When It Comes to Stud Finders, Buy an Electronic Model Every Time

2 min readStud finders can save you a headache in the form of a frame, shelf, or TV that’s improperly secured to the wall. They can also prevent you from nailing or drilling into something you shouldn’t, like a wire or pipe. Yes, it’s possible to find a stud without a stud finder, but if you want to minimize your risk of making a costly mistake, you should invest in one of these tools.But the question remains: Is it worth spending money for a higher-quality electronic stud finder? Or if, for example, you only need to hang one frame, should you save some money and buy a magnetic stud finder? These are valid questions, but my answer is simple: Buy an electronic stud finder.ProsWide LED displayDetects wood or metal studs, and live wiresStrong enough to work on plaster wallsConsDoes not differentiate between wood or metal studsHere’s why you should skip the magnetic stud finder: They’re not as easy to use, and they’re not as reliable, so the money you save won’t be worth it. Magnetic stud finders only locate the nails or screws used to fasten drywall to studs—not the stud itself—so unless the installer put it up with nails or screws every inch, you’re often passing over a stud where there is no fastener. You have to scan left, right, up, and down to hopefully find one.A decent battery-powered device that will reliably locate a stud, like our Best Value pick, the Craftsman Stud Sensor, costs as little as $10. Some of the most common magnetic stud finders cost between $5 and $10, so the savings you get by forgoing an electronic stud finder aren’t that significant.Of course, some stud finders these days can do a lot of things, like the Bosch Professional Wall Scanner and Stud Finder, which locates alternating current wiring and other metal objects in your walls. Comparing that model and others like it to a magnetic stud finder, you’ll notice more considerable savings. But my recommendation, if cost is a major factor, is that you purchase a bare-bones electronic model over a magnetic model every time.In a pinch, here is something you can do without buying a magnetic stud finder. Find a strong refrigerator magnet, magnetic phone mount, or anything else with a strong magnet. Put a piece of tape over it, so it won’t scratch the wall, and then gently slide it across and up and down the wall—it will work as well as a magnetic stud finder. But really, just buy an electronic one—they’re cheap and effective.More Stud Finders We LoveBrad Ford has spent most of his life using tools to fix, build, or make things. Growing up he worked on a farm, where he learned to weld, repair, and paint equipment. From the farm he went to work at a classic car dealer, repairing and servicing Rolls Royces, Bentleys, and Jaguars. Today, when he's not testing tools or writing for Popular Mechanics, he's busy keeping up with the projects at his old farmhouse in eastern Pennsylvania.