If you want to get started with metal detecting, the first thing you must do is understand the basics. This is more so when you consider the fact that not every metal detector out there will be ideal for treasure hunting. While most metal detectors look the same in design, size, and shape, they pack different technologies. It is for this reason that the first thing you need to do before hitting the stores is to understand the basics of buying a metal detector.
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Basics of buying your first metal detector
The first point you need to understand is that there is no such thing as a perfect metal detector for every situation. When shopping, you need to search for a metal detector that matches your budget, experience, desired targets, and the local area.
What you want to find plays a very big role when choosing a metal detector. While the best metal detectors for beginners are designed for hunting relics, coins, and jewelry in dry sand, in the parks or fields, if you are interested in hunting gold nuggets you will need a more advanced metal detector like the Garrett AT Gold or the Fisher Gold Bug 2. Needless to say, these advanced metal detectors are a lot more expensive and not ideal for beginners.
Where you plan on hunting for buried treasure must also be considered when buying a metal detector. If the ground in the area has high mineralization, you will get more beeping from the metal detector. In this case, you have to lower the sensitivity of the detector so as to counter this issue. Lowering sensitivity, however, means getting reduced depth.
While there is the option of going with premium metal detectors that can be adjusted manually or automatically to ignore mineralization, it is always good to get started with a cheaper metal detector. This is more so because as a beginner you are never certain if treasure hunting is the hobby for you. You don’t want to spend a lot of money on a metal detector that ends up in the attic, do you?
Here are three highly recommended metal detectors for beginners. All three can handle both low and medium-level mineralization in most soils.
Fisher F22
If what you need is an easy to use metal detector then you just turn on and get down to work, the Fisher F22 is a great choice. It is without any doubt the best choice for beginners. You can even use it as a kids metal detector and they will have no trouble operating it. This is for the simple fact that it has no technical settings.
The Fisher 22 is ideal for hunting jewelry, gold, relic, and coins. It comes with 10 sensitivity levels that you can adjust to get better readings depending on the area you are treasure hunting in. It is also good to note that the device is pretty lightweight, energy-efficient and has a very intuitive design. You can power it with just two AA batteries. You will be able to know what you have found thanks to the high-quality VDI readout. There are different tones that depend on the item that has been found.
The downside is that the pin-pointer only works when the pointer button is being held down. It also has no backlight which means it will be hard using it in the dark. There is also no manual ground balance.
All things considered, Fisher 22 is the best choice for beginners. It offers remarkable value for money. It is also ideal for experienced treasure hunters who need a backup metal detector.
Garett Ace 300
Thanks to the great value for money it offers and ease of use, the Garett Ace 300 is a great choice for beginners. This model offers a great balance of price and performance. There are serval remarkable features for you to use; some of these features you would expect to find inexpensive metal detectors. Some notable features include the option to adjust notch discrimination, numerical target ID and coin depth indicator.
The Garett Ace 300 is simply the perfect combination of simplicity, accuracy, and quality. It is definitely one of the best metal detectors you can buy as a beginner.
The main limitation with the Garett Ace 300 is that it only has a single frequency. It is also not ideal for detecting metal in wet conditions. This is because the ground balance is not adjustable and thus will be poor in wet sand, moist areas and in water. This metal detector is ideal if you plan on using it in normal conditions. Even so, it is good to note that the coil is waterproof. You can submerge it in shallow water. It is the changed density in wet soil that makes it hard for this detector to work.
Bounty Hunter Land Ranger Pro
If you are searching for a more advanced metal detector that is also affordable, why not try the Bounty Hunter Land Ranger Pro. It comes with an 11 inch DD waterproof coil paired with adjustable sensitivity, variable tone breakpoint, discrimination, and 1 button ground balance. It also has 7 search modes. You can also use it in the dark thanks to its large backlit display. While it is a good choice for beginners, it offers great features and control.
The advanced features on the Bounty Hunter Land Ranger Pro are what make it a perfect choice for both beginners and experienced treasure hunters. With this machine you will get 43 Target ID icons, and 100 numerical target IDs. These features are great if you want more information about your find before you start digging. You also get 5 level depth indicator with this machine. It is also good to note that with the Bounty Hunter Land Ranger Pro, you get a 5-year warranty.
If what you need is a metal detector for all-purpose treasure hunting, any of these three machines will be great. They all have great detection capabilities. The best thing is you don’t have to spend a lot of money on them.
