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Early metal detectors were developed at the tail end of the 19th century. However, many of these crude devices were unsuccessful in fulfilling their intended functions. Metal detectors as we know them today were developed in the 1920’s.
Since that time, they have been used for a variety of purposes, including domestic, commercial and military purposes. The military uses metal detectors to locate bombs and mines, while commercial and government bodies use metal detectors to scan human bodies.
However the use we often see depicted in cartoons and movies involves using them for archeology to uncover metal hidden in the ground.
Top 3 Best Metal Detectors on the market
Top 5 Best Metal Detector Reviews
1. White’s Coinmaster Metal Detector – 800-0325
For those who are excited about metal detecting,White’s Coinmaster metal detector is an affordable device. For treasure hunters it is the best suitable and powerful machine.
White’s Coinmaster metal detector has a LCD screen that will give you all the significant information related to the type of metal detected and deepness of the metal. It will save you from digging 3 feet down and getting dirty.
White’s Coinmaster metal detector is very light in weight (i.e. less than five pounds) so you can use it easily use it all the day without getting tired.
Our Rating: 
(4.5 / 5)
White’s Coinmaster metal detector is a solid machine that will give you the features that help you to detect coins and jewelry. Some features and specification you can find in this article.
Features and Specifications
Identify Your Target:White’s Coinmaster metal detector can easily identify the target. On its LCDscreen, you will get the Target ID that shows the identification of targets. You can see the target and you will get the voice. Depth of the target will also appear on the screen then you can dig according to the given information. It has Five-Range Discrimination that is adjustable. By adjusting it, you will be able to hear everything or just the signals you choose to hear.
Comfortable:White’s Coinmaster metal detector is very comfortable. You can use it easily all the day, as it is only 2.5 pounds. It also includes batteries of 9 volts. You can also search by the beach with its coil, which is 9” and waterproof.
Easy to Use:White’s Coinmaster metal detector is very easy to use. Those who are detecting metals for the first time it is good and simple for them. It is also good to those who want to upgrade their entry-level edition. Its features are very simple for those who feel difficulty in understanding. It is also simple to those who want to deal with issues like sensitivity, notch discrimination of huge numbers of metals.It has GT that works automatically for ground tracking.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- You can see and also hear the target
- It shows the deepness of the target
- It is waterproof
- It is easy to use
- It is comfortable to handle because of its light weight
Cons
- Recovery time is very bad that makes the categorization of the target a difficult task
What customers say?
Here are some remarks of customers, who have used White’s Coinmaster metal detector. According to the customer, White’s Coinmaster metal detector is fine for low and mid level of trash areas, but for heavy trash areas, it is not reliable. It could not distinguish the signals easily. You can locate your target easily before digging. It has all metal modes that confirm the type of target you locate. Some customers said that they are often unsure about the target. When they hit the pinpoint, the detector gives them the range of iron when they are looking for gold or jewelry.
Recommendations
White’s Electronics is one of the oldest company that produce metal detectors in the world. Their products seem out dated but they will provide maximum features to impress the beginner and experts also. White’s Coinmaster metal detector is a multipurpose metal detector but it is an excellent option for coin searching.
2. Bounty Hunter TIMERANGER Time Ranger Metal Detector
Metal detecting is the hobby of many people. It is a great exercise. Once you do it, you will become addictive to it. Those who love this metal detecting hobby seen working all the time in the search of treasure buried under the soil.
Some find this treasure and become rich while others just got pleasure in spending day outside. Still all of them find this hobby adventurous. To enjoy their adventure they use metal detector.
Metal detector is very important for those who love to do metal detecting. If you’re just doing it as a hobby then you should buy a metal detector that is simple, long lasting having all the feature that are necessary to make this hobby a fun.
Our Rating: 
(4.4 / 5)
Features and Specifications
If you are searching for the best metal detector then you should buy Bounty Hunter’s Time Ranger detector.
