Also, be aware of and follow existing laws. There are laws against metal detector use on federal property , so national parks, monuments, wilderness areas, and other enticing places are a complete no-go. Most states and municipalities also have restrictions on where you can hunt on public land, like parks and beaches.
Try calling the state and local parks departments to find out the rules in your area. You may need to get a license—and sometimes pay for it. Generally, you are required by the terms of these licenses to turn in to local authorities any find worth more than a few tens of dollars.
But most detectorists will make a good-faith effort to reconnect a valuable with its owner. A member of the Atlantic Treasure Club once returned a pair of platinum-and-diamond rings to their owner—a story that made the BBC.
The Garrett Ace is a well-regarded, well-priced metal detector, as evidenced by its strong reviews. Instead, it has an analog display: a needle that moves along a dial, like a speedometer, to indicate the frequency of the signal the machine detected.
It is almost impossible to read, because the needle moves too quickly for the eye to follow. Worse, in our testing it registered every metal object steel bolt, silver quarter, gold ring, copper penny exactly the same: a wild, off-the-charts reading.
We considered but did not test the Minelab Vanquish As well, we did not get a response after calling the company several times. We dismissed any other metal detector we found that, like the Bounty Hunter, used an analog dial rather than an LCD screen; they are simply not helpful.
After speaking with the companies of ones we did test, we decided to dismiss their most basic models and move one or two steps up: A small increase in price meant significant increases in performance and user-friendly features.
I then figured out what model I should look at. However, before I bought one, I figured out the cost of the next better model. Since the cost was not a quantum leap up, that is the one I bought. Tim Heffernan is a senior staff writer at Wirecutter and a former writer-editor for The Atlantic, Esquire, and others.
He has anchored our unequaled coverage of air purifiers and water filters since Our pick. Why you should trust us. Who should get this. How we picked. How we tested. Flaws but not dealbreakers. How metal detectors work. But detectors with higher depth capabilities often come with higher price tags to match. Keep in mind variables, such as the size of a buried object and soil composition, impact depth detection. From a more leisurely perspective, my husband and I have taken our kids treasure hunting on a variety of beaches along the East Coast, and in forests throughout the Northeast.
We consulted manufacturer listings for relevant specs related to weight, maximum detection depth for small objects, and settings options. Finally, we considered the observations from thousands of reviewers on Amazon , The Home Depot , and other retail sites.
Like any new hobby, chances are you might not want to spend a fortune on something that you have never tried. The Fisher features a weatherproof exterior and weighs only 2. It has 10 frequency levels that can detect up to 9 inches underground, along with preset levels, such as jewelry, artifact, and coin, that can come in handy when first learning how to use your detector. When it comes to use, the end can be submerged in water, but the control box is not waterproof, so be sure to keep it dry.
It also has a pinpoint mode, though it is not quite as accurate as an actual pin-pointer. Along with the metal detector, you will receive a pair of headphones, a weather cover, and a coil cover, as well as features similar to competing models. As a multipurpose detector, it can find everything including coins, relics, and gold in environments like iron-rich areas and shallow water. It also features a digital target ID which detects the conductivity of the object and displays it on the screen from a scale of The higher conductivity will usually point to gold, while a lower number will present small jewelry, iron, and steel.
This detector is an investment for the hard-core treasure hunter. It has four search modes, each of which can save two custom search profiles, allowing the machine to immediately recognize your individual search preferences for things like sensitivity, target depth, and volume. And the Equinox can detect many types of metal, including gold nuggets. This Sunpow model boasts upgraded technology that the manufacturer says allows for greater search range and more powerful sensitivity.
It offers three operation modes designed to help improve accuracy and can detect a range of different types of metal. If the detector finds something, you can use the pinpoint function to zero in on its exact location. Amazon users appreciated its accuracy and easy-to-use design and suggest this would be a great choice for beginners.
For a detector that weighs so little, this model packs a big punch. It offers six operating modes to let you zero in on exactly what types of treasure you hope to find. For example, you can set it to specifically detect metals that would likely be iron or adjust to a different mode if you want to look for copper and silver.
The lightweight, ergonomic design means you can avoid aches and strains even when using this detector for long periods of time. Its main downside is a lack of manual ground balancing, which helps you fine-tune your search in highly mineralized soil think: saltwater beaches, or ground full of naturally occurring metals. In terms of basic functionality, its multi-frequency feature allows it to produce cleaner signals from objects hidden deep underground, even beyond 8 inches, which is where most standard detectors begin to struggle.
This feature also means that you will be able to pick up distinct signals from multiple items at the same time, quickly helping to determine if the current search area is worth your time.
This model comes with preset search modes, including some that are standard to other detectors, such as coins and relics, but also beach, silver, and high trash modes.
There are five additional custom mode slots so you can further customize your search preferences. Metal detectors are pretty versatile machines. Many models can even handle being submerged in up to 10 feet of water in the course of your search. The Excalibur II fits the bill. Though it lacks some novice-friendly features found in many models, such as preset search modes, the Excalibur II was built to perform under difficult conditions. The combination of these two features alone will have you finding coins, relics, and more at a much faster pace.
It also works excellently outside of water and is able to handle highly mineralized soils since it was built with deep water environments in mind. Because it is such a powerful machine that function nearly anywhere, it is considerably expensive. Though the days of old-timey prospectors wielding pickaxes and dressed in long johns are long gone, gold prospecting is alive and well today.
