Laser Measure - which one to buy?

[jonw1664]

I am looking to buy a laser measure but I can’t find any really useful reviews, does anyone have any recommendations- or “don’t touch with a barge pole” advice
I am looking for a good quality one that will do Pythagorean calcs as well as straightforward point to point measuring

the leica’s ability to talk directly to software looks clever but eye watering price
Dewalt do a “Bluetooth enabled” one but I can’t find out what it uses the Bluetooth to do !
any advice from anyone?

 

[HappyHacker]

I have a dumbish (read cheapish) Bosch one a few years old that measures up to 30m, I have no idea of the model (Edit DLE40) it does length in imperial, metric with volume and area calcs. It works well and is accurate and will measure from the back or the front of the unit.

The only problem is if the area is brightly lit trying to see where the dot is if over a few metres away and not on a white background. The sighting lines on the top are not easy to use.

The other problem, common to all lasers is trying to take outside measurements of buildings where there is nothing to shine the dod on without a slave to hold up a board.

 

[MikeJhn]

A Surveyor would not been seen dead with one, they where invented for Estate Agents not engineers.

 

[deema]

I have one but rarely use it! The laser line is very thick, on short runs it leads to high inaccuracies compared to a level. If it’s used on a wall and the wall isn’t flat or exactly vertical the lines are not accurate as soon as the laser incidents the surface at any angle other than 90 degrees. For me this makes them just an indicator and as such useless for every day work. As daft as it sounds any level used by turning it end over end to mark out is more accurate!
Id use the money to buy a range of levels. Don’t have to be expensive, just test them out in the shop until you find a good one. Check a surface with the level, turn it end for end and check again. Same result = good level.

 

[AJB Temple]

I disagree that surveyors would not be seen dead with one. I have worked with a number of professional people who spend their life measuring stuff. This includes people specifying large glazing units for manufacture, where the measurements need to be spot on. Without exception they use Leica.

 

[TFrench]

I measure jobs all the time with my Bosch one. I'd better throw it away.

 

[custard]

I'm with AJB, I've used the most basic Leica laser measure for years, and I'm very satisfied with the accuracy and reliability. Conversely I've often been disappointed by the relatively poor accuracy of tape based measures.

 

[AJB Temple]

I have one but rarely use it! The laser line is very thick, on short runs it leads to high inaccuracies compared to a level. If it’s used on a wall and the wall isn’t flat or exactly vertical the lines are not accurate as soon as the laser incidents the surface at any angle other than 90 degrees. For me this makes them just an indicator and as such useless for every day work. As daft as it sounds any level used by turning it end over end to mark out is more accurate!
Id use the money to buy a range of levels. Don’t have to be expensive, just test them out in the shop until you find a good one. Check a surface with the level, turn it end for end and check again. Same result = good level.

He's looking for a measuring device not a level

 

[deema]

He's looking for a measuring device not a level

OMG, brain clearly in neutral!

 

[Sideways]

A Leica Disto has been one of my go to tools for some years. Invaluable for working out factory layouts, checking actual dimensions, planning gantry crane installations, positioning foundations for heavy machinery, making sure large loads will go under road bridges, the list seems endless. I don't use it very often in my workshop though
In my real world, one of the essential specifications was the working range. I would regularly take measurements to 100 metres plus and a cheap laser won't do that.

 

[MikeJhn]

I suppose I am too used to the accuracy of my Wild T2A Distomat.

 

[craigs]

I have the bosch 50c with bluetooth, seems good enough for my use and if you bother connecting it to a smartphone or tablet it will bring up the measurements there also. it also has floorplan stuff and area, as well as angles and a builtin level.

 

[OrangeFive]

I use the Leica one from time to time. I wouldn’t use it to measure and cut a piece of timber though. But it is useful, quick and accurate. I used it the other day to measure a fence. 7m long then I measured with my tape. Spot on to the mm.

 

[Bristol_Rob]

 

[Bristol_Rob]

View attachment 95062

Meant to add. Add a Chartered Building Surveyor I never leave home without mine.
The smallest cheapest Leica works for me. In particular, its ability to take maximum and minimum measurements across a room is invaluable for catching those wonky rooms. (Which is all of them)
You won't regret buying a quality one.

 

[pe2dave]

Leica D210. I can recommend it. Minimal extras, add, subtract, functions.

 

[bansobaby]

I have a Leica Disto, can't remember the model off the top of my head but it was around the £250 mark.

I also use professionally a Leica Total Station that was nearer £25,000. Up to about 50 metres there is no discernible difference in their accuracy.

The Disto is great indoors but as others have noted, it falls down a little if you can't see the dot...

 

[Rich C]

I have a twenty quid job off amazon, it's accurate to the millimetre against anything else I have, so that does me.

 

[Cheesehound]

I'd definitely go for a Leica Disto - they've been used by Valuation Office surveyors for years. Easy to use, very reliable, and very accurate.
Try for a used one on the usual auction site.

 

[space.dandy]

I have a twenty quid job off amazon, it's accurate to the millimetre against anything else I have, so that does me.

Be careful if you by a cheapie from Amazon. A lot of those that are advertised as ‘laser’ are actually ultrasonic measurement with a laser spot guide for aiming. That’s not to say that they’re bad, but if you specifically want a laser measurement device you are unlikely to find it in a £20 Amazon cheapie.