What is your favorite detector and why?

DiggerinVA

Bronze Member
Sep 16, 2013
1,669
1,661
Shenandoah Valley, Virginia
Detector(s) used
GPX5000, AT Gold, AT Pro, Whites TDI, Bandido 2 umax, Tejon, Vaquero, Deus 2, ORX and Legend
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
There is no wrong answer here.....i didnt ask which detector you thought was the "best". I just wnat to know what your favorite machine of all time is and why? I'll go first:


I have had a bunch of machines that i really liked, but if i only could have one there is no doubt it would be my Tesoro Tejon. It just fits me like a pair of old shoes. The Tejon is a machine that you have to "learn to like". You wont love it the first day unless maybe you have a lot of Tesoro experience. I have 3 coils for the Tejon: the 9x8 concentric handles most general detecting in mild to moderate trash, in trashy areas i use the 5.75" concentric, and for a lot of my field/relic hunting i use the 11x8dd coil. The tejon is not a featherweight but is far from heavy and is not an arm killer. Even with a larger coil it balances quite well with the batteries being located under your arm. I am first and foremost a relic hunter and this is where the Tejon shines, however it does just fine in an old park looking for deep coins also. With hours of use and a trained ear you can call coins just like your buddy with the machine that has a screen with vdi numbers. The Tejon has good ergonomics, great depth, i like the features it has and i wouldnt trade it for any detector made today if i couldnt buy another Tejon......
 

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bmcouni3

Tenderfoot
Oct 7, 2018
8
20
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
First off good post. I feel it's not the best most expensive machine that will help you. It's the best machine for the soil conditions and what sounds and feels best. My favorite machine is my Minelab Safari. I too mostly relic hunt around Savannah GA. I learned multi frequency works best in the highly mineralized Marsh lands and beach. I got a mix of old history and tourism here. My backup is the T2 SE and it collects dust. I can't get rid of it because in some conditions it functions better than the Minelab in depth mostly very dry conditions.
 

GB1

Gold Member
Jul 12, 2017
7,428
21,863
East TX
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Teknectics eurotek pro
bounty hunter time ranger
bounty hunter quick draw 2
used a teroso compadre.
Primary Interest:
Other
i like my new Teknetics eurotek pro its light weight,has iron audio,great unmasking,and volume control.
 

Patriot 1776

Supporting Vendor
Supporting Vendor
Dec 9, 2014
442
474
MA
Detector(s) used
Whites DFX and V3i, Garrett AT Pro , ACE 350, Minelab CTX
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I think right now the Equinox 800 is top notch,being able to work salt water beaches, parks, farm fields and water proof.
I like the wireless headphones, bluetooth works great
dennis
 

Terry Soloman

Gold Member
May 28, 2010
19,421
30,104
White Plains, New York
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Nokta Makro Legend// Pulsedive// Minelab GPZ 7000// Vanquish 540// Minelab Pro Find 35// Dune Kraken Sandscoop// Grave Digger Tools Tombstone shovel & Sidekick digger// Bunk's Hermit Pick
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
My favorite metal detector ever, is the Tesoro Vaquero. It has been the most underrated detector on the market for 20-years, and has probably found more real treasure than any other machine I ever owned. :icon_thumright:
 

RTR

Gold Member
Nov 21, 2017
8,180
32,469
Smith Mt. Lake Va.
Detector(s) used
Teknetics Liberator
Falcon MD-20
***********
Blue Bowl
Angus MacKirk sluice
Miller Table
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
With the advancements in electronics and light weight materials(w/in the last 5 years).. arnt they all good :)
 

Tahts-a-dats-ago

Sr. Member
Apr 30, 2014
254
563
NJ
Detector(s) used
Legend,
Anfibio multi,
Apex,
ORX,
Deus,
Vanquish 440
Equinox 800
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
This is a "tweener" for me (between the V3i and the MX5) but I think I'll have to say the MX5.

I like the weight, the speed, and the depth. I leave the Spider coil (concentric) on it because I like the way that coil works - and it pinpoints extremely well. I understand the language it speaks and I still find myself grabbing it more often than my other machines.
 

Ogre1190

Bronze Member
Mar 31, 2015
2,063
2,408
Northern Illinois
Detector(s) used
MineLab E-Trac, MineLab Safari, MineLab Explorer XS,
White's 5000 D, White's 6DB, White's 5000 D GEB
Sunray X-1 for the ML's, Garrett PP for the White's and a Backhoe
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
My sentimental favorite is the White's 6/DB...my first "good" machine. $350 was a LOTTA money in 1980, but she paid for herself 10x over in silver within the first 6 months. 😁
 

smokeythecat

Gold Member
Nov 22, 2012
20,714
40,795
Maryland
🥇 Banner finds
10
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
XP Deus II
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I currently like my XP Deus the best. It sucks stuff out of heavily hunted sites. My machine that has found the BEST items however, is my Tesoro Cibola.
 

