GemRed Digital Protractor Enhanced ABS Ruler

Almost worth 5 stars - the plastic rules are *fine*, but could be better. The edges are slightly rounded so it's difficult to get it perfectly zero-ed out. My best technique is setting it flat against the workbench, but the rounded edges mean that it needs to be perfectly vertical/square to the bench to get a perfect zero. If it's tilted at all, that tilt slightly misaligns the rules and you get ~0.5 dg misalignment.My expectations might be a little high, and based on the other gemred indicators I have this might just be a budget option. It does work well especially for non-precise work, but it could be more accurate.

This is a very basic, small, compact, and lightweight digital protractor. It is not made for professional or commercial use, but for occasional home use for a Do-It-Yourselfer.Two of the main things a protractor must have is accuracy in determining angles and being able to easily read the angles. Having tested this protractor’s accuracy, I have found it to be very accurate (See pictures), certainly accurate enough for my needs, and the LCD readout is easy to read.The instructions that come with the protractor are detailed and easy to read, and I do recommend reading them for at least two basic reasons: how to install/change the battery correctly and how to properly use the “ON/OFF” button.It is not difficult to install/change the battery (CR2032 which is included) correctly and quickly when needed. This is possible because the battery container slides completely out of the battery compartment. This allows the battery to be easily placed in the battery container with no danger of breaking anything.Equally important (or more so) is to know how the ON/OFF button functions. This is primarily important because it can appear as if the protractor itself is turned off, when, in fact, only the LCD screen is turned out and subject to turning back on when the protractor is moved or adjusted. Maybe this will be made clear if I note the instructions below.“Short press ON/OFF to turn on 2 in 1 (i.e. The Protractor). Short press ON/OFF to shut off the LCD. Long press ON/OFF for more than 3 seconds to shut off the whole system”.Note that pressing the ON/OFF button for less than 3 seconds only turns off the LCD screen. If the protractor is stored away in this mode, the battery will continue to drain until it is dead.Another thing to be aware of is that the LCD screen automatically turns off after 5 minutes of nonuse, which may be mistaken for the protractor itself being turned off, which results, again, in the battery being drained.Of course, if the protractor is not going to be used for an extended period of time, removing the battery would be advised.There are, however, some things that I find less than ideal.Even for occasional home use, care must be taken when using this protractor. As noted above, it is lightweight. The acrylic blades are thin and easily bent. I do not think it would take much force to snap them in two. Also, the numbers and graduation marks on the blades are difficult to see unless what is under them is white or light colored. That problem is compounded when light reflects off the blades.Unsurprisingly, the blades are marked with both imperial and metric graduations. That is not unusual, but what is unusual (at least to me it is unusual) is the way the imperial graduations are notated between each inch. Instead of fractions of an inch being marked as 1/8”, 1/4”, 3/8”, 1/2", etc., they are marked with “4”, “8”, “12”, “16”, etc. The “4” equals 1/8", “8” equals 1/4", “12” equals 3/8”, “16” equals 1/2", etc. Maybe it is just me, but I find that confusing.Overall, I believe this digital protractor is a good buy at $13.99 (the price it was at when I ordered it) for occasional home use given that its accuracy is very good, and the angles are easily read on the LCD screen. However, as noted above, it is sometimes difficult to read the measurements – whether inches or centimeters – because of the light frequently reflecting off the blades and the markings needing a white or light-colored background. I also find the strange fractional graduation numbers between each inch not only of no value but distracting.

I'm using this to do some wood work, duplicating roofing angles on a carport. It worked for my needs and the angles were perfect, however, the readout was difficult to read in the shade. I can't fault them too much for that as I don't think this was meant to be used in a professional construction business. You'll need to zero it out every time by straightening it and holding down the zero button. After doing that I put it up against my 45 degree speed square and it measured at 45.1 degrees. It uses readily available CR2032 watch batteries and for my specific needs it worked great!

This is a great, inexpensive angle finder. You can use it to measure inside and outside angles. However it is entirely plastic and flexes quite a bit. So if you're looking for disability and extreme precision, this is probably not the best choice. But for an inexpensive angle finder used occasionally, it's perfect.

This is a nicely made budget type tool. It appears to be very accurate compared to my other angle measuring tools. The digital readout is very sensitive to any rotational movement of the scales. It includes 2 clear scales that aid in setting or measuring the angle. Both scales are graduated in inches and centimeters. The scales are a little over 7" long.There is one issue with this tool: It is almost too sensitive. That's usually not a problem but because any movement of the tool automatically cuts the display on, the sensitivity becomes a bit of a hassle. There is an on/off button on the display but apparently you can't be trusted to cut the tool on yourself so any little jostle of the tool cuts the display on. I really like this tool but I have a feeling you will need several packs of batteries to keep it running. If the on/off button did exactly that without the added 'feature' of automatic 'on' I would be a lot happier with this.

When I first opened this up and installed the battery, I was thrilled. The angle measurement has a resolution of 0.1 degrees. The rulers are handy and the whole thing seems like a great tool, which it is. The only problem, and it's a big one for me, is it automatically turns on if the angle shifts at all. There is an On/Off button, but jostle the protractor the slightest bit (remember the 0.1 degree resolution) and it turns back on. I couldn't even put it back in its box without it turning back on. There is no way you can keep it in a bag to carry with you to a jobsite, like their pictures show, and expect the battery to last. Long story short, super useful, bad power management.

As an active DIYer who is living in an old house, nothing is square, or even close to it. This tool has been an absolute game changer for me when it comes to mitering trim for around crooked corners. The tool is easy to use, the display is easy to read, and that's about all you could ask for! Follow the angles, cut trim accordingly, and it comes out perfect every time!

This thing is very nice and handy. It is plastic so you need to be careful with it.It is accurate and easy to use.