A tape measure is one of the most important tools anyone can own. It doesn’t matter if you are a carpenter, own a home or even just rent an apartment, you should have a tape measure handy. Something as simple as ordering furniture for your new apartment or home shouldn’t be done without first measuring to see if that new couch you just ordered online will even fit. But standard tape measures are almost primitive in today’s world. Plus, they can be a nightmare when taking precise measurements of awkward areas where you can’t put the tape right on the ground or in a straight line.
Laser tape measures are more powerful, compact and easier to use than those yellow roll-up measures. You can grab the distance between two walls, even if they are hundreds of feet apart with a quick press of a button — no need to roll out the tape and walk backward to the endpoint. Many laser tape measures even do math to calculate square footage or the area for you, so you don’t have to.
These electronic tape measures make those yellow roll-up tape measures seem like they belong in the stone age. Every adult should have a tape measure somewhere in the home, ideally in a junk drawer or tool chest that’s very poorly organized. However, you can work smarter not harder with a laser tape measure.
Here are our recommendations for the best laser tape measures available:
1. Leica Disto D2
BEST OVERALL
It can accurately measure up to 330 feet which is great for work in large warehouses and industrial buildings. No need to write all those measurements down since it stores the last ten measurements. Plus, if there is a tricky area to measure, it has a Pythagoras function to indirectly determine the height or width of an area. When you’re all done, you can transfer those measurements via Bluetooth to your desired device or software.
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2. Tacklife HD60 Classic Laser Tape Measure
ALSO GREAT
This laser tape measure can easily switch between meters, feet and inches as you’re measuring an area. But most impressively, you can add and subtract areas, for example, when you might want hardwood to a certain point and then carpet beyond that. It’s compact and sturdy to survive any job site and comes with everything you need including batteries, carrying case and hand strap.
3. Bosch GLM 20 Blaze 65
AMAZON CHOICE
With an overwhelming 94% approval customer approval rating and 4.7 stars on Amazon, it’s safe to say that the people have spoken — this is a great deal on a laser tape measure. It’s reliable, albeit the 65 feet measuring ability is not the longest. The simplistic one button measure operation, an easy to read backlit screen and compact design are ultimately why people love this laser measure. Oh, and the price is right, too.
4. Bosch Blaze GLM 50 C
BLUETOOTH
It’s compact like the GLM 20, but with more features. For starters, it can measure up to 165 feet to within 1/8 inch. With live measuring, the laser acts just like a tape measure and adjust as you walk closer or farther away from your target. But the best part is you can transfer all your measurements to any smart device via Bluetooth with the Bosch app, so you don’t need to bring your laser tape measure to the hardware store when you’re done using it.
5. Dtape DT100
BUDGET BUY
You sure do get a lot of capabilities for cheap. It measures up to 328 feet to 1/16th of an inch and quickly switches between meters, feet and inches. It provides the area, distance and volume of a space and even has Pythagorean features to measure difficult areas. It’s durable, IP54 waterproof and compact. Not a bad buy for a laser tape measurer that only costs $32.
6. Bosch GLM165
MID-LEVEL BOSCH
A great middle ground between the GLM 20 and GLM 50 C. It can measure 165 feet like the GLM 50, but is significantly cheaper — just about $10 more than the GLM 20. It doesn’t have Bluetooth like the GLM 50, but it does have an auto square feature that calculates the square footage of an area on the fly which is helpful for anyone who does flooring, tile or carpeting.
7. Dtape 2-1 Tape Measure
TWO-IN-ONE
Having a laser measure that also has an analog tape measure might seem a little counterintuitive, but it’s actually quite brilliant. The laser measure handles large measuring jobs up to 131 feet and has battery life of up to five hours. But if that battery dies, you still have a reliable 16-foot tape measure handy. It’s a pretty nifty tool for any carpenter to have in their tool bag.
8. LSR2 Bi-Directional Measuring Device
BI-DIRECTIONAL
Instead of having to go to one end of a room, kneel or crouch down to get your measurements, you can get accurate measurements by standing in the center of the room. The device measures from both ends up to 150 feet, so you can easily grab measurements as you’re walking through an apartment, home or commercial building. This is a great tool for any contractor or real estate agent.
9. Lomvum Laser Measure
LONG DISTANCE
This laser tape measure is great for open industrial or commercial settings thanks to its almost 400 feet of measuring power. You can quickly change the units with a press of a button and even grab the area, volume and distance of a room or space. Plus, it’s compact, durable and comes with everything you need including a carrying case, hand strap and batteries.
10. Tacklife HD50
ALTERNATIVE TO HD60
The only difference you’ll find between this and the HD60 is this only measures up to 164 feet instead of close to 200 feet. And it’s about $10 dollars cheaper than its long-distance counterpart. Both have a built-in level and come with everything you need to get started on the job site.
This Digital Tape Measure Runs Laps Around Your Old-School Measuring Tool