Metal detecting is a hobby that is very popular in the UK and growing at a rapid rate. There is nothing more relaxing than spending a few hours wondering around the fields, beaches and moor land with your machine in hand knowing that you could strike gold and uncover something that is worth a lot of money. The thrill of the chase and the potential to find endless treasures is what drives us to this hobby. We all know where we want to go and search and have decided to take the plunge and purchase a metal detector, we log onto the internet but are then confused as to what we should buy. The detector that you need will differ depending on factors like where you are searching or the types of things you are looking for and even the depth of the treasures that you want to find.
When you look at most metal detectors they all look the same but which ones really are good and which ones should you avoid? The detectors in our top ten reviews are all very good quality machines that you won’t be disappointed in at different price points. The key bit is the detail in the metal detector reviews, they use very advanced electronic technology to help you pin point with accuracy where the pieces of metal are and will also help you work out what metal it is and whether it is a coin on something bigger. The cheaper machines that you can buy in many shops simply don’t have this level of technology. Read our reviews and make sure you purchase the correct metal detector once rather then having to buy twice.
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Top Metal Detectors in 2024
So you’ve made the decision to push on with your search for a metal detector. Below we start our look at what we believe are the best metal detectors in 2024 by compiling a list with three of the great features of the models. If you are starting your search this a good place to start as it gives you the process range and some key features. Once you have chosen a few that you would like more information of there is a mini review towards the bottom of the page and a more in depth review that you can click through to giving you all of the detail about the features.
| Features | |
Mid Range Check Amazon Prices | Garrett EuroACE
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Budget Range Check Amazon Prices | Garrett ACE 150
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Luxury Range Check Amazon Prices | White's Spectra V3i
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Mid Range Check Amazon Prices | Minelab X-Terra 705
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Mid Range Check Amazon Prices | Minelab X-Terra 505
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Mid Range Check Amazon Prices | C.Scope CS6MX-i
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Mid Range Check Amazon Prices | C-scope CS4MXi
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Mid Range Check Amazon Prices | Garrett AT Gold
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Luxury Range Check Amazon Prices | Minelab CTX 3030
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Luxury Range Check Amazon Prices | Minelab E-Trac
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Top 10 Metal Detectors Reviews
Below we are going to run through what we believe to be the top 10 metal detectors in 2024. We will have brief look at each machine providing an overview for you to assess whether it is for you. You can then click down into the in depth review to read about the specific features and pros and cons of each model. We are covering a range of detectors in our reviews, going from the budget ranges right up to the high quality professional detectors for the serious treasure hunters! Our aim is to provide you with enough information for your purchasing decision.
Garrett EuroACE
We start our metal detector reviews by looking at one of the most popular choices on the market. The Garrett Euro Ace metal detector has been specifically designed to be used in conditions in a lot of Europe. This is perfect if you are looking for a machine to use in the UK. This model comes in at the bottom of the mid range price bracket giving you a lot of power for your money. This model is built on the massive success of the the Garrett Ace 250 and uses this platform to improve some of the features for a great all round machine. The Euro Ace is capable of detecting a good depth making sure that you can find the buried treasures that are well below the surface as well as have a coil that covers a good ground area ensuring that with each swipe of the machine you are covering a large area. Suitable for the beginners to metal detecting and also configurable enough for the experienced detector this is a model that is great value for money and should be considered by all who are looking to spend a mid range budget.
For a more detailed Garrett EuroAce metal detector review click here and find out about all of the features and technical detail.
Garrett ACE 150
This is the first budget price detector review that we are going to have a look at and it’s a good one! Garrett are a well known brand in the metal detecting world that produce some great machines. If you are looking to dip your toe in the metal detecting arena and don’t want to spend too much this could be a good way forward. The three preset modes for treasure hunting mean it is easy to set up and go, giving you hours of fun without being an expert. The search depth is good for the budget and will pick up a lot of hidden coins and metal objects. The LCD display makes it very easy to use and all in all a great detector for someone that is new to the hobby and wants to learn a bit more before diving in with a big budget. A highly recommended metal detector from a great brand.
If you think this could be the machine for you click on the Amazon prices button to see more detail on the detector and find the best price, alternatively you can learn more in our full review.
White’s Spectra V3i
Here we take a look at a serious metal detector that comes with some fantastic features that are suitable for the most experienced detector that requires a highly configurable machine. Coming in at the high end of the budget range this is a serious investment but well worth the money if you are looking for a metal detector that will last you for years to come. As well as being fully configurable there are also ten settings that are ready to go with the click of a button making this a very versatile machine that could be used by a beginner as well. This detector is suited to all with a large budget and comes from a brand with a great reputation. There are a couple of great features that make this a really user friendly machine like the wireless headphones and the built in user manual which can be viewed through the LCD by one click while you are out and about. A highly recommended top end metal detector fit for most areas.