Easy to Use:This detector is very easy to use. It is underwater device. It has 8-inch long coil. It has interchangeable coil. Ground Trac adjust the machine with respect to the soil. You will see a large, touch screen LCD, attached with this metal detector, which is multi functional in nature. From this screen, you can see the identity of the target. It will show you the depth of the soil as well as sensitivity level of the soil. Battery level will also appear on the screen. As LCD is touch, so you can easily use any function any time.
Multi-Mode:Bounty Hunter’s Time Ranger detector has multi modes. It has three tone audio discrimination mode and four-level iron discrimination. It also has a Sniff mode. Through it, you can eradicate one item and accept the other in your target ID scale. You can reject the waste item that has detected by the detector through sniff mode.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- It has multi modes
- Touch screen LCD
- Underwater device
- Deep search
Cons
- It is difficult to set
- You will get a lot of fake alarms
What customers say?
Here are some remarks made by the customers that will help you a lot while buying the best metal detector for yourself. According to one of the customer, its manual has explained all its functions and they are quite simple. The customer tested it by detecting different types of metals in his yard. In addition, he was happy by the results. As Bounty Hunter’s Time Ranger detector was able to detect and distinguish between different metals. You can also find your keys using this metal detector.
Another customer said that Bounty Hunter’s Time Ranger detector works fine. It can also work fine under water. Those who want metal detector to use on wet sand or beach. Bounty Hunter’s Time Ranger detector is fine for them but on wet sand because of its electrical conductivity.
Recommendations
This metal detector is one of the best metal detectors and is highly recommended. This machine has all the features that you need during metal detecting. It seems complicated at first but you will realize soon that it is a professional device. It can detect the metal that is present deep under the soil.
3. Fisher F4 Metal Detector
Those who are hunting the treasure for the first time might be looking for a metal detector that has some basic qualities. They want a powerful metal detector that can detect the metal from deep inside the soil. They want a type of metal detector that can detect the target easily from the trash.Therefore, theydo not have to spend the whole day and their energy in digging the waste. They want metal detector that is easy to use. However, metal detector must not be so basic that it will not work when you get expert in your hobby.
Our Rating: 
(4.1 / 5)
Features and Specifications
The Fisher F4 metal detector is the best metal detector whether you are searching for historical objects or you are finding by the beach. It will give you best performance. It is very powerful. Here are some features and specifications given below.
Identify Your Target:Fisher F4 metal detector provides you numerous ways to identify the target. In order to save you from useless digging it provides you 11-segment visual target IDthat will make it easy for you to distinguish between trash and treasure. You can also hear your target metals by its four-tone audio ID. F4 gives you two-digit numeric target ID that will display the most likely metal match through it isa 0 to 99 range. It has amazing identity features that will allow you to hunt in high trash areas also.
Advanced Visual Display:It has LCD that is easy to read.It has two-digit display feature that displays the depth of the target. It can distinguish the target category easily. Battery life indicator is also present on the detector.
Controls:It is very user friendly. You can avoid the trash category using notch control.It also allows you to adjust the soil mineralization using sensitivity control. It allows you to remove the background noises from mineralized soil. You can easily find the location of the target through F4. It will also tell you the depth of the target. It has automatic ground balance feature.
Capabilities:Fisher F4 metal detector has many capabilities. It scanning speed is very fast. It will let you move your coil quickly and scan more area. You can detect the very small object easily through F4 up to 8 inches deep. It is very light in weight. You can carry it easily without getting tired. Moreover, it is waterproof with 11 inches search coil. It is around 2.6 pounds in weight. It is available with five years warranty.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- It is very easy to use best for those who search for antique objects
- It can easily distinguish between treasure and trash
- It matches the metal through its 0-99 range
- It will allow you to avoid trash categories
- It has 11 inches long coil
- Its weight is 2.6 pounds
- It is available with 5 years of warranty
- It can detect the metal from deep inside the soil
Cons
- The bolt which holds the coil is made of plastic
What customers say?
