A Glossmeter measures specular reflection, or the capacity of a surface to reflect light.

As the human eye perceives gloss, it is a subjective sensation. However, control by visual analysis is insufficient because evaluation conditions are not clearly defined and people see and judge differently. Yet gloss is often used as a criterion to evaluate the quality of a product - including automotive coatings, furniture coatings, plastics, metals, and paper. Glossmeters and their handling procedures are internationally specified to allow comparison of measurement values.