The Best Metal Detectors of 2026

The Garrett ACE 300 has a very reasonable price tag and offers five search modes, depth adjustments, and a good balance of beginner-friendly controls and advanced performance. Its search coil is submersible, so you can safely hunt in the water, and it’s got a range of up to eight inches deep and wide.

It measures for copper, silver, and gold levels, and it comes with a pair of Garrett ClearSound headphones. It’s a popular choice among Amazon shoppers, with hundreds of rave reviews.

This affordable Fisher offers weatherproofing, 25 to 30 hours of battery life (on a pair of AAs), and some useful features. It has modes for coins, jewelry, artifacts, and customizability, and will let you know when it’s found iron.

The search coil is submersible, and it’s extra lightweight at just over two pounds. As for the type of terrain to use it on, reviewers found that it didn’t work well on wet beaches, and it can be a little tricky to dial in what you’re looking for, but most users were thrilled with the value here.

At $599, the Garrett AT Pro is a midrange model from one of the most trusted brands in metal detection. It comes with a pinpointer, a digger tool, and headphones, giving you everything you need to get serious about your new hobby in one handy package.

Reviewers have praised its accuracy, the flexible yet intuitive controls, and the easy-to-use modes for those new to metal and gold prospecting. It runs on four AA batteries, and its all-black design looks fantastic.

The XP Deus is a waterproof metal detector, has flexible controls, and comes with a five-year warranty, offering high-end performance in a sleek, simple package. “This is the one to get,” one reviewer wrote. “It gives you a ton of useful information before you decide to dig.”

The Deus comes with a remote control, a hip-mount case for the remote, and full-sized wireless headphones. It’s got a variety of detection modes with a high degree of sensitivity (across 35 frequencies).

This kid-approved metal detector is great for the little ones who love a bit of mystery and exploration. As a light 1.4 pounds, this detector is easy to handle and great to bring to places like the beach and desert. The waterproof dual coil can be adjusted to dodge false discoveries of things like coins and small metal items. Based on reviews, many note that the detection is inconsistent and only works if objects are very close to the surface.

When an object is found, this detector makes it easy to know. It beeps and illuminates an LED light whenever it hits the prize. The comfortable, padded arm can be adjusted as long as 39 inches. It can also be removed for easy travel, which allows this detector to pack down as short as 24 inches in length.

Sitting at a mid-price range, the Minelab Vanquish 540 is fully adjustable, collapsible, lightweight, and comes with everything you need to dive into your new treasure-hunting hobby. It’s got a pair of wired headphones, a pinpointer, and other accessories, and the coil is waterproof—though you’ll probably want to stay out of heavy rain.

“I was amazed,” one user wrote of “its ability to ID different metals.” It offers three modes tailored for jewelry, coins, and “relics.

Affordable and user friendly, the Bounty Hunter Tracker IV is strong enough to ensure extreme conditions in the ground. Its disc notch makes it easy to determine if you’re hitting a pile of treasure or unwanted metal items. Reviewers find that it’s great for the price and is easy to use, making it more suitable for beginner treasure hunters.