Bosch Laser Review – Self Leveling Cross Line Laser GCL 2-160

Yes, another laser from Bosch.  One thing I can say about Bosch is that their laser division is jamming with new and innovative lasers.  I feel like we have tested every single Bosch laser they offer.  With all these lasers we have tested, they all have one common theme, quality.  All these lasers seem to be top quality with incredible accuracy, obviously, these two attributes are the most important with any laser.  Yes, there are other companies who make lasers, but in my personal opinion, no one comes close to Bosch lasers.  When we heard Bosch was releasing a new laser, we weren’t too surprised.  However, we were excited when we knew we could perform a Bosch laser review.

The new Bosch GCL 2-160 is an incredible laser and another winning laser from Bosch.  This is a cross line laser with two lines.  The laser will put out a vertical line or horizontal line.  Yes, you can also do both lines at the same time. Besides the two lines, you can also use this for plumb applications.  This laser will produce a single dot up and down.

When it comes to lasers, I already said the two most important features to any laser are quality and accuracy.  However, with this laser, I want to start with a different feature first before I cover quality and accuracy.  What I want to cover first is mounting.  You can have a great laser, but if you can only use it on the ground, it limits what you can do with it.  Bosch designed the GCL 2-160 with a bunch of different ways to mount this laser.  On the bottom of the laser, there are two mounting options.  Both mounting threads are designed into the bottom of the laser.  There is a 1/4-20 and a 5/8-11 mount thread.  Next, Bosch included a stand-up & magnetic mount.  The RM1 magnetic rotating head is extremely strong magnets which will allow a ton of different mount options based on your surroundings.  The base of this mount rotates which means you can set it in place and rotate the laser.  Very useful since you can leave the plumb point centered.  If that still isn’t enough, Bosch included another mounting option.  There is an extra clip where you can mount this on the ceiling for ceiling grid applications.  So as you can see Bosch has you covered for every application.  It doesn’t matter if you are doing flooring work, something on the wall or ceiling, this unit has you covered and is capable of providing you highly viable lines no matter what application.

Okay, so let’s talk quality.  Now I really shouldn’t have to cover this in depth since it’s Bosch.  Bosch is made for the professionals.  So they know and understand these lasers will get bumped, knocked over and experience drops. When Bosch designs a tool, they design it for some of the worst conditions and this laser isn’t any different.  The unit is solid and is protected with a rubber over-mold to help protect it against hard conditions.  Now we haven’t tossed it against a wall, but since it’s Bosch, we are 100% confident it will take the abuse of any job site.  The laser is IP54 rated so it’s splash and dust protected.

Okay, so it’s a quality laser, what about accuracy?  Again, it’s Bosch and they make some of the best lasers on the market, so you know this laser is accurate.  The laser has a range of up to 165′ with a receiver and 65′ without a receiver.  This laser has an accuracy of 1/8″ at 33′, not bad at all.  You can be confident this will get the job done even for the most sensitive applications.   Inside, Bosch uses a smart pendulum system which self-levels the laser and will also let you know when it’s out of level conditions up to ±4°.

Using the laser couldn’t be any easier.  On the side of the laser, you can turn it on and off.  The unit has two on positions, locked or unlock.  On the top front of the laser, there are three status lights.  One is battery power, which this is powered by 3 AA batteries.  I am not sure what they call the middle button, but it looks like a wireless symbol, even though it’s not.  If the system is lit up, the line becomes lighter, which I am sure you are saving on batteries.  When it’s off, the light laser is brighter, perfect if you are in brighter conditions.  The last symbol tells the user if you are in the lock position or unlock position.  Below the status panel, there are two buttons, One is to change your mode such as vertical or horizontal lines.  The other button allows you to change the brightness of the laser.  Going back to the symbol that looks like a wireless symbol, it does control the brightness of the laser.  This laser is built with VisiMax which monitors power consumption to maximize line visibility and extend battery life.

Bosch Laser Includes

• (1) Bosch GCL 2-160
• (1) RM 1 Magnetic Rotating Mount
• (1) Ceiling Grid Clip
• (1) Hard Carry Case
• (1) Laser Target Plate
• (3) AA Batteries

Bosch Laser Review Specifications

• Accuracy Laser lines: ± 1/8 @ 33 ft; Laser points: ±9/32 @ 33 ft
• Battery Voltage 1.5
• Laser Diode Class II 635 – 650 nm
• Leveling Type Self-Leveling, Up to 4°
• Material Composite
• Mount Threading 1/4-20, 5/8-11
• Operating Temperature 14° F / -10° C ~1 22° F / 50° C
• Range Up to 165-ft.
• Weight 1.08lb
• Includes (1) RM 1 Magnetic Rotating Mount, (1) Ceiling Grid Clip, (1) Hard Carry Case, (1) Laser Target Plate, (3) AA Batteries

Bottom line, this unit is another great laser from Bosch.  I have to say we are very impressed with this laser.  Not only is it a quality laser, but we love how bright the lines are.  They are extremely easy to see in almost any condition. I love all the different mounting options this system offers.  The laser is easy to use, accurate and is a quality laser.  The light is solid and not broken apart like we have seen with other lasers on the market.  If you are looking for a quality laser line with plumb features, this is the laser to own.