TOP 12 Best Construction Levels

Types of levels

Building level

By design, levels can be divided into five types:

Laser . A tool for professional use with greater accuracy and minimal response time. Possible error is no more than 1 millimeter per meter of surface, usually within one tenth of a millimeter
Hydraulic level . It is made of a pair of flasks connected by a tube. Used for measuring and transferring marks between planes over long distances during the construction of buildings. Communicating vessels give an error within three millimeters
Pipe . Features magnets to attach to metal surfaces, and the Y-shaped design helps when measuring complex geometries with curves. The measurement takes place using a sealed tank with liquid and air, the accuracy varies within a millimeter per meter of plane
Electronic . Flat meter, with liquid variable resistance. The readings are displayed on a black and white screen, and the accuracy is one tenth of a degree. Allows you to measure vertically and horizontally
Bubble . A common and simple type of tool. Consists of a body with an ampoule. A liquid (alcohol, oil or distilled water) with an air bubble is placed in the vessel. The deviation is determined visually using the ampoule scale. The error does not exceed one millimeter. The popularity of the meter is due to its low price and ease of operation.

To choose the right level, you need to decide on the necessary technical characteristics, scope of work and frequency of use.

Setting up building level flasks

The device has containers that have changed their position due to damage or other mechanical influences; they should be calibrated before using it for the first time. The same procedure should be carried out for the first measurement of an inclined surface. The verification method is described in the previous paragraph, now let's look at how to set up the building level before operation if it does not pass it:

A nail is driven into a relatively flat wall, a device with pre-set containers is placed on it and aligned with the bubble.
A line is drawn with a pencil to mark its position, and after turning 180 degrees and re-aligning, another one is drawn.
The center point between the two lines is located and marked. A level is adjusted to the mark, and the vial is adjusted to this position and the flask is secured.

The problem with vertical calibration is solved in a similar way. This sequence of actions protects against most measurement errors and helps make the process of performing work accurate and easy.

How to make a choice

Bubble level

The best option would be a bubble level. The tool is durable, does not require special care or maintenance, and can work under various conditions.

This universal solution is suitable for home and beginner craftsmen. The device will help you hang wallpaper, level walls and floors, install kitchen units or household appliances, lay tiles, and change a sewer pipe with the required slope.

For personal needs, you will need a medium-sized level of 50-100 centimeters. For regular measurements with recording of indicators, you can purchase a similar device with an electronic sensor and screen. It is better to check the accuracy of small jobs with pocket levels.

When finishing work and interior design, it is safer to use a hydraulic level. The device helps control the pouring of floors, screeds, ceiling structures, and leveling plasterboard floors.

The purchase of a laser level is justified in the case of a large volume of repair and finishing work. You need to choose a tool for specific purposes and tasks; you should not purchase a professional device for household work, nor should you trust the simplest bubble models.

Generally accepted classification for building levels:

Bubble (spirit level) - with flasks filled with liquid installed in a rigid body, and the presence of a floating air bubble in each flask;
Laser level – with fast and clear marking of working surfaces with a laser beam point;
Water level (hydraulic level) – the operating principle is based on Pascal’s hydrostatic law and checks the conformity of the planes of horizontal surfaces.

Despite all the obvious innovative advantages of the same laser level, skilled craftsmen never refuse to use a high-quality bubble level - this universal tool, time-tested.

Rating of manufacturers of building levels

Popular manufacturers of measuring instruments

The following brands of spirit levels have earned the support of the craftsmen:

Kapro is a company specializing exclusively in measuring instruments. The levels are produced in Israel, have increased accuracy, and a well-thought-out design. The devices are supplied from the factory with a lifetime warranty.
Stabila is a German manufacturer of construction equipment and measuring tools. It has patented technologies for engineering solutions and has been producing products since the end of the nineteenth century. One hundred and thirty years of experience in the development of building levels and related devices.
Stanley is an American company that has been developing since 1843. The company's meters were used during the design of the Apollo spacecraft for the Moon landing. Manufactures building levels for a wide range of applications.
ADA Instruments (ADA Instruments) is a young company that was founded in Ukraine in 2008. Since 2013, it has registered a trademark in the UK and the USA, and produces tools in Europe, China and Russia. Positions its measuring instruments as tools of increased accuracy

All brands of inclinometers have different price categories in terms of quality and reliability. It is worth considering the optimal models from each manufacturer.

Best Capro Bubble Levels

Kapro Mini-246

Kapro Mini-246 Pocket spirit level ten centimeters long. Consists of a shock-resistant body and a polyacrylic bulb. The magnetic base allows you to control the tilt of complex metal structures. When small, it has an accuracy of 0.5 millimeters per meter, but a single capsule can only measure angles in one plane.

The end caps are made of rubberized material. Suitable for home renovations, furniture installation, framed paintings, small carpentry work. Convenient to take with you, the meter fits in your pocket. The non-freezing liquid of the flask allows operation at low temperatures.

Kapro PLUMBSITE GENESIS 781-40-60РМ

Kapro PLUMBSITE GENESIS 781-40-60РМ Medium level sixty centimeters long with built-in neodymium magnets. Includes end hand slots with rubberized surface for positioning and carrying. Side inserts made of protective material protect the device from damage when dropped or hit.

