There are many things to consider when looking for a level, and the new Sola BR48 Big Red 48-inch aluminum level really appeals to pro users, thanks to its many on-target features.ย Extra-large shockproof acrylic block vials make it easy to quickly and accurately see if your project is plumb or level. With a thick-wall aluminum box frame design, accuracy is maintained, yet the levelย never feels unwieldy due to its lightweight construction. With aย lifetime warranty and great features like phosphorescent vials, weย are excited to see this European brand coming to North America.
Sola BR48 Big Red 48-inch Aluminum Level Features
Inย the world of levels, most of the updates and improvements have beenย small and incremental at best. With the new Sola BR48 Big Red 48-inchย aluminumย level, we were quick to takeย note of the 30% larger level vials with the shaded in ends, which weย marked as significant improvements. The larger vials mean that the level bubbles are larger; combining this with the shaded-in ends makes it very easy to see if a bubble is drifting out of the center. T
o make taking readings better in dim or even pitch blackย areas, there is a phosphorescent backing in each vial that is easilyย โchargedโ up with just a little exposure to a bright light.ย The vials are made of acrylic, which makes them shockproof and highly crack-resistant. Also, since acrylic is UV stable, exposure to the sunย and elements wonโt cause the vials to fade or discolor. The shape ofย the level vials also allows the level bubbles to be read in anyย position.
Theย rest of the level features two built-in handles along with shock-absorbing end caps. The main body of the level is made of 6063 Aluminum Alloy, and we discovered that the wall sections of the level are pretty thick, which we found when we removed one of the handles.ย This aluminum box beam level is incredibly rigid by design, and yet it weighs in at less than 2-1/2 pounds. The surface of the bottomย edge of the level is machined to a smooth, bright raw aluminum finish,ย with the rest coated in a deep red paint. We like this since the surface, which will be exposed to the most abuse on various surface materials, isnโt coated with a color that will readily show wear and tear.
Testingย and Use
Asย with any level, our testing always starts in the shop. Since levelsย are somewhat specialized measuring tools, we do our best to verifyย their accuracy. The way we do this is to compare the readings against a few other high-quality levels that we keep around for this very reason. All three of the vials on the Sola Big Red level were in complete agreement with the Stabila, Empire, and Johnson levels we compared them to. Taking readings with this level is super easy, thanks to darkenedย areas positioned on each side of the center. With the oversized vial,ย bright fluid, and large bubble, it was easy to see if we were plumbย and level. For fun, we โchargedโ up the vials on the Bigย Red with a flashlight and then shut off the lights. We were pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to see the vials and the level bubble, even in complete darkness.
Asย far as working out in the field, theย Sola BR48 Big Red 48-inchย aluminumย level was used for some basicย layout projects, particularly as a straight edge to mark some plywoodย for cuts and in other scenarios in residential construction that areย fairly common (such as setting up studs and ensuring that the rebuiltย eave of a roof was set correctly). After spending some quality timeย with this level, we liked the way it felt. It was light and quick toย maneuver. Dropping it also didnโt seem to affect it much, thanks toย the reinforced end-caps.
The large level vials gave us quick reads,ย and the way they retained light and gave a nice contrast to theย background made them super-easy to read in nearly all conditions.ย This isnโt a tool you have to be very careful with, which is a really nice asset for a tool you intend to use a lot. At the price Sola isย asking, thereโs no way you want to pick up this level and feel as ifย you canโt use it hard, every day.
Conclusion
Solaย might not be a new name in some places on the globe, but for those ofย us in the North American market, weโre excited to welcome thisย Austrian company and the products they manufacture. From our use andย testing experiences, we are confident that Sola can hold its ownย against even some of the biggest names.
For our Performance rating, we gave this level a near-perfect score of 9/10 thanks to its build quality, features, and ease of use. For our Value rating, the Sola 48โณย Big Red level gets a very respectable 7/10. This is a good level, but itโsย also in a sea of equally competitive products. Since Sola is tryingย to make its way into the North American market, you might not alwaysย find them at your local supplier, but we found they are widelyย available online. If you pick one of these up, youโll have a productย that should last a long time and take a lot of use and abuse.
