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.

Time Saving Tool (Rating: 5.00)
Review : 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.

Not For Professional (Rating: 2.00)
Review : Even I do not expect this will be a perfect tool at [money]. The lazer is never still when we try to find out the length from wall to wall. Sometimes it works properly but sometimes the length is wrong or it says Error. It is handy when it works properly but not when it is not working properly.All I can say is that sometimes it's useful and sometimes it's not. Thank you for understanding this.

Its An Estimator (Rating: 5.00)
Review : 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.

Excellent overall for the money (Rating: 5.00)
Review : 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.

Not for Professional at all (Rating: 2.00)
Review : I do not expect it perfect tool at [money]. The reason I bought is for only rough estimate quickly. It has to aim straight 90 degrees against flat objects to get correct distance. It is not easy to hold like that with a free hand. I have owned another kind of brand for many years that does not have laser targeting. I paid [money] at [my local home-improvement store], but I have never used it at job site because of too many mistakes. I thought after many years they had changed a lot in technology. There is no difference at all between now and many years ago. Only I paid more for I could not use. It looks excellent for vacant places at this price. I had a chance to use high tech distance measuring tool from Hilti. That is very easy to use and accurate. But expensive.

Handy, but not perfect (Rating: 3.00)
Review : 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.