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A metal detector is a device that detects metallic objects, such as coins, pieces of jewellery and other items. They are frequently used by beachgoers looking for hidden treasures buried in the sand or by law enforcement officers searching for contraband.
To find the best metal detector, consider its ease of use, coil size, ground balance and sensitivity. You may also want to factor in its operating frequency, target ID and value for money.
Our team has rounded up the 9 best metal detectors you can get right now in Australia. We picked options based on actual customer reviews and ratings on Amazon and key product features. For every category, we carefully chose parameters based on our research and determined products with the highest review score within those parameters.
Our pick for the best overall metal detector is the Minelab Excalibur II, which has a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon.
This top-of-the-line metal detector has all the bells and whistles one could expect, including an easy-to-use interface, a full range of adjustable settings and a variety of specialised features. It has an advanced discrimination mode and ground balance automatic setting, which makes finding buried items easier.
With its high sensitivity and large detection range, this can detect even the faintest objects underneath the surface. A built-in LCD display makes it easy to monitor your progress while searching and offers up useful information like target depth, ground balance readings and more.
For those with more specific needs, the Minelab Excalibur II offers optional accessories like headphones and ground-balancing probes. This helps make the most out of your searches whether in shallow soil or mineral soils with higher levels of ferrous content. Users can also take advantage of several preprogrammed search modes for coins, relics and jewellery.
With a rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars, we recommend the Fisher Gold Bug Pro Metal Detector as the best option for detecting gold.
The Fisher Gold Bug Pro Metal Detector features the industry's first variable breakpoint tone discrimination system, computerised ground grab technology and real-time computerised ground balancing. It allows independent control over threshold and gain and continuous ground condition readouts. Apart from its 19kHz operating frequency, it features an ultra-simple user interface and a lightweight frame.
Customers gave positive feedback on the detector's sensitivity, ground balance and value for money. It detects even the slightest indication of gold deposits in heavily mineralised soils with its V-Break TM technology. It also has a unique dual-level audio system that allows for pinpoint accuracy in high-trash environments with its Ground Phase Value Indicator and FE3O4 Graphic capabilities. This ensures only targets of interest are analysed by providing quick visual confirmation on target size and type so you can be sure you're making the most of your search time.
For beginners, the OMMO Metal Detector for Adults & Kids is worth considering. Not only is it user-friendly, but it's pretty affordable. It has earned plenty of positive feedback and a rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars on Amazon.
This metal detector features a pointer screen display, 4 modes of operation and is waterproof. You can choose between discrimination, tone, pinpoint and all metal to suit any of your hunting needs. It has a 10" coil for better sensitivity.
Numerous buyers were impressed by this metal detector's durable build, performance and value for money. While it doesn't have the bells and whistles of pricier detectors, this model can easily detect various kinds of metal, including gold and silver. Customers added that instructions are easy to follow. Additionally, it comes with useful accessories, such as headphones, a shovel and a carrying case. It is a bit bulkier than other detectors out there, but this isn't really a massive issue for most customers.
The Jodoao Metal Detector is our pick for the best cheap metal detector. On Amazon, it has a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.
The Jodoao Metal Detector can detect a wide range of metals including gold, silver, copper and aluminium. It is equipped with a large LCD screen, which lets you easily see the depth at which you are detecting and the type of metal being detected. Additionally, the device features adjustable sensitivity settings, so you can customise the detection based on their needs.
Many buyers were impressed by the device's user-friendly design, ergonomic build and affordability. It has superb sensitivity, making it ideal for finding small items in tight spaces. It offers customisable settings and a large LCD display that helps you track your progress while out on the hunt. The build does feel a bit flimsy, but this doesn't seem to bother users.
We selected the Teknetics T2LTD-BLK T2 as the best premium model. On Amazon, it has a rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars.
This metal detector features an intuitive control panel, lightweight design and robust construction, making it a great choice for anyone looking for an easy-to-use machine that can take on any terrain.
It comes with a waterproof search coil and adjustable sensitivity levels, so you can tailor your searches to the ground conditions you're dealing with. It even has an audio boost mode that amplifies weak signals for better target ID accuracy.
There are easy-to-use controls and a digital display with helpful information about what type of object is being detected as well as its approximate depth below the ground surface. Additionally, you can use the advanced discrimination settings to ignore unwanted items such as cans or nails while still picking up valuable finds like coins or jewellery.
For kids, we picked the National Geographic Junior Metal Detector as the best option. On Amazon, it has a rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars.
The National Geographic Junior Metal Detector has a 7.5" waterproof dual coil with adjustable sensitivity to make your kid's metal hunting a lot easier. This feature helps avoid false positives. Apart from a telescoping arm with a padded strap, it has an adjustable height and is lightweight enough to be comfy for long periods of use.