Now that you have had a brief overview of the Whites Spectra V3i you can click on the Amazon button for more detail and good prices.
Minelab X-Terra 705
This is our first look at a metal detector for the legendary brand of Minelab. When most people think of metal detectors this is the brand that comes to mind, they have been building quality detectors for many years and have built an amazing reputation. This machine is firmly planted in the mid range price bracket and offers a lot of quality for the money. This is a great multi purpose detector that will cover most peoples needs in the UK. Not only will it work in normal soil conditions but it is also good for the beach and clay soil areas. If you are someone that varies the type of ground that you search on regularly then this could be a metal detector for you. Compatible with all of the X Terra coils range this is a very versatile detector that can be upgraded or changed easily. A good machine for the beginner or experienced detector with a mid range budget.
If you think this matches what you are looking for why not click here for the full Minelab X Terra Metal Detector review.
Minelab X-Terra 505
The Minelab X Terra 505 offers a lot of great features at a great price. This one is at the low end of the mid price bracket which makes it affordable for most people that like to go detecting less frequently but still want a quality machine. The Minelab 505 is an easy to assemble and pack down detector that makes it ideal for the weekend hunter that wants to pop it into a bag and shoot of into the country side for a good walk. For the price it offers great depth capabilities when scouring over the fields and great discrimination between metals so that you have a good idea of what is underneath your feet before you start digging. This is a really flexible machine that is easy to pack up and go. A highly recommended machine with many happy customers. This is well suited to the beginner that thinks they will use the metal detector for many years and doesn’t want to buy another in a couple of years.
Why not click through to on the Amazon button to find out more about this detector and look at the prices, or see our complete guide here.
C.Scope CS6MX-i
Coming in at the mid price range C scope metal detectors are offering a great all round machine. The UK manufacturer has over forty years of experience in building great metal detector products and has put all of that experience into this machine. If you are someone who likes to buy British then a C Scope detector could be for you. The CS6MXI is purposely built to pick up the smallest and thinnest objects using a frequency that is well suited to the UK and European detector. This detector has superb balance with a straight handle making it nice and easy to use when you are out for hours on end. The three pitch audio system allows you to pin point the objects with accuracy before you start digging and allows you to have a good idea of what it under the surface. An important part of a good detector is sending you good information so that you are not digging up every lump if iron you come across.
For an in depth review that covers all of the features of this great model click here for the C.Scope CS6MX-i metal detector review.
C-scope CS4MXi
This offering from C Scope is very competitively priced at the lower end of the mid range price bracket and offers a lot for the money. The model down from the CS6MXi this detector is built for the European market and is designed to be a flexible machine that is ready to use for the beginner but also has plenty of functionality for the seasoned treasure hunter. A well built tough machine this will suit most peoples needs. If this is not quite up to your needs you can always step up the the CS6MXi for a little more. This is a detector that is well suited to the beginner and is easy to set up and get out in the fields or on the beach. For most of us we are looking for a nice an easy but powerful machine. This could well be the one for you.
This is a great detector for the budget, why not read our more comprehensive C-Scope CS4MXi review, or click on the Amazon button and view more features, reviews and prices.
Garrett AT Gold
All metal detectors dream of finding that pot of gold that is worth a fortune that sets us up in life like winning the national lottery. It has been done many times and you never know what is buried beneath your feet when you are combing through the fields and beaches of the UK. The Garrett AT Gold Metal Detector is designed to help find those small nuggets of gold that can make us a lot of money. For all of you prospectors out there this is a machine that you may want to consider. The 18Khz frequency is designed to help pick up on those small little nuggets of gold helping rule out other metals. This detector is also waterproof making it the prefect detector to search anywhere there is likely to be gold. This is a pretty specific machine that will serve its purpose well but if it is a multi purpose machine that you are after it may well be worth looking at a different detector. One for the specialists!
For prices and more detail on the Garrett AT Gold click through on the Amazon button for features and prices or take a look at our full write up.
Minelab CTX 3030
Here we are going to have a brief look at a really high end metal detector. The CTX 3030 is a serious machine with a serious price tag. Minelab have brought some of the best metal detectors to the market over the years for the professional treasure hunter and this is the latest one. This is a water proof machine meaning you do not need to stop searching at the rivers edge of you think you are on to something. The GPS locator allows you to map out the areas that you have already searched and the areas you need to cover, this is such a handy feature if you are out for long periods of time in the same areas. This detector has everything from wireless audio for no fuss and has a number of click and go settings for those of us who don’t want to mess about with configuring the machine. A truly great versatile machine that will suit everyone but has a serious price tag to go with it!
