Tips for Building
The green SmartCross claims a typical visibility of 40 m, the highest figure in the panel, for ± 0.3 mm/m and under 80 euros tracked. Those published figures earn it the top score: they say nothing about what we have not measured, and Laserliner publishes no IP rating.
What its figures are worth
- Stated accuracy at 10 m 40 %3 mm · 10/10
- Price per metre of range 25 %2.1 USD per m · 10/10
- Stated visible range 20 %40 m · 10/10
- IP rating, read as a numbernot published by the maker
Scale applied at 85%: criteria with no published figure drop out and the remaining weights are renormalised. Weighting: Stated accuracy at 10 m 40 %, Price per metre of range 25 %, Stated visible range 20 %, IP rating, read as a number 15 %.
Choose it if
- The best price per metre of range in the comparison, by a wide margin.
- ± 3 mm at 10 m, like the Bosch Professional units.
Skip it if
- A stated 6 h of runtime, against 20 h for the red version.
- No IP rating published, and a "typical visibility" that depends on ambient light.
Published specifications
| Specification | Stated value |
|---|---|
| Stated accuracy, expressed at 10 m | 3 mm |
| Stated visible range | 40 m |
| Lines projected | 2 lines, one horizontal and one vertical |
| Beam colour | green, 515 nm |
| Self-levelling range | ± 4° |
| Levelling time | not published on the page we consulted |
| IP rating | not published on the page we consulted |
| Laser class | 2 |
| Power | 2 × 1.5 V LR6 (AA) batteries |
| Stated runtime | approx. 6 h |
| Weight | 0.276 kg (battery included) |
| Tripod thread | 1/4" |
Before switching on
- Never look into the beam or point it at anyone, even at class 2: the blink reflex protects the eye for less than a quarter of a second.
- Lock the pendulum before packing the unit away. A compensator rattling in a case is the first cause of a laser going out of calibration.
- Check the unit on site: mark a line at 5 m, turn the unit through 180°, mark the same line again; the gap between the two marks must stay within the published tolerance.
- Outdoors, plan on the receiver: even a green beam vanishes in sunlight, whatever the stated range.
Frequently asked questions
Where does this machine's score come from?
It is calculated, not awarded. Five measurable criteria are weighted, and each value is mapped onto a scale relative to the other machines in the comparison. For this machine, 85% of the scale could be applied: criteria the maker does not publish drop out rather than being replaced by an estimate.
Green beam or red?
Green shows up better in a bright room and from further away, which is what every maker states as range. It changes nothing about accuracy: in this panel the red and green Stanley Cross90 publish the same ± 5 mm at 10 m. Green also drains batteries faster: Laserliner states 6 h in green against 20 h in red.
How accurate does it need to be for a stud wall or tiling?
A stated ± 3 mm at 10 m covers a whole room without the error showing on the skirting. The ± 5 or ± 6 mm of DIY lasers is fine for a border, a shelf or a small wall tiling, not for an 8 m track.