Side by Side Comparison of: Stanley

Best tape measures on the market for fighting the "floppy tape syndrome". The shape of the tape measure fits in my hand the way I like and I can reach long distances for measuring by myself. These tapes are the only ones I buy for professional use.

I live with a measure tape for work - every day. Fax Max reaches further, it's stiffer and easy to read. Over the many years I have tried all the others and none compare. Stanley's Fax Max cost a little more but very well worth it.

I'm a carpenter so I have a tape measure in my hand all day and this is easily my favorite. Most people use the 25' which I recommend but I aomething a little lighter and smaller so I go 16'.

This is the tape measure I carry around with me.. it is light and yet extendable.. and for the most part, 16 feet meets most of my measuring requirements. I have the 25 footer, but since it is heavier and a little more awkward in the hand I leave it in the box until I need it..

I have no complaints at all. It comes out very smoothly, the numbers are very easy to read because they're larger. Really nothing much to say about a tape measure, it's a great buy, it comes out smoothly, numbers are very easy to read, locks tightly and the construction is very strong and solid. I'd recommend it :)

Good+Sturdy+Rubber Grip+Wide easy-to-ready blade with good stand-out+FOURTY FEET!!!Bad-Huge-Will not fit small hands or small belt holstersI have tried many tape measures recently for use on large building jobsites. I need the longest tape measure possible to supplement my laser distance meter. The reel tapes go really far, but are really a two-person job and don't fit on a belt. This is the biggest and baddest tape that does fit on a belt... sort of.Fatmax tapes have the features I really need on a jobsite - sturdy construction, easy reading, and long stand-out. This is the longest Fatmax. I cannot stress enough how great it is to have FOURTY FEET on your belt at a big jobsite. Any tiny pocket tape can measure 3 inches, but only this tape can make the sort of distances between steel columns that we build with.This tape really doesn't stay on your belt unless you never run, bend over, or jump on the jobsite. The 'DEWALT DG5164 Heavy-duty Tape Holder' here on Amazon fits this tape perfectly, and makes sure it stays in place until you need it.

I can swing this all day. Gotta drive a 10ft grounding rod? Rip out some unistrut off of a concrete wall? Or simply assemble some frame work? Ive had many hammers in the past 17 years in construction and this thing kicks butt

Got this to replace an older Estwing E3-16S 16 Hammer I've had for at least 10 years. The estwing worked perfectly around the house throughout it's life but the finish rusted over time. Any surface I left it on would be marked with rust. This Stanley is painted so it should keep everything looking good. I'm not out there hammering together houses just working around my own house here and there and so far it's worked as a hammer should.

I love this hammer. It's really all you need around the house. And the straight claw makes short work of nails, and weeds, if you're so inclined. Doesn't hurt that it looks mean. The only hammer you really need for most things around the house.

It is tough to say if this hammer's "AntiVibe" technology really works, but the hammer certainly is sturdy and feels good in your hands. I have been using it for a couple weeks and love it as much as you can love a hammer.

This is a great hammer for the price it was sold for. It is well built. The hammer is made with one piece of metal. The anti shock was very refreshing. Didn't know I was hitting the nail till I saw it go in. Very sturdy and easy to swing for people of any strength. Helped to build my deck with this. The best hammer I have right now.

Ordered one of these as a spare for the job site. My family installs hardwood flooring and the guys are always misplacing their hammers. They each have their own tools. I found them fighting over this inexpensive hammer, because they all like it so well. They said it fits well in your hand and has a nice weight for general purpose use. The first one was such a hit I ordered another!

What can I say? It's a level. It's made by stanley, so great quality there. The magnet isn't super duper strong, but it can easily attach to a refrigerator. Does the job it was designed for, easily. Dropped it twice from 4ft, then 8ft, and no signs of damage or loss of function.

Use it everyday in the field and it's just awesome. It paid itself off the first time we used it. It would highly recommend it level.

Its a simple torpedo level that works great around the house for hanging pictures and building shelves It might not hold up to industrial use but is more than adequate around the house.

Great, solid, level; it does its job.

I needed a level without a strong magnet This 10-inch level is exactly what I needed to check small things around my home (in particular, a thermostat that is too close to a wall stud). Easy to read and see where the air bubble is located. Why I thought a 10 inch length would be more like a 15 inch length boggles my brain. LOL! I like the brand name, Stanley, too. Next, I need a 24 inch level for toilet.

I'm not sure how a torpedo level could get a bad review. This Stanley level is built well and I've yet to have any issues with it. I'm a machine maintenance mechanic, so I need compact tools and this small level has been a lifesaver. The strong magnet has been extremely useful. You can't go wrong buying this for your toolbox.

