Dewalt has come out with a new compact laser distance measuring tool, the DW065E, with a 65′ range, 1/8″ accuracy, and more features than we’d expect to see in a $50 laser tool.
More features? It has 3 lines of historical measurements, an area measurement function, and volume measurement function.
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It’s powered by 2x AAA batteries.
That’s pretty much all we know right now. There’s a units button, so maybe you can cycle through fractional, decimal, and metric units.
Price: $50
As of the time of this posting, the DWE065E was listed at Home Depot and Amazon, but is not actually available for purchase yet. Check back soon.
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See Also(165′ Model via Amazon)
Compare(Bosch via Amazon)
First Thoughts
I believe it was Bosch that kicked off the compact, inexpensive, and less frilled laser distance measuring tool trend, with their GLM 15. Now, there’s the less expensive GLM 10, the GLM 20 with greater range and backlit display, and several larger and more featured models.
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Kobalt has joined the fray, and I spotted a 130′ range Leica for $82 on Amazon.
Dewalt isn’t new to the laser distance measuring tool business, but this new 65′ model looks to be their first in the compact and short range market.
I have found short laser distance measuring tools to be quite useful indoors, especially where a 25′ tape measure might be nearing towards the end of its range.
Let’s say you want to measure the wall-to-wall distance or area of a room that’s filled with furniture. It’s far easier to whip out a laser distance measurer than to extend a tape measure, especially if you’re working solo.
I can’t find the dimensions anywhere, but am willing to bet that the new Dewalt DW065E can easily fit in a pocket.
Its ETA is unknown, but since it’s posted on Dewalt.com and now listed at some retailers, I’d guess it’ll become available by January or February 2017.
Aellynh
That looks almost %100 identical to the Kobalt laser distance meter with nearly the same specs. The LCD also looks exactly the same.
Cr8ondt
Based on the pics I’m seeing two different devices.
The yeti
In grade school we used to take our calculator apart for fun . Flip the lcd screen over. And it would invert to white numbers on a black screen like this.
Stuart
These are 2 completely different tools.
The features are different, housings are different. The only thing they have in common is the number of buttons and the battery requirements. Not even the range is the same.
Cr8ondt
I almost picked up the Kobalt the other day, hard to pass the $20 price, but I’m glad I waited definitely interested in checking this out.
Nathan
I was going to say I can’t want to see a comparo done because I almost bought the kobalt device recently.
RC WARD
one is 20 dollars and one is 50. That won’t change. The Kobalt is the way to go in this class
Matt
I have the Stanley TLM65. I’ve had it at least a couple of years so I’m not sure if they still make it or not but I know I didn’t pay much for it new. I think I got it at Menard’s? I’m not sure. I will say that I use it daily and it still works perfect. Range is maybe 50ft? I never use it for more than that but it’s dead accurate. It does have the units button but doesn’t have the 3 lines of historical measurements. If it’s still being made it would make for a cheaper alternative to their DeWalt for guys who don’t need the extra’s. I do know it was worth every penny!
Nathan
well sure if dollars is all that matters. what if the dewalt was ruggedized, or what if the bosch works better outside? Or one is more accurate on painted walls vs bare wood.
It would be nice to see how they stack up.
Michael
My local Lowe’s doesn’t carry Kobalt distance measures. Go figure
BigDan
Guess they dont measure up to other locations? Aren’t willing to go the distance?
Jimmie
I waffled over the $20 Kobalt and eventually bought it to use as a gift for a holiday party. Then got sick and missed the party. So I kept the Kobalt tool as a gift to myself.
John
I hope they learned a thing or two by studying the Bosch models. I have an inexpensive Bosch — and it’s quite good EXCEPT for two shortcomings, which are significant: 1. No backlight, and 2. Impossible for me to read fractional measurements without my reading glasses. (And, the lack of the backlight makes reading fractions that much harder.) I’m not going to replace the Bosch any time soon, but I wouldn’t recommend it, based on these issues.
BTW, $50 is way too pricey for the feature set, as described.
Blair
Trust me, if you can’t read the display without glasses, you wouldn’t be able to read a tape either. After 40+ years in the trade I guarantee it.
Nathan
counting tick marks and making out the difference between a 3 and an 8 in dim light are not the same thing.
I guarantee it.
complete different note – wondering when we will see the first multi-tool model of this hit the shelves. IE it’s all circuitry and and a laser etc.
So take those digital angle finders – has to have a screen to – fine already in place – shove the laser on the end compress the electronics kit a touch more – now you can have a digital angle finder – level – laser sight level and distance measure all the one tool. accurate to 0.5 degree, 1/8th inch and whatever a nominal level accuracy is.
Or press these electronics onto a 8ft or so tape – such as the tape is marked in 1/16 or whatever – and laser distance to 50ft +- 1/8th. SAE and Metric all in one tool.
I give it about 3 years or less.
fred
Having a Laser multifunction tool probably would be nice – particularly if it combined angle and distance measurements. Owning a laser distance measuring instrument that senses the angle (above or below the horizontal) at which you are shooting the target and then does the Pythagorean Theorem calculation for you – can be very useful. My wife – does landscape design. She regularly uses my Disto 810 that has this feature, to measure distances to walls where foundation plantings and intervening shrubbery would otherwise get in the way.
Joe
Interesting
Pete
Hum, i just bought a GLM-20 a month ago, i cant remember if its the updated one with “blaze” display or whatever its called. I’ll have to check! If i didnt just pick it up i would totally be buying this one
pedantic jerk
minor typo: you wrote available by January or February 2016. Not sure that happened…
Stuart
Thanks! lol at the name. My brain and hands are not used to writing out 2017 yet.
David
Does this tool do inches and fractions instead of feet?