Here are some remarks given by the customers. According to them, Fisher F4 metal detector is extremely powerful. You will set it to 3” it will work under 6”. You can find the quarter, dimes, pennies easily. It is amazing machine and works great. It is light in weight and user friendly. Settings are a bit critical to ignore false findings.
Recommendations
For those who like to search for coins, antique objects or wants to hunt at the beach Fisher F4 metal detector is a best machine. It will give you the both visual and audio features. It is a great and powerful metal detector. It will allow you to search deep inside the earth. It can easily identify the target by matching the target with the range of categories that is 0 to 99.
4. Winbest Sharp Edition Metal Detector by BARSKA
Some people love to search the jewelry under the soil. Therefore, it is very important for them to buy the suitable metal detector.
Maybe you already have a metal detector and you want to buy the upgrade version or you want to buy it for the first time. It is obvious to do some research on metal detectors before buying the most suitable one.
There are different types of metal detectors available in market. Some are sensitive to any particular metal. If you are only interested in detecting the gold jewelry, then you should buy a metal detector that is specific to detect gold.
You will also find waterproof metal detectors in market. Therefore,it is important to get the review of the products having different features and various prices so that you can choose the right one.
Our Rating: 
(3.7 / 5)
Features and Specifications
Barska Winbest Sharp Edition Metal Jewelry Detector is a metal detector that is appropriate for everyone from beginner to professional. Here are all features and specifications.
Versatile:Barska Winbest Sharp Edition Metal Jewelry Detector is very versatile. It is multipurpose machine. It allows you to find coins, jewelry, gold, and silver from anywhere. You can also find the jewelry from petty water. It has 8.5″ waterproof coil for search. It has LCD screen that display all the results of detection.
Flexible:Barska Winbest Sharp Edition Metal Jewelry Detector has two modes of operation. You can detect any type of metal from these modes. If there is any metal that you do not want to detect then you can simply just neglect it. It has regulating knobs. You can change the sensitivity level through these knobs. You can control the volume also. It will also give you signal if the battery is low.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- It will give you two modes of operation
- It has different tones
- It has 8.5 inch of search coil that allows you to search in petty water
- It has controllable volume
Cons
- You will find difficulty in following the instructions
What customers say?
Here are some remarks of the users. According to the users, this is a fast and easy metal detector. Its sharp edition will just need you to push the power button. This is the most comfortable metal detector so far. One of the user who live near lake said that he take his Barska Winbest Sharp Edition Metal Jewelry Detector along with him when he goes for fishing and he set up its rod for metal detecting and mostly he finds the hooks of fishing by the shore. He said he also find some coins and expensive accessories related to the fishing from the sand. It is high recommended by the users.
Recommendations
Barska Winbest Sharp Edition Metal Jewelry Detector is available in very reasonable price. Other detectors of Winbest series are also inexpensive. You will just have to learn about its setting and it will provide you a great value.However, it has some issue related to its usage that makes it less useful as compare to other metal detectors. It is complicated for the beginners who are detecting metals for the very first time. It will require patience.
5. Minelab X-TERRA 305 Metal Detector
If you are looking for a capable detector then Minelab X-Terra 305 is the right one for you. It can differentiate the nails and bottles caps easily due to its high ability. It is good for everyone from beginners to experts. Minelab X-Terra 305 does not disappoint its users.
Our Rating: 
(3.6 / 5)
Features and Specifications
Minelab X-Terra 305 is an amazing metal detector. It is different from other metal detectors in its features and specification, explained in this article.
Ideal for Hobbyists:You will value yourMinelab X-Terra 305 once you buy it. Minelab X-Terra 305 is amazing metal detector. It is light in weight. It is easy to use. It is best for those who hunt metals and treasures as a hobby. Minelab X-Terra 305 is appropriate for the whole family. For teenagers who are keen to detect treasures, Minelab X-Terra 305 with short tube is also available.
