With the reviews I have done on Epinions to date I hadn't actually realized how much use my trusty Stanley Bostitch Stanley 33-425 25' X 1" PowerLock Classic Tape Measure has come into play until I stopped to think about all the items I have measured with it, from espresso machines to computer desks! So now its turn has come around at last!

Why we needed it
When we moved into our apartment we needed to measure walls, floor space to try and fit furniture and other things.  I bought this tape measure at Walmart after looking at several, and for $10-$15 price range it looked to be the sturdiest and most easily readable of them all. All major retailers should have this item, including Amazon.com.

Dimensions
At 13.6 oz and nearly the size of a baseball this thing is a beast. It is 3 1/4" by 3 1/4" at its widest points and the tape rule is precisely 1x inch wide and extends to 25 feet. Although I'm no handyman, this thing is made to withstand all kinds of jack-of-all-trades abuse.

What I like about it
I like the fact that the tape blade is one inch wide. I hate those narrow ones that I have to get right up close to and squint with glasses on just to read the dang measurement. This tape I have no such issues with. The numbers are large and clear and the blade is graded to 1/16 of an inch increments, which makes precise measurement taking quite visible and much easier. All measurements on it are in feet/inches, no metric.

It was probably overkill buying this measuring tape but I wanted one that I would keep a long time and this fits that bill nicely. After several years of service it's still going strong. And I mean strong quite literally.

Strong tape blade
The standout length is 7 feet in length, standout meaning the length of tape protruding from the case horizontally off the floor before it snaps bent, and the end of the tape drags on the floor. I measured it to 7' 3" before the tape decided to give out, so it's very strong. The tape is coated with Mylar giving it high tensile strength, yet it bends quite easily when needed to measure heights. The spring is heat treated so this beast will keep on measuring for years to come.

The tape hooks and holds easily while measuring and the tape can be locked in position with a large slide lever if needed. It seems to retract from any length with the slide lever off, some tape measures just don't have that retraction ability and you have to push in several feet first before it takes the hint. This one has no issues there.

Potential problem
Some people have said that the spring breaks when it extends to the full 25 feet, that seems to be very few people say that so they might've either scored a lemon or a cheaper version of  this one.
Personally I've never had to fully extend it that far, and quite frankly I'm not going to try it just to see if it breaks!

Clip it on!
Stanley Bostitch Stanley 33-425 25' X 1" PowerLock Classic Tape Measure comes with a belt clip so you can keep it handy at all times, although I don't use the clip, it's metal but it feels pretty sturdy.
The whole she-bang comes in a chromed High Impact ABS case so it won't break if you drop it.

Of course if you're a construction worker building a high-rise 40 floors up and drop it...there might not be a happy end for your trusty tape measure, or for any hapless passers-by for that matter!

It is marked in red at the 16" mark, and with a black dot at 19.2" for easier location of stud centers in walls.  
Four Phillips head screws hold the case together and can easily be removed if you need to take it apart for any reason.

Two thumbs up for this little beauty! 
So far to date, this little beauty has served me well and I will be using Stanley Bostitch Stanley 33-425 25' X 1" PowerLock Classic Tape Measure hopefully for many years to come! I highly recommend this item.  

Recommended: Yes