It has ampoules for measuring in three planes of inclination, eyes with a prism for precise visual recording of parameters. Allows you to measure angles over a length of up to two and a half meters with an accuracy of 0.029°. Works in cold temperatures down to minus twenty degrees Celsius.

Suitable for construction and installation work, laying flooring, leveling walls, gluing wallpaper, making furniture, and engineering systems.

Kapro PLUMBSITE HERCUKES 986-44P-2500

Kapro PLUMBSITE HERCUKES 986-44P-2500 Large building level, two and a half meters long. Milled from an aluminum body, it ends on the sides with handles for carrying. There are no magnets for fixation. Four impact-resistant bulbs are built in to measure vertical or horizontal inclination.

Allows you to work with the end and frontal planes. The capsules contain NITE-GLO fluorescent oil, so you can use the device in low light conditions. Contains two-component shock-absorbing plugs.

Suitable for professional use, working with large surface areas.

The best bubble levels of Stabil

STABILA POCKET ELECTRIC-17775

STABILA POCKET ELECTRIC-17775 Small pocket meter. With a length of about seven centimeters, it has one measuring capsule with an accuracy of one millimeter per meter of plane. Positioned as a level for electrical installation work.

The body is made of plastic, the base contains a neodymium magnet and a recess for fixation.

Allows you to align hidden and external wiring, switches, sockets, sockets. There is a hole for a screwdriver for easy adjustment of the part without having to remove the level.

STABILA 96-2M 15854-80

STABILA 96-2M 15854-80 Medium bubble level with a length of eighty centimeters. Made of aluminum profile with stiffeners. Covered with a protective layer against static electricity. Measures in two planes using one horizontal and two vertical ampoules.

Increased accuracy up to 0.75 mm/m. The base includes rare earth neodymium alloy magnets and protective rubber plugs. Suitable for measuring slopes during installation of metal structures, roofing work, and apartment redevelopment.

STABILA 80A-2 16062-200

STABILA 80A-2 16062-200 Rectangular level, two meters long, made of profiled aluminum with antistatic powder coating. At the end parts there is one ampoule for measuring vertical deviations. In the middle there is an ampoule for fixing the horizontal slope. The inclinometer is protected from impacts and mechanical damage by two-component plugs.

Suitable for construction of reinforced concrete structures, log and modular houses. Indispensable for masons, carpenters, stove makers.
Can be used in garden or landscape design.

Functionality check

The easiest way to determine if the level reading is correct is a method called "180 degrees". Its essence is that the quality level will show identical results, no matter which side of the body it is applied to the surface. The verification procedure is as follows:

Avoiding displacements, checking the absence of gaps and the tight fit to the surface being measured, apply a level to it and mark the position of the bubble.
We turn it over 180 degrees relative to the plane being tested and repeat the measurement. The bubble should show, with an accuracy of tenths of a millimeter, the same position as the first time.
If desired, you can check against all the walls of the case, but rarely does a level have all four surfaces completely flat.

Best Stanley Bubble Levels

Stanley Torpedo FatMax Pro Box XTHT0-42495

Stanley Torpedo FatMax Pro Box XTHT0-424

Stanley Torpedo FatMax Pro Box XTHT0-42495 Small bubble level. In a twenty-three-centimeter extruded aluminum case there is one horizontal capsule and two vertical ones. The right container has a 360 degree rotating mechanism.

The outside of the case is molded with rubberized plugs that do not leave marks upon contact with the surface. The measurement accuracy in both planes is half a millimeter.

The construction level is suitable for home renovation, window installation, consumer electronics or furniture, small-sized carpentry work.

Stanley STHT1-43111-60

Stanley STHT1-43111-60 Medium spirit level with a magnetic substrate made of a rare earth alloy. With a length of sixty centimeters, it includes two reservoirs for determining horizontal or vertical inclination with an error of half a degree.

The body is lightweight, made of aluminum box-section profile. Around the acrylic tanks and at the ends they are treated with rubber plugs that protect them from deformation upon impact.

The level can be used in finishing work, furniture production, and installation of doors or windows. It is poorly applicable for metal structures, because there are only two small magnets in the case, deeply recessed into the case.

STANLEY FATMAX XL 0-43-681

STANLEY FATMAX XL 0-43-681 Two-meter building level with three measuring capsules in three solid acrylic blocks. Larger central reservoir for accurate horizontal angle measurements. The measurement error varies within half a millimeter per meter. Has through slots for manual grip, treated with a soft sealing material. The ends are treated with a cast protective compound, which increases wear resistance.

The tool can be used for carpentry work, laying flooring, renovating premises, improving a garden plot or landscaping, laying paving stones and paths. There are no magnets in the case, so it is not practical to use on metal surfaces.

Tool selection criteria

When a potential buyer sees such a variety of models and types of devices, he can easily get confused, and then the selection process can be delayed. Therefore, before going to the store and purchasing, it is better to carefully study all the required details, so that later you do not purchase something that you will not need at all.