I prefer these tape measures but the buy one get one free promo is not working.

I bought this to replace a Fat Max tape measure that I had for many years. These are very good tape measures, but this one only received 4 stars, because the print on it is not dark and crisp like my other ones.

I swear quality goes down every time I Buy a new one

They are great tape measures, just heavy!

I've used Stanley FatMax for awhile now which I use for business weekly. I found the FaxMax Xtreme Stanley 33-900 FatMax Extreme Short Tape 1-1/4-Inch by 35-Foot to be counterintuitively more breakable than the regular FatMax, probably owing to it being too stiff. It is bulky and heavy compared to lessor tape but worth it when I need to measure straight up or out.It probably shows my bias but whenever I see a contractor using a FatMax I instantly have more respect for them.

This FatMax extends 11 feet or so, unsupported, which is very handy. It says, "Made in the USA with globally sourced materials." Very solid. I carry a 25 foot tape, although a 16-footer is fine for trimwork. I think of tapes as throwaway items - it's rare to get more than a year out of one in daily use - but I still buy good ones, such as this Stanley 33-725 25-Feet FatMax. Very good quality.

I'm not really a fan of things that spell "Extreme" with a leading X. However, this is certainly a hammer and does all of the things you expect a hammer to do with gusto.If I had to hammer enough things that I was worried about impact vibrations causing discomfort, I could see how the rubber handle would help with that. Can't say I've stress tested that sufficiently though.

Looks good and works good. did not feel the AntiVibe working because I never need to slam it really hard yet.

I love the grip, weight, feel and length of this hammer. I'm using it as I frame houses currently, only complaint. It has a flat smooth hammer face, Id prefer it to have the waffle hammer face which is more forgiving on hammer hits that are off center and grip the nail better.

Great hammer, incredible feel in the hand, but not exactly what I thought I was getting. The pictured item makes it appear as though it has the nail holder but in fact it does not.

These are fairly good hammers for general/demo work. The handle is comfortable and the they're balanced pretty well. The nail pullers are machined unevenly between the two sides (and most every example i've seen in person is about the same) but for the price its hard to argue. I had the 16oz version and currently have the 20oz version I use for stuff I don't want to break out my stiletto for.

Hit things with it. Pull nails with it. Brush your teeth with it. It makes me want to get a job that requires hammering.

Great little tool. My only complaint is that it is not completely level on the back side. The rubber just out a little bit and skews measurements. But performs rather well other than that

Good product. Good price.

Works great in tight spots

Works well, strong magnet, no issues

on the level, very nice gave as a gift and he loved it!

Great torpedo level for your toolbox. It has good build quality and durability. This lives in my tool bucket that I use for renovation work, so it takes a good beating. The level bubbles are accurate and the straight edge is true. My only real complaint is that the magnet is pretty weak. I put this up on a metal bathtub and just the slightest bump will throw it off. If you need it to stick to metal and do anything but sit there, look for a stronger magnet.

Consumers, if considering buying other than just it looking cool, I would stick to the cheaper Stanley tape measure in the chrome case (PowerLock). Even after usage this thing recoils very quick and to strong; always ending up pinching my thumb & fingers. The chrome case Stanley has a good recoil and not make me cautious of hurting thumb and fingers. For a guy with big hands I prefer something tall like the Stanley PowerLock rather than this stubby & round Stanley FatMax.

Twisted near the end of the tape first week of usage.

Easy to read tape measure with a nice wide tape. Great stand out. However I have some gripes. It doesn't have magnets (I knew this when buying), the hook is not very wide, no vertical measurement on back of tape, and there is not a very strong retract. Sometimes I retracts like it's supposed to, sometimes it doesn't. Perhaps it needs to break in a little. I loved my Komelon Monster MagGrip and got really used to it and how it measured. I've had a few off measurements at work. I can tell the tape is a lot stronger than the Komelon, that tape only lasted a couple months, but I may end up getting another or trying the Milwaukee.

The tape measure is built great but both of these don't spring back like they should. I have had a bunch of these before and they work great but these don't. Going to call Stanley and see whats different or maybe these are bad. They look a little different than the ones in the store but maybe these are old model or something. We will see.

