The best laser measure: precision tools for calculating distances accurately

The best laser measures are a real step up from old-school tape measures, offering much more accurate results. They're usually quicker and much less fiddly to use, especially when you're in a cluttered room with lots of things in the way. And with advanced models, you can even get help with your calculations and store a series of readings to refer back to later. Some also come with an inclinometer, which measures the angle of an object.

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For these reasons, the best laser measures (also known as 'laser distance measurers', 'laser distance meters', or 'laser tape measures') have become essential tools for professionals in construction, surveying, IT networking, and energy fitting. They're also great if you're just doing DIY projects at home.

Below, we've carefully curated a selection of the best laser measures available today, covering a variety of use cases and budgets. We explain what each has to offer, and how to choose between them.

Tom May

Tom May has more than 20 years of experience in renovating properties the length and breadth of England (plus bits of Wales). He's allergic to hard work and long hours, so he's always keen to use devices that can save him time and effort when it comes to the boring and mundane side of DIY.

Our top picks

Best laser measures 

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The best laser measure for DIY

The best laser measures can get quite expensive, but if you just want one for a bit of home DIY, here's our recommendation. This device from Mileseey is quite affordable, and does a good job at measuring, with an accuracy of ±0.2mm/±1/16 inch. With a measuring range of between 16cm and 70 feet, it's dust- and splash-proof to IP54 standards, and offers some useful extra functions. 

For example, you can just measure the hypotenuse, and the horizontal distance and vertical height are calculated automatically. Or you can measure only two hypotenuses, and the vertical height is calculated automatically. 

This device can store up to 20 measurements at one time, and takes two AAA batteries. More expensive models promise more, but for home decoration this is probably all you need.

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The best laser measure for carpentry

The maxim in carpentry goes 'measure twice, cut once', and the best laser measure mean you'll get the super-high degree of accuracy you need. 

For these purposes, we like the D1. It's elegant and simple to use, with a light-touch keypad and no more buttons than you need. That makes this a great tool for measuring spaces and single lengths of wood, although those working on larger spaces or outdoors might look for a more powerful laser.

It has some advanced features too. Most notably, it's compatible with Leica’s free Disto Plan app which – via Bluetooth and any Apple or Android phone – extends the two-button operation into a full room measurement tool. You can use this to integrate your measurements into project images or job-site sketches.

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The best laser measure for in-built features

Want an all-singing, all-dancing laser measure that's packed with useful features? Then we recommend the Leica Disto D2 Laser Distance Meter. While it's pretty similar to the D1 above, it boasts a more generous range of up to 100m, and an absolute ton of features. 

A standout feature is the multifunctional flip-out endpiece that enables measuring from edges, corners or slots while automatically detecting its position to prevent errors. The device utilizes X-Range Power Technology to ensure fast and reliable long-range measurements up to 100m with a typical accuracy of ±1.5mm and 0.1mm resolution on the illuminated display.

Bluetooth Smart (4.0) allows seamless data transfer to smartphone and tablet apps like Leica's DISTO Plan app for iOS/Android for creating drawings from measurements. It offers distance, area, volume and indirect Pythagoras measurement modes along with tracking, painter functions, a timer, and the ability to add/subtract measurements. 

The D2 can store the last 10 measurement results in its memory, and other useful features include a beeping speaker, stake-out mode, dust/splash protection (IP54 rated), and up to 10,000 measurements or 20 hours of use from 2 AAA batteries.

The best bi-lateral laser measure

Here is a different take on the laser measure, which takes the sum distance (plus its own length) from two lasers. This means it can be pointed in three directions from the centre of a room to get all three measurements needed for an estimate of the volume without needing to take a step. 

The slight sacrifice is that the device has twice the margin of error that a single laser measure would have. But for contract estimators this is unlikely to be a huge issue. On the plus side, the device has a partner app for both iOS and Android, which can not only assist with area calculations for materials but exports data and sketches in JPEG, PDF & XLS. 

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The best laser measure for factories

The Mileseey S6 is a versatile electronic measure with a long measuring range of 100m, making it more useful in factories and warehouses as well as large apartments and other big spaces. It also offers area, distance, volume and Pythagorean measurements.

It's reasonably robust, with IP54 ingression protection. The rubber body makes for a good grip and drops aren’t much of a concern. A bubble-level is included, as well as electronic inclinometer for those just wanting to quickly check a level, or passing the tool to their older workmate and wanting to side-step a “good old days” lecture.

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The best laser measure for AutoCAD

The Leica Disto S910 shows how much more can be achieved with this technology than simple straight-line measurements. Yes, it's expensive. But there are many for whom it will soon earn the investment back. 

The ability to take a series of measurements from a single tripod position using the SmartBase is made easier by the built-in camera’s 4x zoom, used to accurate locate points for precise targeting. Exporting the data as DXF to AutoCAD files is easy thanks to WiFi or Bluetooth, or you can go to the Android/iOS Disto App. There are also an amazing number of complicated area and volume calculation features built in, so you can deliver a verdict on site. 

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The best laser measure with camera

The Bosch GLM400CL Blaze is capable of taking a long measurement on a fairly bright day, but what really sets it apart is the technology it has to back that up. There are a good range of measurements, including (by virtue of the inclinometer) Pythagorean areas, but the icing on the cake is the camera. The camera has two jobs. It helps identify the spot the laser is pointing to more easily, and it records an image with the measurement. 

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The best laser measure for trees

If you need to calculate the height of trees from a distance, the Forestry Pro makes the task a lot easier. It works using an optical monocular finder, and in that respect, has a lot in common with a more professional version of a golfer's laser rangefinder (for comparison, the eye relief is 18mm). 

With a magnification of 6x, professionals will find their targets reasonably easily, but there's also the Target Priority Mode to helps find objects in sequence if needed. The memory of 250 measurements lets you cover a lot of ground without getting the note pad out, too, and despite the distance measurements take about 0.3 seconds.

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The best compact laser measure

Many photographers find themselves lusting after the Leica brand, and the firm have plenty of options in the laser-measure space. This is their most compact: so small it has a removable belt clip, which has a noticeable impact on the size! 

It's a good-looking design with IP54 splash proof and a backlit screen. It is relatively pricey, but the screen includes previous and current measurements. Not only that, but you can transmit measurements to your phone via Bluetooth and create floor plans and sketches with the Leica Disto app. While the accuracy is higher than many, the design deliberately doesn’t include features like area calculations, leaving these to the app. 

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FAQs

How to choose a laser measure

When deciding which laser measure to buy, first consider the amount of range you want to cover. This can vary hugely, so if you're only going to be measuring small rooms you won't need as much distance as if you're working in a large warehouse. 

Also think about accuracy. Some types of work will require accuracy to fractions of a millimetre, whereas most domestic DIY tasks you can afford to be a little more relaxed. Finally, think about features. Advanced models offer tools such as area and volume calculations, Pythagoras calculations, and even app connectivity. These bells and whistles will cost more, though, so consider whether you need them. 

How we test laser measures

We put laser measures to the test in real-world situations, carrying out a broad kind of measuring tasks and seeing how they match up to each other. We test them out in a variety of different spaces, from compact to cavernous, and check whether different surfaces pose any problems to each device. We focus on how user-friendly they are, whether their claims to accuracy stack up in practice, and how compact and portable (or otherwise) they are.

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