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Best Pressure Gauge Manufacturers: Who Makes Them and How to Choose
The best-known pressure gauge makers include WIKA (Germany, founded 1946), Ashcroft (US, a Bourdon gauge maker with more than 150 years of history, now owned by Japan’s Nagano Keiki), Dwyer Instruments (US, 1931), Winters Instruments (Canada, 1953) and Noshok (US, 1967). In Australia you will also meet suppliers such as Ross Brown Sales, which has a NATA-accredited pressure calibration laboratory, and makers like PDK of Korea and BD Sensors of Germany in the digital gauge market. No single name is best for every job. This guide gives a fact-checked profile of each, explains what to compare, and shows how to pick the right gauge for your application. We supply some of these brands, so we disclose that clearly, and you should always verify details with the manufacturer.
What makes a pressure gauge maker trustworthy?
Before the profiles, here is what to look for in any maker.
- Standards compliance: gauges built and tested to EN 837 or an equivalent standard such as AS 1349 or ASME B40.100. See Bourdon tube pressure gauges explained.
- Complete datasheets: accuracy class, materials, ranges, over-range protection and temperature limits.
- Range of options: sizes, fills, materials and connections, so you can match the gauge to the job.
- Traceable calibration: certificates traceable to national standards, ideally from an accredited laboratory.
- Support: spare parts, advice and replacements available years later.
Profiles of well-known makers
WIKA
WIKA Alexander Wiegand SE & Co. KG is a German company founded in 1946 and headquartered in Klingenberg. The name is built from the founders’ initials, Alexander Wiegand and Philipp Kachel. WIKA is best known for pressure gauges and also makes pressure sensors, transmitters and thermometers. Its Australian subsidiary and distributors supply the local market. For model numbers, standards and the WIKA A-10 sensor we stock, see our WIKA pressure gauge guide.
Ashcroft and Nagano Keiki
Ashcroft has been making pressure instruments for over 150 years, with a heritage that goes back to Edward Ashcroft’s Bourdon tube gauges for the steam industry. Its US base is in Stratford, Connecticut. A company release records that Nagano Keiki of Japan acquired Ashcroft Holdings in 2006 (see the acquisition announcement). Nagano Keiki is a Japanese maker of pressure gauges, transmitters and temperature gauges, and its own history shows a 1948 reorganisation into Nagano Keiki Seisakusho (Nagano Keiki history).
Dwyer Instruments
Dwyer was founded in 1931 in Chicago to produce liquid-filled manometer test instruments, and later moved its headquarters to Michigan City, Indiana. It is widely known for low pressure and differential pressure instruments, including its Magnehelic differential pressure gauges, as well as flow and level products.
Winters Instruments
Winters was founded in 1953 by Erwin Winters in Toronto under the name Winters Thermogauges. It makes pressure and temperature gauges and is known for a wide range of industrial and process gauges, and it publishes useful engineering notes on gauge accuracy.
Noshok
Noshok was established in 1967 and is described as one of the first companies to offer liquid-filled pressure gauges. It is based in Berea, Ohio, and is associated with gauges for industrial and hydraulic use.
Ross Brown Sales (Australia)
Ross Brown Sales is an Australian pressure and temperature instrumentation supplier. The National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) has published a profile marking 40 years of continuous accreditation for its calibration work as of February 2024 (NATA article). Industry coverage says it represents overseas gauge makers including EMPEO of Germany and Ametek (US Gauge). The Ross Brown gauges in our range, such as the L63, L100, AD-D-2, AL-F-2 and AL-H-2, carry that brand. Our Solfrunt 1981 product page describes it as the USG Model 1981 refinery solid front gauge.
PDK (Korea)
PDK is a South Korean maker of digital pressure gauges and pressure calibration equipment, based in Daejeon. A distributor describes it as supplying pressure calibration solutions since 1994. Our PDR100, PDR250, PDR500 and PDR1000 gauges are PDK products, and the PDR100 and PDR250 pages note they are made in South Korea.
BD Sensors (Germany)
BD Sensors GmbH, based in Thierstein, Germany, designs the Baroli range of battery-powered digital pressure gauges. The Baroli BD Series we supply offers accuracy of 0.125% or 0.25% of full scale, IP65 protection and ranges from 100 mbar to 600 bar.