Conformance to Quality:Minelab X-Terra 305 has excellent quality. Its performance is amazing. Although it is light in weight and easy to use, still you will find it performing well. Minelab X-Terra 305 has innovative design. It has advance digital parts.
Easy to Use: Minelab X-Terra 305 is very easy to use. Those who are beginner in metal detecting it are a simple detector. It is also ideal for those who want to upgrade their entry-level detector. Its functions are very simple. It will not create difficulty for those who could not understand easily. Those who want to deal with the issues like ground balance or sensitivity will find Minelab X-Terra 305 helpful. It can distinguish amonghuge numbers easily.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- It is easy to use
- It offers high level of versatility
- It allows you to adjust mineralization
- It gives you flexibility in representing the targets
Cons
- Its coils are very expensive
- It recovers slowly
What customers say?
Here are some remarks of the customers who have used Minelab X-Terra 305. According to the customers, Minelab X-Terra 305 is light in weight. It is good for those who detect metals as a hobby. You can operate it easily. Its set up is very easy. The quality of metal detector has improved a lot from past 30 years. Now you can possibly find the valuable coin or jewelry easily. It is an outstanding metal detector and a great source of entertainment. It is a good exercise. It is better than going to the gym and run on treadmill.
Recommendations
Those who are already familiar with detecting, Minelab X-Terra 305 is best for them. It does not have a graphic target ID feature. So in order to select the metal you should know the numeric identifier. Otherwise, you should have to be familiar with its multi tune audio targeting. Its multi tone audio targeting plays different tones for different targets. Overall, the performance of the Minelab X-Terra 305 is excellent. This is a great machine for those who want high performance all the time. It is not very expensive.
Best Meta Detector Buyer Guide
What Are The Working Components of a Metal Detector?
Most domestic metal detectors are made up of four key parts.
These include:
- Stabilizer – This keeps the unit steady as it is gently swayed from side to side, however this is not included in all models.
- Control box – This contains the majority of the working parts, including the speaker, the batteries, the circuitry and the controls.
- Shaft – This simply connects the control box with the search coil and it is often adjustable so that the user can set it to a comfortable height.
- Search coil – Also known as the antenna, the loop or the search head, this is the component that detects the metal.
Most metal detectors also include a jack port, enabling users to connect a set of headphones; helping the operator to listen more closely to any audible changes.
Operating a metal detector is relatively simple; however, learning to read the feedback and finding any ‘treasure’ that you may detect is a fine art. More advanced metal detectors have been designed to make this process much easier. Advanced domestic units will attempt to pinpoint the type of metal found and they will even estimate how deeply the metal is buried.
How Do Metal Detectors Work?
Metal detectors operate using one of three technologies. These technologies include BFO (Beat-Frequency Oscillation), PI (Pulse Indication) and VLF (Very Low Frequency). These technologies enable operators to detect metallic objects that would otherwise be hidden from view.
1. VLF (Very Low Frequency) Technology
Induction balance or VLF, is perhaps the most frequently used technology in domestic metal detectors. A VLF metal detector includes two separate coils that make up the search coil.
The outer coil is the transmitter coil, and within this fixed loop is a coil of wire. The inner coil is the receiver coil, which also contains a loop of wire. These coils create an electromagnetic field, which is in turn bounced back off of any metallic object hidden in the ground.
VLF metal detectors vary in price and features, however you can expect to pay between $50 and $100 online. The Bounty Hunter VLF 2.1 metal detector is a great VLF detector for amateurs.
2. PI (Pulse Indication) Technology
Pulse Indication metal detectors are not as common as VLF detectors. Unlike VLF metal detectors, PI detectors can use single or multiple coils that send short but powerful bursts through the coils.
Each burst generates a magnetic field and as the burst ends the magnetic field collapses, triggering a spike in electrical charge. This forces the next pulse to start, and so on.
Typical PI detectors will send on average 100 pulses per second; however, units will vary from 20 to 1000 pulses per second.
