This study was carried out to design and fabricate a cost effective and efficient compression strength tester to carter for the needs of stakeholders in the blocks and bricks industries. In carrying out the project work a thorough study of the foreign testers and the requirements of the Nigerian industrial standards, NIS 87:2000 and NIS 74:1976 for blocks and clay bricks respectively was done. Design drawings and calculations were established and the machine was fabricated with well selected materials and components all sourced locally. The performance of the fabricated machine was finally evaluated against a standard foreign machine in the Standards Organisation of Nigeria using statistical methods and the result showed that the locally fabricated machine is 97% effective.