Black & Decker BDL190S BullsEye Auto-Leveling Interior Line Laser / Stud Sensor Combination Tool

by Black & Decker

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

The easy-to-read LCD makes identifying studs simple and quick.

The BullsEye makes leveling a snap.

About This BullsEye Laser Level
No more squinting at tiny vials or holding your breath while you wait for the bubbles to settle -- with the BullsEye laser, perfectly aligned pictures, shelves, and more are right at your fingertips. With Black & Decker's patented auto-leveling technology, BullsEye is the obvious choice for professionals or do-it-yourselfers who want the job done right the first time, and every time.

The BDL190S is two tools in one: an auto-leveling laser level and a super-sensitive stud sensor. The auto-leveling laser line levels automatically without adjustments, projecting a long, bright red laser line so there's never any question of where the hammer or drill should begin. The stud sensor detects wood, metal studs, and live A/C wires and displays the results immediately and clearly on the easy-to-read LCD. This advanced device includes a protective storage case and batteries, so it's ready to work or travel, right out of the box.

Key Technical Specs:

• Laser class: 2
• Detects: wood, metal studs, A/C wires
• Auto-leveling
• Easy-to-read LCD

Applications
Use the BDL170 to hang decorative items such as pictures or knick-knacks, shelving, or anything else that needs to line up perfectly. Warranty
Black & Decker tools and home products are covered for two years from the date of purchase.

What's in the box:
Black & Decker BullsEye auto-leveling laser level, 2 AA batteries, hanging cones, and protective case.

Product Description

BULLS EYE AUTO LEVELING LASER LINE AND STUD FINDER *Patented auto-leveling technology *2 tools in 1 auto leveling laser level and stud sensor *Auto-leveling laser levels automatically without adjustments *Projects horizontal level laser line *Stud sensor detect wood, metal studs and live A/C wires *LCD display easy to read *Includes: protective storage case and batteries

See all Product Description

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 2.6 x 10.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B000B8LLH2
• Item model number: BDL190S
• Batteries: 2 AA batteries required. (included)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,853 in Home Improvement (See Top 100 in Home Improvement)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

83 of 87 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A good tool in need of some improvement., January 7, 2008

By 

Steven A. Godun "sgodun" (North Brunswick, NJ) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Black & Decker BDL190S BullsEye Auto-Leveling Interior Line Laser / Stud Sensor Combination Tool (Tools & Home Improvement)

As shipped, this tool comes in a clear plastic display case that can (and should) double as a storage case. Included in the package is the tool itself, a pair of AA batteries, a wall mounting pin (more on that later), and an instruction book. With the exception of the wall mounting pin everything fits snugly in the case; the pin is held in by gravity rather than the design of the case and can (and will) easily fall out if you open the case while holding it at anything other than a horizontal plane.

Setup is easy; remove it from the box, install the batteries, pull off a little plastic tape, and away you go. The instructions are clear and easy to follow, and it's intuitive enough that many people won't even need them. Controls on the tool are minimal; there's a fat on/off switch on the left side which controls the leveling function of the tool, and a fat momentary contact button on the right side which controls the stud finding function of the tool. I'm torn as to the size and placement of these controls. On the one hand their size makes it easy for someone wearing heavy work gloves to use. On the other hand, this tool is clearly not a "heavy duty" tool and is designed more for people who need to hang pictures or drill a hole in a wall without hitting a power cable so there won't be many heavy work gloves holding it.

The unit is also a little bulky and will likely be uncomfortable for people with smaller hands. Although the leveling tool activates via an on/off switch, the rest operate on a button that you have to hold down while you move the unit. This can quickly become painful, particularly if you've got small hands and you have to sweep a large area. Why B&D didn't use a second on/off switch for the stud finder/AC power sniffer function is a complete mystery to me. Then again, I've noticed that a lot of tools like this feature poor ergonomics so I can't solely fault B&D for this.

As a laser level, this tool is very accurate but only moderately useful. Hold the tool flat against the wall (or use the wall mounting pin), turn on the switch, and the red laser springs to life. The laser is mounted on a balancing point that gives you a few degrees of forgiveness. Hold the tool at, say, a 30 degree angle and the laser will stay at that angle. Hold it at a 1 degree angle and you'll see the laser "float" a little while it levels itself, and then you have a true horizontal line. A pencil hole in the center of the tool allows you to mark the wall on the same plane as the laser line. The laser itself is very powerful. I was easily able to shine the laser across a distance of about 50 feet.

For "hands-free" operation, use the included wall mounting pin. Hold the tool against the wall to the level you want, mark the wall, remove the tool, then press the pin into that mark. Then you just hang the tool onto the mounting pin and away you go. It's a little annoying that you have to pierce the wall in order to make a level, but the hole isn't that big and could easily be painted over if need be.

More disappointing is the lack of a vertical system. There are only lasers on the sides, not on the top or bottom, and it offers no leveling system to rotate it 90 degrees by hand. Using this tool alone, there is no way to create a true vertical line that's 90 degrees from the horizontal.

As a stud finder, it gets mixed marks. To use it, hold the tool against the wall, then hold in the button on the right side. When the unit beeps, slide the unit across the wall. It will beep when it finds a stud. The display will show you how far "into" the stud you are, even alerting you when you're centered within it. (TIP: Keep the laser level turned on when you're using the stud finder. It will help you keep the tool level which will result in a more accurate discovery of the studs.) In my experience its capabilities as a stud finder were mediocre at best. I ran the tool over a wall that I knew had three studs behind it. In three different passes I got three different results, including one which told me I had NO studs supporting the wall.

The stud finder component also features an AC power line sniffer, ostensibly to tell you when you're about to drill into a house main. It SHOULD work in largely the same way although in my experience it fails miserably. I've run the tool over several live power lines and never got anything more than an erratic vague notification that something might be there. I've run it over a live electrical outlet, and even an electric power cable that was connected to a running vacuum cleaner, and it never so much as flinched.

That all being said, I find it hard to give this tool more than two stars. As a horizontal-only laser level it's quite good; a bright laser, a wall mounting system and an auto-leveling system makes it very useful. But it fell short as a stud finder and is virtually lobotomized as an AC power line sniffer. With very few exceptions I tend to believe that any single device that presents itself as a multi-function device tends to do all of the tasks equally poorly, and in this case my belief is largely justified. Those shopping for a "combination" tool like this would be better served elsewhere, or by buying separate tools that are dedicated to their respective tasks.

39 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Accurate and useful, August 30, 2006

By 

D. Dell "Dell" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black & Decker BDL190S BullsEye Auto-Leveling Interior Line Laser / Stud Sensor Combination Tool (Tools & Home Improvement)

When I first got this product I tested it out finding studs. It was consistent in finding both edges of the stud within a fraction of an inch each time. Then I held it up near the ceiling and projected the laser beam along the wall which also showed the beam on both side walls. The wall was 23 feet long. I was surprised to find the measurements were off on the ceiling height by about 1 inch. So I got my tape measure out and sure enough one wall, from floor to ceiling, was 1 inch off. After these tests I proceeded to use it for all kinds of things including hanging pictures, installing a kitchen tile backsplash, building cabinets and much more. It works well on many projects. My next laser will have a vertical beam.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Product, March 12, 2007

By 

Norbert M. Carroll III "CEE" (New Orleans, Louisiana United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Black & Decker BDL190S BullsEye Auto-Leveling Interior Line Laser / Stud Sensor Combination Tool (Tools & Home Improvement)

I recently purchased and used this item it was very easy to navigate and use. I would refer this product to anyone hanging pictures, curtains or just need a straight line or in need to find a stud in the wall.