Side by Side Comparison of: Stanley vs QuickDraw

As a Master Carpenter I only use Stanley tapes. They never fail to extend or fail to return. I can ‘throw’ eight/ten of tape out with a flick of my wrist on a roof or laying out a floor plan. WHIP it and it return automatically. I prefer the 30’ tape as it saves lots of walking. A good heavy duty construction tape.AND I MUST ADD AMAZON is the best for online purchases. Their web site is the ultimate choice for my purchases.RETURNS AND REFUNDS appears as important to Amazon as selling products.

This isn't the first Stanley tape I've ever purchased, but I'm only replacing my old one because the other rolled a little too far down a muddy hill for me to go to the trouble. If you're reading this because you're on the fence about what tape to buy then look no further. Yes, some styles are cooler, some tapes are wider, etc. If you just need a long lasting, quality tape for your tool box (which everyone should have) then this is the way to go.

I am a plumber by trade and a tape measure is one of the most important tools in my tool box if not the most important. I like the newer version of the Stanley powerlock because of its size and unique shape which makes it a more comfortable tape to use on a daily basis. Stanley has great customer service along with Amazon having the best customer service in the game makes this purchase a no brainer. This is the 25 ft version which is the one I prefer. It has a free stand of exactly 8'3" I don't care what the description says if it does that is what u get. If u haven't purchased one of the new version of the power lock I think u will be pleasantly suprised. Great tool and a must have for any professional.

This tape has been on my tool pouch for almost 2 years now and it's still going strong. I have dropped it from the tops of ladders and off of rooftops and while it's pretty beat up looking there are no cracks in the casing and it still extends and retracts as smoothly as the day I bought it.The brake still slides effortlessly and locks completely.Numbers and dashes are easy to read.The belt clip on the back is very solid. I also have a Klein 25' tape that I loved initially but the clip broke off after only a month or so!It will extend free air to about 8' or so without "breaking" ...more rigid than other 25' tapes I've owned.I'm sure I'll have this on my toolbelt for many more years to come.

Very happy with this tape measure. I pulled my last one out too far and it wouldn't retract. I get ideas and need to measure if they will work before I start lugging furniture around the house and putting in a new rug and then it's too big/small for where I'd pictured it. This is perfect for a girl that needs to move things around and clean behind everything and get in new things without adding needless duress bc it didn't fit or something! Every girl needs a good tape! I am an inside girl not a construction worker :)

The are hands down the best tapes out there, as a professional finish carpenter I use the everyday, they will last a long time. the size is "just right" to hold comfortably in your hand, I had new one malfunction and called Stanley about it, It was no problem they sent me another just like that no issue at all, I recommend this tape for all round work, sure it does not "stand out 8' as they say" but I have never found that to be a problem.###EDIT### After using the new Stanley tapes I bought I have to recant some of the good things I had to say about the tapes. I bought 3 of them, 2 of them have split 1/4 inch strips along the sides and then turn into razor blades! I had one break and cut my thumb. Not happy with the thinner blade material. I found one of the older tapes that look just like these and the tape was much thicker. Just like everything else you get less for the same money. I will be looking for a replacement to the "former great Stanley tapes". Shame because Stanley meant quality in my book.

During the recent flooding here, this thing was extremely important to have. We had a LOT of drywall to remove. When a piece of drywall wasn't installed at 4 feet (meaning then we had to measure and cut), being able to measure and mark with one hand (not putting down the tools in my other hand) made things so much easier Weeks of this work, this little tool was invaluable. I can not express enough how important being able to mark straight from the tape was. Invaluable.

I love this tape measure! It makes measuring & cutting so much faster! I just finished using it to build shelves in my son's closet. Really sped up the project.Wish the leads weren't so expensive. I already broke one cause I put it in the wrong spot. (Didn't read instructions for loading) The tape measure itself could be stronger, mine wrinkled the second time I used it. Be careful with the tape measure.This product is awesome! I feel like it saves me a lot of time. And helps mark the measurements more precise. Planning to get one for my dad for Father's Day.

