CST/Berger 57-LMETL8 8-Inch Laser Torpedo Level

by CST/Berger

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

This is a handy little feature-packed gadget that you and yours will find a hundred uses for. It is accurate to 1/4 inch at 100 feet. Three precision glass vials offer a clear view, and two beams will make child's play of hanging artwork or installing chair rails and cabinetry, drop ceilings, shelves, and even tile. The base is V-grooved for foolproof work on conduits and pipe. CST/Berger offers accessories, too, with onboard storage. The 1/4-inch thread fits most camera tripods for hands-free work. All it takes is three AA batteries for about 40 hours of use. It's compact, rugged, and reliable. --Kris Jensen-Van Heste

From the Manufacturer

The new LaserMark Torpedo level is the new benchmark for laser tools. This feature-packed, compact, and rugged tool will make all your leveling, aligning, and plumbing jobs efficient and cost-effective. This value-packed tool has more versatility than most laser tools twice the price. Provides accuracy up to 1/4 of an inch at 100 feet. It includes an inclinometer, three precision glass vials, and a powerful 635 to 650 nm diode.

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B00002258H
• California residents: Click here for Proposition 65 warning.
• Item model number: 57-LMETL8
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #498,595 in Home Improvement (See Top 100 in Home Improvement)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

76 of 78 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I am returning mine, January 17, 2001

By 

"chriswei" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: CST/Berger 57-LMETL8 8-Inch Laser Torpedo Level (Tools & Home Improvement)

I just bought one and will be returning it immediately. The main unit is okay and the vertical and horizontal bubble levels seem accurate (I did some rough verification). I was impressed that it was usable outside on a semi-cloudy day at well over 100 feet. But the main unit would not attach to either of my two photo tripods - the female screw hole is too deeply recessed into the underside groove to work. Also, the bubble sights are recessed so far that they are difficult to see at odd angles and in low light.

I was not at all impressed by the attachments. Mine came with the beam bender (reflects the beam 90 degrees) and beam spreader (creates a line). The BB was okay but the only thing that guarantees 90 degrees is the magnetic contact surface. Junk between the two surfaces could drastically alter the angle. I have nothing more than a guess to back this up but this attachment wasn't all that interesting to me anyway.

The BS I thought would be great. It has its own two bubble levels so that you can check the vertical or horizontal aspect of the projected line. Cool. But the problem is that it also attaches magnetically so getting it to be perfectly level is almost impossible -- you turn it and it wants to rotate back -- you turn it further and it either sticks too far or returns to not enough. I spent many minutes trying to get it vertical -- when it finally appeared to be verical, I used a another (very accurate) level to check the projected line -- it was about 1/4" off over 5 feet of vertical - that is simply not acceptable for anything more than rough work.

The angle dial (rotating bubble) is not very accurate at all. I set it to 90 degrees and found it way off from the built in 90 degree bubble. Same for 0 degrees. I take this to mean I cannot trust it for 45 degrees. And I was hoping for enough angle accuracy to do some rough site surveying and this clearly doesn't have that kind of accuracy....

Back to the store it goes.

33 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great little gadget, June 21, 2000

By 

Jim McFarlane (Greenville, South Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: CST/Berger 57-LMETL8 8-Inch Laser Torpedo Level (Tools & Home Improvement)

My daughters gave me one for Father's Day. After playing with it in the house for a day or two I used it to help build another section of low brick wall around the patio. I'll never be a good brick mason, but that little laser level helped me keep this section within an 1/8 inch of level compared to a 1 inch mistake in the previous section. Plus it survived a 1/2 inch thunderstorm with no problem.

3.0 out of 5 stars It's OK, but not very accurate level for the cost, February 27, 2010

By 

S. Emmons - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: CST/Berger 57-LMETL8 8-Inch Laser Torpedo Level (Tools & Home Improvement)

Overpriced for the quality, accuracy, and ease of use. Laser is in the middle of the unit with just a thin ledge at laser level - can be difficult and tricky to get things just right.