Hozo M-Cube 17-in-1 laser measuring system (Review)

The Hozo M-Cube 17-in-1 laser measuring system is something that every tradie, builder, draftsman, architect, or DIY Enthusiast should have. It has up to 17 measurement functions and a combined 100m distance laser for pinpoint accuracy.

If you are not in the above categories, you probably won’t want to read on, as this is a specialist measurement suite of laser tools you will never use. Head over to Bunnings to get a simple laser measure from $30.

In 2021, I reviewed its first product, the MEAZOR 6-in-1 Laser Measure, and so much more. It was (and still is) an innovative way to address measurement. As a pre-release review unit, it lost a few points for the incomplete app. I still use it regularly as we have been doing extensive renovations now that COVID is over and when tradies deign to turn up.

Hozo M-Cube 17-in-1 laser measuring system

Website	Product Page (see module pages below) Kickstarter Manual Support
Price	For A$ prices, scroll to the bottom of the relevant product page and select Australian AUD. Update: Kickstarter still has the M-Cube Combo for A$279 plus freight (as of 27 March)
From	Hozo online or Kickstarter
Warranty	1-year (not ACL) with 30-day free replacement. From what we can see, the company is quite responsive for support.
Company	Hozo Design launched its first digital rolling ruler – Rollova – in 2018. It has sold more than 10,000 in 30+ countries
More	Cybershack Meazor news and reviews

We use Fail (below expectations), Pass (meets expectations) and Exceed (surpasses expectations or is the class leader) against many of the items below. We occasionally give a Pass(able) rating that is not as good as it should be and a Pass ‘+’ rating to show it is good but does not quite make it to Exceed. You can click on most images for an enlargement.

The 17 functions – impressive

The functions are spread over four modular units—three magnetically attach to the M-Cube. Data is processed in the MEAZOR 2.0 App for Android and iOS. Prices are A$ as of 27 April 2024 and are subject to change due to currency fluctuations, taxes, etc.

M-Cube Laser unit $140

• The heart of the system attaches to the other three units or can be used standalone.
• 900mAh battery for up to 12 hours of continuous use and USB-C 5V/.5A/2.5W (use any PD charger or USB Port) for a 2-hour recharge. 50m maximum distance indoors and 30m outdoors. Has a 400-nit screen for daylight use.
• Laser measure with measurements from the front, back and rear module.
• Laser Measure with Max/Min mode
• Auto calibration mode presents the results at 0° regardless of the angle.
• Imperial or Metric
• Big Number mode
• Laser measure room size and area mode
• Continuous wall area
• Volume Mode m3
• Pythagorean Height
• Indirect Pythagorean height
• Pythagorean length
• Angle mode
• Stakeout
• Single and dual axial levels are shown in °.

M-Cube-01 Smart Planner $108

This 2 x AA battery-operated unit allows you to map out entire rooms, floors, or buildings with a one-tap measure at each corner or edge. It also has a joystick to measure irregular shapes.

M-Cube-03 Bilateral Laser  $140

This attaches to the M-Cube and provides a laser on each end for up to 100m of measurement. It also has an old-fashioned spirit level and can be attached to a tripod for a multi-function Green-Cross line to check if walls, doors, brickwork, etc., are straight.

M-Cube-05 scale roller $93

Its sole job is to take laser roller measurements off scale plans or other objects. It has a laser crosshair for accurate placement. It can act as a scale or rolling ruler with dozens of built-in scales, or you can enter a custom one. It is a real time saver.

All these are sent to the MEAZOR app, which can export a DXF, PDF, JPG, or XLS file compatible with AutoCAD, SketchUp, Fusion 360, SolidWorks, BricsCAD, Adobe Illustrator, and more.

You can buy the M-Cube Pro Kit  bundle in a hard-sided travel case with a tripod and extender (this usually costs $140)

Tests – Pass+

We did not test all 17 functions, but we have no reason to doubt their efficacy.

