I am tired of all the 'help me pick out a detector' entries. There are hundreds of them (if not more). If would be nice if there was a section specifically for it.
Some detectors are better at some things than others. However, I often find that the person using the detector, and their experience using it is more important than the model of detector (in most cases). In other cases, if you have the wrong type of detector, no matter what you do, it won't help much.
Its very hard to learn how to detect from reading a manual. A bit easier with a Video tutorial. You really need someone to walk you through the steps to get better at using a metal detector - I favor hunting partners.
I try a lot of detectors to see what I like about them. I find that with the top brands (not the cheap stuff with little history of detecting success, many of which are cheap Chinese knock-offs) all offer quality detectors. Success with them depends on experiance with your detector and developing skills for doing the type of detecting that interests you.