OBN

Gold Member
Dec 30, 2008
6,529
7,010
Maryland Waters
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
"Excalibur"..
"AQ" Impulse
Primary Interest:
Other
Have to say the Minelab Excalibur for me, 10 inch coil, PP to Discriminate toggle on the handle with some good custom headphones, over and under carbon fiber shaft. I do hate using stock machines, use to repair them and would always water test before returning, 15 minutes out was torture.
Closing in on 500 Gold rings in 5 Years...All Excalibur except one..
 

Kace

Bronze Member
Aug 15, 2017
2,099
4,910
Detector(s) used
Whites DFX, Whites Bullseye 2 Pointer, Audio 200 D Headphones,
Garrett AT MAX, Garrett Pro-Pointer AT, MS-3 Headphones,
Lesche Digger, Lesche Shovel, 4' T Handle Probe.
GoPro, RC Truck, Drone.
Primary Interest:
Other
I've always used Whites...and love my DFX, but I Really Like the AT MAX too.. Different than the DFX, but I'm getting more and more used to it.

I'm not the type to change machines (or anything) often if I really like it. Heck, I used a Radio Shack..My first Detector for probably 3-4yrs and it was a lot of fun and found a lot of coins.

Kace
 

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OP
DiggerinVA

DiggerinVA

Bronze Member
Sep 16, 2013
1,669
1,661
Shenandoah Valley, Virginia
Detector(s) used
GPX5000, AT Gold, AT Pro, Whites TDI, Bandido 2 umax, Tejon, Vaquero, Deus 2, ORX and Legend
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
This thread is showing exactly what I suspected....that people can be happy and successful with a wide variety of makes and models, and not necessarily the newest and most expensive. I also know that the style of detecting you do will definitely make a difference in your choice:. A beach Hunter is not going to like my Tejon, as a relic Hunter here is probably not going to use an Excal. Great posts guys, keep em coming!
 

Treasure_Hunter

Administrator
Staff member
Jul 27, 2006
48,454
54,889
Florida
Detector(s) used
Minelab_Equinox_ 800 Minelab_CTX-3030 Minelab_Excal_1000 Minelab_Sovereign_GT Minelab_Safari Minelab_ETrac Whites_Beach_Hunter_ID Fisher_1235_X
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
First must be Excals since I own 4, followed by CTX 3030, Equinox 800, Sovereign GT, ETrac then Safari, all subject to change.
 

HighVDI

Silver Member
Feb 16, 2017
2,765
4,594
Pa
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I have 3 favorites. Each for different types of hunting.

EQ 800 for park/yard hunting for silver
Tesoro Tejon with 5.75 concentric for the iron pits
Fisher F75 for farm fields.
 

vpierceiii

Jr. Member
Aug 2, 2018
59
215
Placerville CA
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 800
Minelab Manticore
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I really like my Equinox 600. It works well in our mineralized soil. It’s light and comfortable. I love the multiple frequencies. It finds stuff really well. I also love how versatile it is....it works well everywhere. I also prefer DD coils.
 

sprailroad

Silver Member
Jan 19, 2017
2,641
4,127
Grants Pass, Oregon
Detector(s) used
Garrett A3B United States Gold Hunter, GTA 1000, AT Pro, Discovery Treasure Baron "Gold Trax", Minelab X-Terra 70, Safari, & EQ 800, & Nokta Marko Legend. EQ 900.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Each new one I've bought over the years.
 

Rookster

Gold Member
Nov 24, 2013
29,382
111,597
Detector(s) used
XP Deus, F75Ltd., AT PRO, Garrett pointer
Primary Interest:
Cache Hunting
I like my F75 ltd. Ive found alot with it. I still like my Pro. But all around my Deus will be my choice because it's lighter and smarter than me. Which doesn't take much. Thanks for the question. :coffee2:
 

Peter67

Sr. Member
Oct 9, 2016
277
367
Belgium
Detector(s) used
XP Deus 2
Xp Deus
Minelab Equinox 600
Nokta Makro Legend
Nokta Makro Multikruzer
Tesoro Lobo Super Traq,
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I know that on paper my Equinox 800 and XP Deus are superior to my Tesoro Lobo Super Traq but the LST found me so much gold. Tesoro made the discrimination on this machine so good that i vote for the Lobo Super Traq. I just sold today my Fisher Goldbug Pro that has the same frequency as the LST and has more bells and wistles but never gave me the results i have/had with the LST.
 

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A2coins

Gold Member
Dec 20, 2015
33,807
42,606
Ann Arbor
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
3
Detector(s) used
Equinox 800
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I have the equinox 800 and the Max I like the max best for deep coins solid signal target separation notch out iron audio and threshold super easy to use and water proof!!!!!!!
 

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