Mileseey S50 laser measuring tool

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The Mileseey S50 is available now for $129.
• It’s a pocket-sized laser measuring tool with high-precision measurements up to 400 ft (120 m) with ±1/16 inch accuracy.
• It’s pricey and might be feature overkill for some.

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Some of my earliest memories are of using tools with my grandfather. He had the real ones while I had plastic facsimiles that could do a lot less damage. But to this day, I still can’t pick up a hammer or tape measure without thinking about those memories. 

Tools have been an integral part of my life from an early age. But they’re changing, and getting packed with silicon and batteries and transistors. 

Also: 10 DIY gadgets I never leave out of my toolkit (and why each one earns its spot)

Take tape measures, once a palm-sized object that housed a metal ribbon that could snap back enthusiastically — has been transformed into a palm-sized device with with a laser inside. Yup, the Mileseey S50 measuring tool has a frickin laser inside! 

This is nothing like my grandpa’s tape measure. The S50 is packed with features: first off, the laser measures out to a whopping 400 ft (120 m) and offers an incredible ±1/16 inch accuracy (and yes, it really is that accurate). It works in all sorts of conditions — indoors, outdoors, in bright sun, rain, mist, slow, and can even see the laser when it’s shone on a low-reflective surface (if the surface has too matte of a finish for the laser to work, you can use a reflective sticker).  

It’s quick to use, and the results are consistent and accurate. 

But this is only a fraction of what the S50 can do. This small pocket-sized bit of kit can do all sorts — you can use it to measure the distance between two points from a single location, measure the area of a wall, the volume of a room or cylinder, it can work out various Pythagorean calculations, and even use the side laser to make out intervals for things like fence posts. 

The amount of stuff that this little gadget can do is quite staggering. Some of the features I’ve been using a lot, others I’m not sure why I’d need them but one day will probably have one of those “a-ha” moments and figure out that particular feature will be useful.

Also: This is my favorite tool kit of all time – here’s why it’s still in use 10 years later

The information is displayed on a 2.4 inch IPS backlit display that is big and bold and easy to read under a variety of conditions, whether that be at night or in bright sunlight. Powering the unit are two rechargeable AA 1800mAh Ni-MH batteries, and these can be recharged in the unit using USB-C. The buttons on the unit are large and clear, and they are easy to operate even when wearing work gloves. 

There’s also a hole for a lanyard and also a 1/4-20 tripod screw. The unit has rubberized bumpers, and resists knocks, bumps, and drops. Not to mention the handy zip-up case for storing the tool safely.

ZDNET’s buying advice

I admit it: I was surprisingly resistant to trying out the Mileseey S50. It seemed like overcomplicating what seemed to me like a simple bit of kit. But this takes a tape measure and super charges it! 

I mean, it’s a 400-foot tape measure that can do trigonometry that I can fit in my pocket. I can measure things that would need ladders of cherry pickers to get to, and I can do it to an accuracy that I couldn’t achieve with a regular tape measure.

All this in a tool that costs $140 (in fact, right now there’s a $40 off coupon on Amazon). That might seem a bit pricey, but if you have a need for measurements in hard-to-reach spaces, it’s easily worth it.