Hi which metal detector do you consider is the BEST

JOe L

Hero Member
Aug 24, 2007
864
275
Colonie, NY , That's around Albany
Detector(s) used
Minelab X-Terra Pro.
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Dave, Loaded question, my answer. Any one you find treasure with, be it clad, relics or what ever you seek.
I like the Minelab line but, so many out there that are good from just about all manufactures. Good luck with this question. :o Joe
 

desertfox

Bronze Member
Apr 16, 2007
2,315
11
Oklahoma
Detector(s) used
Whites, Tesoro, Fisher and Minelab
Dave, you have just opened up a can of worms. Every one of us has a detector that we like, some like Fisher's, some like White's, some Minelab's, others Bounty Hunter's and some others like Tesoro's. There are other brands out there too, that I'm sure others like just as well. Myself, I own top of the line Tesoro's (3), Minelab Explorer (1), White's XLT and GM3, Fisher water machine (1), Bounty Hunter Quick Draw (1). Each has its use in the way I hunt and for what I hunt for. And to answer your question, all brands break down now and again. I have had to have my White's XLT and two of my Tesoro's returned for repairs. However I would go right out and buy the same mahines all over again.....I hope that helps you in some way. Happy Hunting no matter which machine you have bought!

Desertfox
 

jeff of pa

Super Moderator
Staff member
Dec 19, 2003
86,268
60,029
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Mine

Because I use it.

no repair yet, but will be sending it in this Winter
after 8 years of use, for a Check-up.
 

West Jersey Detecting

Gold Member
Oct 23, 2006
5,241
1,058
Philadelphia Area
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Nokta Legend, Excalibur 1000/II (hybrid) , Teknetics T2 SE
Primary Interest:
Other
Texas Coin Hunter said:
Hi everyone which metal detector do you consider is the best & why, and have you had to send it back to the manufacturer for service.
Dave

There are so many factors. Where do you hunt, what are you hunting, etc. The best machine for one person may not be the best for another. I have used Garrett and White's machines and have been happy with both. The Garretts are not the deepest machines out there, but the features are second to none. The machine's recovery time is fast, and the separation from trash is superb! My next unit will be a Minelab SE or White's DFX simply because I want to try something new.
 

imafishingnutt

Bronze Member
Sep 30, 2007
1,675
34
Superior Nebraska
Detector(s) used
Whites XLT, Tesoro, Whites DFX, Nokta Impact Pro, Ace 400.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Dude i spent days researching them trying to pick one.
i finaly went insane and baught 12..........lol
one of each.
So far i like my white the best and its a 1978 model 2db geb
if you dont want to speand a lot of money go with the ace 250
also there is a listing under classified for the garrett ace 300 for 179.00 on here
but i dont know much about them.
every one talks about the ace 250 so probably a good place to start.
 

Jack(IN)

Bronze Member
Jan 20, 2007
2,197
20
Indiana
Detector(s) used
Minelab Explorer XS-2, Garrett Ace 250
Texas Coin Hunter said:
Hi everyone which metal detector do you consider is the best & why, and have you had to send it back to the manufactor for service.


Dave

Hey Dave, just too many things to consider to just name one. You can have the highest priced detector in the world, but if it doesn't feel comfortable, then its useless. I like Minelab because I'm very comfortable with it, so what do I do, I get the Garrett Ace 250 and 65-70% of the hunts this year(clad only) I'm using it. I use the Minelab when I get serious and want the oldies. I had the Whites XLT and thought it was a great detector. I'd say you have to see what feels right to you because everyone will have thier own opinion and you will have anything from Bounty Hunter to Whites. What type of detecting are you doing, what are you searching for, and how much are you willing to spend. Many things to consider when trying to figure out whats best.
 

Tom_in_CA

Gold Member
Mar 23, 2007
13,837
10,360
Salinas, CA
🥇 Banner finds
2
Detector(s) used
Explorer II, Compass 77b, Tesoro shadow X2
Ah c'mon, EVERYONE knows the Explorer is best! Sheesk. And if you didn't know that, well guess what, you learn something new on the internet everyday! see? ;D
 

TheTreasureAddict

Hero Member
Mar 14, 2007
620
42
FLOR DI DA
Detector(s) used
ACE 250, EXCALIBUR 1000, EXPLORER SE, E-TRAC, GTI 2500, V3, PI PRO
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Just depends on where your hunting and what your looking for! Be specific!