Comparison at a glance
| Maker | Based | Started | Often known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| WIKA | Klingenberg, Germany | 1946 | Wide range of gauges, sensors and transmitters |
| Ashcroft (Nagano Keiki group) | Stratford, Connecticut, USA; owner in Japan | Over 150 years of history | Bourdon tube gauges and industrial instruments |
| Dwyer | Michigan City, Indiana, USA | 1931 | Low pressure, differential pressure and flow instruments |
| Winters | Toronto, Canada | 1953 | Industrial pressure and temperature gauges |
| Noshok | Berea, Ohio, USA | 1967 | Liquid-filled and hydraulic gauges |
| PDK | Daejeon, South Korea | Supplying since 1994 (per distributor) | Digital gauges and pressure calibrators |
| BD Sensors (Baroli) | Thierstein, Germany | Not stated here | Battery-powered digital gauges and sensors |
| Ross Brown Sales | Australia | Several decades; NATA accredited calibration | Local supply and calibration of gauges |
How to choose between makers
- Start with the job, not the brand. Pressure range, media, temperature, accuracy and connection narrow the options before the brand matters.
- Choose the standard. If your site specifies EN 837-1 or AS 1349, shortlist gauges that state compliance.
- Compare datasheets side by side. Accuracy class, wetted materials, over-range protection and temperature limits.
- Look at local availability. A gauge you can get next week and recalibrate locally beats a slightly better one with a long lead time.
- Ask for calibration. If the gauge is for verification, ask for a certificate from an accredited laboratory.
- Think about service life. Liquid filled stainless gauges suit vibrating plant. Digital gauges suit testing.
- Compare total cost. Include calibration and expected life.
For help with accuracy numbers, see pressure gauge accuracy compared, and for analogue and digital models see analogue vs digital pressure gauges.
Matching the maker to the job
| Application | What to prioritise |
|---|---|
| Pump or compressor indication | Liquid filled gauge, sensible range, local availability |
| Steam and boiler | Stainless steel, siphon, compliance with boiler rules |
| Hydraulic testing | High range, digital with min/max, test kit |
| Low pressure air and gas | Capsule or differential gauge with low range |
| Calibration reference | High accuracy, traceable certificate |
| Remote monitoring | Pressure transmitter or sensor with 4 to 20 mA output |
Beware of look-alikes
Pressure gauges are easy to copy, and the market has plenty of unbranded or lookalike products. A genuine gauge from an established maker comes with clear markings, a datasheet, a model number you can verify, and a supplier who can stand behind it. Ask where the gauge is made, which standard it meets and whether calibration certificates are available. Our supplier checklist has the full list of questions.
Disclosure and sources
Load Cell Solutions supplies Ross Brown, PDK and Baroli gauges and the WIKA A-10 sensor. This guide uses published company information, so please verify details with the makers. Sources include the WIKA overview, the Nagano Keiki and Ashcroft announcement, the NATA profile, Winters’ about page and manufacturer datasheets.
Standards you will see on gauges
- EN 837-1: the European standard for Bourdon tube pressure gauges, covering dimensions, metrology, testing and marking. See the WIKA pressure gauge guide for what it means.
- AS 1349: the Australian standard for Bourdon tube pressure and vacuum gauges.
- ASME B40.100: the American standard for pressure gauges and gauge attachments.
Most established makers build to one or more of these. Your site or contract may specify one, so check before ordering.
Three buying scenarios
Replacing a failed gauge on a pump
Match the dial size, range, connection and fill. Send the old model number and a photo of the thread. A liquid filled Ross Brown gauge such as the L100 may be a suitable replacement for low pressure duty, while higher pressures need a stainless model.
Setting up a new maintenance kit
Choose a digital gauge with the accuracy your tasks need, a set of adaptors and a hose rated for the pressure. The PDK PDR range and the PDR test kit are built for this.
Specifying gauges for a new plant
Write the standard, accuracy class, materials, fill, size and connection into the specification, so every bidder quotes the same thing. Ask for datasheets with the quotes, and compare them line by line.
A short list of questions for any maker
- Which standard does this gauge meet, and where is it stated?
- What is the over-range protection and the working temperature?
- Can I get a calibration certificate, and from whom?
- Are spare parts and replacements available in Australia?
A clear, written answer to these four questions tells you more about a maker than any ranking.
Frequently asked questions
Which pressure gauge brand is the best?
There is no universal best. Choose on specification, standard, availability and support.
Is WIKA better than Ashcroft?
Both are established makers with wide ranges. The better choice is the model that fits your range, media, accuracy and connection.
Are cheaper gauges poor quality?
Not automatically, but check the accuracy class, materials and standard. A cheap gauge with no datasheet is a risk.
Where is my gauge made?
Check the label and datasheet. Some of our PDK gauges are made in South Korea, for example.
Can you match a gauge from another brand?
Often yes. Send us the model, range and connection and we will compare the specifications honestly.
Find the right gauge
Browse the pressure gauges, digital pressure gauges and pressure sensor categories, or contact us with your application.
