Customer Reviews

Stanley 77-007 IntelliMeasure Ultrasonic Estimator with Laser Pointer

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The beauty of this tool is not in that you can throw away your tape measure (you can't) but in what this tool can do that a tape measure can't. Think of any measurement where one of the endpoints is somewhere you cannot or do not want to go. Think of measurements where there are physical obstructions that would make use of a tape measure difficult.

For example, if you want to know how deep a hole is or how high a ceiling is, this thing is handy. It is also useful for quickly determining the area of rooms if you're viewing a new home and are trying to decide if a floor plan meets your needs, or if you're trying to find out if the seller has significantly overstated the square footage.

Buyers should note that while this product is called a "Laser Estimator" it is really an ultrasonic range estimator with a laser pointer attached so that you can easily aim the device. The device uses the return time of reflected ultrasound to determine distance. Because it uses reflected high-frequency sound, you should avoid aiming at curved surfaces as this can really throw off the measurement.

The device is pretty well designed. It has a large button on the side of the unit that is easy to activate when holding the unit against a wall. The other buttons are placed on the front of the unit, where they are handy when you are looking at the LCD display. The unit has a flat, broad bottom so it is easy to hold it flush against a wall and it will stand on its own for measuring ceiling heights.

I rate the product four stars instead of five, because I too would like to see better accuracy than +/- 3 inches in 50 feet. It would be nice if a device like this were accurate enough to use for cutting lumber. But it's good enough for less ciritcal things like estimating the amount of wallpaper or carpeting to buy.

As a structural engineer, I have had my Intellimeasure for just over a year now. It's handy to be able to estimate the height of a roof or the width of a room so quickly, and for engineering, the 0.5% precision is fine.

Because it is based on echolocation, the Intellimeasure only works well if you can point it at a broad, flat surface. If you aim it past a doorway, you'll probably end up getting the measurement to the door. If you aim it up at a floor structure above, you may be getting the measurement to the joists or the deck, but you won't be sure which. If you aim it at a sloping roof, it will not work at all - unless you attempt to triangulate while sloping the device to be roughly perpendicular to the roof slope.

The first time I dropped it, it broke. I pieced it back together, but it gives incorrect measurements now.

And a great one at that. I use this handy device when I am out surveying sites which calls for room measurement. Many times our clients time is limited and the IntelliMeasure provides a quick and easy way to get the information I need. I have used a couple of ultrasonics in the past that have ended up in the trash, no accuracy or reliability. This one will be a keeper. It is definitely not a replacement for a tape measure but provides great accuracy at +/-.5% for estimating and that is what it is designed for.

It couldn't be easier! I just finished 2 major projects in my house - carpet & trim - and the Intellimeasure made it simple and quick. I double checked the first room with my tape rule and found that the measurements were right on. The auto calculating features were great and saved me from having to write down every measurement.

I use this to double check or measure area for productivity assessments in cleaning. The add function works well and as far as accuracy, it is great when you have a relatively clear shot at a blunt target. This is a SONIC unit that uses a laser only for targeting. I use a laser rangefinder for long distances. This one is great for room measurements.

If you have reasonable expectations and are applying this for what it is designed, it is the best I have found for the money. Stanley is normally not a brand I look for but in this case, it is much better than I expected.

3" in 50' is perfectly acceptable for estimating purposes - when dragging a tape out would be a pain... Besides, one can hardly be as accurate by eye.

3 inches compared to 50 feet is not 3 percent, it's 1/2 of 1 percent, just like the manufacturer review states.

This is an OK product for measuring finished but unfurnished rooms. I find it difficult or unusable for either construction or furnished-room measurements.

The review below is wrong---the Intellimeasure DOES allow you to measure from either the top or bottom of the device. You just press the MODE button to select the mode you want; I don't know why the other reviewer couldn't figure this out (it's also in the manual).

The device works quite well, the only issue I have is that it breaks easily if you drop it.

Have you ever thought - "I wish I could talk to the person who designed this thing - what was he/she thinking?" I measure a lot of rooms in existing buildings and I was looking for something to help speed the process (besides depending on the standard tape measure). Imagine trying to measure a simple room with a rectangular floor plan - and all you want to do is measure the interior wall-to-wall distance. The IntelliMeasure won't be a lot of help since the design does not allow you to measure from one flat plane to another directly. The laser beam measures from a line on the molded body of the device - so you cannot place the device up against a surface (ie, a wall) and measure directly to an opposing surface (ie, the opposite wall in a room). You have to add 5" to each measurement to account for the dimension of the IntelliMeasure's body. Useless. And, to compound the problem, the mini-manual is of no help. (Stanley - if you are listening - add a function that automatically adds the dimension of the body so users can measure from the base of the product to the measured point. Or, redesign the body so this becomes practical and obvious.)

The number of reviews that think this product is acceptable for flooring measurements surprises me. It may have value for rough estimates, but as a professional in residential flooring sales, with 14 years experience with the leading retailer in central Ohio, I think that a 3" tolerance in 50' is unacceptable. I certainly don't want to risk being 3% short on a job, nor do I want to be charging my customers for 3% extra material and labor just because I can't trust my measuring device.
In my opinion, unless this device's accuracy can be improved, it should only be used for noncritical estimates. Measurements for a firm quote, or for installation purposes, would then need to be redone with a tape measure.