I was amazed at the quick response in filling this order. It was placed Saturday afternoon and Monday morning by 9 it was at my door. Arrived and performs as expected by product description. Great job filling the order

This measuring tape has made my life so much easier. I'm not a very handy person at all but I have been able to navigate using this and actually was able to get things done. I've hung pictures which in the past I have always dreaded. I also appreciate that it can automatically mark by itself as well. This is an awesome little tool to ha e.I was given this item at a reduced price in exchange for an honest estate and fair review.

I bought this on a whim and boy am I glad I did. I really like being able to mark what I am cutting without having to search for the pencil I just put down. This is an ingenious idea. As for people saying that the tape measure is too bulky, to each his own. I use stanley tape measures (mostly FatMax ones) and the size really doesn't bother me. Some people have stated that they couldn't figure out how to refill the tape measure with lead, all I can say is read the directions or find a demonstration video on YouTube. I really like this tape measure and wish I had it years ago.

I was pleasantly surprised it came out of the packaging ready to mark! Loading the lead is easy (I just had to take the lead out and rechamber it!) and it works like a champ. I'm between projects right now, so I ended up marking some scrap wood at various lengths just to try it out. I bought two of these (one for the wife and her painting projects). Now you can measure and mark with one hand and that pencil behind your ear can be for looks only...

Good tape. If I were buying another one, I would try to find one with metric scale too.

Bought this for simple use around the house. Not a contractor or carpenter by any means, just needed something to measure things for hanging pictures and shelves and space planning, nothing extensive.The tape is indeed the 25' advertised, however, despite appearances, it is not metal of any kind. The measure housing itself is chromed plastic. It does seem pretty heavy duty though, so I wouldn't worry about that.Everything works just fine, but the reason that I docked a star was for the fact that the tape lock doesn't seem to work very well and never seems to go down all the way so the tape never gets firmly locked in place on my particular tape measure. Overall, for at least the basic household uses I need this for, it works fine, just with it would lock correctly.

Pros: its a standard tape measure, you know what it does. Nice and sturdy tape that extends out a good ways before it bends, retracts nice and fastCons: the opening on the clip is a little large and as such seems to get caught on your pocket you got it clipped on. Being a glazier i carry a side tool pouch and the clip constantly gets caught on the tape measure holder strap so ill be using another tape measure.

This is a positive recommendation for any other fellow clumsy home remodelers that too often drop their tapes while working overhead or on ladders dreading the bounce off the floor of the more frequently plastic case tapes that result in a cracked case or damaged internal tape mechanism that causes problems with future extraction and release back into the case. This thing is close to indestructible and one other added benefit given its bright stainless metal case it is very easy to spot in the jumbled tool bucket or in a pile of tools when you need to find it right away. Small things really but on top of being well built and reliable given the many tapes I own I find myself using this one most frequently.

As others have noted, the eight foot stand-out seems to be an exaggerated claim for advertising purposes - six feet at most on the one I got, fresh out of the box. Anything longer and it folds over. I expect this will be quite sufficient for what I will be using it for. Seems very robust, and the retraction mechanism is quieter than usual. I'll update this review if it breaks on me - I've broken lots of tape measures before.

Very comfortable and ergonomic tape measure/

The build could look a little sturdier, the back of the case looks a little cheap. It takes a little getting used to, and I've found you need to be specific and only roll the marking wheel in one consistent direction or you well come up "blank". Also, the locking mechanism is a little stiff.That being said, this tape is such a time saver, especially for me because I don't always have my pencil out, I sporadically go from marking, to other types of work, and I don't keep the pencil in my ear... This is an instant, almost absolutely consistent mark, which is a huge difference from the "crows foot" and the sometimes sharp/dull pencil. You can mark long marks along a sheet or rip on a wide board, you can lock the thing at a given measurement and mark down from ceiling or up from floor slightly out of normal reach without having to have a straight-on view of the measurement. It's really amazing. I love it and will deal with the sought learning curve, I hope they keep making these for a long time because I will be keeping this in my cargo pocket for everyday use, FOREVER

So far so good. Have not had the opportunity to work with the tape on many projects yet. The device seems to be well built, the Tru-View Indicator is a plus. I was surprised the QuickDraw came in a box unpackaged inside, although no damage was evident upon opening. I can see many uses for the tape, as I am always looking for a pencil to mark pieces of wood in the shop.

