We check out Milwaukee's new 12" Measuring wheel...does it measure up?

Milwaukee Tool is constantly striving to bring new tools to market and improve existing tools. As they put it, "to disrupt the industry". Today we are checking out their new 12" measuring wheel.  We'll also be looking at a 12 year old Lufkin 12" measuring wheel as well to see how things have improved over time.

The 12 year old Lufkin, on the left, their design has remained unchanged for the last 15 years. The brand new Milwaukee on right.

The Milwaukee right off the bat has a much more robust construction. The Milwaukee has a reinforced aluminum frame whereas the Lufkin's has a thin round tube. The Milwaukee also has a hinge and clasp as opposed to a turn knob. This design allows the Milwaukee to take a 20 lb direct impact to the hinge and still stay intact, whereas the Lufkin breaks in half in the same test.  You may say "when am I going to drop 20 lbs onto my measuring wheel?"  Imagine a tool or tool box falling or sliding onto/in to it in the back of your truck. The hinge also includes a handle so you can hang it up or carry it.

The  hinge and clasp on the Milwaukee

This is the Lufkin's turn knob

The Milwaukee's design allows the tool to fold and become much more compact then the Lufkin, which handle slides onto the lower tube. When you put them into their compact settings, the Milwaukee measures 24" and the Lufkin measures 28 1/2".

4 1/2" is a huge difference

The Milwaukee also has a handle with an integrated reset and brake, plus a reset down by the counter. The Lukin has no brake, and the reset is down by the counter. 

 The thumb button is the reset and lever is the brake.

 Milwaukee's large reset button by the counter

Lufkin has a small button by the counter

On of the coolest features is the Milwaukee includes a plumb bob as well as indicators molded into the body.  This is so you know where to start and stop measuring. It's so simple, but now you don't have to guess where to start or stop measuring, especially if your measuring from a specific point. Another feature of the Milwaukee is a debris clearing flap.  This comes in very handy if you are measuring a muddy yard, or through drywall mud inside a house.  

Plumb bob

Indicator molded into the body, if you look to the top left of the wheel you'll noticed the debris clearing flap

If there was one area the Milwaukee could improve, it is the kickstand.  The Milwaukee seems to be about 1/2 of an inch too short. The Milwaukee wants to lean pretty far over and looks like it wants to tip, but this is just ascetics, the Milwaukee is pretty steady. The springs on the Lufkin are pretty weak and the slightest bump makes it fall over as the kickstand will just fold back up. 

The Milwaukee next to the Lufkin showing the lean

Lukin's kickstand

Milwaukee's kickstand

We tested the accuracy of each of these.  We did multiple test passes with these side by side,  over the same course. Every time the results were the same for both. However multiple times in my ownership of the Lufkin the counter would lock up after resetting it, resulting in having to remeasure if you didn't notice it was bound up.

At the time of this writing the Lufkin retails for $60.70 and the Milwaukee is $69.97 at Home Depot.