I've been using Stanley Fatmax tapes exclusively for about 10 years now, I lost one on a job site and bought this model as a replacement, This is the first FatMax i have had that explicitly states "Made In the USA" on the tape. Well, this thing is about 1/2 the tape measure of my old FatMax. It looks like the printer was half out of ink printing the numbers and lines on the tape. The spring also seems much weaker, and the tape itself just doesn't seem as sturdy. The Plastic/Rubber body of the tape measure unit is still of high quality however.In my picture you can see my 10+ year old tape on the bottom, crisp clean lines and numbers, and the brand new never used tape on the top that i just received from Amazon.

I have been in the trades for over 30 years and I have been buying FatMax tape measures for as long as they have been on the market. "Stanley" has once again changed the design and manufacturing specs on another one of their tools... and not for the better. This has been happening in several other tool lines as they now own many. The tapes are only slightly better than a standard tape now. The steel for the tape is thinner than it used to be and the clear protective coating on the first several inches has also been changed... it is just some clear tape that peels off unlike previous versions. WAY disappointing. It got 3 stars because it is still OK but I can see these tapes not lasting very long and there is no rebuild offered. I purchased a couple of these because I use them all the time.Stanley has definitely chosen to build with lower quality materials. We all know profit is important but it is really sad that companies think this is a good direction. Building with lower quality means profits can be increased because the materials used for production cost less and the product itself will not last as long. These tape measures are spendy as it is and when the quality declines so will my return business.

bought it for a present

Good price, good swing. The only downside is the antivibe logo etched on the side is very sharp. When I pull the hammer from my belt loop it cut my fingers.

I like the hammer, it feels well made. Although i really can't figure out where to put my name on it. So I had to resort to putting some duct tape around it. (It won't scratch into it with anything i had, maybe with a dremel or something similar).I don't feel like the AntiVibe really does all that much though. It's the reason i bought it, but it feels just like any other hammer. The notch at the end of the hammer takes some getting used to, but it does feel nice.

Not a 22 ounce hammer as advertised. I selected the 22 ounce option and received a 20 ounce hammer.

Great hammer, finish is just okay

I ordered this hammer for the "Magnetic nail starter" which is in the description, but not on this hammer... Still a nice hammer, I'll use it... but it doesn't have the magnetic nail starter like it says in the product description.

I like most Stanley products... see my glowing review of the LeverLock tape measure, but not so much for this level.Weak magnet, and the lightweight plastic doesn't feel very sturdy. Ok for a homeowner to hang an occasional picture, but spend a little more and get a "real" tool, preferably one with a boxed end that you can stand it upon.

Nice and compact but do wish the magnet was stronger, seems pretty weak and barely holds itself up.

Mine came in and when i used it the level was off I called costumer service and they refunded my money i just had bad luck with the product

I do a lot of art and wood work and needed a small level to work with as the full size level would not work for the project I was completing. While this is exactly what I was looking for, I do not feel it was as useful as I had hoped. The level was not as accurate as the full sized one is. I still use this but have to refer to my other level if it is necessary to be completely accurate.

the magnet is weak, it does hole it self on a metal pipe, but if it is jiggled or bumped any it falls off, been using to set steel pipe posts and if there is any vibration like tamping the post it will fall loose,

It's a level. A good sturdy level. Price was good, quality is good.

I agree with some of the other posts as far as quality with This newer version of fat max. I am a concrete carpenter and I've been using the 35' fat max since it came out. just until recently I purchased a replacement And noticed the tape itself had turned into a flimsy, less curved, tape that bends more often when extending the tape, especially when you try to hook your tape vertically as with columns or walls. That and the fact that the tape extends 11' before breaking was the reason I went with Fatmax. The exterior of the tape remains the same 5* quality but the tape itself has turned into your basic tape. Hopefully the company notices and returns back to the original version, no improvement has been made with this version NONE.

This has a weak recoil & fairly weak break-over point. I use a tape every day & fought this one all day the first day out & at 4:00 pm it went sailing in a pond. No contractor would put up using this beyond 4 or 5 feet. I used the Kobalt for many years which has still has recoil that will take your finger off but the tape itself now has turned to junk.

I love the length (insert off-color joke here) but I am constantly frustrated that it does not pull the tape back in consistently. I often have to struggle and feed the tape back in, and that's no fun when I'm standing on a roof and I've got 40 feet of tape spooled out.I have given myself a nasty "paper cut" twice now, with the edge of the metal tape, as I struggled to feed it back in. And that is only after using it maybe 20 times. Not a good ratio of injury to use.

Tape is made of thinner material than a fat max that you would buy in a store. This means the tape flops around and does not hold its integrity when you are taking measurements longer than a couple feet. It is frustrating, because tapes I have bought in the store for this much have been better quality.

