KIWI P1 from MyAntenna Tech is the world’s most compact laser distance meter. It started as a Kickstarter project back in June 2017 and delivered the actual product with very minimum delay. Laser-based measurement devices are usually bulky. KIWI P1 is powered by 2 x AAA batteries that could last up to 5 hours of continuous usage. In reality, since I don’t use it every day, it already survived more than 2 months in my drawer.

The claim as the world’s most compact is a reasonable claim, thanks to its mini dimensions at only 100 x 35 x 18 mm. The weight (68 gr) is impressive, too. It helps that the device’s length is exactly 10cm, allowing us to simply subtract the 10 cm from the reading when we don’t want to include the length of the device. By default, the reading will automatically add the 10cm length. For example, if the laser is pointing at a wall 50cm from the lens, the reading will show 0.6m instead of 0.5 because it automatically adds the device length. It can not measure distance less than 5 cm (0.15m in the reading), but we have simple ruler for that purpose anyway.

There is only one button on the device. Long press will turn on/off the device. One short press pauses the measurement. Double click activates the auto fetch mode. Triple click changes the measurement unit between m and ft.

A simple accessories called Kiwi Switch is included in my package. It is basically magnetic-based add-on with 45° mirror, allowing the meter to be used to measure distance with 90° angle.

My personal experience in using KIWI P1 has been positive so far. It is very useful when we need to measure the space we have for a new furniture. I used it to measure the size of our front garden and driveway. Those measurements will take more efforts if I use traditional tape measure. Some hard-to-reach spots will make us appreciate this laser distance meter even more.

The makers claim that KIWI P1 can measure distance up to 40m. In my tests, it is generally easy and straightforward to measure distances up to 10m. Above 10m is a bit tricky. We need to hold the device very steady or it will result in error message. It’s not super easy to see the tiny red laser indicator on a surface 15+ meters away.

Despite its limitations, I like this product and had found it useful multiple times. Definitely a keeper.