Review by D. Schmid for Bosch DLR165K Laser Distance Measuring Device
Rating:
I’m in agreement with most in that this is a big time saver, especially when getting a tape measure between two surfaces is impractical e.g. crown molding. After several months of use I’ve found a few critical shortcomings.

I’ve received a couple of bogus measurements that were in the ballpark of the actual ones. While these could have been due to user error, I was careful to note the discrepancy and was able to reproduce it on one occasion. To be fair, the unit gets stored in my glove box, has been knocked around a bit and is not exactly in new condition. However, I would like it to either work or not work. Erroneous readings are not acceptable.

Another gripe about this device is that the beam does not shoot plumb up from the base of the laser. That is to say, if you just rest the case on a surface that is parallel to another, you’ll be measuring a distance that is angled slightly away from plumb. This can be especially frustrating when you set the unit down on a bottom plate and just never seem to hit the top plate only 8′ up without angling the unit a bit by hand.

Finally, as others have mentioned, the laser cannot be configured to read in inches and fractions only. e.g. 94-5/16 will read 7’10-5/16. Converting to inches in your head inevitably leads to cutting errors so the fix around this seems to be to switch to reading off your tape in feet & inches when you make your mark rather than the inches-only format that you are used to.

Still, the price is right. In my mind this makes it a great tool, especially for estimating. But, for that $100 board, you’d be wise to double-check that measurement with your tape.

Review by busrey for Bosch DLR165K Laser Distance Measuring Device
Rating:
I do trim carpentry and build cabinets and needed something to give me fast accurate measurements for doing crown moldings and the Bosch delivered. It comes with a handy case that you can hang on your belt keeping it in reach. I use it for any measurement that would require me to bend the tape and try to guess what the reading would be or where the distance makes it difficult to accurately do with tape measure. It also has the ability to do continuous reading allowing you to aim at an object and move yourself forward or backward until you are the desired distance from the target object.

A steady hand does help but the uses are endless due to its ability to read off its front edge, a tripod mount hole, off its back edge, or its extendable rod. It would be a good idea to make sure the tape measure you use for transferring the measurements matches the rangefinder before starting a job. The only negative I have discovered is that a measurement in feet and fractions of an inch are stored in memory and then redisplayed in decimal forcing me to then convert the number back into fractions. That said the display holds my measurement long enough for me to get my molding, measure, and make the cut before the display shuts off. I have recommended this device to all my friends who do a lot of measurements on their job.

Review by Nola for Bosch DLR165K Laser Distance Measuring Device
Rating:
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.