Best Digital Tape Measures - Top Picks, Reviews & Complete Buying Guide
by Scott Miller Updated on
Digital tape measures are designed so that the new models have substituted a laser for the traditional tape, which has increased the range and accuracy at the same time.
This way they can make your job easier and faster, not to mention the accuracy.
However, the buying process of this tool is that fast and easy, being that the manufactures write product descriptions just to be able to sell their merchandise.
So, you hear all the things that are good about a tool, but never any of the bad ones, so we suggest that you take a closer look at users’ reviews prior to purchasing the tool.
That is why we have gathered reviews with the aim to give you a complete picture of each digital tape measure.
By reading this article, you will get the information about everything you need to know related to digital tape measures.
DEWALT could not but make one more exceptional tool that rightfully deserves the first position.
The DW03050 165-Feet digital tape measure measures out to 165 feet from the unit.
Furthermore, it can triangulate measurements based on positions you do not have direct access to.
The amazing fact about this tool is that it can also do automatic area and volume calculations while storing the last five calculations for easy reference.
There are so many other advantages, such as the display which is backlit, enabling you to work in dim or bright conditions and still see the screen.
You get the measurements in feet and inches, inches-only, or in meters.
Among all these advantages, there is one disadvantage and that is its underwhelming instructions.
The instruction manual is on a CD, but users reported having trouble getting it to run.
The manual can be found on DEWALT’s website.
All in all, we can say that this model still works very well and you certainly will not be disappointed with this model’s performance.
The Bosch GLM 35 Laser Distance Measure is the model for those people who do not need the measurement of the most distance and at the same time want to save some money.
Being that this model can measure distances up to 120 feet away it makes it not as good as the top two models on our list.
The tool functions with the pressing of a single button and includes the ability to calculate the area and volume of a room.
Additional advantage is a backlit display meaning that the result is readable in both bright and dark conditions.
This model is inexpensive, but effective, even though it requires more steadiness when in operation so as to give a good reading.
If used correctly, it gives good readings, and for the price, it is quite a great deal.
Since you have read our reviews, you probably got the idea what you want to buy.
But now, we are offering you this guide to give you some insight into the features you should pay attention to in order to get the best deal for your money.
What features should I take into consideration?
We need to suggest you to take a look at the relationship between range and accuracy. Being that the majority of digital tape measures have an accuracy of plus or minus 1/8-inch for distances under 50 feet, there are those that increase to a 1/4-inch between 50 and 100 feet.
In case you will be doing distances over 150 feet, what you will need is a spotting plate at the destination you measure.
Only that way you will get accurate measurement.
Another thing to consider are extra features, such as Bluetooth, as you will get the measurements sent to your phone or tablet easily.
The functions that can store measurements for future recollection are always useful and welcome.
If you do not have that option on your tool, you will have to write them down, and in many cases you might have forgotten your pen.
This means that this function is almost always worth the money.
Conclusion
In the conclusion, we can just repeat once again what we have already said about these devices.
The DEWALT DW03050 165-Feet digital tape measure is the best of the best due to its long range, backlit display, and excellent memory storage.
The Leica DISTO E7100i 200ft offers Bluetooth connectivity, and a min-max mode, while the Bosch GLM 35 Laser Distance Measure includes a backlit display and simple operation.
The last two on our list – The General Tools LTM1 2-in-1 and the eTape16 ET16.75-db-RP have limited range and relative inaccuracy so they are not our recommendation.
After reading our reviews and buyer’s guide, you certainly possess all the information you need to find the unit at a price that will suit you.