2020 test11 productsGadgets & Tech
Which Stud Finders Brand Wins?
A head-to-head test of 11 stud finders options with the measured results for each. See how they ranked and watch the full test video.
Budget pick
Franklin T6
Price shown in test: $24.99
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The measured results
Every number below is read straight from the test. Scroll sideways to see all measurements. Products are listed in the order they finished.
| Product | Stud detection | Metal conduit (near) | Metal conduit (offset) | Stud edge-finding | Electrical wire (near) | Electrical wire (offset, 1.25in) | PVC pipe (near) | PVC pipe (offset) | Metal conduit (near/offset) | Copper pipe (near/offset) | Speaker wire (near) | Copper pipe (near) | Copper pipe (offset) | PVC pipe | PVC pipe (near/offset) | Speaker wire (near/offset) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Stanley Magnetic Stud Finder$5.50 | magnet did a great job finding the drywall screw; center-mark only, no edge-finding capability (one of only two brands, with CH Hanson, without edge finding) | found the conduit pressed against the drywall, right on target | did not find the conduit offset from the wall | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 2CH Hanson$10.29 | much stronger magnet than the Stanley, better at detecting and sticking to the drywall screw; center-mark only, no edge-finding capability | found the conduit pressed against the drywall, right on target | did not find the conduit offset from the wall | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 3DeWalt$21.99 | not tested | not tested | not tested | hit the stud on the right side; missed the edge by about a quarter inch on the left side; among screws that hit wood, off by a quarter inch | off by 1/4 inch on one cut test, off by 1/2 inch on the other | one of only 5 of 11 detectors to find the deep wire; off center by 1/2 inch | quickly found the pipe against the drywall | did not locate the offset pipe | found both pieces of conduit; right on target near, off center by 1/4 inch offset | found both copper pipes; good on near pipe, off target by 1/2 inch on the offset pipe | right on target | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 4Perlesmith$21.99 | not tested | found the conduit against the drywall, right on target | did not find the offset conduit | off by half an inch on the left side; hit the stud on the right side; among screws that hit wood, off by about an eighth of an inch | right on top of the wire, with a live-electric warning shown | set to its deepest detection mode (1.5 in) but did not detect the offset wire | found the pipe against the drywall | did not locate the offset pipe | not tested | not tested | off by 1/8 inch | found the near pipe (in deep scan mode), off by 1/4 inch | did not find the offset pipe | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 5JAXWQ$23.99 | not tested | found the conduit against the drywall, off by 1/4 inch | did not find the offset conduit | found the very edge of the stud on the left side; hit the stud on the right side; among screws that hit wood, off by about an eighth of an inch (tied for first, with Franklin T6 and Tacklife) | right on top of the wire | found the first wire but did not locate the offset wire | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | off by 1/4 inch | found only one pipe (near), right on target | not tested | found only one of the two pipes (near) | not tested | not tested |
| 6Franklin T6 (ProSensor)$24.99 | not tested | found the conduit against the drywall, right on target | found only one of the two pieces | found the very edge of the stud on the left side; barely missed the edge on the right side; among screws that hit wood, tied for first (with JAXWQ and Tacklife) for edge-finding precision | found the first wire but not the offset wire; does not provide a live-electric warning, only indicates an object is present | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | right on target | found only one pipe, right on target | not tested | found only one of the two pipes (near) | not tested | not tested |
| 7Tacklife$29.99 | not tested | not tested | not tested | very close on both sides (about an eighth of an inch); tied for first (with JAXWQ and Franklin T6) for edge-finding precision | off by 1/4 inch on one cut test, right on top on the other; provides a live-electric fast-beeping warning | one of only 5 of 11 detectors to find the deep wire, despite a weak signal; right on top of the wire | not tested | not tested | found both pieces; off by 1/4 inch near, dead on for the offset piece | found both copper pipes, right on target for both | off by 1/4 inch | not tested | not tested | found only one of the two pipes (near) | not tested | not tested |
| 8Bosch GMS 120$54.98 | not tested | not tested | not tested | hit the stud on the left side; missed the edge on the right side by a quarter inch; among screws that hit wood, off by a quarter inch | found both wire strands with power off (in metal-finder mode); with power on, off by 1/4 inch on one cut test, right on target on the other; fast-beep live-electric warning, but only detected the near wire's live status in electric mode | one of only 5 of 11 detectors to find the deep wire (found both strands in metal mode); right on top of the wire | not tested | not tested | found both pieces; off by 1/4 inch near, dead on for the offset piece | found both copper pipes, right on target for both | on target | not tested | not tested | found only one of the two pipes (near) | not tested | not tested |
| 9Franklin T13 (ProSensor)$59.99 | not tested | found the conduit against the drywall, right on target | found only one of the two pieces | hit the stud on the left side; barely missed the edge on the right; among screws that hit wood, off by a third of an inch | only found the wire against the drywall; right on top of it in the first cut test; does not provide a live-electric warning | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | on target | found only one pipe, right on target | not tested | found only one of the two pipes (near) | not tested | not tested |
| 10Bosch D-TECT 120$262.04 | not tested | not tested | not tested | hit the edge of the stud dead on, described as 'you just can't get any closer than that,' on the left side; missed the right side by a quarter inch | right on top of the wire on one cut test; off by 1/2 inch on the other | one of only 5 of 11 detectors to find the deep wire; off center by 1/2 inch | not tested | not tested | found both pieces; right on target near, dead on for the offset piece | found both copper pipes; right on target near, off by 1/4 inch on the offset pipe | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | the only detector besides Zircon to find both water-filled pipes; lined up accurately on both | on target for the near wire; the ONLY detector of all 11 to find the offset speaker wire, off by 1/2 inch |
| 11Zircon A100$22.99 | not tested | not tested | not tested | missed the edge by a quarter inch on the left side; did a terrific job finding the edge on the right side | right on top of the wire; found only the near wire until power was turned on, then located both | one of only 5 of 11 detectors to find the deep wire; right on top of the wire | not tested | not tested | found both pieces; within 1/2 inch near (not always dead center), dead on for the offset piece | found both copper pipes; needed a little approximation but did a great job on both | right on target | not tested | not tested | not tested | one of only two detectors (with Bosch D-TECT 120) to find both water-filled pipes; lined up accurately | not tested |
How it was tested
- wood stud detection and edge-finding accuracy on a test wall with studs 16 in apart
- live electrical wire detection, one section touching the wall and one offset 1.25 in behind it
- water-filled PVC pipe detection, one touching the wall and one offset 1.25 in behind it
- metal conduit detection, one touching the wall and one offset 1.25 in behind it
- copper pipe detection, one touching the wall and one offset 1.25 in behind it
- speaker wire detection, one touching the wall and one offset behind it
- metal versus non-metal object discrimination capability (subjective, only 3 of 11 brands have this feature)