I see so many posts asking.......

[Elton]

What's the best choice of a detector for me from people.......... That is a tough question for anyone to answer...

All we can do is tell you what we use..How it works for us in our environment. It may not work the same for you. So I would suggest one read the replies, match up as close as possible what type detecting your going to do, and then, choose based on what your needs from a detector are. Far better than buying based on someone else's experience.

The exception is if you have a "GOOD" knowledgeable dealer near you. He would be able to match the detector to your needs. He would know the area, The circumstances of which detector works best in your area etc..

I'm not saying you can not get good advice here..because you certainly can... Unless someone lives very close , we will not be able to fill in all the blanks for you on a detector choice.

Can we help after you make a choice and a purchase."YES WE CAN".. Many people here will know exactly how to operate the detector you buy...No matter which one..Someone here has used it. And their all helpful..... and willing to help out any way possible.

So read, ask questions etc.. But choose your own detector after you learn a few things ..

 

[ken ward]

You can also look up the detector you might want and find field reports about it. Read all you can about the ones you like. We have some good sponcers on this forum that can also help... KEN

 

[JimmyCT]

I feel this is where the confusion lies. Just because the person views X brand on a TV show or what a friend or relative has FOUND with their detector may not be the best thing for the individual asking.
I notice many SEE what others have found and think that is the detector for them. I feel the person in question needs to focus on what they NEED in a detector. Whether it be weight factor, a selection of different coils for a variety of hunting situations, how often they have to change the batteries, menu / screen driven, no screen at all, beep and dig or multiple tones, ignorance to iron etc.


But choose your own detector after you learn a few things

 

[ironsight]

Choosing a metal detector for the first time is something like choosing a car for the first time.
Some choose a car:
-for looks
-for reliability, low maintenance
-for family loyalty to a certain brand
-based on consumer reports
-for economy
-for the warranty
-based on others recommendations
-performance
-price

Then there are the options:
-Auto or stick
-4WD for getting around in bad conditions
-Electronic toys, GPS, bluetooth, backup video, etc.
on and on.

I bough my first detector well over 30 years ago, a 'state of the art' Compas VLF.
I had no clue back then how to choose a detector. I found one of those treasure/detector shops back then and relied solely on the recommendation of the shop owner.
His recommendation just might of had something to do with that Compas being one of the most expensive detectors in the shop. LOL!

Turned out to be a big mistake! Could never get the thing to ground balance correctly and worse, a buddy of mine had another Compas model at half the cost and found twice as many coins. That old Compas was basically designed as a relic machine and my buddy's detector was designed to find coins. I did find my first Barber dime with it though.

Now a days there's the internet and with forums like this one, first time buyer's have a lot more information available to them. Maybe to the extent of information overload.
Sometimes buying a car and buying a detector are alike, it can either be a rewarding experience, a learning experience, a bad experience or a crap shoot!

My only recommendation for a first time buyer wanting to get into metal detecting would be to take in as much information on as many brands as possible and start out with a low to mid-priced Ford instead of a hi-priced Ferrari. Metal detecting is not for everyone or else the entire population would be doing it.
I'll bet there's a lot of Ferrari's on fleabay or hanging on garage walls collecting spider webs.

 

[BarberBill]

I like these responses as many of us become perhaps a little too brand conscious on what we swing. IMHO, what a given detector has found is the least useful criteria for making a choice as that's much more a function of swinging the coil over the great target than anything else. In the majority of instances, all, or most of the detectors of interest would have found the same target had they been swung over it. My two bits.
BB

 

[ken ward]

I think there are some good replies here. Everyone has what they like. I like what I use and I know it very well. I might not know how to use the one you use. Maybe I can turn it on and get lucky and find something. Than you would kick my butt with it. I am glab I know the brand that I use. I know that if someone ask about the kind I use I will help as much as I can. They need to do a lot of reading. After they get close, than we can help... KEN

 

[BerntOut]

Ah yes, the same old question. I had it when I first started looking for an Detector years ago! I have found that many people have high expectations, including myself think (thought) you buy a detector, turn it on, set it up and BINGO, you find the good stuff! It is a tough question kinda like the Chicken before the egg or egg before...well you know!
I believe sound advice has been given on internet forums though with bias to the "givers" preference of machines. I think the best advice is to explain to those getting into this fascinating hobby is how simple or complex it can be, depending on the machine chosen! Start out simple with a one knob (button) machine and move up from there is my advice!!

 

[Neil]

Elton I agree with you, people would help themselves a lot by doing as much research as they can before purchasing. One more tool that is helpful is watching youtube videos on detectors. Theres a bunch of them that show all the functions of detectors(put out by manufacturers themselves) plus you get to actually see and hear how a detector responds to different items.