I bought this for my Dad for Christmas. When cutting a long piece of wood I always make 3 marks so when I put down my guide, if one mark is off then I know I've measured wrong and need to do it again. With this tape measure I'm able to lock it down at a certain length and make a mark on each each end of my cut, skipping the center one, and I'm confident I've marked it correctly. I just built a cabinet and saved at least 3 minutes and 8 swear words by using this tape; I also felt cooler. No more "measure once, swear twice" for me.I haven't figured out how to draw a long line with it yet - one end ends up binding on the wood and then my line looks more like an abstract painting then I would like. If I could figure that out then it would get 5 stars.

Bought 3 for Christmas gifts and DH got an early gift since he was working on a wood project. He said it was well-made, good quality, easy to read numbers, and will work well for flat measuring and cutting. Pencil lead easy to load and will be easy to replace/refill. Love not having to pull the pencil out of apron/pocket to mark. The reason for 4 stars, we like to use over an extended time and see how it holds up. Will check back in six months. Easy transaction, fast delivery. Two more will be gifted at Christmas, so will also review in six months.

A very clever idea. It will make a mark but you have to do it exactly right. The idea is a knurled wheel on the bottom actually makes the mark. Number 4, .09 mm lead is spring loaded and presses against the top of the knurled wheel. So you have to 'load' the wheel after changing lead. If a lead breaks because you dropped the tape it won't work until one of the pieces is removed. All of this aside, the idea is too good and I will be working to developed the methods to make this work 100%.The tape measure is heavy which I hope means it will stand up to everyday use. The blade is well marked and easily readable. The red metal strip that you use to set the measurement looks like a point of failure but only time will tell.I will try to remember to edit this in a few months once I get some history with using it.

This self marking tape is very good and I found myself looking for it over my trusty "had forever" tapes on a couple of test projects. I have a trim carpenter, aerospace structures, rocket science type of background. This self marking tape works best on flat surfaces or slightly curved surfaces and made short work of a build from scratch door, flower boxes and overhead beam repair. It took a little getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, it's awesome. I tested it on various wood, plastic, metal and masonry surfaces: it excels on wood and was acceptable on the other surfaces. . I still needed the trusty pencil and straight edge for long scribe lines and tricky surfaces but the tape is definitely a time saver. Marking on small diameter pipe or elaborate uneven trim surfaces might just need some more practice. Once I located the refills (I'm a messy worker), it took a whole 10sec to get loaded and back to work. It's a worthy product and mine was well made. I'd buy a couple more, but they're sold out ;-(..

Initially retracted well and then after a month the mechanism isn't working like it should. Still measures like it should so I can't be that mad.

Standard Stanely tape measure. The catch on the end is smooth so sometimes it tends to slip off easier than aome of the other tapes I've used.

Tape does not retract well at all.

Worked alright for a while. Let it retract too quickly one time and the the end of the tape twisted and creased, but that was my own fault. However it does say something about the durability of this product. Definitely wouldn't buy this tape again. Do yourself a favor and spend the extra money for a fat max.

I'm still looking for the Power Lock tape measure with a stiff tape like they used to make. I thought the rounded design may signify the return of the stiff tape......but alas, no.

It works good for little jobs. Its not that strong so it doesnt extend out too far before the tape becomes flimsy.

I thought the graphite marker is a nice feature, but after the first reservoir was used up, I was never able to refill it.The replacement would never slide into place to touch the marking wheel.Another annoyance was that the tape tip got lose around the bolts after only a few weeks, and all measurements were off by 1/8 inch.After 10 months of use during house renovation, it finally broke - the metal tape broke from too much stress.So in total I think this measurement tape is ok for occasional DIY projects, but for heavy use I would buy a more solid brand.

