Metal Detector Comparison Chart

The difference between fully waterproof, waterproof coil and weather-resistant is how much of the detector can go underwater. A fully waterproof detector can be submerged, control box included, to its rated depth, so you can wade, snorkel or dive with it. With a waterproof coil only, the coil can go underwater but the control box must stay dry, which suits wet sand and shallow wading. Weather-resistant means rain is fine, but never submerge it. See our waterproof metal detectors and beach metal detectors.

The waterproof depth rating does not tell you how deep a metal detector can detect. It is how deep the detector can safely go underwater, for example 5 m (16 ft). Detection depth depends on target size and shape, ground mineralization, coil size and settings, so no single number fits every hunt. In our experience, larger coils reach deeper but are less sensitive to small targets. Our guide how deep do metal detectors go gives real-world ranges by target.

Choosing between VLF, multi-frequency and pulse induction comes down to where you hunt. A VLF detector runs one frequency and suits coins, relics and small gold in mild ground. Multi-frequency transmits several frequencies at once and stays steadier on wet salt sand and mineralized soil. Pulse induction pushes through heavily mineralized gold ground and black sand but discriminates junk less well. Filter the chart by Detection Technology, then browse VLF, multi-frequency or pulse induction detectors.

To find the detectors in our chart that work for gold prospecting, choose Gold Prospecting Detectors under the Detector Type filter. In mild ground, high-frequency VLF detectors are sensitive to small nuggets. In heavily mineralized ground, pulse induction handles the ground better and reaches larger gold at depth. Add the Detection Technology filter to narrow it further, then click the Frequencies header to sort by frequency. Browse all gold detectors or read our gold metal detector guide.

To find detectors for kids and beginners, use the Skill Level filter: Suitable for Kids marks models sized for children, and Beginner / Intermediate covers detectors that are easy to start with and leave room to grow. In our experience, weight and simple controls matter more than technology at this stage, so open More specs to see Weight. Browse kids metal detectors, beginner and intermediate detectors or our kids detector guide.

The specs in our metal detector comparison chart come from each manufacturer's published specifications and user manuals. The chart reads the same product data as our product pages, so when we update a spec, the chart changes with it. A cell marked Not listed means that spec is not in our data for the model yet, not that the detector lacks the feature. For our picks rather than raw specs, see our metal detector comparison guides.