The beach can be the perfect place for finding hidden treasures like gold coins and expensive jewelry. You, however, need the best metal detector for beach to do it.
Generally, metal detecting on the beach is not just a treasure-hunting activity. It also allows you to explore the coastline better. So, if you have kids, it could be the perfect family fun activity.
But, how do you find the perfect metal detector? Well, I’ll take you through an expert buyer’s guide to help you find it.
I’ll also recommend the best beach metal detectors, starting with the top 3 below.
The 5 Best Beach Metal Detectors
Different Types of Beach Metal Detectors
They include:
Metal Detectors For Kids
These detectors are specifically meant for children. They are generally lightweight, user-friendly, and highly customizable.
The detectors can locate things like jewelry and coins easily. Plus, their controls are simple for kids to operate with ease.
The best metal detector for saltwater beach in this category is the Garrett Ace 400 Metal Detector.
Metal Detectors For Beginners
These detectors are designed for those who are new to beach treasure hunting. They can detect just about any metal object on the beach and generally come at pocket-friendly prices.
So, you are likely to find the best metal detector under $300 in this category.
A top recommendation is the Fisher F22 Weatherproof Metal Detector with Submersible Search Coil.
Metal Detectors For Everyone
We also have those detectors that can be used by anyone regardless of age or treasure-hunting experience.
These detectors are user-friendly, highly sensitive, and more intuitive. Their controls are simple, even for the elderly.
My best pick on this list is the DR.ÖTEK Metal Detector for Adults Professional.
Buying Guide for the Best Metal Detector for Beach
Detection Considerations
Detecting Technology
Overall, there are two best detecting technologies for beach metal detectors. Both are effective, and it all depends on the beach surface.
They are as follows:
Multi-Frequency Detection
Multi-frequency metal detectors transmit multiple frequencies that can penetrate deep into the ground.
Because of their deep penetration power, detectors with this technology are accurate. As a result, they are not just suited to beach treasure-hunting but also off-beach exploits.
The good thing about these accurate metal detectors is that they can discriminate targets. Consequently, they can be used where there is so much trash.
Pulse Induction (PI)
Pulse induction metal detectors also penetrate deep into the beach surface. As a matter of fact, they are even more penetrating than their multi-frequency counterparts.
The only issue is that they are not suited to beaches with so much trash. That’s because they find it hard to discriminate targets.
Signal Considerations
Tone And Target Identification
Some beach metal detectors send audio signals once metal objects are detected. If the sound emission is weak, then it could indicate iron or nickel.
However, if the sound emission is strong, it could be less valuable metals like screw cups.
Some top rated metal detectors also have target identification modes. Thus, they classify targets based on categories like coins, nickel, copper, etc.
That allows you to decide if you should dig to uncover the treasure or not.
Operating Frequency
The operating frequency (OF), expressed in kilohertz (kHz), is the number of signals sent and received by a metal detector per second.
Usually, low OF detectors are more sensitive. Also, they detect deeper.
High OF detectors, on the other end, are less sensitive. So, I recommend detectors with lower operating frequencies.
Ground Balance
You must get the right signal information once a metal treasure is detected on the beach. That can only be possible if your metal detector has ground balance, sometimes referred to as calibration.
The ground balance enables metal detectors not to emit signals related to less valuable items like rocks and soil. So, a beach metal detector with proper calibration will always send signals of valuable metals.
Relevant Post: Best Beach Cooler With Wheels
Technical Considerations
Submersible Coil
The truth is that no beach metal detector is 100% water-resistant. However, nearly 99% of them come with waterproof coils.
So, that’s where you should focus on when shopping for the best metal detector for the beach.
With a submersible and waterproof coil, it becomes easy to find treasures on the wet sand. You should be careful, however, not to submerge the control box as it’s not waterproof.
Overall, some detectors are more submersible than others. Most beach detector coils have a 10-feet submersion range, but those of scuba diving can go as deeper as 200ft.
Coil Size
The coil size is as equally as important as its submersion. Overall, you may have to choose between a small and a big coil.
Small coils offer pinpoint accuracy for things under the sand. They are suited to trashy beaches because they are effective at target separation and discrimination.
Larger coils, on the other hand, penetrate more in-depth and cover more ground. They are, however, most suited to cleaner beaches.
The other downside is that they can be tiring, especially for kids.
Battery Indicator
You don’t want your device’s battery to run dry when you are treasure-hunting in the outdoors. As a result, you should consider beach metal detectors with battery status indicators.
They show your battery level to help you determine how long you can treasure-hunt. The indicator displays typically the amount of battery charge remaining as well as its expected runtime.
Hunting Accessories
Metal detectors come with several accessories that improve your treasure hunting experience. So, if you are looking to get the most from them, you shouldn’t ignore the accessories.
Here are the ones to prioritize when picking the best metal detector for beach:
- Clear-sound headphones – They improve your hearing ability, especially in noisy beaches.
- Harness – It balances the weight of beach metal detectors, thus enabling you to carry the device comfortably.
- Scoop – A scoop helps to uncover beach surfaces to enable you to find treasures easily.
- Pinpointer – It helps to locate small items like rings and coins accurately and faster.
- Pouch – It holds the items that you find on the beach when treasure-hunting. Preferably, it should be small not to weigh you down and well-drained to let out water.
5 Best Beach Metal Detectors Based on the Buying Guide
After carefully considering the buying considerations above, here are my best five beach metal detectors:
1. DR.ÖTEK Metal Detector for Adults Professional
(Best Metal Detector For Everyone)
We start our list with an all-round family-friendly beach metal detector. Whether you are young or elderly, theDR.ÖTEK Metal Detector for Adults Professional is a handy choice.