Click here to get an in depth review of the brilliant Minelab CTX 3030 metal detector.
Minelab E-Trac
The last in our top ten metal detector reviews is another great from Minelab. This is a model that just breaks into the luxury price bracket and offer a lot for the money. The Minelab brand brings trust among its users with many service outlets so that you can be sure if you have any problems the machine will be fixed quickly. The XChange software on this detector allows you to upload and download all of you settings to your PC and share with other people using Minelab machines. This is a highly accurate machine that will allow you to distinguish between valuable metals in soils that are full of minerals and other bits of metal. The Lightweight detector is a robust build that is meant to last hours of searching in rough conditions and the LCD display makes the machine easy to use. This is a highly recommended detector with many happy customers and good reviews.
For more info, features and prices on the Minelab E Trac click on the Amazon button, or find our detailed review here.
What Sort Of Detector Do I Need?
Now that we have had a look through reviews of the different models that are available and the price brackets that they are in it is worth stopping for a minute to think about what you are going to need the detector for and what sort of detector you might need. We will all want a metal detector for different reasons. Some of us might have been searching for treasure for many years whilst other may well be new to the hobby and want a starter metal detector to use it at different types of location like the beach and fields. For many of us the idea is just to get out and enjoy the fresh air whilst having something to do. The seasoned pros may need a specific model that is very configurable with a personal set up that allows them to fins exactly what they are looking for.
The Beginner
For the beginners out there it is worth looking at a model that won’t break the bank but is still powerful enough to get you some results to keep you interested. Some of the models above have some preset click and go set ups so that you can get up and running straight away. This will allow you to get used to the detector and gradually learn to set it up while still having fun with it at the same time. Most of the models above are well suited to the European and UK market enabling you to detect on the beach and on various types of soil. Once you have had a versatile machine for a while you can think about upgrading.
Not Much Time!
For many of us it sounds like a great idea to go out detecting but in reality the family and work commitments are going to dictate how frequently we can get out. If you don’t have a great deal of time then the detectors with the preset set click and go set ups would be ideal. Literally jump out of the car press go and you are sorted. It doesn’t matter if you don’t touch the metal detector again for a few months it will still be nice and easy to use.
The Seasoned Pro
You’ve been detecting for years and really know the ground that you are working on and you are looking for an upgrade. It’s worth getting a highly configurable metal detector so that you can set it up just as you want it. This will take a bit of time but if you are used to it then it should be no problem. The worse thing that you could do is buy something that won’t actually do the job that you need it for so be careful and pick the right one. Some of the more expensive machines are much more accurate and have a lot more setting that will help you configure it just the way you want.
The Adventurer!
If you are looking for adventure and want to explore remote areas that you are not familiar with then it may be worth looking at some of the more robust metal detectors. Some of them are fitted with GPS so that you can see where you have been and where about you are. If you want to stop at nothing a water proof detector will be the way forward but remember the water in the UK can be pretty cold most of the year around so you may want to stay away!
Summing It Up
Well done for making it to the bottom of the home page of our metal detector reviews. We hope that you now have a good overview from our reviews of some of the quality metal detectors on the market. As you will have seen there is a metal detector for every budget, some with many features and some with few. The main thing is that you have a good idea of what you want and match it up to the correct machine. Once you have done that the more detailed reviews will help you to get a full understanding of how they can work for you.
Some Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Maximum Depth I Can Find Objects?
Well, this depends on a number of things that are on your detector and the ground you are searching on. The ability of you detector will limit how deep the maximum it can go, the more expensive machines have the ability to go deeper. The type of soil will effect the depth of the search and also the objects you are looking for. If you are looking for a large object it will be easier t find at a greater depth and also certain metals are easier to find at certain depths. Most machines are designed to search at around 7 to 13 inches below the surface but different coils can alter the search depth.
Can a Metal Detector Only Find Metal?
Yes, a metal detector will find all type of metal as long as it is within range of the detector. Other non metal objects will not be able to be found. The metal detector sends a signal into the ground. If that signal does not come across any metallic objects it will not make a noise but if the signal gets stopped or interrupted by a metal object the metal detector will send back a make a noise that indicates there is something metal under the surface.
Do I Really Need To Wear Headphones?
