The beach is a great place to go to search for lost treasures. But to do that, you have to have a metal detector!
So we’ve taken the time to find the best metal detectors for beach treasure hunting.
There are so many detectors on the beach, so how do you pick the right one? There are so many different features available, it can seem overwhelming.
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If you are looking for a metal detector for the beach, durability, waterproofness, and easiness of use are key.
Plus, if you’re new, you want one that’s easy to use and understand.
In a hurry? Check out our 6 most recommended beach metal detectors below.
6 Best Beach Metal Detectors
- Bounty Hunter TK4 Tracker – Best Overall
- Garret ACE 400 – Most Versatile
- Bounty Hunter Land Ranger Pro – Good Mid Priced Pick
- Fisher F22 Metal Detector – Best Mid Priced Pick
- RM RICOMAX Metal Detector – Best For All Ages
- Garret AT Pro Metal Detector – Best for Beginners
Different Types of Beach Metal Detectors
Beach metal detectors come in diverse styles and types. Specific designs are modelled to fit certain bare minimum hunting requirements like location and personal interest.
So, it’s important to choose wisely to ensure the device is going to meet your hobby picture-perfect.
These are the most common types:
- Very Low Frequency Metal Detectors – (VLF)VLFs come with two spherical wire coils. One coil serves as a transmitter while the other as a receiver.
- The metal detector searches about 2 feet underground. Best of all, these metal detectors send different types of frequencies based on the type of metal detected.
- The VLFs can serve as some of the best beach metal detectors.
- Pulse Induction (PI)
– If you want something that will go deep for the treasures and metals, then PIs will be ideal.
- Because of the near-perfect functionality of the PI technology, PI detectors are a great pick for security agencies who use them detect hidden weapons.
- The detectors contain one set of coils instead of two.
- Multi-Frequency Metal Detectors – Multiple frequencies penetrate minerals such as salt and will provide you better, more accurate results. Multi-frequency technologies feature widely in high-end metal detectors.
- However, this beach metal detector comes with higher prices than other options. But its price is all worth it.
- This detector is good both on land and under water.
- Metal Detectors for Kids – Metal detectors for kids will get your younger ones started in their hobby. These tools match different types of kids based on their age, detector weight, and easiness of use.
- Metal Detectors for Beginners – Many entry-level metal detectors can prospect for all types of treasure. They can be great for detecting coins, jewelry, and relics. Beginner detectors are going to be great all-purpose tools. But just keep in mind you won’t be prospecting gold with them.
Best Metal Detectors for Beach Reviewed
1. Bounty Hunter TK4 Tracker IV Metal Detector
The Bounty Hunter TK4 metal detector comes on board as one of the top-rated metal detectors that an avid detectorist may wish to work with.
This technology can detect a coin down 6 inches deep, and larger objects up to 2 feet below.
It’s a very easy to learn detector which is why beginners will also love it right away. This detector does well in up to 8 inches of water, making this a great choice for the beach, and the height can be adjusted for the person using it.
You have the adjustable pulse delay feature that comes handy for trash discrimination. Then there is an all metal audio dual-tone that emits low tone or high tone depending on the type of target.
This is a great choice for beginners, and is easy to learn.
Pros:
- It is easy to use
- Submersible
- Great depth detection
Cons:
- hard to pinpoint exact spot of smaller objects
- need to buy 9v batteries before using
Overall, the Bounty Hunter TK4 is a great versatile tool for both beginner and intermediate detectorists.
2. Garret ACE 400 Pro-Pointer II Special
Garret ACE 400 is another special type of detector for beach metal detecting. The Garret ACE 400 features an iron audio system that boasts a pulse-width modulation for better audio results.
The audio is three-tone, discharging three different tones for different metal conductivities. With this audio, you are able to hit your targets very efficiently and spot on.
Garret ACE 400’s control panel is superb. It is straightforward for easy operation with clear display and explicit buttons.
This makes your work on this tool very enjoyable and stress-free. The display screen shows very important pieces of information that you will need when searching your metals.
Generally, the detector is simple to operate. So, don’t panic even if you are just a beginner – with the provided instructions in the manual, you can start on it right away.
The sensitivity of the Garret ACE 400 is without a question. It’s very good at selecting targets and discriminating non-targets and trash. This is what makes the unit one of the very best in terms of performance.
Garret ACE 400 is highlighted by its unique pinpointing function that increases precision of target location.
Pros:
- Straightforward functionality
- Plenty of great features
- Great pricin
Cons:
- Ground balance is not good
- Not submersible
Overall, this is a versatile detector with fun features and it’s accurate.
3. Bounty Hunter Land Ranger Pro Metal Detector
Bounty Hunter Land Ranger Pro Metal Detector features on this list for its great functionality, price, and positive reviews from previous buyers. The Land Ranger Pro is lightweight which makes its handling straightforward.
The low price tag shouldn’t mislead you into thinking that Land Ranger Pro is a beginner tool. No. The detector can serve even experienced buffs just fine.
It offers advanced features like the all-metal mode, enhanced V-Break, and computerized ground grab. All these features are only common with high-end metal detectors.
Coming as a VLF single frequency unit, you will only be limited to searching for relics, coins, and jewelry. So, you don’t have gold or deep search functionality.
The metal detector has a two-digit target ID which is very vital for providing metal conductivity. Higher conductivity metals will have a higher value.
It comes with a maximum coin depth detection of 10 inches. But many users still think it can go deeper than this.
