Who makes a really good #Electronic Micrometer?

Over the years this conversation comes up all the time with #Tool and Die makers and Metalworkers.
Who makes the best Electronic Micrometer for the money?  Times are tough these days and when I spend some Cashola I want what I buy to be a good value and last a long time.  I have to say that #Mitutoyo make a hell of a good Micrometer.  In fact they make everything good.  This Company which is based in Japan has been around a very long time and they make their product in the typical Japanese way.  They take pride in what they make and care about what their customers think.
Here is a little history on Mitutoyo.

1934 Yehan Numata founded a research laboratory at Musashi Shinden in Tokyo for the domestic production of micrometers. 1936 Founded Kamata Factory at Kamata in Tokyo and named Mitutoyo Manufacture. 1938 Reorganized to stock corporation and Yehan Numata was inaugurated as president.		No.1 Micrometer 1937 Succeeded in domestic production of micrometers.
1940 Constructed Mizonokuchi Factory at Kawasaki, Kanagawa for mass production of micrometers, and immediately started operation. 1944 Constructed Utsunomiya Factory for mass production of high-speed film perforators, and immediately started operation. 1945 Kamata Factory was lost due to war damage. Mizonokuchi Factory dissolved the organization leaving only security personnel. 1947 Founded Hiroshima Research Laboratory at Shiwa in Hiroshima prefecture for preserving of micrometer manufacturing technologies.		1942 Trial manufacture of gauge blocks 1943 Trial manufacture of capacitance-type electric comparator 1947 Restarted producing micrometers. Developed an automatic weight sorting machine.
1953 Mizonokuchi Factory became the first factory in Japan that was permitted to carry JIS (Japan Industrial Standard) marks on outside micrometers. 1954 Yehan Numata attended in the International Metrology Conference (U.S.A.), exhibited corporate products and established a foot hold for export. 1955 Opened Tokyo Office and Osaka Office. 1958 Opened Nagoya Office. 1959 Separated the sales department and founded Mitutoyo Trade Corporation instead. Construced Hiroshima Plant at Kure in Hiroshima prefecture and absorbed Hiroshima Research Laboratory aiming for consistent production of micrometers.		1952 Commenced production of indicating micrometers. Commenced production of snap meters. Commenced trial production of small-size calipers. 1953 3Completed a 3m outside micrometer (then world largest). Commenced production of grinding gages. 1957 Commenced production of projection-type inspection machines. Commenced production of Height Masters. 1958 Commenced production of Test Indicators. Commenced production of precision surface plates. Commenced production of small stainless steel calipers. 1959 Commenced production of dial indicators. Commenced production of Height Gages.

1960 Opened Kyushu Office. 1961 Rebuilt Numata Research Laboratory at Chigasaki in Kanagawa prefecture and started operation. 1963 Founded the first local corporation "MTI Corporation" (Present Mitutoyo America Corporation) in New York City, U.S.A. 1965 Headquarters moved to Mita in Minato-ward, Tokyo. 1967 Numata Research Laboratory raised to a dedicated factory of gauge blocks. Constructed Hiroshima Molding Factory (present Hiroshima Forming Material Factory) by separating the molding division of Hiroshima Factory. 1968 Founded Sampo Mesgerate GmbH (present Mitutoyo Mesgerate GmbH) in Dusseldorf, Germany. Yehan Numata was inaugurated as the chairman of the board of directors and Junzo Katayama as the president.		1960 Developed roughness specimen for surface texture measurement. Commenced production of large-size calipers. 1961 Commenced production of electric dial indicators. Commenced production of bore gages. 1962 Commenced production of Okoshi-system surface roughness testers. Commenced production of electric comparators called "Mu-Checker". 1963 Commenced production of dial calipers. 1964 Commenced production of toolmakeræes microscopes. 1966 Commenced production of "Surftest" which is an averaging-type surface roughness tester. 1967 Commenced producing gauge block standard sets. 1968 Developed and started production of 2D coordinate measuring machines. 1969 Developed and started production of three-point type inside micrometer named "Hole test".