Specialized metal detectors make the task of finding gold nuggets considerably easier. Nokta Gold Kruzer is a powerful unit that can help you find gold nuggets big and small in difficult, high-interference terrain. What makes this unit particularly useful for gold prospecting is its 61kHz operating frequency, which helps identify highly conductive gold nuggets more easily. It also sports four distinct operating modes, which allow you to make adjustments for different environments and circumstances: relatively clean soil with little interference, terrain full of hot rocks, and terrain full of other metals and minerals that can disrupt the signals that gold produces, and a "micro" mode for areas littered with small, easily masked bits of gold.
As we did with the general detection test, for this test we simply walked forward in a steady motion, sweeping each detector back and forth. All of the detectors that we tested had an adjustable discrimination feature, which we set according to their respective manuals. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the results of this test were very similar to the above general detection test. The Garrett — Ace had the highest score, failing to find only one object.
The Ground EFX — MC1 Youth had the lowest score, failing to find several objects and actually erroneously alerting us of one trash item. For the depth test we wanted to test how accurately each detector could locate coins, relics, and gold that were buried under the sand from between four and six inches deep.
We chose this range since we learned that under normal conditions you can expect your detector to read objects with consistency up to six inches underground. Here we dug six holes, each one between four and six inches. Then, we buried the six following items: a yellow-gold ring, a white-gold ring, a silver bracelet relic, a silver belt buckle relic, a one-dollar coin, and a quarter.
We then filled each of the holes with sand. Once all of the items were buried, we scanned the area with each detector, just as we did in the first two tests: walking steadily forward, sweeping the detector back and forth. Again, the results were very similar to the first two tests, so we knew that a pattern was forming. The Garrett — Ace and the Bounty Hunter — Tracker IV each achieved a perfect score by locating all six of the items that we buried.
In general, we found that the rings were the hardest for the detectors to locate, which makes sense considering how small they are.
Also, we noted that the Garrett — Ace not only achieved the highest score here but that it was also the most intuitive. It clearly and accurately marked on its LCD screen the depth of each object that it located. Next, we tested how well each metal detector worked when attempting to locate an object that was submerged in water.
Here we placed various coins, relics, and gold underwater, each one submerged anywhere from four to 12 inches deep. We chose this range in an attempt to mimic what you would normally experience while detecting in the shallow water at the beach. In total we placed six objects underwater, the same ones we used during the depth test: a yellow-gold ring, a white-gold ring, a silver bracelet relic, a silver belt buckle relic, a one-dollar coin, and a quarter.
We then tested each of the metal detectors by submerging their coils under the water and moving steadily forward over each object one time. We should note here that all seven of the metal detectors are advertised as having waterproof coils, and indeed, we did not have any problems in this regard. However, you should note that some consumers have had their units malfunction when placed in water. We did not have this problem with any of the units.
Once again, in line with our above tests, the Garrett — Ace had the best score in the underwater test, locating with perfect accuracy all six of the underwater items. We considered the feel and function of each detector in our hands, along with the quality of the display for each unit. We found that when the different components on a detector snapped together, this provided a sturdier frame than those that were screwed together.
Also, the component of the metal detector that rests on your forearm should be large and comfortable, as we found that much of the weight of the detector rests on this spot. Detectors that had a small forearm rest often slipped off our arm and were harder to control. The displays of metal detectors come in a wide array of options, some better than others. In general, an LCD display is preferable over the old knobs and meter layout, as it gives much more information along with more options for customization.
Keeping the above pointers in mind, we found that the Garrett — Ace had the best ergonomics. The thick padding all over the detector, the secure forearm rest with a Velcro strap, and the fact that the different parts of the shaft connected by clicking together in pre-made grooves, made this Garrett the most comfortable unit.
This model also had the best display of any of the detectors. The LCD display on this unit was easy to read and had the most buttons, options, and customization of all the units. Not only was the forearm rest on the BARSKA small and flimsy, but the unit itself kept falling apart due its weak screw support.
If you go to popular places, such as the beach, you are sure to find quarters, nickels, dimes, and even one-dollar coins. On the other hand, you can also go searching for more valuable vintage coins. If you would like to search for these, it is recommended to go coin shooting in less frequented places. Relic hunting: Relic hunting, or searching for treasures from a bygone era, is another popular activity you can do with a metal detector. Not only can relics be valuable antiques, but they are also interesting in that they provide insights into past times.
When searching for a relic you need to consider the type of ground that you will be searching in. Oftentimes, you will be searching in heavily mineralized areas, and so you want a detector that can filter out the minerals while searching.
Gold prospecting: Many people get into the hobby of metal detecting with the dreams of finding a big gold nugget. Searching for gold nuggets or flakes is called gold prospecting.
Enthusiasm for the gold rush is still alive and well for some people, and if this is true for you, then you want a detector that is especially well adept at locating gold. It seems that gold prospecting is the most difficult of all types of detecting and experienced detectorists suggest that you master coin shooting before searching for gold. Beach and water hunting: While coin shooting, relic hunting, and gold prospecting are the most popular activities for metal detectorists, the beach and ocean are the most popular locations for detecting.
There are two main terrains to consider here: the sand and underwater. If you plan on using your detector underwater, the coil needs to be waterproof. We made sure that all of the models we tested were advertised as having waterproof coils. Calibration: Often, you will be using your metal detector in soil full of metallic minerals.
When this is the case, you are going to want a good calibration feature, also known as a ground-balancing feature, on your metal detector. The ground-balancing feature is responsible for sensing the various metallic minerals in the soil and, in turn, clearing out any possible interference from these.
If the calibration strength is too low on your metal detector, you may experience frustrating interference from the minerals in the soil.
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