Checklist · 10 picks · 4 categories
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Side quest unlocked: digging up old coins at the park. Metal detecting is cheap to start and weirdly addictive.
Family Handyman's testers ran 11 detectors through air tests and a beach hunt, and their budget pick even comes with headphones and a shovel. Your detector tells you something is down there; a pinpointer, the little handheld wand, tells you exactly where, so you dig a small hole instead of a crater. If the beach is your thing, a fully waterproof detector can go in the surf. Bob Vila's beginner guide and BestReviews' pinpointer picks fill in the rest, plus two detectors sized for kids. Check local rules before you dig, and every card shows the drawback the outlet called out.
Who this is not for. Skip this if you want a metal detector as a one-off gift for a history fan; this list is for actually getting into the hobby, from the detector to a pinpointer.
Tell me what you can spend. I pick a tier for every item, essentials first, and show what is left. The first amount covers everything you need at the cheapest tier.
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Estimates based on typical prices, checked Oct 31, 2026. Prices change; see the store for today's price.
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bounty Hunter TK4 Tracker IV Metal Detector | budget | $50-100 | an easy, affordable first detector | 1 outlet |
| SUNPOW Metal Detector | budget | $50-100 | starting out with headphones and a shovel in the box | 1 outlet |
| Nokta Legend Metal Detector | splurge | $500+ | beach and shallow-water hunts | 1 outlet |
| Minelab Equinox 700 Metal Detector | splurge | $500+ | growing into the hobby without buying twice | 1 outlet |
Best metal detectorbudget pick · Lightweight
Best for an easy, affordable first detector
Family Handyman's best overall metal detector: it detected all of its testers' items and worked in the water on a real beach hunt.
Heads up. The screen was very hard to read, and there's no arm strap
1 outlet. Family Handyman best Overall metal detector.
$50-100
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budget pick · 10 in coil
Best for starting out with headphones and a shovel in the box
Family Handyman's best budget metal detector: its testers found all of their test objects with it, and even a penny in the surf.
Heads up. Poor at detecting gold, and the key is a bit confusing
1 outlet. Family Handyman best Budget metal detector.
$50-100
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Best waterproof detectorsplurge pick · Submersible to 5 m
Best for beach and shallow-water hunts
Family Handyman's best for the beach: it detected every test item from a foot away or less, and picked up gold from about eight inches, farther than most rivals.
Heads up. Its audio was the quietest of all the detectors reviewed, and the all-black buttons can be hard to see
1 outlet. Family Handyman best for the Beach metal detector.
$500+
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splurge pick · 2.8 lb
Best for growing into the hobby without buying twice
Bob Vila's upgrade pick for beginners: an advanced, powerful detector that's still easy enough for beginners to use.
Heads up. Expensive, and may be out of budget for many beginners
1 outlet. Bob Vila upgrade Pick metal detector for beginners.
$500+
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Best metal detectormid pick · 2.8 lb
Best for relic and coin hunting at old parks and fields
Bob Vila's best overall metal detector for beginners: light and adjustable, with five search modes, including Relics, and a numeric target ID.
Heads up. The display screen is on the small side
1 outlet. Bob Vila best Overall metal detector for beginners.
$200-300
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garrett Pro-Pointer AT | mid | $100-150 | zeroing in on a target once your detector beeps | 1 outlet |
| Kuman Pinpointer Metal Detector | budget | $15-25 | a cheap first pinpointer | 1 outlet |
| Pyle Pro Pinpointer Metal Detector | budget | $25-50 | beach days and wet ground | 1 outlet |
Best pinpointermid pick · 0.41 lb
Best for zeroing in on a target once your detector beeps
Bob Vila's best underwater pick: a bright orange, submersible pinpointer with a built-in LED and a scraping edge for sifting sand and soil.
Heads up. It's a pinpointer, so it can't search large areas on its own
1 outlet. Bob Vila best Underwater metal detector for beginners.
$100-150
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budget pick · Handheld
Best for a cheap first pinpointer
BestReviews' feature-packed pinpointer: simple, one-button operation with sound and vibration alerts and 360-degree detection.
Heads up. Only the probe is waterproof, and it has to be right over the object
1 outlet. BestReviews feature-packed pinpointer.
$15-25
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budget pick · Handheld
Best for beach days and wet ground
BestReviews' most versatile pinpointer: it works for objects buried in dirt, sand and water.
Heads up. The battery doesn't last long, and it isn't very sensitive
1 outlet. BestReviews most versatile pinpointer.
$25-50
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Best kids' metal detectorbudget pick · Ages 3 to 12
Best for little kids tagging along on hunts
Family Handyman's best for children: its testers found it picked up all of their test items, and it comes with a journal for logging finds.
Heads up. No screen, and it only detects items about four inches away
1 outlet. Family Handyman best for Children metal detector.
$50-100
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budget pick · 1.5 lb
Best for kids who want their own real detector
Bob Vila's best for kids: easy for children to use right out of the box, with an adjustable length and a simple emoji display.
Heads up. The coil is only water-resistant, so it can't go under water
1 outlet. Bob Vila best for Kids metal detector for beginners.
$50-100
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means three independent outlets recommend a pick, means one, and limited evidence means none has yet. I research these picks. I have not tested them myself. How I pick · Broken link, wrong price range or an outdated pick? Tell me
Family Handyman named the Bounty Hunter TK4 Tracker IV its best overall after it found all of its testers' items, though its screen was very hard to read. Bob Vila's best overall for beginners is the Garrett Ace 300, which has five search modes and a numeric target ID.
Not on day one, but it helps. Bob Vila notes a pinpointer is often used with a larger detector to narrow down exactly where a target is, since a pinpointer alone can't search large areas.
It depends on where you live. The expert Family Handyman spoke to says to make sure metal detecting is allowed in your area, to know your local laws and rules, and to dig carefully so you do as little damage as possible.