Customer Reviews

Black & Decker ATM100 25-Foot Auto Tape Measure

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(17)

 

 

When I saw this product, it was an instant must-have gadget for me. After using this tape measure, it's novelty quickly wore off. First of all, it's heavy and bulky. The motor drive and four AAA batteries make it easily twice as long and heavy as a normal tape measure (how how long are tiny AAA batteries going to last?). Secondly, the motor drive seems very underpowered. It really moans and grinds once you extend the tape more than a yard. Another problem is that the retract spring is very weak (there's a warning on the case not to retract the tape at very high speeds). It was disappointing that the motor drive only works to extend the tape, and not to retract it.

The biggest problem of this device is that it is still a metal tape measure that will frustrate endlessly as the tape bends, folds and collapses when you try to measure long or vertical distances. Basically, this is a normal tape measure with a battery powered motor strapped onto it. It would have been better if it had a digital readout.

Probably a nice toy for the suburban weekend DIY crowd, but the plastic case and underpowered motor make this unsuitable for professional heavy duty work.

Being a professional woodworker, and a tool junkie, this was a no brainer purchase. Of course, I was pretty sure going into the acquisition, that this was not going to be the smartest purchase I ever made regarding tools- Boy was I right! This thing weighs as much as a belt sander, but without the power needed to extend the blade to any usable length. The case is bulky, and not real easy to move around small or tight areas. It's not the tape you would want on your belt for any length of time- the weight, extreme size, and overall bulkiness is just not comfortable. I thought that leaving it sit on my workbench and using it for general measuring might prove useful, but it just got in the way. Now it sits on a side table next to my reclining chair and I play with it during TV commercials. It's actually quite fun to run the tape out and in, as long as you don't have expectations of it being real useful in a shop environment. Overall, the idea is very clever- too bad the design is so gosh darn huge.

One word, heavy, describes the product. Not something to clip on your belt to carry all day. Given its size, was surprised only 25'. Have tapes twice as long that weigh half as much.
Tried to measure a floor and by the time the tape got to the wall it curved so much that the measurement was useless. Thought this could be useful to do more with one person. There is a nice release on the bottom that recoils the tape w/o the battery.

I got this as a gift. I seems like a good idea until you actually use it. The motor starts straining around the 36 inch mark and start to feel sorry for the poor motor at the 11 foot mark (it goes to 25 feet) where I have to stop. It would be one thing if it was easy to expand and retract the tape manually, but it's not. Oversized, overweight, underpowered. Don't waste your money.

This was a great idea that got very poorly executed. First off, it's huge (roughly 4" tall by 6" long by 2" thick). It takes four batteries, which is probably most of the reason for the gargantuan dimensions but that makes it nearly 2 pounds as well. Seriously, its very size and weight makes it nearly unusable with one hand, which was supposed to be the whole point of an "automatic" tape measure. Further, once the tape is more than five or six feet extended it starts to bow unless it is supported against something. If you are trying to measure up a wall to the ceiling, for example, it won't work unless you have something to hook it against at the top. Again, that defeats the "hand-free" goal. This is one of the dumbest gadgets I've ever seen let alone used. I got one as a gift and returned it after one use.

A gadget would be putting it nicely. My mother got this for all of us on father's day. I guffawed to myself when I saw it but sadly, did not immediately return it to the store for credit and get something good. It is so heavy and big, its unwieldy. The tape is so flimsy that overhead one hand use is impossible. All in all a gimmick that fails badly. It will be one of the worst sawbucks you have ever spent.

that is poorly executed and poorly made. This is a great idea, but all the flaws mentioned by other reviewers ( bulk, poor retraction) make this item more of a hinderence then a helpful tool.

If you are thinking about buying this as a gift ( especially for a serious DIY person, craftsmen or tradesmen)... don't. Even a regular B&D tape measure would be a better bet.

Black & Decker ATM100 25' Auto Tape Measure

Ok... It's a fun toy. One of those gadgets to play with when bored. Too large, bulkey; heavy etc to be practical. Moy lowest rating ever for and Black and Decker product. Sorry!

I thought the batteries that came with it were bad, so I replaced them. Still lethargic. So I figured I got a bad one, returned, still no luck. So i returned that one and have a fresh one in a package that i intend to sell on Ebay. Hope to recover 25% of my investment. Woo-Hoo...

Being the first on the market I just had to have one. I like to buy everything new when it comes out. But man was I wrong to buy this right away. First, the motor is severely underpowered. Other reviewers have commented about it as well. It does conk out after about 3 feet and then requires the manual pull. Secondly the retract barely works. I mean I need to hammer my switch to get it to work. Third, this thing is huge and weighs a lot. I know its because of the motor and batteries, but still its too big.
I own many Black and Decker tools and have been extremely satisfied over the years. This was a first attempt at a new product that didn't get as much testing as it needed. I'm sure that Black and Decker will try and improve this and make it better. It seems that everyone thats reviewed it has the same complaints. Have faith and trust in them to make it better over time!