The Garrett Ace 150 metal detector costs around $150 and is an ideal tool for amateur treasure hunters.
3. BFO (Beat-Frequency Oscillator) Technology
Beat-Frequency Oscillator metal detectors are the most basic form of metal detectors available. One large coil resides in the search head and a smaller coil is hidden in the control box.
Both coils are connected to an oscillator, which generates thousands of pulses every second. Unlike the PI and VLF detectors, BFO technology uses radio waves to detect metal instead of electromagnetic fields.
These simple detectors are much cheaper than the other two technologies, yet they lack the level of control and accuracy offered by PI and VLF detectors.
You may struggle to buy a BFO detector online, but there are ample instructions online on how to make one.
Metal Detectors for Kids
Little ones love the idea of taking a detector into the garden or the local woods to find hidden treasure, and you can even hide objects in the garden for them to find!
For less than $50 you can introduce your children to the wonderful world of treasure hunting, with the Bounty Hunter BHJS Junior Metal Detector.
This lightweight detector is a highly rated beginner’s tool, which is ideal for children aged five and over.
Other Metal Detecting Tools
As well as choosing a metal detector, you will also need to consider investing in other tools to help you unearth any treasures that you find. You should consider purchasing a strong but lightweight digging tool, and you may want to think about getting a carrying bag as well. You might also want to invest in a metal detecting book to help you better understand the art of treasure hunting.
Best Metal Detector Buying Guide
Meta Detector Brands
The most reliable brands, according to the pro`s, are (in no particular order) Minelab, Garrett, Fisher, White`s, Tesoro and Bounty Hunter. Stick with these 6 brand names and you’ll own a detector that will probably outlive you.
Certain brands are more sophisticated and have a steeper learning curve. Others are the portrait of simplicity and are ready to go right out of the case. Either way, they’re all quality detectors.
In any case, avoid purchasing a detector from a company not specifically in the business of selling metal detectors. I’ve seen off-brand machines being sold dirt cheap in catalogs from outfits selling everything from Army surplus to fishing equipment.
These folks might know a thing or two regarding fishing lures and canteens, but they know bupkus about metal detecting. You’ll also pay more for the unit than it’s probably worth.
There are also persons on the Web with sideline businesses of selling detectors out of their homes. Purchasing from them is probably no riskier than buying from a commercial store with a website, while they’re usually authorized agents of the major brand manufacturers.
Still, ask for references from other detectorists who have dealt with these individuals, since the Web/Internet has become the scammers new best friend.
Mate Detector Price Cost
For anyone serious about hunting coins and relics, a brand new entry-level detector starts at $250. Price is probably going to be a huge consideration for a you, but it shouldn’t be your only consideration. That’s because there’s another factor of the price you pay: Value.
You may think you’re getting a deal with a $100 detector. However, an off-brand $100 machine will do a fairly poor job of helping you find valuable coins and relics when compared to a name-brand machines which costs at least $150 more.
In the end, you’ll have wasted $100 on something that will just sit in your closet, leading you to become a broken, defeated, miserable person. To fill the gap, you will take up golf, a hobby even more expensive and frustrating.
On the other side of the coin, purchasing a more expensive, high-quality detector doesn’t automatically guarantee you’ll find more items than someone with a less expensive, high-quality machine.
In practice, it’s the skill of the person using the detector (and his ability to listen to what his detector is telling him) that’s the ultimate measure of performance. (Which, incidentally, is why there are a few veterans who can find stuff with a homemade machine rigged up from a transistor radio and a wire-wrapped coffee can lid. Seriously.)
There are legions of detectorists who have learned their $250 detectors so well they can walk behind beginners with $600 machines and find scads of stuff the $600 guys missed.
The stock advice from any veteran detectorist is always: “Buy the best detector you can afford.” This is not completely true. More precise advice would be: “Get the best detector you can afford which will work for the type of searching you plan on doing.”
Settle for anything less – for any reason whatsoever – and you’ll soon be digging out 50 times the amount you thought you saved to some range pro to fix that nasty push slice of yours.