The tape measure is fine, but the marking lead is hard to get to work. The first piece I put in the slot fell out right away, the instructions for use were not real good. So far I haven't been able to make a single mark on anything I've cut. Most likely I am not using the tape correctly, but I gave up on the self marking feature

Received mine as a gift, maybe a matter of technique to get it to mark correctly , my 1st attempt at working it less than stellar results (maybe I wasn't holding my tongue rite :) ), I watched the video and will try again , and we will see, I don't know if after using mine I would run out and say "hey you gotta check this out" a quality tape and standard carpenters pencil which I'm gonna have handy anyway you would be just as well served with this self marking tape.

I had the tape measure 15 minutes and stretched it out on a roof to lay metal slats and the tape hung up and bent right at the 2 top 3 inch mark. It works as described with the graphite marker but the tape is really flimsy and I'm not used to my go to tape measure being flimsy right out the box. I hope the either widen the tape or thicken up. it makes that kinked noise every time i pull it in and it rewinds. The graphite is a great help though. but if the tape is questionable it will stay at home.

The concept and advertisements are in the right place, meaning it's a good idea. But, the design falls short when it comes to the lead track. I have tried to load the lead and it appears to crack and jam. The groove/track is not very constraining allowing the lead to tilt and eventually brake as the pressure of the advancer is pushed on it. It has worked since unpacking. I notified the manufacture and they contacted me once. I emailed them back with my number and have not head anything back. Product support is lacking as well. Did I get a dud? Possibly, but after posting questions, this seems to be a common issue. The actual tape measure appears to be of good quality, but that's not why i bought this one.

The basic idea is neat and the tape measure is sturdy but a little bulky. The alignment crosshair takes some getting used to but it's OK. The onboard marker doesn't leave as dark or solid a line as I would like, but still - OK. What I absolutely hated was the amazing struggle to free the tape measure from its security package. That was absolutely ridicules! I refuse to fully recommend a product you have to break into to use!

bought 2, one came with faded numbers.Was reading the review before purchasing and notice this came up time to time.

Works fine, but the one we got appeared to be used. Covered in dust, some weird brown marks on the housing. Scuffs marks and scratches. Product is fine, but they probably should not have shipped this one as a new item.

The powerlock doesn't work well, and there is 1/16" at least of slop on the front clip that makes measurements innacurate

If stretched to long lengths it simply folds over, and the stopper that is supposed to keep the tape in place (once the actual tape has been extended) doesn't work well. I was tempted to return this but I couldn't be bothered so I'm simply using it despite this annoyances.

Good tape measure except for the blade lock. The action on the blade lock is very stiff, and the material/shape of the button exacerbates the problem. Would not buy again.

I bought two of these to replace the crappy tape measures that I had. I assumed that it would be of good quality. One of them already won't stay locked after the first time I used it. Won't be buying this again!

I gave it 2 stars because it works great as a tape measure but the graphite marking feature does not work out the box. Easy to follow instructions, but just does not work as advertised. Do not believe the hype Not worth the money. Good old fashioned sharp pencil and tape measure work just as well and are much more reliable.

Bought two of these. Good idea, but there are some issues: 1. Black color makes them hard to find in the shop; 2. unlike Stanley and Luft tapes, there is no standard, easy-to-add measurement of the tape case so-as to add for inside (between two surfaces) measuring. Stanley case is three inches; 3. one tape's spring broke pass warranty date, but had very little usage . . . e-mailed company--no response. Would not buy again.

Bought this for my husband, he says it's difficult to actually use. I went to use it the other day after he has had it for a year or so and I have to agree. The part where the lead goes gets filled with debris easily, and marking things as you measure is just as clumsy as doing it the old fashioned way.

I expected more from this tape measure/marker. One needs to lock the tape fully before using the marking function, if it is not fully locked, the mark will be off. If somehow it locked automatically when set, that would be great. It is kind of a pain to use. I'll leave it at the bottom of the tool bucket.

This tape measure only reads in Imperial (feet & inches). As I'm in Australia and haven't used this system in around 48 years, it is almost useless. When around 90% of the planet use the metric system, I'm astounded that this implement doesn't use it, even if it had both systems on the tape, like the majority of tape measures do.

I was extremely excited to get this measuring tape, Unfortunately, the metal clip actually broke off as I was opening the packaging. The tape measure and its ability to mark its great...just no clip.

