STABILA Type 196-2 Digital TECH Level, 24 Inch, Cat. No. 36524

Purchased both the 48-inch and 24-inch IP65 Tech level's and have been running them for approx 2 months now. Absolutely fantastic levels. Like others have mentioned, they are a little on the pricey side, however working as a cabinet installer for 17yrs, exclusively doing high end kitchens, I figured I couldn't afford not to buy them. They are pretty slick units, a few of my likes: -speed and accuracy of readouts is incredible, there is zero delay in adjustments, bang on in 1/10th of a second. I have the mode set to give me the most precise measurements at .00-.05 degree increments. For example after I've installed a kitchen island and it has been secured, I've left the level turned on, and noticed as I walked by the island the level will bounce back and forth from .00 to .05 degrees indicating a 1/32nd of an inch deviation in the floor from the weight of my footsteps. You would never ever notice that on ANY other level. -the illuminated display is great, super easy to read in tough lighting conditions, which is a regular occurrence in renovation conditions. -a MAJOR bonus for a cabinet installer is the fact it has an audible function. When levelling cabinets, more often than not, your eyeballs are not in direct contact with the levels vials or digital display, your down on your knees or even laying on the floor reaching under cabinets installing shims. Now all I have to do is listen for the audible signal to tell me when I'm level, as opposed to constantly getting in and out of position to visually confirm the level itself...a huge bonus, love it. -one thing that I was a little worried about was how much juice they'd use, and well I've just killed the two sets of "AA" batteries in both levels. I have to say I was surprised they lasted as long as they did, I managed about 200 hours operating time off one set of batteries which is totally acceptable to me. I'll be looking forward to the summer months when I'll have a chance to use them on some custom outdoor decks/gazebo's, I think the reference setting on the level will prove invaluable. Overall I'm extremely happy with the purchase, I truly believe in buying the best of the best in terms of tools of your trade, it makes work easier (not to mention, homeowners are always impressed when they see you utilizing such tools), but bottom line is anything that saves me time, saves me money. I've added a couple pics of my levels, just for a different vantage from the Amazon pictures. Hope this review has been a help to some.

I am very pleased with the quality of this digital level. I have used other brands, but this one definitely stands out. The easiest slope meter I have ever used. Startup is super fast. Sound indication is loud and clear, suited for noisy outdoor use. Great design - two independent LCD screens on top and side faces - works great for measuring surfaces at all heights, ground surfaces, work surfaces, high shelves, etc. Back light is bright. The display is easy to read and photographs well, also (I sometimes take pictures of the display for official records). It has a built in gyro, so the display orientation adjusts to the user automatically. Response is extremely fast compared to other brands, which tend to sit on a slope for several seconds, changing mind about what the actual measurement may be, "2.3% .. 2.5% .. 2.2% .. etc". This one gives you the final answer in an instant, so you can be confident with the readout. Very easy to change modes and units. It stays awake while you walk a large site. I'm also happy with the battery life, so far. Turning OFF and ON does NOT automatically reset the units to default settings (like some other brands do). Admittedly, this level is relatively expensive, but I believe the price is right for its quality.

Best level ever

This is a fantastic digital level. In fact, I have this length and the 48-inch and really appreciate using them. The audio feature is most useful when you can't see the level. And the light is a great feature in darkness. These are super accurate and durable, but yes, you need to take good care of them and even confirm calibration occasionally. It's not difficult to do. The bubble also doubles as confirmation at any time. As far as productivity, I just used both of these and my Bosch 3-plane laser to install kitchen cabinets and they came out DEAD ON. Granite installers noted these were the most level cabinets they'd ever seen and didn't use a single shim. They were in and out within under an hour. Everyone happy. I have several Stabila products and love them all. Expensive they are, but my customers appreciate high end results and the tools that can consistently help deliver them. Stabila is just this: high quality gear for high end results. While I agree not everyone needs these expensive levels to get good results, I can't imagine operating efficiently without them. Sure, you can't obsess all day and waste time over +/- .05-deg, but once you get proficient with super accurate measurements, your results simply get better faster.

Need an accurate level for your pool table? This is great. Our table had settled after initial setup, and balls would visibly roll of line towards the low side. Using this level vs. a regular bubble level, we were able to shim the legs to perfection. Now the balls roll true in all directions.