Chinese invasion

[Phantasman]

I buy a lot of stuff on Amazon. It's been awhile since I bought any MD stuff, maybe 4-5 years. Just noticed today how many different low cost Chinese detectors are out there now. Most offer target ID, AM, depth meter, notching, backlight, etc. and hover around the $99 range.

My first detector was Garrett 250 almost 20 years ago. Went through many after that....Fisher (F5), Minelab (Xterra), etc. I finally retired with a couple of BH pros.

Getting into MDing seems to a lot less expensive today when I got into it. I'd like to think that these Chinese brands are cheap do nothings, but the ratings at Amazon has many showing customer satisfaction in the 4-5 star range. Some have all the bells and whistles for $100. And pinpointers are like $20-$30. Coils and pinpointers waterproof. A few even offer DD coils.

The industry seems to be invaded now. Has anyone actually bought one to play with just to see how they compare? Don't just say it's cheap Chinese crap. Obviously thousands of people who have bought them don't think so.

Just curious.

 

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[Kray Gelder]

I recently finished building my motorized beach fishing cart. In the process, three chinese motor speed controllers fried, and a multifunction volt-amp gauge died, leaving the motor inoperable. They use wiring of 20-22 gauge for 15 amp applications. Prepare to be disappointed. Or not.

 

[jgoetz4]

My 1st MD was a White's 5000D, back in 1978. I think I paid $275, or thereabouts. I was using it up to a few yrs ago.
Jim

 

[oldkoot]

I buy a lot of stuff on Amazon. It's been awhile since I bought any MD stuff, maybe 4-5 years. Just noticed today how many different low cost Chinese detectors are out there now. Most offer target ID, AM, depth meter, notching, backlight, etc. and hover around the $99 range.

My first detector was Garrett 250 almost 20 years ago. Went through many after that....Fisher (F5), Minelab (Xterra), etc. I finally retired with a couple of BH pros.

Getting into MDing seems to a lot less expensive today when I got into it. I'd like to think that these Chinese brands are cheap do nothings, but the ratings at Amazon has many showing customer satisfaction in the 4-5 star range. Some have all the bells and whistles for $100. And pinpointers are like $20-$30. Coils and pinpointers waterproof. A few even offer DD coils.

The industry seems to be invaded now. Has anyone actually bought one to play with just to see how they compare? Don't just say it's cheap Chinese crap. Obviously thousands of people who have bought them don't think so.

Just curious.

All I will say is buyer BEWARE there are many many Chinese Knock Offs on Amazon and Ebay, a lot of the reviews on both Ebay and amazon are paid for reviews, most cannot be trusted to actually be a honest review and I am not saying all are dishonest reviews but many are, and you have no way of knowing which reviews are legit and which ones are not

So I Say again Buyer Beware and purchase at your own risk, my recommendation is to purchase a detector from a legitimate source.

 

[KSDirtfisher77]

Amazon & ebay both like to delete all the bad reviews, or never post the bad ones. I've left a bad review or low star ratings on amazon only for them to be deleted by them.

 

[relicmeister]

Other than quest I think the Chinese strategy is to do the copycat thing they do “so well” and pick off unsuspecting newbies unfamiliar with major manufacturers with detectors that are based on existing models but named something else. If China couldn’t copy or steal, there would be very little they offered.

 

[seascene]

China is an industrial slave labor dictatorship @ 1.5 billion people. China's stated aim. Take a guess. You may not be in jail but will be a prisoner. https://carnegieendowment.org/2020/05/22/china-has-two-paths-to-global-domination-pub-81908 Buy nothing from Bejing.

 

[oldkoot]

Amazon & ebay both like to delete all the bad reviews, or never post the bad ones. I've left a bad review or low star ratings on amazon only for them to be deleted by them.

I litteraly got banned from leaving reviews on Amazon because I posted two bad reviews, they deleted my two bad reviews and banned me from doing any more reviews for a while LOL

 

[Phantasman]

I guess it comes down to how serious you are at investing into MDing. I wouldn't knock these Chinese units for getting a taste of the hobby. Unlike most here who want longevity, coil options, strength in manufacturing for a lifetime use, each side has it's benefits.

Even my BHers have been referred to as a "cheap brand". But First Texas doesn't make junk, IMO.

I once sent the head of my FisherF5 back to First Texas for repair and they didn't fix it (after years of use), they replaced it with a new one and sent me a Fisher T shirt and coffee cup to boot. Service like that (after the fact) makes the extra investment worth it.

 

[oldkoot]

I guess it comes down to how serious you are at investing into MDing. I wouldn't knock these Chinese units for getting a taste of the hobby. Unlike most here who want longevity, coil options, strength in manufacturing for a lifetime use, each side has it's benefits.

Even my BHers have been referred to as a "cheap brand". But First Texas doesn't make junk, IMO.

I once sent the head of my FisherF5 back to First Texas for repair and they didn't fix it (after years of use), they replaced it with a new one and sent me a Fisher T shirt and coffee cup to boot. Service like that (after the fact) makes the extra investment worth it.

Your last sentance says alot about customer service, and tells me they care about their customer base and also that thier customers mean more than a little bit of money and to me that speaks volumes, about a company

 

[relicmeister]

I guess it comes down to how serious you are at investing into MDing. I wouldn't knock these Chinese units for getting a taste of the hobby. Unlike most here who want longevity, coil options, strength in manufacturing for a lifetime use, each side has it's benefits.

Even my BHers have been referred to as a "cheap brand". But First Texas doesn't make junk, IMO.

I once sent the head of my FisherF5 back to First Texas for repair and they didn't fix it (after years of use), they replaced it with a new one and sent me a Fisher T shirt and coffee cup to boot. Service like that (after the fact) makes the extra investment worth it.

That happened to me with my omega 8000 - replaced broken with new - and I told them I bought it slightly used.

 

[relicmeister]

We Americans have to consider is it really worth risking our national security to have access to cheap disposable products.

 

[oldkoot]

We Americans have to consider is it really worth risking our national security to have access to cheap disposable pro

personally speaking with the people currently running things we are at risk every day rite now anyways, and I personally do not see that changing any time soon.
everything you purchase these days is from a different country most from China so what are we supposed to do just lay down and Die, not me I will continue purchasing things as I need or want them.

Just like the New Quest detector getting ready to come out I will be purchasing one of the V80s when they arrive, why because that V80 intrigues the crap out of me, do I feel it will add anything to my detecting don't know yet, do I think it will replace any of the 7 detectors I already have nope, I just like to play around with new detectors, and see if they add anything the others did not, I do feel with the higher frequencies that the V80 will be capable of running it will make a heck of a gold nugget VLF by all appearances though even though I already have a gold specific VLF that I really like a lot the Garrett 24K is a fantastic nugget VLF