目前已有许多技术开发用于进行压力和真空测量。用于测量压力的仪器，通常被称为测压仪表或真空仪表。

压力计也可以是指一个压力的测量仪器，通常仅限于测量接近于大气的压力。实际上“压力计”一词经常被用来特指一类仪器，即主要利用液柱来测量在流体静力学条件下的压力。

真空仪表则是用来衡量真空条件下的压力，通常再进一步划分为两类：高真空、低真空（有时或是超高真空）。大多数用于衡量真空状态的测量技术，存在一个重叠的技术适用压力范围。结合几种不同类型的规范标准，通常仪表的连续测量范围为自10毫巴到10毫巴内。

Many techniques have been developed for the measurement of pressure and vacuum. Instruments used to measure pressure are called pressure gauges or vacuum gauges.

A manometer is an instrument that uses a column of liquid to measure pressure, although the term is currently often used to mean any pressure measuring instrument.