Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)The Bosch 825 is a very handy device that will allow you to quickly and accurately measure some things, especially large things, much more quickly and accurately that you could with a tape measure, especially if you are alone. It also is capable of measuring some things that would have been difficult or impractical with a tape measure, and as a convenience it also can do a variety of calculations such as area and volume that are based on multiple measurements.
However, don't throw away your tape measure yet, because there are some things that it won't do (or at least I can't figure out how to do). Specifically, laser measuring units need a target at the far end and thus are really good for measuring inside dimensions but not outside dimensions. Thus measuring things like a table top or side wall of a building is difficult or impossible because there is no inherent target at the far end (so you have to add one), while with a tape measure you would just hook the edge of the item to be measured.
I have not owned or even used a laser distance measuring device before. I chose this specific unit because it had excellent long-distance capabilities (820') that I needed for measuring property lines, it is rugged and small, and it was attractively priced compared to the Leica units. I am not an expert on the topic of laser measurement, nor can I compare this unit to others. However, for those contemplating purchase of this unit, I can offer the following observations:
THE GOOD
* Nice size and construction. It's about the size of a large bar of soap and thus fits easily in your hand. Body is heavy-duty plastic that looks pretty rugged and dirt-proof, although I'm personally not going to test this.
* LCD display is always easy to read outdoors in sunlight, and has a backlight for dim indoor situations.
* Has a built-in level, and also a standard tripod mount the use of which is essential for some long-distance measurements.
* Very fast. Measurements are nearly instantaneous. Unit turns on very fast.
* You can measure from 4 different reference points on the device, including front, back, the tripod mount, and a little stick that you can fold out from the bottom so you can measure corner-to-corner.
* Comes with a decent nylon case and lanyard.
* Amazingly for a small electronic device, it is NOT made in China! Would you believe Switzerland?
THE LESS-GOOD
* Instruction manual is terrible. It's a cryptic little multi-lingual newsprint document. Being multi-lingual is not a problem, except that the device and all of its cryptic buttons are pictured only once at the beginning of the manual and then referred to in the later text only by number, e.g. "... push the measuring button 7 ..." making you refer to the earlier tiny diagram in which all of the numbered items are really hard to tell apart.
* The instruction manual is very rudimentary, and does not give any usage tips on how to do difficult measurements. For example, maybe there are some tricks that would allow you to do measurements of things that don't have a target at the far end, etc.
* The instruction manual is currently not on-line at the Bosch site, even though there is a link and page where it supposedly is or will be provided. (I like the ability to get a copy in case I lose or destroy the one that came with the unit. I need to carry the manual with me because some of the functions are not so obvious, at least until I become more proficient.)OTHER OBSERVATIONS
* As far as I can tell, this unit (GLR825) is identical to the somewhat cheaper GLR500 except that the GLR825 has an optical sight that enables you to see the laser dot at a longer distance. The GLR825 thus is advertised as being usable over a longer distance (800 ft vs only 500ft for the GLR500). Both units come with the same instruction manual.
* Obviously this device contains a powerful laser, and when the beam is on it can easily reflect back into your eyes. Once activated indoors, it is amazing how many reflective surfaces there are: windows, shiny metal, etc. Note that some of the special glasses sold to help with laser measurements do NOT protect against this. Certain measurements such as square footage and volume will leave the laser beam on between the multiple measurements required, so you really need to be careful!
* It has trouble measuring through glass, if that is an issue.Overall a very handy little device that makes a great addition to your toolkit, although you will still need your tape measure. PS. I bought mine on sale from another site for quite a bit less than the price I have seen here.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Bosch GLR825 Laser Distance Measurer
The BoschLaser Distance Measurer incorporates precision laser measuring technology, where the laser beam does both pointing and measuring, for distances up to 825 feet. A magnified viewfinder assists with long range and outdoor measurements. Application: Length, area, volume, min./max., continuous, indirect length, double Indirect, combined indirect, stake out, trapezoid, multi-surface area and timer, Accuracy: 3/64in. / 1mm / ±0.04in., Measures: Laser, Range (ft.): 2in.-825ft., Display Type: 4-line illuminated LCD, Battery Type: AAA, Battery Included: Yes (4)
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