I bought this tape and received a 35' and I'm really dissapointed I thought I was getting the new blade armour tape but got instead a Walmart looking version that is of a much lower quality that I've seen in a long time Stanley has given in to cheaper materials at a lower price and this is the last one I will be purchasing mine as well get a Kobalt that has lifetime replacement because this tape will barley out last it

Very heavy. Measurements are only on one side. There could have been numbers that read vertically on the other side. Calling out 1/2 or 7/8 would have been nice. Stanley went cheap on this one. It's rugged and grippy. That's about it's only redeeming quality.

The good: the "anti-vibe" feature definitely helps reduce the shock felt by the user and is easier on the elbows. Unfortunately for me I was more interested in the over-sized head. I am in my mid fifties and my near eye sight is not as good as it was so I thought the larger face on the hammer would make it easier to hit the nail head. Well it does but unless you strike the nail head with the sweet spot of the hammer face (around dead center) then you end up just bending the nails. The large hammer face seems to have a small sweet spot so I actually find using this hammer more difficult than my old standard sized hammer face.I wish that I would have gone with a regular sized hammer face.

i ordered a 22 ounce waffle face hammer and i got a 20 regular flat head if you know what i mean its ok and im shure if this is what i wanted it would be great but i didnt order a 20 oz. flat head i wanted something, and selected a 22 oz. waffle and this is what i got .

I've been in construction for 23 years now & always did my own home repairs. I have used a lot of different hammers looking for that one hammer. This was NOT the hammer I am was looking for. The oversized head is nice but a bit of a pain when using small headed nails like 8d's. It does swing nice & I really like the end of the handle. This hammer will not slip out of your hand when using the proper hammer grip. Which is a light grip. The bulb at the end of the hammer is so it doesn't slip out of your hand.The ANTI-VIBE claims are merely claims. While it may feel like there is less vibration,, that comes to a halt on the last 2 strikes. Those last 2 strikes have heavy vibration that transmits thru the handle into the elbow. Stanley has a nice hammer design with this one. But there is way too much arm shock.

The hammer that is shown is not the hammer that is sent.Amazon and Stanley need to update their picture of the new hammer that they are selling on their websites.The hammer that they show is the one I want.The new anti-vibe hammer has a bigger hammer head and isn't as good as a conventional hammerhead,especially when toe nailing and hammering into tight corners.The only way to fix this is to have a machinist turn down the hammerhead to normal size.This hammer only gets 2 stars.

Would be a great level unfortunately this one only has two working levels not three as advertised. Otherwise I would have given it 5 stars.

Horizontal and vertical bubbles were not level. I had to raise one end of the level 1/16" from level for the bubble to be centered. I didn't try testing the angled bubble.A quick way to check a level, even without a known level surface, is to place it on the surface, observe the bubble location, flip the ends of the level, and observe the bubble location. The bubble will be in the same location relative to the lines regardless of which end is left or right. If the bubble touches the right line on first sighting yet touches the left line when the ends are flipped, it is not calibrated to show level. This is what tipped me off to check with a known level surface and working level (happens to be a Stanley Fat Max).I have been looking for a good magnetic level this size, but this is not it.

As others have said, the magnets on this level are very weak. Very disappointed in this level. Thought I was safe buying a Stanley.

The level is fine, but I specifically bought this for the magnet. The magnet is barely able to hold the level on a slanting surface. It is not capable of holding the level to a steel post with any sort of vibration involved. So if you just need a short torpedo level, it will meet your needs, but I would not recommend buying this one for any type of construction work that requires the level to adhere to a metal object.

Works fine as a level. The magnet is pretty cheap and crappy though. There are far better ones out there. As someone who works in a trade, a cheap magnet is unacceptable for me.

A little flimsy. Top and bottom surfaces are not conducive to scribing a straight line.

I should have looked at photo closer. This in inches and I need tenths. It does hang out far before snapping. I bought it because when measuring patches along a highway and a semi goes by my old tape would snap. This one does the same thing. Retraction coil is horrible. I have to feed it in by hand until the last few feet when it finally takes over. Not worth returning.

1 star for bring unusable: if I need to hook it and keep light tension at more than a few feet's length, the plastic locking mechanism releases. Sometimes I need to anchor, lock, and take multiple measurements and it's just impossible. Also noticed after using for just part of one project that the tape itself was more prone to bending than staying straight: yes, it stays perfectly straight but I have to sort of play with it a little bit. They don't make them like they used to :(

First bad experience I've had with an Amazon order. It broke within the first week and is now useless. The one just like it that I ordered over a year ago still (barely) works , so I'm forced to use that

Had to replace a 20 year old 35 foot Stanley tape that broke. This Stanley tape terrible. The lock is hard to use, and the hook is way to small, will not stay "hooked" to anything. I will buy a different brand, this new tape will be an extra.