Customers praised the product's compact design, ease of use and affordability. It weighs less than 1kg, making it one of the most lightweight detectors on our list. It works well in detecting silver and iron, but may not be enough for gold detection. Its detection range isn't the best as it can only detect metals within a 7" radius.
Today's National Geographic Junior Metal Detector deals
For the beach, we recommend the Garrett ACE 400, which has a rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars on Amazon.
The Garrett ACE 400 features a host of advanced features that make it an excellent choice for both beginner and seasoned detectorists alike. The ACE 400 has a high-resolution target identification graphic, iron discrimination modes, sensitivity control settings, adjustable length stem and pinpoint mode. The search coil is interchangeable allowing users to customise their detection results.
The ACE 400 has an impressive depth range of up to 10" and even deeper with its higher frequency options. Its ground balance feature helps eliminate false signals from mineralised, while its notch discrimination system allows users to exclude specific targets from being detected. Additionally, the ACE 400 can be operated with either headphones or a speaker which makes it easier to hear faint targets that could be missed with other detectors.
Our pick for the best waterproof metal detector is the Bounty Hunter TK4. It has a rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars on Amazon.
With the TK4, you can easily pinpoint targets in any terrain – from grassy fields to rocky mountain terrain. The TK4 is equipped with a range of features, including a ground balance function, a sensitivity control knob and a graphic target ID display. Additionally, it offers 3 search modes such as All Metal, Discrimination and Pinpoint, allowing you to customise your search for different types of targets.
There is an adjustable audio response and volume settings to help you detect objects at greater depths or in noisy environments. Its lightweight design makes it suitable for both novice and experienced hunters alike, while its advanced sensitivity settings allow users to find small objects buried deep beneath the surface.
For the best Minelab option, we picked the Equinox 800. This model has a rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars on Amazon from over 800 reviews.
With 8 custom search profiles for your favourite settings, the Equinox 800 makes it a lot easier for you to hunt in various terrains and for different metal types. It has an operating frequency ranging from 5KhZ to 40KhZ and a target ID for better accuracy and a speedy recovery. Additionally, it has pre-set programs for beginners and a waterproof design for detecting at the beach, in rivers and in lakes.
Despite its hefty price tag, this detector has won the hearts of many customers. It is compatible with wireless audio and has a gold-detecting mode for detecting gold pieces in mineralised soils. It also has simultaneous multi-frequency for maximum performance and a wide range of frequencies for better detection control.
Save on metal detectors with these deals and discounts:
Amazon prices last updated on 4 December, 2023 at 06:02 ameBay prices last updated on 4 December, 2023 at 08:18 am
How did we pick this list?
22 Brands considered
98 Products compared
9 Best products chosen
Why you can trust our picks
We looked into hundreds of metal detectors available on Amazon for this list. We evaluated models from the following brands:
Barska
Bounty Hunter
Discovery Kids
Dr. Ötek
Fisher
Garrett
Goplus
Jodoaa
Matchbox
Minelab
National Geographic
Nokta
OMMO
Oppsbuy
RM RICOMAX
Sakobs
Sakobs
Suncoo
Teknetics
vidaXL
Wedigout
Winbest
Zircon
We narrowed down our choices based on customer ratings and reviews (as of February 2023). We also considered each model's key product features, ease of use, detection depth and value for money. We came up with what we believe are the 9 best metal detectors available online.
We value our editorial independence, basing our comparison results, content and reviews on objective analysis without bias. However, Finder may receive compensation when you click some links on our site. Learn more about how we make money from our partners and why you can trust our guides.
Frequently Asked Questions
We picked the Minelab Excalibur II as the best metal detector you can buy online.
Products with high salt or moisture content can disrupt a metal detector. They can produce false positives.
This depends on the quality of the metal detector and the size of the object it is detecting. Most metal detectors can detect items 10–20cm (4–8 inches) deep. More advanced models can detect items even deeper, upwards of 1 metre.
Metal detectors might not be able to detect gemstones, pearls, stainless steel and stone figures.
A Geiger counter is a device used to detect radioactive elements, while a metal detector detects metal objects like gold, iron and nickel. They are used for entirely different purposes.
Ericka Pingol is a writer for Finder specialising in best guides. Using tested methodology, Ericka has been helping Australians choose the right product across hundreds of categories since 2020. Ericka has a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of the East, Manila. As well as being passionate about helping people save money when shopping for their latest purchases, Ericka has a background in writing about property investment, personal finance and health. When not writing best guides, you can find her lost in the pages of a good book or experimenting with watercolour painting.
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