The best-in-class has never strictly followed national boundaries. There are other sizes, but generally 0-6″ is a good and you can go on and on. Not everyone needs to step up to Mitutoyo, but I’ve also never heard of anyone regretting doing so. It’s not just a tool, it’s a precision instrument. I’ve had mine for more than 11 years now, and it’s still going strong. My Mitutoyo digital caliper has been reliable, accurate, repeatable, and simply perfect. But what I can tell you is that it has been bulletproof for me. I started with Mitutoyo and never looked back. What’s so good about Mitutoyo digital calipers? Honestly, I can’t tell you how these differ from less expensive calipers you can find for a fraction of the price. There’s a thumb roller for easy and controllable adjustments, and a locking knob. The caliper takes SR44 batteries. You can make outside or inside measurements, or use the rear shaft for making depth measurements. There’s an origin reset button, as well as a zero/absolute button for switching between absolute and relative measurements. Like other digital calipers, you can change between inch and metric units at ease. It also has AOS (active onsite sensor) tech which is said to offer increased battery life and resistance to dirt, water, and oil that can lead to false readings. Like my -20, it features a 0-6″ measurement range, ☐.001″ accuracy, and 0.0005″/0.01mm LCD resolution. The current version of my calipers is 500-196-30. Since then, I picked up dial calipers as well. I also bought vernier calipers at around the same time. At the time, the NIST-traceable certificate version was less expensive (I paid under $100). I watched the sales at Enco (which has since been absorbed into MSC), and bought Mitutoyo 500-196-20 digital calipers.

Mitutoyo caliper