It will help, the metal detectors send back an audio signal that differs depending on the type of metal and size and depth of the object it has found. If you have headphones on you can clearly hear the sound and as you get used to your detector you will become pretty good at distinguishing between the sounds for different objects. The headphones cut out loads of back ground noise that can interfere with the noise like the wind blowing trees, traffic on near by roads and the sound of the sea and waves.
It can be a bit annoying wearing headphones and the cable can be a bit of a pain, some of the metal detectors offer wireless headphone systems for a more comfortable set up and make it a bit easier to use. You can use your detector without headphones if you like especially if you are in a very quiet area.
Can I Use My Metal Detector Anywhere?
No, you need permission to go onto the land and use it. All land is owned by someone so you firstly need to find out who owns the land then get there permission before you go onto it. Some common land may well be OK for using your detector but you will need to check with the council for that areas before you head down there and start digging holes! Be careful not to get into trouble for trespassing, you may think that it is harmless searching around on the land but the land owner may take a very different view!
Take Care Of The Land Where You Detect
It’s important that all metal detectorists take care of the land they detect on. Make sure you fill in any holes you dig and take your litter home with you. Land owners will only keep letting metal detectorists on their land if they feel it will be respected. The reputation of metal detectors depends on the care that individuals take when they are out searching for hidden treasures.
Searching For Gold
Searching for gold is a serious task that has been going on for hundreds of years and has caused massive gold rushes. Prospectors know that if they come across a patch of ground that is full of gold they will have hit the big time and will be in for a big pay day. In the old days of digging up areas and sifting through endless stones and minerals to find the tiny nuggets it was a very tough task that was only open to the toughest characters that could cope with some very serious graft. Nowadays technology has moved on a lot and metal detectors have made it a much more precise and easily accessible hobby. Our specific metal detector reviews make it easy to search for gold once in a while without a huge commitment.
Why Is Gold Hard To Find?
Gold is very rare and hard to find so it takes a certain type of metal detector to find gold or a metal detector that can be set up in a certain way. Often gold is quite deep in the ground so you need a metal detector that can get down to some decent depths to make sure you don’t go over a nugget without picking it up. Gold is often found in ground that is also full of other minerals and types of metal so it can be easily be missed or mistaken, you need a detector that can accurately discriminate out sounds that are other materials. Gold is often in very small nuggets that can be hard to find and very difficult to pick up, it is not often that a really large nugget is found you are more likely to find a lot of small nuggets.
What Makes A Good Gold Metal Detector
When you are looking for a good gold model in our metal detector reviews, there are a number of things that need to be considered. The detectors need to have a high frequency to punch down into the ground and find tiny nuggets, some machines are around 18 to 19 Khz for gold hunting. They need to have adjustable ground balance to help filter out all of the iron in the ground and they need to have very adjustable discrimination to get rid of the unwanted frequencies form the many minerals that are commonly found in areas that gold is found. The detectors need to be able to go pretty deep into the ground, the bigger the nugget the deeper it will be able to be located. If it is a really small nugget it may only get picked up in the top few inches where as the coin sized nuggets can be picked up as far down was 10 to 12 inches.
How To Find Gold With A Metal Detector
Well if you want to start searching for gold you need to get out there to an area you suspect gold is in the ground and start searching! It is one of those things where you need to put the hours in to search. First of all you need to set up your detector to the settings you think apply to the ground and as you search and start digging up bits of metal you need to adjust your metal detector to suit the ground conditions and filter out the unwanted stuff. There is no simple one answer its a case of joining the other prospectors and learning from experience.
What Is The Best Machine For Gold?
This is a question that gets asked a lot and one that there is not one single answer for. Firstly, there are a number of gold metal detectors available on the market that are very specialist machines. These are built for users that are specifically out and about hunting for gold. There are a lot of these prospectors searching for the very valuable metal in the hope that they will make a good living from a great find. There is no doubt that these machines are set up with one thing in mind and that is hitting the jack pot and finding a great nugget whilst getting rid of as many other signals as possible. Garrett make a great Gold Detector called the Garrett AT Gold (see that metal detector review here), this detector offers very deep detection of the smallest nuggets. Other brands like Minelab and C.Scope offer metal detectors that are specifically at finding gold. Many other detectors like the Minelab CTX 3030 are very versatile machines and can be set up to be very good gold detectors as well as being used for other jobs.
Some Metal Detecting FAQ’s
We get asked a lot of different questions about our metal detecting reviews and what detector we should use for different things. Below we are going to try and answer a few of the questions that we get asked a lot. Hopefully it will cover what you are looking for but if not you can still ask. With so many detectors on the market and different types of detecting there is a different aspects to look at!