1970 Constructed and started operation of Batoh Factory as Utsunomiya Sub-Factory at Batoh-cho, Nasu-gun, Tochigi prefecture. 1971 Founded Electronic Technology Research Laboratory in Kawasaki. Toshihide Numata was inaugurated as the president. 1974 Founded Mitutoyo do Brazil Industria e Comercio Ltda. and constructed Suzano Plant as the first full-scale overseas production base. 1975 Mitutoyo Metrology Institute was opened. 1977 Founded Onomi Precision Corporation at Onomi village in Kochi prefecture as a cooperative corporation of Hiroshima Plant. 1978 Founded Mitutoyo Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. In singapore. Sampo Mesgerate GmbH moved from Dusseldolf to the new corporate building in Neuss.		1970 Commenced production of CMMs mounted with originally developed linear scales. Commenced production of 2-column type Height Gages with counter. 1971 Developed a horizontal-type CMM. Developed (first in Japan) a contour measuring machine named "Contracer". 1972 Developed a table rotary-type roundness measuring machine. 1975 Commenced production of Linear Scale Units 1976 Developed a CNC CMM. 1979 Commenced production of Digimatic micrometers "MD Series". Commenced production of bridge-type CMMs "B200 Series".

1980 Founded Mitutoyo (U.K.)Ltd. in Andover, England. Founded Mitutoyo Mexicana S.A. de C.V. in Mexico City. Shiwa Factory, sub-factory of Hiroshima Plant, started operation. Constructed MTI Engeneering Corporation (present Mitutoyo America Corporation Los Angels Factory) in Los Angeis. U.S.A. Constructed Yasuura Factory at Yasuura-cho, Kamo-gun, Hiroshima prefecture. 1981 Founded Sampo Nederland B.V. (present Mitutoyo Nederland B.V.) in the Netherlands. Constructed Lerma Factory in Lerma City, Mexico. Founded Mitutoyo Scandinavia AB. 1982 Constructed and started operation of Kiyohara Plant at Kiyohara district in Utsunomiya as a dedicated factory for linear scales. Installed the Microcord Division for development and production of CMMs. Installed Measurement Technology Research Laboratory. Founded Mitutoyo Belgium N.V. Yehan Numata was inaugurated as the Executive Advisor, Toshihide Numata as the chairman of the board of directors and Yoshiteru Numata as the president. Founded System Technology Institute (STI). Constructed Miyazaki Plant (dedicated to gauge block production) at Tano-cho of Miyazaki prefecture and succeeded in production from Numata Research Laboratory. 1986 Founded Mitutoyo France S.A.R.L. 1987 Founded Mitutoyo Taiwan Co.,Ltd. in Taipei, Taiwan. Founded Mitutoyo Italiana S.R.L. Constructed DRO Factory in Plymouth, Michigan, U.S.A. for the production of digital scales. Renamed to Mitutoyo Corporation, and merged Mitutoyo Trade Corporation. Installed Sales Department. Constructed and started operation of Shiwa Plant in Higashi-Hiroshima as a dedicated factory for micrometers. Renamed Hiroshima Factory as Kure Plant and made a dedicated factory for optical measuring machines and form measuring machines. Installed Numata Memorial Hall as one of the activities to mark 50th anniversary. 1988 Founded Mitutoyo Schweiz AG in Zurich, Swizerland. Founded Mitutoyo (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. Restructured the old Chicago Office as OæfHara Factory used for consistent production of inch-system dial indicators. 1989 Installed Mitutoyo Museum as an industrial museum of precision measuring equipment.		1980 Commenced production of Digimatic Height Gages "HD Series". 1981 Commenced production of Digimatic indicators "ID Series". 1983 Commenced production of Digimatic calipers "CD Series". Commenced production of Laser Scan Micrometers. 1987 Commenced production of non-contact CMMs. 1988 Developed and started production of ceramic gauge block. Developed a length measuring encoder called "Laser Holoscale". 1989 Commenced production of high-accuracy contour and form measuring machines "CBH400 Series".
