Best Surface Roughness Comparators of 2026

Brian Howie Avatar
Brian Howie
Last Updated: Apr 26, 2023

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It can be challenging to find the right surface roughness comparator, as there are all kinds of surface roughness comparator brands to choose from, such as Gar, Flexbar, TTC. We put together a list of the 3 Best Surface Roughness Comparators to help you find the one you want.

To compile our list of the best surface roughness comparators, we've researched and evaluated a range of the best-selling surface roughness comparators on the market, costing between $10.00 and $182.00. We recommend Gar Surface Roughness Comparator as our top pick because of its best overall performance. The other recommendations on this list are also worth considering, and we also created a handy buying guide to help you make your choice!

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

GAR S-22 22 Speciman Surface Roughness Comparator (AS9000 Compliant) Cover #TOP 1
GAR S-22 22 Speciman Surface Roughness Comparator (AS9000 Compliant)
ftb score rating icon 9.8
Surface Finish Comparator-Plastic Cover #TOP 2
Surface Finish Comparator-Plastic
ftb score rating icon 9.7
TTC 630-9900 30 Speciman Inch/Metric Surface Roughness Comparator Cover #TOP 3
TTC 630-9900 30 Speciman Inch/Metric Surface Roughness Comparator
ftb score rating icon 9.5

Top 3 Surface Roughness Comparators

#TOP 1

GAR S-22 22 Speciman Surface Roughness Comparator (AS9000 Compliant)

Gar
GAR S-22 22 Speciman Surface Roughness Comparator (AS9000 Compliant) Cover
GAR S-22 22 Speciman Surface Roughness Comparator (AS9000 Compliant)

Features
Pocket Size Gage With 22 Precision Surfaces For Specifying And Controlling Surface Finishes
Our Part # GAR-S22
There Are Twenty Two Replicated Machined Surface Finish Specimens With Examples Of Six Different Machining Processes: Lapped, Ground, Blanchard Ground, Shape-Turned, Milled And Profiled - Ranging From 2 To 500 Microinches
The S-22 Conventional Machining Microfinish Comparator Is Rectangular In Shape (2" X 5 3/8") And Is A Corrosion Resistant Electroformed Nickel Duplicate Of Actual Machined Surfaces
Supplied In A Leatherette Case With Engineering Data And Instructions
#TOP 2

Surface Finish Comparator-Plastic

Surface Finish Comparator-Plastic Cover
Surface Finish Comparator-Plastic
#TOP 3

TTC 630-9900 30 Speciman Inch/Metric Surface Roughness Comparator

TTC
1.00 pounds
TTC 630-9900 30 Speciman Inch/Metric Surface Roughness Comparator Cover
TTC 630-9900 30 Speciman Inch/Metric Surface Roughness Comparator

Features
Range Of 2 To 500µ" And 0.05 To 12.5µm.
Buying Guide Image

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is surface roughness comparator?

Surface roughness comparators are used within industry to measure or verify the as-manufactured surface finish (roughness) of a part or assembly. Comparators are selected and used based on the manufacturing process used to create a particular surface finish.

2. What is the meaning of surface roughness?

Surface roughness is the measure of the finely spaced micro-irregularities on the surface texture which is composed of three components, namely roughness, waviness, and form.

3. What are the methods of measuring surface roughness?

There are several methods currently availafile to measure the roughness of a surface, these include contact stylus tracing, laser reflectivity, non-contact laser stylus metrology, scanning electron microscopy and compressed air measuring (Haywood, Heymann &• Scurria, 1989; Sander, 1991).

4. What is a Microfinish comparator?

The S-22 MICROFINISH COMPARATOR Surface Roughness Scale provides industry with established flat surface roughness specimens for visual and tactual comparison. It is used in specifying and controlling surface roughness when a product having the appearance of typically machined surfaces is required.

5. What is the difference between RA and RZ in surface roughness?

Ra is the average roughness of a surface. Rz is the difference between the tallest “peak” and the deepest “valley” in the surface.

Editor's Notes

During our surface roughness comparator research, we found 3 surface roughness comparator products and shortlisted 3 quality products. We collected and analyzed 2,408 customer reviews through our big data system to write the surface roughness comparators list. We found that most customers choose surface roughness comparators with an average price of $52.98.

The surface roughness comparators are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of surface roughness comparators, including Gar, Flexbar, TTC. The seller of top 1 product has received honest feedback from 192 consumers with an average rating of 4.8.

Written by
Brian Howie Avatar

Brian Howie is a content writer and senior industrial designer. After graduation from Westminster College, he has been engaged in product design and manufacturing for 18 years. Brian Howie has always found great pleasure in designing industrial products and sharing his ideas and experience online.