CRACKBADGER
 

doozis

Sr. Member
Jul 31, 2007
301
0
Virginia
It's sad but true , many people live a very long drive from a
Metal Detector dealer who has lots of selections and brands
to choose from. When you have to go by pictures and reviews
on websites and magazines you are pretty much just playing
the lottery. Being able to talk face to face with an expert and
personally holding lots of different detectors would give you a
great advantage.
If at all possible make that drive and you'll have a MUCH better
chance of getting a suitable detector for YOU. I've spent many hours
reading posts and reviews on detector's and they can be VERY confusing. Be careful using the old (the more expensive units are best)
attitude. The high dollar machines usually have a very long learning curve and are designed for the experts. The super cheap machines often are just toys and you'll get frustrated very quickly.
So either make the drive to a dealer or find a metal detecting club and
consult the members there.
Good luck

Doozis
 

Tom_in_CA

Gold Member
Mar 23, 2007
13,837
10,360
Salinas, CA
🥇 Banner finds
2
Detector(s) used
Explorer II, Compass 77b, Tesoro shadow X2
Doozis, you say "Being able to talk face to face with an expert and
personally holding lots of different detectors would give you a
great advantage
" You're right. Some people ask these questions out of sincerity, even though it's like the old Ford vs Chevy question. They could scroll back over thousands of pages of posts, and see that the question comes up every week. Also as they scroll, trends start to appear as to which machines are finding the stuff. Ie.: go to brand/machine specific forums, and see who's finding the old coins. (Of course, even a cheapie machine, if you put him in a great spot, he's bound to find something)

Here in CA and Oregon, prior to about 6 or 7 years ago, the average guy in any club you visited, was swinging a Whites, Garrett, or Fisher. But now, 80% (esp. of the hardcore hunters) are swinging Minelabs. This is true even of the nugget hunters, even the Whites poster boys (in their ads) are swinging Minelabs now. That certainly says something. A lot of us were dragged "kicking and screaming", but couldn't deny the results we were seeing. Like, someone pointing out a spot in the turf and saying "try here, I hear deep silver". And try as I may, I couldn't honestly say I'd have heard it.
 

R

robert roy

Guest
May I add my 2 cents?
There is no one BEST detector. Wish there were.
Nor is there any one best way to express that sentiment.
The Ace 250 is a good machine and sometimes considered the Best
but Best is only temporary. There are alot of good detectors on the market
and more coming out. The F2, little brother of the F4 and F75 is said to
be coming out this November in time for
Christmas and is said to be an Ace killer. We'll see.
My MXT is an excellent machine for an all around detector. You can get
one for about $300 to $400 on Ebay. Not much of a learning curve either.
I went back to a soccer field where I THOUGHT I had cleaned up with the Ace but walked out with about $2.70 and some trinkets that I found with the MXT.

Robert Roy
 

DANGLANGLEY

Silver Member
Oct 3, 2006
3,102
137
Wartburg, Tennessee, U.S.A.
Detector(s) used
Garrett Ace 250, Tesoro Tiger Shark, Garrett AT Pro
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
You can't blame anyone for saying their detector is the best because they have spent untold numbers of hours learning every little detail about it and they like how it works. I even get my feelings a little bit hurt when someone says the Ace 250 won't find deep coins even though I know some higher priced detectors will find deeper coins. I have used it enough to know it has it's limitations but it will find coins pretty deep. I guess the deepest coin I have found with it was an 1873 IH about 8 inches deep. I do believe that was a rarity finding one that deep though. 6 inches is right at the limit on silver dimes, a little deeper depending on soil conditions. I read posts where people find coins much deeper with much more costly machines and if you have the money and are willing to put the time into learning the complicated machines I would recommend going that route. I have been looking or dreaming about the Minelab Explorer II for a while. I think it will be my next one. Don't get me wrong now, the Ace 250 is a killer for clad and rings but I do have some trouble pinpointing a target in heavy trash areas. I hope my rambling on helped a little. Have a good one

DANGLANGLEY
 

docbars

Sr. Member
Oct 15, 2007
288
149
SOUTHEAST OHIO
Detector(s) used
V3i
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Texas Coin Hunter said:
Hi everyone which metal detector do you consider is the best & why, and have you had to send it back to the manufactor for service.


Dave
Well for my hunting conditions I settle for a cz5. I've used them all over the years and the cz
is sweet and talks to you real deep. My uncle uses the minlabs and they are sweet also. But it just comes down to you learning every little tweak on what ever detector you buy.
 

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