What is the best metal detector?

One of the most frequent questions I get when I talk about treasure hunts is, “What is the best metal detector?” Each person who asks that question will have their own inclination on the subject. Each has their own experiences and each has their own “type” of treasure that they are looking for. I am no different. So, I’m going to give my “lean” and see if what I contribute will narrow down the selection a bit.

First … and by far the most important criteria for selecting a metal detector is “Pick a metal detector to use.” I don’t care how fancy or expensive a metal detector is … if all you do is sit in the corner with a jacket hanging over it, you won’t find any treasure other than a child’s toy. I say this as I’ve seen people with an arsenal of metal detectors … some basic, some sophisticated … and many times they go for the basic detector, because all the settings, controls, buttons and so on on the fancy detector are too complicated for them. They don’t enjoy it; they don’t understand it and therefore don’t use it. So if you’re new to metal detecting, or don’t like the idea of ​​having to learn what all those buttons, knobs, and displays do and mean, then maybe you’re better off with a more “basic” method. model, at least until you gain experience and discover exactly what you want and can handle.

Metal detectors do just that. They detect metal … all metal. Ferrous metal has an iron base and can be attracted to a magnet (iron, steel, etc.). Non-ferrous metals do not have an iron base and will not be attracted to a magnet (aluminum, copper, nickel, silver, gold, platinum, etc.).

Except for very basic models, metal detectors are “generally” designed to provide good performance on a wide variety of metals (heirlooms, “costume” jewelry, coins) or good performance on non-ferrous metals (gold, silver, precious metal jewelry). ). Some of the higher-priced detectors have circuitry to provide excellent performance on both, but you’re getting into “fancy” terrain with lots of buttons, knobs, and the like. Most of the time, the manufacturer’s literature will tell you what you need to know about the “purpose” of the detector.

With that said, let’s go to the three basic criteria I look for when choosing a detector:

Soil balance – Many detectors will offer circuitry to deal with mineralization in the ground. Mineralization can be caused by salts, iron, “black sands”, “hot rocks” or other naturally occurring “hot” deposits. If you intend to shoot nuggets (detect gold nuggets), opt for a machine that is specifically designed to shoot nuggets. If you are going to comb the beach (detecting on the beach), opt for a beach machine (not only is the circuit better designed to handle the mineralization found on the beach, but most are better built to withstand the more environmentally friendly). salty). If you are detecting in various places, such as parks, fairgrounds or other public places, then a “general purpose” machine will suffice. Just remember, you want a machine with some kind of ground balance capability.

Sensitivity – Most detectors will have a sensitivity setting. The detector’s search coil is essentially an antenna that has an electromagnetic field that emanates in a pattern that is “molded” by the shape of the coil (round or elliptical are the most common). The distance (depth) it reaches is a factor of power and frequency. When this field is disturbed by a target (metal), the circuit detects the disturbance and the detector is recorded soundly and / or visually on a screen (meter or graph). The sensitivity setting will allow the detector to detect this disturbance for smaller targets (at a specified depth) or a specified target at a greater depth. The trade-off is that the higher the sensitivity, the greater the effect of non-target “junk” and mineralization. Setting the sensitivity too high will cause false impacts or so much electrical chaos that targets will be lost, especially weak ones. Too much sensitivity can also cause a medium or large target to “overwhelm” the circuit and cause it to emit an overload signal.

Discrimination – This returns to the question of ferrous versus non-ferrous. Like I said earlier, all metal detectors detect all metals. The question is, can you adjust to differentiate between a bottle cap and a quarter? Can you tell the difference between a rusty wire and a gold wire? Good discrimination saves time. If you can determine, either visually or by sound, that a target is “valuable” or “trash”, you can choose not to dig the trash and only dig the valuables … YES… and it’s a great if … the detector is reliable enough and you trust it enough to bypass the “junk”.

The combination of these three characteristics also provides the machine with a means of determining the “size”, “depth” and “composition” of the target. Better quality machines will be more accurate at this, but there is a trade-off for this as well. The more capabilities and functions, the more expensive and complicated. AND … NO MACHINE IS CHILDREN!

Is that so? Not really. There are a host of features that you can add to the mix. Physical size, water resistance, weight, balance, battery type, battery life, visual display, coil size, coil selections, headphone connections, WIFI / Blue Tooth, even voice commands. I could go on and on. With all the features, colors, and options, you could also be shopping for a car. But, if you stick to the three basics and look at other options from there, you should be able to select a decent detector for your needs within your budget.

Now … I said at the beginning of this article that I would put my “bias” on this topic … so here it goes. I have some detectors. Mainly, there are two that I use far above the rest. For general use (parks, beach, fairgrounds, etc.) I use the Garrett GTI 2500. It is a fairly elegant model, but not so much that the average person cannot learn to operate the machine. It’s lightweight, it swings well, and the battery can be detached and hung on your belt. You can customize it to match the goals you are focusing on (such as coins), with the “junk” checked (discriminated). It has good depth and the display of the size, depth and composition of the target is quite accurate. There are a variety of coil sizes, including a dual coil model for extreme depth (20 feet, depending on target size). This model has been around for a number of years, proving rock-solid, long-lasting performance.

To detect gold, I use the Fisher Gold Bug II. Gold tends to concentrate in areas of high mineralization (especially black sand) and this detector does a good job of balancing the ground to minimize the negative effects of black sands and hot rocks. It is easy to operate, sensitive to very small nuggets, and very lightweight. It uses sound for target detection (no visual display), so good headphones are a must. Just remember there is LIMITED discrimination on this machine. It’s designed to detect the smallest nuggets, but that means you sacrifice a lot of discrimination. If you do your homework right, you should be spotting in areas that won’t have a lot of “garbage”, although there is a certain amount of garbage everywhere. As with the Garrett GTI 2500, the Fisher Gold Bug II has been around for a number of years, demonstrating its strong performance in obtaining gold.

These are the two detectors that I recommend based on my experience and my type of treasure hunt. Others will differ and that is fine. There are detectors that cost less and less. There are probably some comparable metal detectors, but since I haven’t used them much, I’ll stick with my tried and true tools.

I hope I was able to provide some clarity in the mist of selecting a good metal detector for you. Now … get one and get out. Find your treasure!