When Kapro expanded its Genesis family with the 789P and 789X, it gave tradespeople two box levels cut from the same billet: rugged extruded-aluminium profiles, milled measuring faces, shock-absorbing end-caps and the patented Plumb Site Dual-View vial that lets you read plumb without craning your neck 789P. Both arrive factory-calibrated to an impressive ±0.5 mm/m and carry a lifetime accuracy guarantee, so at first glance they look like twins. directindustry.comkapro.com
Magnetism and grip
The most obvious separator is under the rail. The 789P integrates flush rare-earth magnets, giving it a confident bite on structural steel, stud track, HVAC duct or scaffolding—no third hand required. That magnet array adds a few grams but zero flex, and Kapro still includes the rubberised wall-grip strip for timber or masonry. The 789X skips magnets altogether; the payoff is a slightly leaner mass that some finish Giới Thiệu 789P carpenters prefer when they’re running the level overhead or spending a full shift on a stilts rig. directindustry.comkapro.com
Range of lengths and reversibility
Both models span the same size ladder, from a handy 60 cm to a beam-straightening 200 cm, but only the 789X calls out a certified reverse-read tolerance (±0.7 mm/m) for upside-down work—handy when you’re marking soffits or checking the crown on joists without flipping the tool. kapro.com
On-site handling and accuracy
Three epoxy-sealed acrylic vials, 2° slope marks for drainage runs and Kapro’s one-piece box extrusion mean torsional rigidity you can feel. In practice that leaves both levels reading dead-true after accidental drops—the most common site complaint. Users who frequently set metal door frames or align conduit love the 789P’s magnetic cling; drywall crews and tilers, working mostly on non-ferrous surfaces, often appreciate the lighter swing weight of the 789X.
Price and value
Street prices fluctuate with length and region, but recent listings put a 150 cm 789X around CHF 78, while a 120 cm magnetic 789P trends near 80 BGN (≈€41). The magnets add a few euros at any given size, yet the difference is usually smaller than the cost of a single crooked re-work. galaxus.chdeplan.bg
Who should buy which?
- Pick the 789P if your workflow touches steel all day: commercial framing, mechanical installs, site welding, elevator rails, even vehicle fabrication. That magnetic hold frees both hands for the fastener gun and saves the level from expensive tumbles.
- Choose the 789X if you chase millimetres on long timber runs, overhead levelling or finish carpentry where ounces matter more than magnets, and you rarely need the tool to stick to metal.
Verdict—margin of victory
On paper the tool bodies match; in the field the magnet makes the play. For mixed-material crews the 789P is the one-and-done choice, edging out the 789X by virtue of sheer versatility. But if your projects live far from ferrous surfaces, the lighter 789X feels quicker and keeps fatigue at bay. In other words, the winner is the one that fits your trade—yet for most modern sites, the 789P takes the podium.
