix then, I won't be doing so with a new pair.I will update when I receive a new pair. So hopefully they will have better qc.