M-D Building Products92296 SMARTTOOL® 48 Inch Digital Level: Precision Measurement with LCD Screen, Audible Alerts, Water Resistance, High Visibility, and Heavy-Duty Aluminum Frame

I ordered and compared this directly to the M-D Building Products Smart Tool 48" level (which is the same as the Bosch, just different labeling).I build for a living, and never felt I needed a digital level. I decided to buy one because my newer employees never seem to be able to read one properly, and out of level joists combined with out of plumb walls lead to unnecessary headaches and time by the time you get to the roof, hanging doors, etc. What I've happily discovered, is these sure are nice on my aging eyes too. And the optional audible function (off by default, button press if you want it) makes getting plumb and level easy when it's getting dark or you're trying to take a reading well above your head. And the accuracy. And getting precise slopes when you want. Now I'm just surprised these haven't taken off a bit more among pros. The best thing of all is that you can re-calibrate this thing. My guys are always knocking levels over, and eventually the vials get out of whack, and then you've got to send it in for repair or let's face it buy another cuz you don't have time for that. Unless you physically bend this thing or break the control, you can calibrate it to read perfectly level again after wear and tear that would put an ordinary level out to pasture.A word of warning: one thing I initially found annoying compared to a regular level is that it may seem like these super-accurate displays take longer to "settle" on the correct reading because they're so exact. You can set them to somewhat less precision (tenths vs. hundredths of degrees) and the reading won't jump around as much. At their most precise, both levels take about 3-4 seconds to stabilize at a reading when going all the way from vertical to horizontal. But if you take the time to read a bubble properly, you'll find it really takes 3 seconds as well. This can just seem more annoying because the numbers are jumping around. (You also don't have to wait for the reading to completely settle: within a second you're within a degree of accuracy for sure.)On to the comparison. Long story short, I'm keeping the M-D. Surprised me too. Yes it's significantly cheaper, but one job will pay for this thing so that's not why. It's for the simple reason that it's ready to read faster. Both turn off by default when sitting still for a while (a good thing to save battery life, and you can even change the amount of time they'll stay on, even say never), but inevitably you'll grab it and want to take a reading so you press the on button. The M-D is ready in about 2 seconds. The Stabila in about 4 (mainly I think because it takes a moment to display the software version of the controller). Sounds like a small difference, but in practice it's annoying to wait. So many times in a build. Also, the on button is larger and easier to find on the M-D. Weirdly, the Stabila is easier to turn on accidentally (when you don't want it to, like in its bag), because the buttons are less recessed. All this is not to say the Stabila is terrible. It's a Stabila: it's going to be good. For one thing, it's got a backlight, and in my looking around it's the only one on the market that does. That's nice, but I can always turn on the audible function when it's dark. Speaking of audible functions, both use a quite loud, and quite annoying, beeping. That's just dumb. They could use a loud but much more pleasant sound in the exact same way. They'll only beep when you want them to by pressing the sound button. They won't beep when way off level, smartly figuring you don't want it beeping while standing there unused. They'll start beeping when they get within 2 degrees of level, get faster the closer they approach level, and have a solid tone at level. Despite both being annoying, the Stabila's is at a higher pitch, which to my ears is even worse. Apart from the sound itself, the function proves super useful when you can't easily see the vial.The Stabila has 2 separate displays, on top and the side. If one got damaged, it would be nice to know I could still use the other one. (The M-D has one angled display, so you can read it from both the top and side). The font on the M-D is bigger and easier to read. Both levels do exactly the same things, apart from the light, and the Stabila can read rise in millimeters per meter, not just inches per foot (actually, you have to cycle through the metric measurement to get to inches so that's maybe even a slight disadvantage). Both levels have vials and can be used regularly without the digital feature (good for when the battery runs out). By the way, the M-D uses a 9 volt, and the Stabila 2 AA's. Surprising bonus: the vial on the M-D is significantly easier to read. I posted a photo to show just how much. They even use a phosphorescent spirit, which glows a little in the dark, making it far more easy to read at dusk when just using the vial. Even bigger surprise? When I tested the accuracy of the vials, it was the Stabila that came up wanting (one of its two plumb vials was a hair off). Yes, I'm sure that happened during shipping somehow, and Stabila would correct it for free if I take it in. I was mainly just happy the M-D's vials were perfect because I usually never buy a level without checking its accuracy in the store. (PS homeowner wanting to know how to test a level's accuracy? See my note at the end.)Both levels read to a level of accuracy far greater than even the most perfectionist builder like me is going to measure (hundredths of degrees if you want to measure in degrees). I really like using the levels in the mode that displays the actual rise, and the M-D will not just display 1/8 but 1/8+ or 1/8-.I'm not a paid shill for either of these companies, obviously. The M-D may sound great right now but it's lacking in one major department: the Stabila has their nice replaceable rubber bumpers at each end, which is going to help their level survive construction sites better and with less need for recalibrating. The M-D has hard plastic caps, and you can't easily modify it to use another company's bumpers because the battery attaches to one of those caps. So my solution is adding some glue-on rubber pads, which doesn't give quite as good absorption, and which I will probably have to replace at least a couple times a year as I expect them to fall off. (Although so far so good.)Advantage Stabila: Stabila name, warranty, endcaps, 2 displays, backlight, millimeters if you need it.Advantage M-D/Bosch: Faster on (huge), easier reading of angled display/larger font/higher bubble contrast, slightly less annoying beeping, slightly easier to operate, slightly less likely to turn on accidentally.Note to level buyers: To test the accuracy of a level's vial, make sure the level and surface are clean (the test surface can even have a slight slope, but it should be smooth), take an ACCURATE sight reading (you should close one eye to avoid paralax error, and look straight down the black line that's closest to the bubble, so you don't see the underside of the black ring, and then mentally note exactly how close the bubble is to that line). Then turn the level end-for-end, and keeping the same edge down, put it back into the EXACT same place (mark the location of the level's corners on the surface during the first measurement, and after turning set it down precisely to those marks), then reading the bubble with the same precision, make sure the distance from bubble to line is exactly the same. If it's not, you don't have an accurate level. You can do the same thing to check plumb measurements, sticking the level vertically in the corner of an open door jamb. Just make sure you read the same vial each time, because many levels have plumb vials at each end, and if you read the top vial before flipping, it's now going to be at the bottom. If you do this in the store before buying, you'll find that many levels have been mishandled by previous customers and aren't even totally accurate when "new." If you want to build quality, get one that is, and re-test it frequently.Note to Stabila: Speed up your boot! (Use a long press of a button or something to display the software version, rather than at startup each time.) You will have a ton more sales, and can thank me with one :) Also- use a less annoying sound!!Note to M-D: Use rubber end bumpers! Use a less annoying sound!!

