Can anyone recommend a laser tape measure for under $50? I don't need
to survey my two acre lot, just measure some room dimensions.

For that matter, are laser measurers truly useful or just a gadget?

Lowe's had two (don't recall the brand) but both had been opened,
resealed, and put back on the shelf. That led me to believe that they
had been sold and then returned by dissatisfied customers.