Top 5 Best Metal Detectors
Updated June 2023
Metal detecting can be a great source of adventure and fun. However, enjoying this activity to the fullest calls for you to invest in a top quality metal detector that will last you years and meet your expectations performance-wise. But how do you decide which make and model of metal detector to choose? Well it's no easy task, especially when you find out just how many different kinds of detectors are available on the market.
With the goal of helping you make a more informed buying decision, we invested 42 hours researching and comparing 95 different models of metal detectors. We then culled the herd down to just the six best units which we've included in our list below.
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Best Overall: Minelab Equinox 900 Waterproof Metal Detector
The Minelab Equinox 900 is, in our opinion, the best general use metal detector for the vast majority of hobbyists. Unless you are a bonafide professional and need a metal detector for a very specific purpose, such as for gold prospecting or for scuba diving, it probably isn’t worth spending a lot more money on a marginally better model, as this unit has just about all of the features the typical hobbyist would ever need in a general purpose metal detector.
It's designed to excel in virtually all environmental and ground conditions, and is just as effective in water as it is on land. You can even take this 100% waterproof metal detector into lakes and oceans to search for treasure. One feature that really sets this unit apart from its competition is its automatic ground balance, which helps eliminate false signals
Best Value: Garrett ACE 300 Metal Detector
The Garrett ACE 300 is an excellent mid-range metal detector designed for experienced hobbyists and beginner metal detecting enthusiasts alike, and features innovative technology like pulse-width modulation and electronic pinpointing. This unit comes with 5 different search modes that will allow you to find a variety of metallic objects including gold and silver coins, jewelry and artifacts. It can locate these objects even if they are buried as deep as 8-9 inches below the surface.
Despite its powerful capabilities, however, the Garrett Ace 300 does have a couple disadvantages, the first of which is that it has a fixed ground balance and not an automatically adjusting one like the Minelab above.
PANCKY PK0075 Metal Detector
For beginners who are looking for a good starter model, we highly recommend the PANCKY PK0075. This is a durable, weather-proof metal detector that has a number of useful features, including 4 different search modes for finding coins, jewelry, artifacts or other metallic objects.
This is one of the lightest metal detectors on the market. It also has a relatively compact design, making it highly portable, easy to carry and easy to store. In addition, this unit has several adjustable sensitivity levels as well as a crystal clear LCD display. The display combined with the push button discrimination and one touch depth control will let you hunt for the smallest of metal objects buried deep under the ground.
4Best Budget Model: Bounty Hunter TK4 Tracker IV Metal Detector
The Bounty Hunter TK4 is one of the most affordable metal detectors currently on the market, and is a decent option if you absolutely can’t afford any of the other models above. Although this unit is designed to be used primarily on dry land, it can be used to find treasure in a variety of different kinds of terrain, from rocky soil to sandy beaches.
With its user-friendly design and easy-to-read gauges and systems, this is a solid starter model that is ideally suited for those who are looking to get introduced to the world of metal detecting. This detector is compact, lightweight and easy to carry. Additionally, its all-metal and discrimination modes as well as its two tone audio mode makes finding treasure easy.
5Best Kid's Metal Detector: RM RICOMAX GC-1003 Metal Detector
Metal detecting is not just a grown-up activity. In fact, it is a fantastic way for kids to get some exercise while embarking on a fun and memorable treasure hunt. If you’re looking for a high-quality metal detector for your child, then we recommend the RM RICOMAX GC-1003.
At under $100, this metal detector is very affordable, and comes with everything your child needs to discover where treasures are lying under the ground. One of its top features is its vibrant, easy-to-read digital display that will indicate the approximate depth of the object that you’re trying to find. And unlike metal detectors designed for adult use which usually weigh a minimum of about 3 pounds, the AA battery powered detector weighs well under 2 pounds. It’s also the ideal size for a child to easily carry and use.
Metal Detector Buying Guide
Metal detectors have held an important role in history for more than 100 years. In fact, Alexander Graham Bell used one of the earliest forms of a metal detector, which actually was a handheld device, to locate the bullet that penetrated the assassinated president James Garfield's chest in 1881.
Since then, metal detectors have taken on a new form and in fact a new level of importance in the world. They are now used by the military and law enforcement to detect dangerous items like pipe bombs and weapons. They also are used in a variety of commercial industries like food production, mining, packaging, textile manufacturing, and many more to locate metal shards, foreign objects, and other hazards that could be hidden in consumer goods.
Many different kinds of metal detectors exist today. However, the most basic metal detector utilizes an oscillator that creates a current that travels through the detector's coil, which in turn creates an alternating magnetic field. This process signals that the detector has come into contact with something metal beneath the ground.
Today's metal detectors utilize a combination of LCD screens, audio tones, and other signals to alert you to this magnetic field. The screen also gives you a visual of what the object might be so that you can decide whether or not to dig for whatever might lie under the ground.
