Last Updated on February 14, 2026 by Stewart
Spirit Levels
A spirit level is a precision tool that has at least one vial on it. This consists of a liquid and has markings on the left and right hand side of the vial. When the bubble is in the middle of these two lines, it means that the item is level (when used on a horizontal surface).
If you are using this on a vertical surface, the term for checking this is to see if it is “plumb”.
Spirit levels come in a variety of lengths as well as features. It is possible to get small spirit levels, which are otherwise known as torpedo levels. These are ideal for those that only need them for small tasks, but do not want to spend a large sum of money on it.
Spirit levels also come in a variety of different materials. Some are made from high quality, lightweight aluminium, whereas others are made from plastic.
When choosing a spirit level, the amount of use it will be subjected to, as well as its environment will need to be mulled over. If it is going to be used for heavy construction work, then it will need to be able to stand up to the elements. Similarly, if it’s only going to be used for odd jobs around the house, then an inexpensive, and yet still accurate level could be purchased instead.
Even if it is only going to be used for light work, the recommendation is that a quality brand is used such as Bosch, Stanley etc. This is due to these levels still being calibrated in the factory. Conversely, a cheap knock off from Temu and other similar sites will be unlikely to have been calibrated.
This can give an inaccurate result, and even if it’s only to hand pictures, it can result in it being slightly off to one side which is something that will always catch your eye.
I have curated a list of what I feel are the best spirit levels, and this can be found at this page.
Laser Levels
Laser levels are a specialist form of tool whereby they are placed on a surface and then they will project a laser beam against a wall. This is particularly helpful when hanging several items on a wall, or tiling it. It means that you can get the perfect line and level each time.
As is the case with spirit levels, there are also numerous options when it comes to choosing a laser level. These tend to be more expensive than a spirit or torpedo level. The reason for this is that the technology in this is much more sophisticated than that of a spirit level (especially true is the laser level has a lockable pendulum).
For those that are short of time and want to quickly jump into a list of the best laser levels, more information can be found at this page.