Types Of Metal Detectors
There are two sorts of metal detectors: manual and automatic. This means they suppress fake signals from ferrous oxide (otherwise known as iron) in the ground either automatically or manually. This is called ground balancing.
Some machines come from the factory with the ground balance set to a pre-set level. Others allow you to do it yourself to adjust for different conditions, depending on how much iron shows up naturally in the ground.
If you’re going to seek for coins and relics on land or beaches, in parks and around old home sites, an automatic is fine. If you plan to hunt for coins and relics or prospect for gold nuggets in mountainous areas (where there is a lot of naturally occurring ferrous oxide), you would need a machine with a manual ground balance feature.
There are also detectors designed specifically for those who plan to dive, gold prospect or search wet sand locations of salt water beaches, or beaches with black sand.
General purpose detectors aren’t completely submersible (you can submerge the coil for hunting in very shallow water, but not the control box containing the electronics). On salt water beaches, the interaction of salt in the water do wet sand conductive.
In other words, the wet sand will obtain the conductive properties of metal without being naturally metallic. This will cause your machine to “detect” objects that don’t exist. Some individuals say this phenomenon of nature confuses a metal detector.
But truly, it doesn’t. The detector is simply doing what it’s made to do, which is to detect items with conductive properties. Like any other electronic unit, metal detectors are blind. Conductive is conductive.
Luckily, as a total package they’re not truly blind, since they’re also created to detect varying degrees of conductivity. For instance, the pull tab of an aluminum beer can is less conductive than a quarter, but it’s more conductive than a little gold ring.
This is where discrimination circuitry, the most important feature of any metal detector comes into play.
Discrimination lets you reject metallic trash like pull tabs, screw-off bottle caps and iron nails when you’re seeking for coins.
Some detectors do this using different tones. Others use a notch system, which relies on either a simple dial or more sophisticated computerized program to accept or reject objects within a numeric conductivity range.
Bells And Whistles
The less money you invest, the fewer bells and whistles you get. The more expensive machines use LCD target identification and depth meters. For all I know, someone probably creates a $50,000 detector that’ll tell you what year a coin was minted.
Like anything else electronic, target ID isn’t foolproof, even on the most expensive machines. There are hordes of guys with $600 detectors getting screwed by trash being “misread” as a coin. That’s because target ID only tells you what an target most probably is, not what it definately is.
While most target ID meters are accurate only to about 5 to 6 inches, their depth readings are mostly accurate. Do you absolutely need a machine with these two conveniences? Nope … no more than anyone without hand protese absolutely needs a camera with an automatic film winder.
These niceties will come in handy, though, to someone who’s a casual detectorist without the time or inclination to learn to detect by tone alone.
However, as anyone who’s ever bought a gallon of milk from 7-Eleven knows, convenience always costs a lot more. Once you manage your style of metal detecting (and find out whether you really do need an LCD meter), you can always upgrade.
Weight
This is important. Multi-purpose detectors range in weight from 2 to 4 pounds. Get the lightest model you can find for the money you plan to use. Swinging a heavier machine takes its toll on your arms, especially if you’re at it for a few hours. In fact, they all take a toll on your arms. The lighter units will just wear you out more slowly.
New Or Used?
Good news here is most serious detectorists take exceptionally good care of their machines. They also upgrade to better ones sooner. That said, the probability of getting horned on a used metal detector is statistically slimmer than for buying a used car.
Personally, I`d prefer a new machine for one reason alone: You really have to beat the bushes to find someone with a used detector for sale when you want to purchase one. Especially someone with the exact brand and model you seek.
Additionally, some manufacturer’s warranties aren’t transferable from one owner to the next. If you have a few weeks to scan the newspaper classifieds and online news groups (or even your neighborhood pawn shops), fine.
For the time you’d spend doing this (instead of just buying something new and getting out and detecting in a matter of days), you’d end up saving in the long run purchasing new.