The detector has unmatched accuracy and sensitivity. It features an intuitive waterproof LCD that even a kid can read.
The LC displays everything from the battery status to the target depth.
The waterproof metal detector has a 10-inch submersible coil that offers detection efficiency of up to 10 inches dip. It also has a pinpointer for locating small treasures.
The detector also enjoys a discrimination mode for distinguishing treasures from trash. And when you want to discriminate metals, there’s a disc mode for that.
Included in the purchase are a carry case and a shovel.
2. Garrett Ace 400 Metal Detector
(Best Metal Detector For Kids)
Kids need a beach metal detector that is intuitive, lightweight, and rugged in design. That, fortunately, is what the Garrett Ace 400 Metal Detector promises.
The detector operates at a frequency of 10kHz, which is high and enjoys an 11-inch submersible coil.
The Garrett Ace 400 Metal Detector comes with an adjustable arm strap that makes it easy to carry it around. It also has an electronic pinpointer that precisely locates small hidden treasures
What’s more, there’s a discrimination feature for distinguishing treasures from trash.
Overall, there are five modes on this metal detector that your kid will enjoy when doing beach metal detecting.
It runs on four powerful AA batteries and features a 2-year exclusive warranty.
Garret Ace 400 comes with a clear-sound headphone, a rain cover, and a Garret catalog.
3. Fisher F22 Weatherproof Metal Detector with Submersible Search Coil
(Best Metal Detector for Beginners)
The Fisher F22 Weatherproof Metal Detector is undeniably the best pick for beginner beach treasure hunters. That’s because of its simple design, lightweight (2.3lbs), and ease of use.
The detector comes in a weather-proof design and features a target identification function. It runs on 2 AA batteries, which collectively have a 20-35 hours runtime.
Fisher 22 has a fi-tone adjustable tone that allows you to customize your search for ferrous (iron) targets. There are four modes of operation, mainly for coins, artifacts, jewelry, and custom.
The saltwater metal detector enjoys a 9-inch submersible search coil that detects accurately on the beach. The sensor also enjoys a discrimination mode and four audio detection tones.
The bonus is that it comes with a 5-year warranty.
4. National Geographic Pro Series Metal Detector
(Runner’s Up For Everyone)
The National Geographic Pro Series Metal Detector comes with a pinpointer to distinguish trash from treasures. It’s a lightweight, collapsible metal detector, which makes it the ultimate travel treasure hunting accompaniment.
The metal detector features a 10-inch waterproof coil that locates treasures lying under wet ground. From artifacts to jewelry, you can detect them all using the National Geographic Pro Series Metal Detector.
The metal detector for beach and land is easy to use, which makes it perfect for anyone, young or old. Once collapsed, the metal detector measures 22 inches and weighs 2 pounds.
It enjoys three user-friendly modes, an LCD, and a four-level sensitivity feature. The metal detector comes with a 2-year warranty.
5. Bounty Hunter TK4 Tracker IV Metal Detector
(Best Budget Pick For Everyone)
The Bounty Hunter TK4 Tracker IV Metal Detector is the perfect beach metal detector for the budget treasure hunter. It comes in a rugged design, which makes it ideal for extreme grounds.
The detector comes with a discrimination mode for distinguishing treasure from trash and a 2-tone audio mode for transmitting audio signals. There is also an all-metal mode from detecting all kinds of metals.
The detector also has a ground balance feature that enables it to discriminate hidden targets.
It enjoys a 6.7kHz active operating frequency and a disc/notch control that also boosts its target discrimination potential.
Bounty Hunter TK4 has an 8-inch submersible coil and comes with built-in speakers and ¼ inch headset jack.
Relevant Post: Best Sand Proof Beach Blanket
FAQs
1. What Is The Best Metal Detector For The Beach?
It depends on what you want. If you are looking for a kid-friendly option, I recommend the Garrett Ace 400 Metal Detector.
If you are a beginner adult, then you should try out the Fisher F22 Weatherproof Metal Detector with Submersible Search Coil.
However, if you are looking for a detector for everyone at home, then I recommend the Bounty Hunter TK4 Tracker IV Metal Detector.
2. What Accessories Are Best For Beach Treasure Hunting?
I consider powerful headphones, a pinpointer, and a sand scoop to be the most important. Headphones will boost your hearing while a pinpointer will help find small-sized treasures.
You’ll need a sand scoop to uncover the ground before locating hidden treasures.
3. Can I Use A Beach Metal Detector For Scuba Diving?
Most beach metal detectors only have a 10ft submersion range. That makes them unsuitable for scuba diving.
So, unless you get metal detector water and land that has a long submersion range, you shouldn’t use a beach metal detector for scuba diving.
4. Is It Legal To Treasure-Hunt On The Beach Using A Metal Detector?
It’s not illegal to hunt for treasures using metal detectors on most beaches. But still, you should know the state regulations.
You may need a permit to treasure-hint in some beaches while in others, you’ll only be allowed to treasure-hunt on the beach but not the waters.
5. How Deep Can A Metal Detector Reach?
It depends on the detector coil. A majority of beach metal detector only go as deep as 10 inches.
But still, there are a few others, especially those meant for scuba diving, that can locate treasures deeper than 10 inches.
Conclusion
The next time you go to the beach, bring the best metal detector for beach. You can use my guide to help you shop for the most excellent option. Of course, I highly recommend the five products reviewed.
