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5 Best Metal Detectors 2022


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Have you ever seen these kinds of lists on YouTube, Google etc, and wondered where they got the idea to include certain detectors in the list, how in the world they ordered it the way they did, and if they’ve ever even metal detected before? So I’m wondering what actual detectorists would say are the best 5 currently manufactured hobby metal detectors out there right now and maybe why. I’ll start:

1. XP Deus 2

2. Minelab Equinox 800

3. Minelab CTX-3030

4. XP Deus 

5. Nokta Makro Simplex

For #1 some pretty credible people are claiming the Deus 2 is a move forward in the industry. I don’t usually buy brand new detectors, particularly for $1600, but I am now. The Equinox has proven itself as a proper do it all machine. The CTX-3030 is the best discriminator currently offered. Until more is known the Original XP Deus is king of iron infested sites. Finally, The Simplex is the best price to performance ratio on the market. I’m sure that the Legend is going to figure somewhere on many leaderboards, I just haven’t seen enough of it yet to decide where it might fit.  My eyes are certainly on it though. 
 

The idea is not to debate or argue over anyones choices, but just to see what models are consistently popping up and how they differ from some of the pseudo lists we see from year to year from “mainstream” sources.

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Not going to try to talk you out of it. I have no idea what or where you hunt. If you hunt beaches/water and relic sites mostly then your probably good. If you hunt parks and yards or places with lots of modern trash the jury is still out on your selection.

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These lists can be anything from pure marketing mumbo jumbo driven by what model choice will give the author the most money (kickbacks or whatever) to genuine, good-faith analysis to try and inform or help prospective metal detector purchasers.

Before one makes a list, I think they need to explain what the primary motivating factor is. For example, is it value? Overall performance? Specialized performance? Ergonomics? And so on...

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I've seen these lists that even include Chinese generic detectors in the top 5 so I've really never bothered with them, I pity the fools that fall for the lists and make their purchase decisions based on them though.  If you Google "best metal detector" often these lists are high in the rankings and they're so far from accurate it's crazy.

For my needs the Top 5 detectors are

GPZ 7000  (favourite by miles)

GPX 6000 (don't yet own but very much considering, still prefer the GPZ overall)

CTX 3030 (awesome coin hunter)

Equinox 800 (good all rounder)

Garrett 24k (great on the nuggets, even in bad hot rocks)

If that's all that I owned I'd be completely happy.  The only one I'd like to add to make it a Top 6 is the GPX 5000 as it's just so versatile.  I can't decide between the CTX and the Nox which I prefer, for coins it's the CTX but the Nox makes for a great nugget machine, I really can't decide between them.  The Garrett 24k is just an awesome gold machine, but in this day and age specialty machines are becoming less necessary with these multi purpose machines virtually equal to them in performance and usually packed with more features.

Obviously I'm very gold focused, but they're the only detectors I need that is available on the market right now, anything else is just for the fun of using other detectors which I enjoy doing but I certainly could live without any other detectors that exist on the market right now except those listed above.

The stupid thing about these lists is how inaccurate they are even from to the reader might seem to be reliable sources.

When I search "best metal detector" on Google the first one that comes up is a New York Times article/review which says the best metal detector is the Nokta Simplex.

https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-metal-detector/

I just can't agree it's the best metal detector, for any purpose there is a better metal detector.  I don't even use my Simplex, I would if it was the best.

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I think the term "best" is highly subjective when it comes to listing metal detectors. The best machine for me could well be a very poor choice for someone else.

A number of people have asked me which machine they should buy (their first machine). Mostly they aren't sure of what they want, but in general they want the following:

1. Inexpensive

2. Hunt the shore (beach in non-NJ speak) - in water and dry sand.

3. Hunt their yard and parks.

4. Hunt for coins and jewelry.

5. Simple machine that doesn't require a lot of adjustments.

6. Metal detector that tells them the good stuff, so they don't dig trash.

For most I end up recommending one of 3 machines:

1. Simplex

2. Vanquish

3. Apex

When I explain that the Simplex is waterproof, but not a great choice for hunting salt water. And the Vanquish (and Apex) are good at hunting wet salt sand but aren't waterproof (so they aren't a great fit for hunting in the water) - I usually get blank stares.

Most (who asked for my opinion) have been shocked at how much metal detectors cost (we're talking the more entry level machines I've recommended). They'd be horrified at the price of an Equinox 800, a Deus, a Deus II, and especially the CTX 3030. Most would find the more expensive machines far too complicated.

While I (mostly) agree with the OP's list of the top five "best" metal detectors - as far as performance goes - only one of those five machines is going to appeal to the average person who has some interest in getting into the hobby.

I think the reason why Garrett Ace machines and Bounty Hunter machines tend to populate such lists is because they offer an entry into the hobby - at a price that most metal detecting curious people are willing to spend. And those machines do find stuff. In that sense, they are the best.

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1. XP Deus2

2. XP Deus1

3. Quest Q30+

4. ML Eq 800

5. ML Vanquish 540

My kind of hunting :
coin hunting , inland , moderately mineralized soil , medium to high iron trash

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1 hour ago, Cal_Cobra said:

What about the Equinox 1000 Pro?

They may be words you regret 🙂 If the Equinox 1000 Pro Ultra Premium Edition comes out at some point soon we'll all want it, lets face it and I highly doubt we'll be disappointed 🙂  The Equinox is 4 years old now, that's a dinosaur in technology terms and it's still right there with the best of 'em, if not in the lead, the others are playing catch up to a detector that's due for replacement, a dinosaur! a 4 year old computer can't even run the latest Windows, Microsoft deemed it not suitable for Windows 11, killed them all off.

Maybe I'm getting that naming scheme confused with First Texas.  Either way, if the Equinox 1000 comes out I doubt it'll be a flop and won't shake up the market once again, Minelab don't settle for a paint job, although I think we all agree build quality needs to improve.  I think their bottom line with warranty claims may have pointed that out to them, at least I hope so.  It's not wise to offer a three year warranty which is now becoming standard or even more with XP and their 5 year warranty on a detector that's lucky to last three years without some form of fault resulting in a warranty repair.... coil ears, water ingress, wobbly shaft, button failures and the list goes on. 

I just think it's great we have detectors from a range of manufacturers now that are competitive either by offering a lot for your money or performance in different areas excelling over others, not to mention the multi purpose detectors meaning one detector really can do it all and do it well, a good time for detector users and the future looks bright.

Minelab, XP, Garrett and Nokta are doing well at the moment, I look forward to seeing what they all do in the future, not to mention the European brands like Rutus that really need more recognition than they get, hopefully they expand into the worldwide market.

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6 hours ago, Tahts-a-dats-ago said:

1. Inexpensive

2. Hunt the shore (beach in non-NJ speak) - in water and dry sand.

3. Hunt their yard and parks.

4. Hunt for coins and jewelry.

5. Simple machine that doesn't require a lot of adjustments.

6. Metal detector that tells them the good stuff, so they don't dig trash.

 

     I would have added :

     7. Light & easy to sweep

     8. Reliable 

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