Franklin Sensors ProSensor 710+ Professional Stud Finder

If you're interested in the multi-LED scanners like this one then your mind is probably made up on the multiple LED gimmick. I won't review that part. What I will review though, is what you won't know until you buy it -- This thing is intolerant of even minimally used batteries and causes you to replace them over and over again. It absolutely requires FRESH Alkaline batteries or it just won't work. Once those alkaline batteries have been used a bit and drop a little voltage, the Franklin unit goes DOA and you have to insert brand-new batteries. If you're thinking about using rechargeable batteries like NiMH, forget about it -- This thing won't even boot-up with NiMH batteries because their voltage is too low. This is a hyper-finicky tool that requires no less than 3.0 volts to run, and because of that it's never going to run on NiMH batteries that have a nominal voltage of 1.2 volts, where two of them add up to 2.4 volts. With rechargeable batteries this device will never work.When you read the instruction manual they admit this in a very roundabout way, by stating that if the device isn't working properly, be sure to put in a fresh set of brand new alkaline batteries. In other words, they admit that battery life is a problem, even with alkaline batteries.This device suffers from an exceptionally poor power supply design. It uses devices that absolutely have to have 3.0 VDC to run, and won't run if your voltage drops even slightly. This means no rechargeable batteries, and no partially used 1.5V alkaline batteries that have developed a bit of internal resistance -- you have to use new alkaline batteries and keep throwing them away after only moderate use. This device is a battery waster as it requires you to toss off otherwise good batteries.If you're a DIY homeowner, chances are that you'll put new brand new batteries in this device, use it for a project, set it on the shelf until next time, and it won't work the next time that you want to use it because your batteries will have developed internal resistance causing their working voltage to drop. This means that every time you want to use it you're going to have to drop in brand new batteries.If you're a tradesman and you use the device a lot, the chances are that you're going to waste an awful lot of money replacing minimally depleted batteries with new ones, just because this device won't boot with even a minimally depleted battery. The Franklin marketing gimmick says that you're going to save money by buying inexpensive AA batteries instead of expensive 9V batteries. That marketing gimmick is purposefully deceptive -- in all likelihood you're going to spend as much if not more money throwing away a boatload of minimally used AA batteries and buying enough replacements to cover the cost of a 9V battery.The designer made a serious mistake when specifying the device to run on two 1.5V AA batteries. The device is just not trustworthy with only two batteries. There's plenty of room in the device for them to have installed 3 AA batteries so that the voltage problem with rechargeable batteries would not exist.All things considered:1. This is a fun device to use based upon the gimmicky rolling LED display, but the battery problem negates it's usefulness.2. I'm going back to the Zircon type 9V stud sensors.3. The device is accurate, but ease of use and reliability suck because of the battery problem. The long term cost lots of AA batteries negates any presumed savings caused by avoiding a 9V battery.I definitely would not buy it again, nor would I recommend it's purchase.