• Laser Distance Night: Claim 30 metres. Yes, it can reach that, but the handheld nature makes it hard to hold still. The M-Cube does not have a tripod mount hole, but the M-Cube-03 Bilateral Laser does, so we got a steady light.
• Laser Distance Day: Claim 50m. It can reach that, but you cannot generally see the fine red laser dot at that distance in bright sunlight. Again, use a tripod for longer distances.
• Laser Distance Bilateral:  Claim 60/100m day/night. As the laser units are identical, the distance is twice that of the single unit.
• Accuracy: Claim +/-2mm*, but we never found what the * (star) meant! We measured against a 10m tape, and the result was 10.03m. Against a 3m tape, the measurements were 2.99m to 3.001m. Any error has more to do with hand movement, which is why a tripod is more important in critical measurement.
• Green Cross line. Its accuracy depends on 0/0° horizontal and vertical placement – a tripod is a must. The effective daylight range is about 10m and 20m at night.
• Scale roller: It is pretty easy to use because of the red laser crosshairs. It is designed for right-hand use, as the crosshairs and screen face that side (I am a leftie). The critical issue is that it can take accurate scale measures, saving enormous time in manual measurement. It is also great for measuring handrails (1:1) and items where a laser cannot be used.
• Battery charge: About 2 hours with any PC charger. Only requires 5V/.5A/2.5W.
• Battery Life: Not fully tested, but four solid hours of tests barely made a dent.

Design and build quality – Pass+

This has a high level of industrial design. A good build quality using ABS Plastic, tempered glass screens and alloy catches should withstand moderate tradie abuse. These need to be treated as scientific instruments.

MEAZOR App – Pass+

We measured a room and a triangle-shaped void. You start by attaching the M-Cube-01 Smart Planner to the M-Cube. Then, you take measurement one and use the joystick to turn left or right (90° turns, although you can specify a turn angle if you know it)). The critical issue is keeping your wits about turning in the correct direction. An undo key can take you back a step at a time (right back to the initial measurement) if you make an error.

If a wall is shorter than the others (adjacent to a passageway), you can attach a sticky note to measure to that wall instead of the room width.

Once done, you export to the MEAZOR app. It has basic editing – changing lines, arcs, adjusting angles, point snap, and curves and adding names like wall, door, window, object, etc.

Once you are happy, export as PDF, JPG, DFX, or 3D DFX. You can also send this to a printer, email, cloud, etc.

Privacy is always a concern, and we have read the terms, which are benign and safe to sign.

CyberShack’s view – If you can use it, the Hozo M-Cube 17-in-1 laser measuring system is magnificent

If you need this device, we can find no better. Hozo has launched five successful laser products on Kickstarter.

Interestingly, there are modules to come – whatever they are.

Some readers may think my fascination with using a tripod is unduly obsessive. It is just that over the years, it has become my best friend for taking the best photos. Here, it takes the best measurements. Each module needs a tripod mount hole. If this is ever done, a Bluetooth command to activate the laser and provide a real-time view via a smart phone would be terrific.

Another suggestion is to incorporate a reasonably fixed-focus camera sensor to take snapshots of the measured object.

Hozo M-Cube 17-in-1 laser ratings

• Features: 95 – 17-in-1, and even if you only use a handful, it does way more than most laser measures can do.
• Value: 95 – At around $800 for everything, it is an investment you need to consider. You should only buy the base unit and the other units if you need them.
• Performance: 90—If only because you should use a tripod for most critical work and the only mount is on the M-Cube-01 Smart Planner, we have knocked off a few points. Otherwise, it meets or exceeds any marketing claims. The Bilateral laser is a superb idea that doubles the range.
• Ease of Use: 90 If you are used to taking measurements, it is easy. My learning curve was a couple of hours before I felt confident with the kit and achieved replicable results.
• Design: 95 – We need more tripod holes – even on the M-Cube laser.