Is Ryobi's Budget-Friendly Wall Stud Detector Worth It? Here's What Reviews Say

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Some people certainly have a love-hate relationship with stud finders. Not knowing exactly how they work or how to use them correctly fuels some of the problems. Learning how to avoid stud finder false positives goes a long way toward using these tools with less frustration. Figuring out which brands are reliable can be helpful in using these tools successfully, too. Ryobi offers a stud finder that could be one of the Ryobi tools that come in handy when remodeling your basement or other areas of the home. But is Ryobi's stud finder worth using?

The Ryobi Stud Finder ($27) claims to help you measure the entire width of each of the studs, which provides important precision. Similar stud finders from other manufacturers that find the entire width can cost twice as much. The Ryobi model has several LEDs across the top of the handheld unit that light up to equal the width of the studs behind the wall. Its shape and size are made for one-handed operation, which is highly convenient.

Of course, all those impressive features don't do much good if the Ryobi model is difficult to use. You don't want to spend more than a few minutes learning how to use a stud finder. And if the Ryobi model gives you multiple false positives, you probably won't stick with it very long. We took a look at customer reviews to help you decide whether you can trust this inexpensive tool to help with your next DIY project around the house.

The Ryobi Whole Stud Finder receives an 86% recommendation from customer reviewers on the Home Depot website. On the Amazon website, 77% of customer reviewers give it a 4- or 5-star rating. For those who are newcomers to using stud finders, reviewers say this Ryobi model is extremely easy to use. It even has a "quick start" guide printed on the front of the tool that helps you use it properly. A Home Depot reviewer explained how it was possible to begin using the tool almost immediately after taking it out of the packaging. "Was very easy to operate, didn't even have to read the instruction booklet. The quick instructions on the device itself are all you need. Very accurate," they said.

YouTube reviewer Can It Tool says the design of the Ryobi tool allows it to slide smoothly across the wall as you're searching for studs, making it easier to maintain contact with the wall. "You'll notice on the back it has these little pads to allow it to move across the wall easier," he says. With the power button on the side of the unit, you can conveniently press it and start moving the stud finder across the wall without having to grab it with your other hand. Having the ability to move and operate it one-handed is a significant benefit, according to YouTube reviewer Lost Gear:  "Definitely does what it says. ... It's a decent stud finder."

Although the Ryobi Whole Stud Finder has many positive reviews, almost 15% of customer reviewers on the Home Depot website give this tool a 1-star review. On the Amazon website, 7% of customers give it a 1-star score. For comparison, one of the best stud finders you can buy at a reasonable price is the DeWalt DW0150, which also has 7% of 1-star reviews on Amazon.

YouTube reviewer Roger Haines ran the Ryobi tool through a series of tests. Although it found items resembling studs behind the makeshift wall, it also marked items that weren't wall studs. "I got [the tool] confused, and it [found] an extension cord. ... The reason I wouldn't buy it is because if I'm locating a stud, great, I found it. What if I think I've got a stud, and I put my screw or nail into it? Now I've got a water leak, or I run into a power cord in the wall."

Some reviewers believe the fact that Ryobi only offers a 90-day exchange policy on this stud finder should've been a red flag before buying it. "Used maybe one or two times; pulled it out today, and it just doesn't work," commented one customer via Home Depot. One Amazon customer reviewer says the Ryobi tool simply doesn't find studs reliably, but was at least able to find some sarcastic humor behind the tool's failings. He said, "It found a stud once, then not again. I'm scared of my domicile now. It is apparently all unsupported drywall" because the tool can't find any studs.