Customer Rating: - No More Flopping Tape Measure End
How many times have you had to use a long tape measure on your DIY project at home and have the end pop loose or need another person to hold the end for you? Well, not any longer as the Bosch Laser accurately does the measuring for you in feet and inches, with fractions. It can measure the height of a tree that needs cutting down, the area of a room for flooring or carpet, a yard wall that needs painting, and a great deal more. It does take a little learning to use, but what good tool doesn't?

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Customer Rating: - A pleasure to use
This is just a fantastic device. Massive time savings. Keep in mind that it's the first measuring device I've owned that is not a steel tape, so perhaps I'm more easily impressed than more up-to-date DYI-ers.

I have always been a do-it-yourselfer, but just occasional projects here and there, nothing that in my mind justified a $130 measuring device. But I now have big backyard and frontyard projects planned, and the older I get the more I value my time, so OK, seeing all the good reviews here I splurged.

When I use this thing, I get a big grin on my face. Distance from house to shed, so I know how much yard I have to work with? Stick it against the wall, press button once to turn on laser, once more and boom--measurement in hand, with overkill accuracy. (Actually, the accuracy gives me an additional use: the shed is on an unstable slope, and I know it has been moving downslope over the years. I'll be able to track it very closely relative to the house now.)

Or this morning. Had to get to work, but before I did I wanted to get a quick quote for getting a bunch of woodchips to cover some bare ground for the winter. A rectangular patch of ground bordered on two adjacent sides by retaining walls--perfect for this device. I knew the depth of chips I wanted: with length, width & a little math I'd have the number of cubic yards of chips I needed to order. I dashed outside alone, and literally 15 seconds later was heading back in the house with my measurements in both directions (I did a handheld "point and shoot" to each wall from the opposite side, needing just rough measurements.) This points out something I did not appreciate prior to buying it: yes, it's great if you need precision measurements, as I expected, but it is also great if you need something quick & dirty. It's just so damn fast, compared to futzing around with a tape measure, especially if you often work alone. The laser dot can be shaking a fair bit and it will still give you a reasonable measurement.

Measuring a room is trivial, if you have a clear visual path from one wall to the other, and again in the perpendicular direction (a bit of a challenge, I have to say, in my severely cluttered house, but usually I find a spot). This does bring to mind one advantage to a steel tape--in a backyard for example, you can snake a tape through sparse bushes, weeds etc. and get a reasonable measurement, while the laser measurer would be stymied if the visual path is not completely clear in at least one small spot.

Another great application: Measuring from fence to opposite fence all around my yard to both see how big the lot is (according to current fence lines) and see how straight and parallel the fences are (in my case, not very). So easy, if you have the clear shot.

Some measurements are trickier than with a steel tape--measuring the side of a shed, for example. You have a clear starting point (set the device to measure from its front end, and put the front end against one end of the wall, so the laser shoots along the wall), but no clear ending point at the other end of the wall for the laser to get a bead on. Taping up a piece of cardboard against the end of the wall works. Now that I think about it, it's still less tricky than a tape, which typically falls off the end of the wall before I get to the other end.

I do wish it could store a series of measurements, so I would have less jotting to do as I'm walking around. If you have a series of measurements to add together, you're set (just keep hitting M+ after each measurement), but it can only hold two independent measurements (one in memory, and the one you just took, which will be on the display).

As others have said, it would be nice if it displayed in decimal or fractional inches (without feet), but if I am worried about feet-inch conversion errors I just stick with decimal feet.

I did some testing with an 18" ruler and a perpendicular target. It was accurate to +- 1/16 in as advertised, over those short distances at least.

Very glad I took the plunge.

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Customer Rating: - Good but missing leveling tool
I am using this tool for 3 months now. It is handy and works quite well as documented. Saves time. However it lucks a leveling tool. Thus it is hard to keep it horizontal so the laser beam will parallel the floor. On large distances even a small angle may add significantly to a false result. Also I was never been able to measure distances larger than 40 yards.

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Customer Rating: - Bosch DLR165K is a good choice for measuring
Bought one to try out. Will probably buy more for each of the appraiser's in the office. We use to measure homes, condos, and apartment buildings. Great tool. Have tried an older version of the Disto which nobody in the office would adopt. The laser beam on this Bosch is much brighter. The controls are easier to master. Very simple to use. Very accurate. Love this device.