There are 7 detection modes including coins, artifacts, and jewelry among three audio tone modes for specific metal detection. You have a V-break audio response feature that is particularly useful for advanced users.
Pros:
- Well-priced
- Plenty of great features
- Lightweight
Cons:
- Not ideal for saltwater
- Doesn’t detect gold and deep metals
Overall, it is the best metal detector for beach that comes with a low price yet providing so many useful features.
4. Fisher F22 Weatherproof Metal Detector
Another budget metal detector features the Fisher F22 Weatherproof Metal Detector with Submersible Search Coil. It is also extremely lightweight at just about 2.3 lbs. of weight.
F22 boasts a waterproof professional design with a comprehensive list of features. Despite its low price, the detector can be used by both beginners and intermediate hobbyists.
It is ideal for jewelry, relics, and coins but not gold nuggets. The 9-inch coil search function takes an elliptical design which is great for item discrimination and location.
You have a clear LCD screen with plenty of functions on display. It indicates target ID, battery life, iron indicator, search mode, depth, menu icons, and more. The screen is also straightforward and easy to use.
The waterproof design doesn’t mean the whole unit is submersible. Instead, only the coil is submersible.
The detector is powered by 2 AA battery that can hold charge up to 30 hours. It’s very accurate and also offers adjustable sensitivity and volume, static pinpointing, 4 modes of operation, etc.
Pros:
- Ultra-lightweight detector
- Easy to use
- Versatile
Cons:
- No manual ground balance
- Under-par depth finder
Overall, the Fisher F22 is one of the best metal detectors under $300 options.
5. RM RICOMAX Metal Detector for Adults & Kids – Accuracy Metal Detector
The RM RICOMAX is a popular metal detector among serial detectorists. If you are looking to strike a great balance between affordability and functionality, RM RICOMAX should get you there.
The metal detector offers an all-metal mode. So, you are able to detect different types of metals when you turn the device on this mode.
You can discriminate trash and other non-target items by turning to the disc mode. On the disc mode, you can discriminate anything you don’t like.
the metal detector is designed with an attractive interface. Not only is it easy to operate but also practical and self-guided.
Moreover, the included control with clear LCD display is fun to use. The screen features clean values for effortless reading. You can definitely know what metal or treasure being targeted, battery level, sensitivity, depth, among other features.
With the audio tone mode, you can know which metal type you are about to exhume thanks to the low, medium, and high tonal variations.
The device is lightweight and it’s operated by 2 9v batteries. The search coil is waterproof but don’t submerse the unit in water as the control box will be ruined. Also, you have a dedicated pinpointing function for precise item location.
If you want something that you and your kids can use together, then RM RICOMAX
Pros:
- Easy to assemble and use
- Can be used by anyone
- Accurate results
Cons:
- Larger coil that makes pinpointing a little harder
Overall, it’s perfect for metal detecting on the beach both for kids and adults. All thanks to the adjustable stem.
6. Garret AT Pro Metal Detector
The Garrett AT Pro Metal Detector is designed for versatile performance. You can have it detecting metals and gold in rivers, forest, creeks, beachside, and more.
The AT Pro is a great machine with promising results. Coming with a simple functionality, the detector is offered with top-notch features including the iron audio, auto ground balance, pinpointing mode, target ID, among others.
It comes with a waterproof design. And it is submersible in shallow waters up to 10 feet deep – which is a great function given most detectors are not submersible.
Better yet, AT Pro is known for higher frequency operations. What this means is that it provides better small target detecting capabilities and you can separate different items pretty easily.
So, this also means you can use the tool to detect gold nuggets. You get great ground balance from the detector. It also gives you two audio modes – pro and standard for identifying targets with sounds.
Other features include digital target ID, 40 segments of iron discrimination, manual and automatic ground balance, sensitivity, among others
Pros:
- Straightforward control panel
- Plenty of features
- Excellent depth performance
Cons:
- A bit pricey
- May not detect tiny gold flakes
Overall, it’s a great detector for starters and intermediates looking for a feature-rich treasure hunting tool.
What to Look for When Buying a Metal Detector
So, what are you going to look for in the best metal detector for beach?
It is super-important to know what your goals and needs are before selecting a given detector.
The market is not short of these tools. However, be sure to consider the following things when making your purchase.
- Detection Technology
The detection technology determines which type of metal detector a particular model is. It also influences depth, metal type, and sensitivity of the metal detector.
For instance, we have the single frequency, multi-frequency, and pulse induction detectors. Single frequencies may not give you the best results.
However, with the multi-frequency detectors, you can go a great depth, yield higher sensitivity, and get precise target location. PI detectors also provide great depth.
- Waterproofness and Submergibility
Most prospectors would ask: what is the best metal detector for the beach?
Well, the answer can be three-dimensional. It should meet your hunting needs.
But most importantly, it should offer great waterproof rating, water resistance, and submersible properties. If you are planning to go in saltwater regions, you will also find these features very vital.
- Size of Coil
With larger coils, you can achieve greater sweep range and ultimately cover large areas. However, larger coils have unlikeable caveats like adding unnecessary weight to your unit. Plus, you may not be able to achieve accurate pinpointing.
Smaller coils are good for weight and detector maneuverability. Also, you are guaranteed of very accurate pinpointing readings.
In Conclusion
You can boost your beach hunting prospects with the best metal detector for beach. So, you must ensure that you choose well.
Fortunately, the list offers some of the best detectors on the market. Consider which one makes the cut for you and start enjoying your treasure hunt right off the bat.
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