1990 Constructed Osaka Operation Center at Minami Port, Osaka. Founded European Research Laboratory in the Netherlands for researching into basic technology of measurement. Installed Technical Service Department and reinforced the CMMæfs field services. Constructed Aurora Factory for knock-down field service of CMMs in Illinois, U.S.A. 1991 Constructed Tsukuba Research Laboratory in Tsukuba, Ibaraghi prefecture. 1992 Opened Utsunomiya Operation Center. 1993 Installed Mitutoyo Calibration Centers at Kawasaki, Utsunomiya, and Hiroshima Operations. Miyazaki Plant, Shiwa Plant, Tool & Gage Plant, Kiyohara Plant, and Telford Factoryacquired ISO9002 registration. Miyazaki Plant and Tsukuba Calibration Center became approved undertakers for laser of length standards. 1994 Installed Mitutoyo Korea Service Corporation in Seoul, South Korea. Microcord Plant, Calibration Laboratories in Chicago and Los Angeles acquired ISO9002 registration. 1995 Ø…Ì\Yoshiteru Numata was inaugurated as the depty-chairman of the board of directors and Norio Takatsuji as the president. Mizonokuchi Development Center and Kure Plant acquired ISO9001 registration. Technical Service Department andæASuzano Plant acquired ISO9002 registration. 1996 Opened Koriyama office 1997 Celebrated the 100th anniversary of the founder Yehan Numataæfs birth. Opened Okayama office Condstucted and satarted operation of Nakatsugawa plant. 1998 Opened Mitutoyo Measuring Instruments in Suzhou in China. Opned Chiba office. Celebrated the 30th anniversary of Mitutoyo Germany. 1999 New Gohara Material Plant opened. Anjo Sales Office was moved to a new location. Utsunomiya Office was certified ISO 14001 Hiroshima Sales Office was moved to a new location. Celebrated the 20th anniversary of Mitutoyo Mexico. Utsunomiya Office ægMitutoyo Museum" opened. Hiroshima Office acquired ISO14001 registration. Headquarter and Kawasaki Compound acquired ISO14001 registration.		1991 Developed a roundness measuring machine named "RA600 Series", provided with analysis software running on a personal computer. 1992 Developed an aspheric surface measuring machine named "CV-L246-3D", provided with analysis software running on a personal computer. 1993 Developed an interferometer as the standard for gauge block calibration. 1994 Developed and started production of non-contact CNC vision measurement machine named "Quick Vision Series". Developed and started production of economy-type CNC CMM "Bright Series". Commenced production of ABS solar-type Digimatic calipers. 1995 Commenced production of ABS Digimatic Indicators. Developed a vertically-dual head differential-type gauge block comparetor. 1996 Developed compact roundness measuring machine "RA 114/116". Developed surface roughness and contour measuring machine "Formtracer SV-C600". Developed vision measuring machine "Quick Scope QS series". Multi-joint typed CMM Digitizer "Spin arm". 1997 CMM with temperature compensation function: "FALCIO Series" provided with analysis software running on a personal computer. 1998 Horizontal CNC CMM for in-line measurement: "MACH Series" Ulera-high accuracy CNC CMM: "LEGEX" 1999 Portable surface roughness tester: Surftest "SJ-301", Non-contact laser displacement gage: Laser Indicator "LI-4030N/5030T"

2000 Founded Philippines Office Founded Argentina Mitutoyo Founded Vietnam Hanoi Office Reorganized Mizonokuchi Development Center to Kawasaki Development Center.		2000 Digital caliper with built-in absolute scale ABS coolant proof "CD-15GS" CS-5000 integrated detector hybrid surface roughness & contour tester Flexible measuring gage for workshop use "QM-Measure"
2001 Norio Takatsuji was inaugurated as the Deputy Chairman of the Board Kazusaku Tezuka was inaugurated as the President Founded Shanghai Mitutoyo		2001 Integrated display/digital cylinder gage-ABS digimatic cylinder gage "CG-D100" Linear scales with absolute encoder "AT500" Series CNC vision measuring machines "QVA (Quick Vision ACCEL)" Series Compact CNC coordinate measuring machine "Crysta-Plus504"