I lost a Stanley that was 15 years old...so ordered this fatmax. I'm so disappointed, It wont hold when clicked, so it's useless. I'm going to see if I can return. I didn't realize right away as I didn't need to use. So check out right away.

Pretty sure it's not an authentic Stanley FatMax tape measure. 12 feet out and it doesn't recoil plus the tape itself looks a lot cheaper than the FatMaxs I've seen.

The hammer is totally different than the description and the picture nothing matches up. The description says it'll have a magnetic nail starter. Guess what it didn't come with that. Plus the hammer that is shown is not even close to the one I got. Recommendation for the seller match the description and the picture. And add more pictures so the buyer knows what they are getting.

The hammer came to me with a 16oz.,.... this Stanley 51-165, weighs much less than the 16oz., now it says 20oz. on the tool, but it's really not 20 ounces!! BIG MISTAKE!!

Stanley does it again - spent more time designing the name than it did designing and producing a useful tool.I bought this hammer because my 20-something year old hickory handled framing hammer is on its last legs. I used both tools this past weekend in constructing a 2x4 frame for a back yard storage shed, so I had a great opportunity for a side by side comparisonHammers weighing in at 16 oz and up are, generally, considered framing hammers. The smooth striking surface of the FatMax, although nice and big, permits the hammer to slide off target if the nail is struck a glancing blow, a very important safety feature missing from this hammer. It seems as though is was designed full size then shrunk to a useless size to save money. This hammer should be 16 inches long to match other framing hammers, which makes for a handy 16" OC guide. Additionaly, the shorter length means the user must swing harder to obtain the same amount of force as when using a longer tool. The claw is short and stubby so it is more difficult to get under that nail head for pulling. Another negative is that is made by a well known American tool manufacturer which refused to make this hammer in the USA. I've yet to see a "magnetic nail starter" work, so this is just unneeded fluff. As to the rubber handle wrap, I felt no difference between the two hammers when pounding nails, but I did lose grip when the FatMax hammer handle became damp with sweat. (+)well made (+)16 oz head (+)wide striking surface (-)smooth striking surface (-)handle too short (-)all steel construction (-)short claw (-)not made in USA (-)nail starter (-)rubber handle wrapMore than disapointing, this tool can be quite unsafe if used by someone not familiar with how to use a hammer. The slick striking surface and slick-when-wet handle add up to real trouble in the wrong hands.I am thinking, however, that making it in about a 10 to 12 oz weight with the same length might mitigate some of the problems I've noted.

The item that I ordered is not what I received. The picture show a certain type of hammer that I have been looking for,the hammer that I received has an extra large head on it . It is too big for construction work where u have to swing into small areas. Had I known this I would not have ordered this product.

This level has decent build quality, considering the price. However, the level that I received has a defect. In the vertical position, the air bubble takes up the entire area for measuring whether or not it is level. In the horizontal position, the air bubble is small and can fit within the lines. If not for this defect, I would have given it 5 stars.

The magnet is useless & can not hold the level. 1 tap on what it is hanging from & the level falls off.

I've owned a bunch of torpedo levels that all seemed to work fine. This one is poorly made. The first thing I did was set it on a level counter top and noticed the bubble wouldn't center. I figured out that the "bubble tube" could be easily moved with my fingers in the level casing. So depending on how the bubble tube shifts, things might look level or might not. This is pretty useless, but probably not worth the time to return. I'll probably throw it away so I don't mistakenly use it.

This magnetic level is solid but too heavy for the weak magnets.Just so there is no confusion about the product I am very unhappy with, I am reviewing the Stanley 43-511 Magnetic Shock Resistant LevelFirst of all the magnetic strip is so weak it cannot support the weight of the level.Secondly it is not accurate. I realized after several uses that it does not do an adequate job of showing level. I found a free level included in a new tv monitor to be more accurate than this level. I would not even give this away. it belongs in the trash can. - Scott

This level is garbage. After I realized my old level was not level I ordered a new one. I took it out of the box and put it on my table and surprise, my table slopes in both directions depending on which way the level is facing. Only buy this level if you don't want things level. Spend the money on a better level

May be okay as a refrigerator magnet, I guess... useless as a level. After doing a standard check of accuracy for a level, it's far enough off that I won't use it.For how bad the level is, kudos to Amazon regarding their handling of the refund!