Don't buy one to try to make money unless you have a lot of time on your hands. Maybe like if you're retired or something? I wouldn't get into this if you are just in it for the money.
I've seen posts here in which people claim to make $X.XX PER HOUR digging clad, and while I'm not trying to call anyone a liar, and I'm deff not saying any names, but I find some of it very hard to believe.
On my best day of detecting (coin shooting at a nearby park) I found about $5 in about 4 hours. Now I would consider myself a novice MDer. But even if you're "pro" level and have the absolute best equipment money can buy, I find it very hard to believe a lot of what I read here- stuff like this...
"I stopped by a local spot that I often detect at to do some MDing today with my new (insert your dream detector of choice here) and in about 45 minutes I found $23 in clad plus 5 silver coins and a ladies watch with diamond studs!"
....... No you didn't.
If you detect someplace "often" how would one have missed all these things before? Did they throw a huge drunken bash at the city park where everyone just emptied there pockets randomly onto the ground? Between this time and last time you hunted it? Which was just on Tuesday? Even with the worst detector available you'd find some of it!
And something else to consider was even if you were to buy some new "wonder detector" that made that huge of a difference, is the amount of time it would take to dig that many holes for recovery to reach x amount of dollars. I don't care If you got a Quarter in every hole you dig! Or even a half in every hole...... And at various depths
I'm sorry, it's hard to swallow that people go to places that they tell you either they themselves or some else has hunted- maybe countless times and found some crazy amount of coinage plus jewelry. I often times read things like this and try to do the math in my head, a rough guesstimate of how long it would take.....
Then there are other factors like things you are positive are dimes or Quarters because you spent a good minute maybe longer listening to it before you dig, only for it to be can slaw or whatever. Then you factor in the time spent filling the hole and replacing the plug properly to "leave no trace" which we all know EVERYONE DOES who post on Tnet?!?! Gimme a break!
The reason I went all off into that, is because I'm sure you have read wonderful stories here on Tnet, but that's the thing. They're just stories.
You need to wear long pants while actually detecting, but short ones when you read some of the post on here if you catch my drift. Don't rush out and buy a detector at all, if you feel like all you need to do is spend a grand or more on a Whites, Minelab, or Fisher plus accessories to just immediately strike it rich. Has it happened before? Sure. Will it happen for 99.9% of average detectorist? Chances are slim to none.
Only do it if you think it's something you'll enjoy. Something to be into as a hobby....... If you plan on making a living off it, I wish you the best of luck, and warn you that the insurance benefits and 401k plan suck.
As to which MD you should start with- there are lots of threads here lately that cover entry level detectors lol. Happy hunting bro!
