10 Best Stud Finders 2024 in the US

A stud finder is a handy device for people who want to change plasterboard, attach a TV screen bracket, or even just hang up a bookshelf, mirror, or picture securely. Studs are wooden beams in the wall or ceiling of your house that support the building. In houses constructed before 1959, the beams used to measure 2” (Depth) x 4” (Wide) or 2” x 6”. But that has changed as construction of homes has been modified over the past century--these beams can be 3 ⅝” or 3 ½” wide nowadays. Also, in certain locations, there are double or triple studs, which will be much thicker. The studs are held in place with nails or metal fasteners. Stud beams will be located where there are wall switches or outlets, as well as 16” or 24” away from corners, as well as on both sides of windows or doors.

So there are general rules that apply to the placement of studs. You can tap on the wall and see where the wall sounds less “hollow”--that’s a rough indicator. But for greater accuracy, there are stud finders that help you locate where the studs are placed. Some are mechanical, with a strong magnet inside. It will give a slight “thump” when you have passed the detector over a nail or metal fastener. Then there are electronic stud finders, which detect metal in the wall by looking for changes in an electric or magnetic field. Some use ultrasound, which can be more accurate. And there are stud finders that will also find electric wiring and metal plumbing, as well as wooden studs.

We’ve composed this buyer’s guide to help you make the right decision when selecting the best stud finder for your needs. It'll help you:

• Choose the right type of stud finder,

• See useful tips about that particular type of stud finder,

• Read reviews of different stud finders, and what customers are saying,

• Select the right brand of stud finder, and

• Compare prices and find the best deals.

• Magnetic stud detector: These work by means of an internal magnet that detects the nails holding studs in place. Some don’t require any batteries or electricity. The internal magnet makes a slight “thud” when it is passed over something magnetic, such as the nails holding a wooden stud in place, or steel stud. One example is the C.H. Hanson Magnetic Stud Finder, which can detect magnetic metal up to a depth of 1 inch.

Inserting a nail in a stud detected by the C.H. Hanson Magnetic Stud Finder

• Electric stud detectors:

• Edge finders: These allow you to find the edge of a wooden stud, by detecting the change in density behind the plasterboard. You find each edge separately, and the center of the stud is equidistant from both edges. An example is the Zircon StudSensor L40.

Zircon Stud Sensor L40

• Center finders: These will have two sensors, each detecting one of the stud’s edges. The center of the stud is located in the middle of the two edges. An example is the Floureon TH-210 Stud Detector.

Floureon TH-210 Stud Detector

• Instant stud finders: These have a number of sensors which will make many readings simultaneously. It has a number of LED lights, where the LEDs that are right in front of a stud are the ones to light up. This way, they will locate exactly where are the edges and center of a stud. An example is the Franklin Sensors ProSensor 710+ Professional Stud Finder, with 13 individual sensors. A big advantage of such stud finders is that you don’t have to slide them over the wall slowly to pick up density differences. Instead, it picks up the stud immediately!

Franklin Sensors ProSensor 710+ Professional Stud Finder

• Ultrasonic stud detectors: These use ultrasound to detect a change in the density of the wall, which usually indicates where there is a stud or piece of metal. One example is the Allosun 4-in-1 Ultrasonic Distance Meter and Wood Stud Finder.

Allosun 4-in-1 Ultrasonic Distance Meter and Wood Stud Finder

• The depth of the detector: The depth to which a stud finder can detect metal is important. There are stud finders, such as the Zircon Stud Sensor L40, that has two modes: It has Stud Scan Mode, to find edges of studs up to ¾” deep, and Deep Scan Mode, which can detect studs up to 1 ½” deep.

• Audible and visual warning: The best stud detectors alert you with an audible “beep”, as well as lights that light up when hitting a target, whether it’s a stud, pipe, or electric wiring.

• Works on different surfaces: There are very versatile stud finders, that can work on many different surfaces, such as lath, wallpapered or paper walls, wood floors, acoustic ceilings, and more.

• Other tools as well: There are some stud finders that include a bubble level and ruler as well. This is quite handy, since it saves you the effort of having to look for two other tools while working, if you want to make a beam perfectly level, or measure distances.

• Calibration of the stud finder: An edge stud finder usually must be calibrated (=set to zero) before you use it. You do this by placing the stud finder on the wall, at a location where there definitely is no stud, before turning it on. This way, it will detect a difference when finally hitting a stud. Also, when looking for wiring, it’s important that you turn off the room’s electricity before searching. This will reduce the possibility of a false positive. 

• 4-in-1 devices: There are electronic stud finders that have other functions as well, being 3-in-1 or 4-in-1 devices. The Vivreal 3-in-1 Stud Finder has a 1) stud scan, to get the edges of wood and metal studs, up to a depth of 19 mm, 2) a deep mode, for scanning a wall up to 38 mm deep, 3) a metal scan, for locating metal up to 60 mm deep, and 4) an AC current scan, for locating live AC wires up to 51 mm deep. It’s recommended to use the metal scan together with the stud scan. That way, you can distinguish between wood studs and metal pipes!

• C.H. Hanson was founded by Christian Henry Hanson in 1866 in Chicago, Illinois. They make a wide range of hardware and construction tools: hand tools (insulated pliers, wire cutters, stud finders), clamps, stencils, marking machines, metalworking tools, and more.

• Vivreal is a retailer of accessories and appliances for the home. They were founded in 2009. They sell products for the home, kitchen, and office, as well as beauty products.

• Franklin Sensors were practically the inventors of the instant stud finder, which detects studs without having to move the finder over the wall or ceiling. The company is located in Boise, Idaho, and was founded by David Dorrough. Their Prosensor series of stud finders has special features for quicker results and greater accuracy. 

• Floureon, founded in 2011, make a number of electronic devices for home security and surveillance, as well as IP cameras, DVR kits, GPS devices, distance meters, stud detectors, and much more.