Unlike the metal detectors of yesteryear, today's models also tend to be more powerful in their range and detection capabilities. They operate on batteries and can last longer without having to be recharged.
Factors to Consider When Buying a Metal Detector
How exactly do you choose a metal detector and how can you know you are choosing one that fits your exact needs and expectations? Before you go shopping, you should consider several important factors to help you select a metal detector that you will use and actually enjoy whenever you go metal detecting.
Your Own Skill Level
First, you should consider your metal detecting level of skill. Are you a complete novice or do you consider yourself to be an expert treasure hunter? When you pinpoint your level of skill, you can then select a metal detector that matches your own capabilities and interest in this pastime. If you are a novice, for example, you may find it better to select a metal detector like the Bounty Hunter Tracker IV, which come with easy-to-read gauges that make learning the hobby easier and more enjoyable.
If you consider yourself to be a skilled treasure hunter or if you spend a lot of time metal detecting, you'll probably be better matched with a unit like the Garrett Ace 300, as these detectors give you both the longevity of use and also the deep range to find objects 8 to 9 inches below the ground.
Where You'll Be Using It
Second, you should consider in what kind of terrain you will be using your metal detector. Some detectors are better suited for all-terrain conditions while others cannot be used reliably in wet conditions or in water. If you want to have the freedom to use your detector in any kind of weather or terrain, you'll want to get a model like the Minelab Equinox 900, which can be used in up to 10 feet of water and also gives a reliable reading in wet terrain like beaches and swamps.
What You're Trying to Find
Third, you may want to think about the types of items you want to find during your treasure hunts. Are you on the hunt for jewelry and coins or are you simply out to find whatever might lie beneath the soil?
Depending on what you hope to find while metal detecting, you can select a metal detector that matches your needs. Generally speaking, the smaller the object the harder it is for a metal detector to detect it. If, for example, you want to locate small items like earrings or coins, you'll probably want to get a metal detector that's at least on the level of the Garrett Ace 400, which can locate small metal items fairly easily and reliably. If you're going to be exclusively looking for gold, we highly recommend the Minelab GPZ 7000, which is widely considered to be the best metal detector in the world for finding small gold nuggets hidden deep under the ground.
How Much You You're Willing to Spend
Finally, you'll want to think about how much you want to spend on your metal detector. As you can see, metal detectors come in a wide range of prices. If you have the budget to invest in a high-quality metal detector, you'll probably prefer one that has a higher price tag than one that is considered to be designed for novices or children. The old adage of “You get what you pay for” applies when you're shopping for a metal detector, just as it does when you're shopping for anything else. But no matter how much you're willing to spend, be aware of the limitations of these devices, as even the best metal detectors won't be able to detect small, coin-sized objects that are buried deeper than about 10" under the ground.
These criteria are but a few that you should keep in mind when you shop for a metal detector. By reviewing your skill level, budget, and precise metal detecting needs, you can choose one that will make metal detecting fun and easy.
The Perks of Owning a Metal Detector
Metal detecting is an activity unlike any other in the amount of adventure and fun it can offer you. If you are a fan of searching out the unknown or a history buff on the lookout for relics like old coins, buttons from military uniforms, and more, you are the perfect candidate to enjoy a metal detecting hobby.
A metal detector truly can be the key that unlocks the unknown history that literally lies beneath your feet. As time marches on, the ground entombs forgotten relics left behind by the populations of yesteryear. Seemingly innocuous items like coins, necklaces, or weapons remain hidden until they are chanced upon by treasure hunters armed with metal detectors. While some relics hidden beneath the soil are more curious than they are valuable, others are highly prized by collectors and antique dealers. Your metal detector can help you unearth treasures that you could then sell for money or keep for yourself.
Metal detecting also provides you with a great opportunity to venture outdoors and get some exercise. People who invest in metal detectors find that they can lose weight and keep it off better than their friends and neighbors who sit at home and do not engage in this activity. As you hunt for treasures, you may walk for several miles across a wide range of terrain. You can tone your legs, stomach, and hips without having to go to the gym or work out with weights and other equipment.
Finally, when you buy a metal detector, you invest in something that will let you and your family spend memorable hours together. Family members of all ages can join in now that children's metal detectors like the Pro Detector MD-1008A are on the market. You can use your own metal detector while teaching your children to use their kids' models to look for treasure themselves. You can make treasure hunting a favorite family pastime that lets you create memories while searching out valuables that could be hidden right in your neighborhood.
Metal detectors of all kinds are available for sale on the market today. How can you select one that you will enjoy using as well as one that will let you find metal objects under the earth? You can invest in a metal detector that suits your needs and budget by discovering which ones are considered to be the best in production right now. Each one features unique capabilities and functions suited for metal detecting fans of all skill levels.