The selection criteria are quite simple and are based on your attentiveness and the ability to check the level’s operation immediately in the store. These include:

Quality of fastenings for flasks. If they are simply fastened with self-tapping screws or self-tapping screws, there is no point in continuing the inspection; immediately put this level aside. Fastenings must be reliable and not contain twisting parts or other structural elements that could weaken the grip over time and lead to a decrease in measurement accuracy.
Visible damage or manufacturing defects. Here it is useful to have a flat surface exposed in the store, which can show errors in the operation of the selected tool. If the level has dents on the frame or chipped bulbs, you need to ask for another one.
Availability and quality of marking strips. The ideal level, in addition to clear and precise stripes on the flasks with liquid, will have degrees marked on the rotary container and a centimeter ruler on one of the corners of the body.

A high-quality and time-tested manufacturer is also one of the most important points. If you choose a device from an unknown company, you may encounter not only an unscrupulously designed body with a large curvature, but also large errors in measurements due to violations of technological standards during production. Reliable and well-established companies include:

Stabila is a German company that many experts consider to be the leader in this direction. It has been operating since the end of the century before last, founded in 1889, and began with the production of liquid levels.
Montero Ultima and its levels of the JYC line are a company from China that have proven themselves in the production of high-quality construction and plumbing tools.
Kapro - Israeli levels, the company produces only them, and therefore such a narrow specialization has allowed them to become one of the leading and rated suppliers of these measuring devices to the market.
Bosch - no comments needed, the German giant always produces tools of exceptional quality.
Domestic companies - Ermak, Brigadir, Condtrol and others. Many of them have levels made in a quality comparable to their German counterparts. Some are only slightly inferior. As a result, having a more affordable price tag, they are quite attractive options for buyers.

Best ADA Bubble Levels

Titan 40 Plus

ADA Instruments Titan 40 Plus

Titan 40 Plus Small but shockproof inclinometer. The forty-centimeter case made of thick profiled aluminum with stiffening ribs contains a number of neodymium magnets. The base is milled for a non-slip surface.

Measurement is carried out simultaneously in three planes. There is a reflective layer under the capsules to make the bubble visible in low light.

The level can be used during construction, interior and exterior finishing work, installation of metal structures, floor coverings or tiles.

Video: ADA Titan Construction Level

Construction grade ADA Titan

Construction bubble level | TOP 12 Best: current rating + Reviews

ProLevel 100 ADA A00393

ProLevel 100 ADA A00393 Universal construction level for controlling slope in three planes. There are bubble capsules in the central part and on the left side; on the right side there is a digital display for accurate measurements based on the readings of gyroscope sensors with automatic calibration. The meter-long case contains magnets for working on metal surfaces.

The inclinometer is used in the construction of houses, cladding, and finishing. Suitable for carpenters, roofers and masons. The electronic components are powered by two AA batteries, providing continuous operation in measurement mode for four days. Classic bubble capsules help in operation even without batteries.

ADA Titan 2000 A00390

ADA Titan 2000 A00390 Two-meter protractor with protection from shock and damage. Designed for construction sites, can withstand a drop from a height of fifteen meters onto concrete. Made of thick-walled profiled aluminum with antistatic powder treatment. The ends are rubberized, and holes are cut out in the body for gripping and positioning.

Milled to work on both sides, the grooves allow you to work on difficult surfaces. There are grooves for measuring the inclination of square and cylindrical pipes. Bubble chambers measure angles in three directions.

Allows you to work during installation of communications, construction of buildings, control the installation of reinforced concrete floors and slabs. Will help with complex interior and exterior work.

Video: Checking and adjusting the level

Checking and adjusting the level

Construction bubble level | TOP 12 Best: current rating + Reviews

Curvature Measuring Mechanism

The water building level is very simple in its design. Its operation is based on the ability of a liquid to push air onto its surface in the form of bubbles. The device itself is a metal, plastic or wooden frame with cylindrical reservoirs with a colored liquid and an air bubble inside fixed in its thickness or on the surface. The tanks are marked with special measuring marks, which show the curvature of the surface in degrees.

The principle is this: if an air bubble is located between two central marks, the surface has an acceptable curvature for working on it. If it crosses the marks in one direction or the other, this means that before performing any work it is worth eliminating the existing slope. It is worth monitoring the integrity of the tanks very closely, because the slightest damage to them as a result of carelessness will negate the entire effect of using the device.

How to do without buying building levels

When you urgently need to hang a frame, a mirror on the wall, or install furniture and household appliances straight, but you don’t have a construction angle gauge at hand, a smartphone will help. Apple devices or Android phones have built-in spatial position sensors, gyroscopes, and geomagnetic sensors. This functionality can be used instead of a small construction level.

iPhone owners will not need to install additional programs. The built-in Compass application has a tilt measurement mode. To get into protractor mode, you need to open the compass and swipe the screen to the left:

iPhone instead of building level

If you want the familiar visual style of a bubble spirit level, you can download a third-party program:

Visual style of a bubble spirit level

For Android smartphones, you need to install software from the GooglePlay application store. You can choose a simple application that measures plumb, inclination and angles. The free program is called "Building Level".

program menu

option 1

option 2

option 3