If you were considering treasure hunting with a metal detector, you will find a large difference between costs and features. Many of the current magazines on treasure hunting will look at the cost of metal detectors based strictly on performance, not any of the enhancements that can be purchased. Next, the amount of hunting you will be doing is taken into consideration, which is where you can start adding some of the “bells and whistles”, if you want. Additionally, a non-motion, all-metal detector that has a fast cutoff and auto tune should be mandatory on your list regardless of the hunting you plan to do
Although this is a good way to approach buying a metal detector, remember that when you start, you need to know the three primary guidelines:
Whether you will be focusing most of your treasure hunting on coins – discrimination is critical
If you will be cache hunting, which means you need a detector that offers good depth and the option of larger search coils
If you will be hunting for prospecting purposes, looking for jewelry, or other valuables whereby you need to have the ability to ground balance
Look in the price range of the particular manufacturers whose models can provide the features that are needed specifically for you. When you find several detectors that you like, separate them first by features, next by performance, and finally by warranty. This will help identify detectors that will give you more for your money. Always remember that just because a detector is more expensive over another model that does not mean it is better or capable of more depth.
Every manufacturer has built-in costs, which helps to cover their marketing and merchandising, which is a standard practice in business. You will find that some businesses are quite elaborate, which allows them to dramatically increase the cost of the detector while others are straight forward in the way they conduct business. You can be assured that regardless of how the detector is presented, all merchandise has costs attached, meaning you never get anything free.
Another consideration is that some metal detectors are imported, which means even more costs are attached, such as freight, customs, duty fees, etc. While these detectors may be promoted as being superior, chances are they are no better than a good quality detector found locally. The best defense you can have when shopping for a detector is to walk in with knowledge, which give you buying power.
Check consumer guides to determine which detectors perform better than other detectors and then take those high performing detectors, matching them to your specific needs. The result is that you will have a better idea of which metal detectors are right for you. Although it would be nice to trust every salesperson, you need to take matters into your own hands by understanding how detectors work. Remember, it is your responsibility to ensure you get what you want and need, which is exactly why empowerment is so important.