What's the go to? I know there is a bunch of chineseum stuff out there. Does it work just as well?

What's a decent brand? Just need a 6", and able to switch toetrix which I assume is standard.

Buy once cry once...
Mitutoyo

Eta: you can get good prices via Craigslist, farcebook.
Guys retiring or changing careers eager to get rid of them.

Mitutoyo.
Starrett has some good stuff too, but the display on the ones I've used doesn't update as fast.

As said, Mitutoyo.

I also have an old Starrett, but damn it east batteries like candy.  I modded it to disconnect the batteries with out disassembling the thing when I'm not using it, but I always grab the Mitutoyo first anyways.

Mitutoyo

I also keep some HF cheapies around, they work fine but if it’s important I use the Mitutoyo

Well that's pretty unanimous.

Off to check them out. Thanks!

Go with Mitutoyo if you want. Or wait until Benchmade makes them.

Before I retired from machining I was diligently clearing out Mitutoyo from my toolboxes. Something about them smuggling their instruments past the no trade sanctions with Iran over WMD.

They are nice but I dont support those who seek your destruction, actually mine. Brown & Sharp, Etalon, Starrett (if you get the ones made in the USA) are my choices.

Honestly if you can’t read the Vernier scale, need to mere accurate than .0001 it doesn’t really matter.  Bad technique and zeroing will negate any benefits of tier one instrument.

Former defence aerospace machinist. AS9100 Certified for Boeing

There are some good calipers and micrometers out there.
Brown and Sharp
Starrett

But in the shop 95% of what everyone uses is Mitutoyo.
We keep dial and digitals. 4" 6" 8" 12" and vernier scale for anything larger.

In the world of CNC the coolant proof are the gold standard.
For manuel milling dial and digimatic are king.

Everyone still uses dial. It just plain works. The same reason all test indicators that are used (interrapid) are dial.

But remember that if you want the performance you have to have calibration done periodically (more offten on digitals) or they can be no better than a cheap HF. You might see a new set for $200 but look at the price for the same one that has a calibration cert.. yeah.

Gauge block sets cost a lot and the cheap ones you see for sale most likely dont "ring" together anymore.

The good older dial calipers will cost the same as the new digitals. About 1
$100-$200 for 6" but you still need to get them certified.

Get carbide tipped if you can because you can also scribe with them.

I see no need for $500+ coolant proof for the home shop. Dials are by nature coolant proof and really this is only for heavy flooded high use CNC work.

With some time and technique along with reference you can be within +/- .0005 with your readings.

These are mine and they stay within arms reach at my bench always.

I wouldn't mind dial. I actually have a dial caliper but I find myself needing to measure things in Metric. So digital seems like a logical choice.

I don't need super top dollar or top accuracy. I just don't want Chinese junk that is going to fail or wander. I know there is a huge difference in scales in terms of repeatability and price so figured the same was true here.

It really depends on your tolerances.
If its  +/- .050" go with a cheap set and zero out often. ETA: buy yourself a 123 block to use as a reference block.
If you need +/-.003" or the part is considered saftey critical, then it needs to be calibrated and high quality.
Dials are more repeatable IMHO, but maybe it's just how old machinist are, we dont trust new things because they are usually always wrong lol.
A machinist calculator can help with the metric conversions but if you do it often it's easy just to remember it.
I say that, but its probably because the shop foreman made me memorize the bible.

I have an older mitutoyo that the little adjustment wheel for the slide broke off.  Plastic was too thin there and didn’t hold up with very light use.  Not vital but it made adjusting easier.

Have a starrett that the LCD screen went kaput.   It’s completely useless now

Lately I use  a Wixey digital caliper.  $29 and holding up fine.  Fine for my mostly woodworking use

I have Brown and Sharpe I bought 30 years ago when I started in the trade.

I recently got a used Mitutoyo digital set I like since it can do inch and mm, not sure how old they are.

I have the Mitutoyo 6” for 20+ years.  If I was to purchase again I would consider the carbide tip option .