Milwaukee took a leap and entered the LDM market a while back. I have to admit when I first heard they were entering this market, I was a little skeptical. Not because I didn’t think Milwaukee could do it, but you have a market out there with some heavy hitters that have been in this business for a long time and have created awesome products. Milwaukee is going up against names like Bosch, Hilti and Leica. So how does Milwaukee stack up?
Milwaukee released three new LDM
- 65′ LDM (48-22-9801) Retail price $50
- 150′ LDM (48-22-9802) Retail price – $100
- 330′ LDM (48-22-9803) Retail price $200
So what is so special about these LDM? Well, actually not much. Again that is not a knock against Milwaukee, it’s the way these tools are. No matter what manufacturer you look at, LDM’s are pretty much the same. The big difference is how each one will hold up on the job, the internal structure of the LDM and what added features they offer, plus ease of use.
Both the Milwaukee are very easy to use, so no issue there. I do like the fact that Milwaukee came out a simple LDM and one that is a little more advance. Sometimes all you need to do is take measurements and don’t need all those extra features. I like that a user can take a reading by pressing a button on the front of the unit or even the side of the unit. This makes it much easier to use. Looking at this unit, there is a rubber over mold that should protect it against drops, so that is a plus. As far as the internal structure of the LDM, well I am not an engineer, so I can’t speak to that. On both units, the screens are very easy to read and I like the fact that the 150′ one has two different colors. Some people might not like this, but as of now Milwaukee doesn’t have an app to go along with these LDM where Bosch does.
Personally I have been using the Bosch GLM15 and love that LDM. When I compare the Milwaukee 48-22-9801 to the Bosch, you can see a difference. The Milwaukee is rated for 65′ where the Bosch is only 50′. Both are the same size, but the Milwaukee has a better screen display than the Bosch. However the Bosch starts up much quicker and you can start taking measurements faster. All the Bosch is much more responsive where as I move the LDM, the numbers change instantly, while the Milwaukee does have a delay. There are other differences, but I guess we will just have to do a head to head.
While these three LDM are not the first for Milwaukee in the LDM market, I think Milwaukee did a good job. The LDM’s are very easy to read and most important, very easy to use. If you are in the market for an LDM, I would take a look at these as they might just be what you are looking for.