Just went to use them and not all the measurements marks are on the tape. Just noticed it and can't return them because it's too far out

When I tried to mark something at the 10" mark, I noticed that the tape measure is not properly marked. There should be a long line running right between the 1 and the 0. All the other numbers seem to be properly marked. See photo.

Poor quality. It twists and is hard to extend for a long distance. The numbers are too small and difficult to read. The PowerLock does not work at all!!! Very disappointed. Stanley used to make better quality....that is why I purchased this brand.

Stanley quality is no longer what it once was. It will not lock and hold your inside measurement.

"PowerLock" should be called "PoorLock." Stopped working after 5 or 6 uses; nearly cut my finger due to the locking mechanism failing on me during a project.

Terrible recoil and the tape it self broke after 1 week of light use. I bought 3 so we'll see how the rest hold up...

This tape measure was great until I used it outdoors. I has fallen apart and has chipped along the edges of the measure. I would NOT recommend this item. Poor materials and construction. Not to mention the fact that when I called the company direct to inquire about replacement, I was told that they do not warranty their products after one year. I was very disappointed in this product.

great concept but i couldn't get the marker to mark no matter what i did to try and load the lead.

With my experience so far, I would strongly advise against buying this tape. Its a good concept, but poor implementation. I ordered this tape measure about 40 days ago. When I received the tape measure and pulled out the tape for the first time, there were some defects (though minor and wouldn't affect performance). Almost not worth mentioning at all... except that they seemed to indicate I had been shipped a used (not new) product. See attached pictures. There were graphite smears and a few dark marks that were perhaps printing issues or paint chips... not entirely sure? I used it a few times and it seemed to be promising device. As I continued to use it... the first piece of graphite got ate up pretty quickly. Definitely not 100 marks and certainly not 1000 marks. When it stopped marking and the indicator showed empty... I refilled w/ a piece of the included graphite. It started out working and functioning fine... but then ... even though the indicator showed it had lead left... wouldn't mark. I had to pull up on the indicator and let it back down and then graphite would begin to feed again for a few marks. Again, it ate through the graphite pretty quickly. When i put the 3rd piece of graphite in, the indicator slid right past where it should have stopped... so no tension on the graphite. Tried to get the piece of graphite back out to no avail. So I went ahead and stuck a 4th piece in there and the indicator slid right past it. **Note: at no time did I ever let the indicator go so it could snap down on the graphite.. figuring that If I did that... it would most likely result in broken graphite.** I received 3 total requests by email from the Amazon seller requesting feedback and or product review. The email requested that I respond directly to the email if I felt I was not satisfied enough to give a 5 star review. I received the product on Apr 8th, and the requests for feedback on Apr 13th, 20th and 28th (each a week apart). I responded to the last 2 of the 3 requests providing my feedback and the problems I was experiencing. The aesthetic issue is hardly worth mentioning in a review or feedback to the supplier... except for the fact that it may indicate the product is not new and was possibly returned... so I did mention it as well as the issue I was having w/ graphite not feeding. Never have heard back from seller (thus this review). I definitely like the concept of the way this works... and I would be willing to keep working with it given a replacement device... but so far... no reply. Please contact me.

Ok. Honest review here. We are building a house and I thought this would be great to speed up the whole measure/saw process.It looks great out of the box. Fill up the pencil lead and you are good to go. Until you try to use it. The lead breaks easily and runs out way faster than I think it probably should. But, even that wasn't the bad part. The bad part is it twists and bends and will not stay straight. It got wavy within the first week of use. We could not even use it to measure one 10 ft board without having to hold it down on both ends and use a real pencil to mark with.save your money. buy a real tape measure not a gimmick.

I saw this advertise in September so I ordered one for my husband for Christmas, naturally he didn't open it until Christmas but when he did, immediately the hook for your belt broke off and in trying to get the dang thing out of the plastic (it was sealed like Fort Knox) the flimsy directions on how to load it was torn to shreds.I wanted to return it for a new one but, as expected, the return date has expired.

This product is garbage. I purchased two of them. One of them broke before I got through the first piece Of lead. The second one broke before I got through the second piece of Lead. I also purchased the pack of 2 extra lead containers. which ended up just being a waste cuz I can't use them.