The nightmare of “What detector should I buy?”

The Question

I’ve  been asked this question more times than I care to count! “I’m just getting into detecting, what detector should I buy?” As I said in my last post, it depends on where you live and what kind of detecting you plan to do. Today I will cover detectors for basic land hunting.

I knew I needed to do a little research because I have no idea what is on the market today! After spending some time trying to find all the models and prices of just the top 6 selling brands, (there are loads more!) I realized what a nightmare it must be for someone who has no idea what they’re looking at! I have 30 years in this hobby, and I was just getting models and prices, not actually looking at what each manufacturer says the machine can do. I almost quit! Of the 6 brands I checked there are over 30 different models ranging from $100 to $2500.

That is a wide range of detectors. Can there really be that much of a difference?

I have in my mind that the lower end machines don’t go as deep. Is it true? Do we really need all these whistles and bells? Dick stout has raised this question many times. I guess having the luxury of owning several of the high end machines, I didn’t think it mattered. Is it like driving a Ford versus a Mercedes? They will both get you there. One will just get there quicker and in style!

Audience participation time! I’d really like to know which detector(s) in each price range you would buy and why. You can post your reply here.

I will start at $300 and below. “All prices taken from Kellyco website!”

Basic detector: Price range up to $300

I have used 2 of these detectors, very limited use (my kids’ detectors) Ace 150 and 250. The 150 seemed very toyish but will detect targets down to 5 or 6 inches. The 250 got decent depth, but the pinpointing on both machines is not the best.

Brand	Model	Retail Price	Actual Price
Minelab	No Models
Teknetics	Alpha 2000	299	200
Teknetics	Delta 4000	549	300
Fisher	F2	349	299
Garrett	Ace 150	150	130
Garrett	Ace 250	250	225
Garrett	Ace 350	300	280
Whites	No models
Bounty Hunter	Pioneer 505	450	300
Bounty Hunter	Quick draw II	279	200
Bounty Hunter	Tracker IV	159	125

Midrange detectors $300 to &600

No experience with any of these machines

Brand	Model	Retail Price	Actual Price
Minelab	X-terra 305	500	400
Minelab	X-terra 505	700	550
Teknetics	Gamma 6000	699	499
Teknetics	Omega 8000	749	599
Fisher	F-4	499	399
Fisher	F-5	550	500
Garrett	AT-Pro	600	600
Whites	M-6	700	600

Upper end detectors $600 to $1,000

X-terra 705: I love this machine. I used it in Alaska for nugget hunting (gold package model) as well as on a couple of the iron-infested beaches here in Chicago, and homesites in England. Good separation, decent depth, and in all-metal mode, it’s good for small targets.

T-2 Special Edition: Another great machine recently added to my arsenal. The boost processor mode adds some serious depth. See my T-2 field test video!

Whites MXT: I used Whites for my first 20 years of detecting, and had an MXT for 7 years. It is a great ID and pinpointing machine for targets up to 8 inches. When I was park hunting here in Chicago I switched to the Explorer SE to get the deeper coins.

Brand	Model	Retail Price	Actual Price
Minelab	X-terra 705	950	800
Teknetics	T-2 Special edition	1249	950
Whites	MXT	799	700
Whites	MXT Pro	899	800
Fisher	F-70	800	650
Fisher	F-75	1250	950

Top of the line

E-trac: I used this for about a year and a half, great depth and separation.

CTX-3030: I just got this machine about 2 months ago and haven’t had a lot of time to use it. But again, great separation, I like the fact that it will show both an iron target and the good target at the same time.

Brand	Model	Retail Price	Actual Price
Minelab	E-Trac	1895	1550
Minelab	CTX-3030	3200	2500
Blisstool	LTC64X V3 Standard	1095	1095
XP	Daus	2299	1899

Conclusion?

I have always offered the advice that “you should buy the best detector that you can afford!” I think the truth of the matter is this; if it is close enough to the surface, and you walk over it, it will be yours! Take the example of Terry Herbert, who found the Staffordshire hoard. He had a used detector that he bought at a garage sale! His find is valued at over $5 million! http://www.staffordshirehoard.org.uk/

How about the guy who bought a basic metal detector, and on his first hunt found a hoard of Roman Gold coins! http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2218640/Novice-treasure-hunter-bought-basic-metal-detector-40-Roman-coins-worth-100-000.html

Granted these were found in England in plowed fields, and NOT the norm. In the US there are no reporting standards. If someone finds a cache they can quietly tuck it away! I’m sure stuff is found way more often than we hear about.

Hopefully I will get some informed responses from you seasoned detectorists on machines! Let’s give beginners the benefit of our wisdom, experience, trial and error!

Please forward this to anyone you think would be willing to share their knowledge!

HH

CR