I am a general contractor and take pride in the precision that we perform layout and construction. Having purchased this SmartTool (48 inch) with Digital Module a year ago, I could not do without it. It works great as a standard level (has the standard glass bubbles that are very accurate.) It works better to measure slopes or record slopes (you can hold a slope without looking at it, take it off the slope and read the stored slope). The audible is very sensitive, at times frustrating, because it so accurate. It will not "beep" until you are at and holding 0.00 degrees. We have dropped it, left it the rain, submersed it in mud at footings . . . while the manufacturer does not recommend this. To restore it to it's normal operation, the worst we had to do was replace the 9 volt battery and/or recalibrate the level (directions are simple and included).Also consider adding to your toolbox (in addition, not instead of this tool) an INCLOMATIC 680 by Checkpoint Professional. This is a small 6 inch level that is a must for your tool belt with a built in laser. The accessory kit allows you to split the laser beam, project perfect 90 degree angles or create a laser plane. It would not be a good substitute for the SmartTool with Module since it must be read up close and lacks the bubbles.

The level is very well built; robust enough for commercial use. The auto-flip display is not a gimmick and very useful. I like the audible tone of "LEVEL" so you can focus on positioning your work and not needing to look at a display. I used it to map out sag on my home's wood spanners; very practical and made my job easy to accomplish. The read out of degrees, in/ft and % slope is versatile. The calibration is a little complex, so keep you instructions handy. I haven't needed to recalibrate it since the first time, but I had it less than 6 months...time and use will tell of its staying power.

The Smart Tool has been a very effective level in work related projects. It has mainly been used to check slopes of newly poured handicap ramps in the city I work in. The Smart Tool is a very important part of the Quality Control process. I must also say that Amazon.com offers the best price on the Smart Tool.

Great level for the price. Easy to read in low light situations. The only slight issue is I have to check the calibration (it rides in my truck and that problem doesn't help). easy to calibrate.

I utilize this tool for checking cross slopes on top of hot mix asphalt to ensure that it is within highway specs. It can be used for many things such as checking grades on ADA ramps, sidewalks, concrete aprons, concrete ramps and a wide variety of uses in construction. There are many functions such as the inches per foot, percentage and degree settings that come in handy. The level is light weight but definitely sturdy.I only wish it had a light within the digital display...I have a level by another manufacturer that must have a built-in sensor that lights up the display whenever there's poor lighting both indoors and outdoors.This is an excellent value from this site especially when I saw the same one for a much higher price.

I am doing a large church project and o work with a lot of volunteers..This level makes it easy to know when it’s plumb or even…Not just between the lines!

Good product. Learn the features and it will be the best level in your tool bag.

Everything is perfectly plumb and level. No questions asked, always perfect.

i compared it to a $380 level and gave me same readings, will order another one.Thank you

Appears to be extremely accurate. High-quality tool.