2002 Founded service office in Dong Guan City, Guang Dong Province, China Founded Poland Mitutoyo Founded Cholburi Office under Mitutoyo Thailand Founded Mitutoyo Research Center Europe in the Netherlands Founded Mitutoyo Czechoslovakia		2002 Released moving-bridge-type CNC coordinate measuring machines "FALCIO-Apex2000/3000" Series Released high-speed and high-accuracy CNC coordinate measuring machines "Crysta-Apex" Series Released compact vision measuring machines "Quick Vision Elf" Series Released manual coordinate measuring machines "Crysta-Plus M" Series Released a micro part form measuring system "UMAP Vision System" Released 2D vision measuring machines "QUICK IMAGE" Series Released roundness contour measuring machine "RA-1500" and hybrid surface measuring machine "CS-3000"
2003 Showroom was renamed to M3 Solution Center ('Em Cube' Solution Center)		2003 Released world's first CNC form measuring instruments series Released digital height gage with built-in absolute scale Released IP65 coolant-proof micrometer and IP66 coolant-proof caliper
2004 Integrated Akashi Corporation, Meiho Engineering Limited, and Meioh Giken Limited Organized the Mitutoyo exhibition in commemoration of 70th anniversary based on the theme of "Innovation for the Future" Implemented large-scale corporate reorganization aiming for market-oriented sales system Obtained ISO/IEC 17025 Field Calibration Service Certification Founded Tianjin Mitutoyo Founded Mitutoyo Hungary		2004 Released high-throughput inline type coordinate measuring machine "MACH-V" Series Released one-handed operation "Ratchet Thimble Micrometer" Released ultimate ABS coolant-proof caliper "Super Caliper" Released high-performance digimatic indicator "ID-H" Released column-moving CNC surface roughness measuring system "SV-3000CNC" Released world's highest precision measuring microscopes "Hyper MF/MF-U" Released products providing extremely high?output, non-contact CNC vision measuring systems "Quick Vision Stream and Quick Vision Stream Plus" Series Released digital calipers with IP67 protection level "CD-67-PS" series
2005 Founded Mitutoyo Indonesia		2005 Developed minute form measuring system "NANOCORD-UMAP" Released laser scanning micrometer "LSM-500S Series" Released large CNC coordinate measuring machine "Crysta-Apex C1600/2000 Series" Released horizontal CNC coordinate measuring machine "CarbStrato/CarbApex Series" Released ceramic straightness masters "SMC Series" and silent type vibration testing machine "UME200" Released handy vibrometer "AHV-1000BU"
2006 Consolidation of Mitutoyo and MSTI Corporations Mitutoyo Taiwan Established M3 Solution Center CNINA (SUZHOU). Mitutoyo Mexicana Established M3 Solution Center Monterrey. Tomohide Numata was inaugurated as the Chairman & President. Masashi Sakamoto was inaugurated as the Vice President.		2006 Gauge Blocks with Thermal Expansion Coefficient Now on Sale. Micro-Vickers Hardness Testing Machine HM200 Series Put on the Market. Profile Projector PJ-H30 Series Currently on the Market.
2007 The ethical behavior criterion of the MITUTOYO group is enacted. Mitutoyo Shanghai established Chengdu Office. The service divisions of Mitutoyo Suzhou and Mitutoyo Shanghai are integrated, and it becomes Mitutoyo Shanghai (technological service part). Masashi Ssakamoto was inaugurated as the President.		2007 Released CNC Vision Measuring Machine "Quick Vision" series renewedly Released IP 67 "ABS Coolant Proof Caliper" Released small roundness measuring machine "Roundtest RA-10" and "Roundtest RA-120" Released ultimate digital micrometer "QuantuMike"
2009 Toru Nakagawa was inaugurated as the President.

Order Mitutoyo here and tell them Dan The Metalworking Man sent you!!!
http://www.lighttoolsupply.com/Mitutoyo