Cheap metal detectors

[grubstake]

Mate, you started out with a simple enough query:

So im after a cheap detector for the kids and miss to use when they come out with me as they get a tad board taking a long behind me. Only wanna spend a few hundred, can anyone recommend one

But a few posts later you clarified the specification and said:

So iv been looking and it seems even the 505 is no good for gold. Looking to spend around 500 mark, wanting it for gold and beach work too

So your budget seems to have increased somewhat, but the more clearly specified range of uses means suggestions like Minelab's new Go Find series aren't going to do the job for you; here's why:

Gold is hard - you need sensitivity to tiny nuggets combined with ability to cope with highly mineralised ground. Cheap detectors generally can't do either of these things, much less both. Your only hope at around $500+ would be a used model: Garrett AT Gold, Fisher Gold Bug, Whites MXT, Minelab XTerra 705.

'Beach work' covers two very different areas:
1. Dry sand is easy - almost any detector will handle it OK, some better than others of course.
2. Wet sand is a whole different ball game, with only a select few detectors coping well, none of them within your budget unless used. Minelab multi-frequency machines - Sovereigns and Explorers - would be your best bet, although neither are noted for their success in the goldfields, so that part of your requirement wouldn't be met. Single frequency detectors (eg. Garrett AT Pro, Fisher F5, Whites MXT), aren't impossible to use on wet sand, but they're noisy, making them harder to work with.

Good luck, whatever you choose!

 

[Ridge Runner]

I think you should stop looking at Machines and make 2 lists ONE with Your Primary Goals and one with you secondary uses, If you are serious about detecting then you need to spend about $500 + on a Good Second hand machine To be in with A good chance of finding Gold Because although any Detector just about will find Gold, But the Area's where Gold Is Found The Ground minerals Can Be a Bit Hostile, So just bare that In mind when you are doing your Search.

With the MXT you need the 950/9.5 Coil or the 12"/300 Concentric Coil For the Beach, But with that Big Coil you will be digging some deep holes that's for sure, they are a great setup, So get your self a long Shovel,
The Minelab 705 is a Great machine too, The Tesoro Lobo is a hot prospecting machine running at 17.5 kHz ish,

Any One of these 3 Machines will do the deed, But if you buy A Lobo second hand make sure it is A Late model one because they changed a few bits on the Later ones, Ok

Good Luck,, John

 

[tryhard1968]

Hi John,

I was recently in the same situation as yourself, finding a detector in budget that was easy for the wife and kids to use, I was concerend about weight/ease of use/beach and gold, after much research I went for a secondhand 705. I picked up with 3 coils only 12 months old for $700 and 2 years of warranty remaining. Well I let my 11yo son loose on it and he read the book cover to cover and off he went happily detecting in the Talbot area.He has just found his 1st piece of yellow and he was very excited and loves the 705, he actually keeps telling me that it is better then my ML I let him think so as it drives him to find more then me.

Good luck.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Hi John,

I was recently in the same situation as yourself, finding a detector in budget that was easy for the wife and kids to use, I was concerend about weight/ease of use/beach and gold, after much research I went for a secondhand 705. I picked up with 3 coils only 12 months old for $700 and 2 years of warranty remaining. Well I let my 11yo son loose on it and he read the book cover to cover and off he went happily detecting in the Talbot area.He has just found his 1st piece of yellow and he was very excited and loves the 705, he actually keeps telling me that it is better then my ML I let him think so as it drives him to find more then me.

Good luck.

I think your post is directed to Shortlite, Who is The OP of this Topic,

John

 

[nucopia]

I appreciate reading the post here as every one is putting forward good info on different machines, and Im learning a lot .
So thanks guys

 

[grubstake]

Hi John,
I was recently in the same situation as yourself, finding a detector in budget that was easy for the wife and kids to use, I was concerend about weight/ease of use/beach and gold, after much research I went for a secondhand 705. I picked up with 3 coils only 12 months old for $700 and 2 years of warranty remaining. Well I let my 11yo son loose on it and he read the book cover to cover and off he went happily detecting in the Talbot area.He has just found his 1st piece of yellow and he was very excited and loves the 705, he actually keeps telling me that it is better then my ML I let him think so as it drives him to find more then me.
Good luck.

I think your post is directed to Shortlite, Who is The OP of this Topic,
John

I just hope that DeckyDan reads it too (https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=171672#p171672).

That's a great result by your son, tryhard - congratulations to him!

 

[shortlife]

Ok so you guys have help me, ill just them few and make my mind up from them. I already own a gpx5000 so will be looking forward to my son working the grounds with me

Hi John,

I was recently in the same situation as yourself, finding a detector in budget that was easy for the wife and kids to use, I was concerend about weight/ease of use/beach and gold, after much research I went for a secondhand 705. I picked up with 3 coils only 12 months old for $700 and 2 years of warranty remaining. Well I let my 11yo son loose on it and he read the book cover to cover and off he went happily detecting in the Talbot area.He has just found his 1st piece of yellow and he was very excited and loves the 705, he actually keeps telling me that it is better then my ML I let him think so as it drives him to find more then me.

Good luck.

 

[Rusty]

Looking for a budget wand ...Here ya go kids.. this detector can't be any less useful than the Aldi model that keeps coming up for $95.
But.. it's only $68 - Free postage.
Kogan are an online mob that I have bought a fair bit of stuff from, including a TV for my caravan. I don't expect top quality from them, but the stuff works.

https://www.kogan.com/au/buy/deep-t...tm_term=Deep Target Waterproof Metal Detector

 

[rocketaroo]

wonder why they had to discount them.......

 

[Guest]

I thought they'd put the price up!

 

[Guest]

It would be an absolute hoot to put one of these and a couple of the 'revered' models up against each other and see the wash-up.

You'd have to fall on the ground, clutching your sides in stitches of laughter if it did any good!

 

[GaryO]

Id take the Aldi anyday over that one Rusty.

 

[Goldpick]

Probably one of the reasons why it is cheap is the fact that it takes 2 x 9v batteries, which can be fairly expensive way to run a detector. I guess if it is for the kids, as long as it beeps over metal, it works. The Aldi detector looks a lot easier to use, and actually has discrimination that works, can't complain with Heatho's results from his Aldi.

 

[silver]

But it's waterproof as well,...hand on, just gotta read a bit more to check out these waterproof qualities,.... uh oh,.... waterproof to 20cm,... hardly worth getting your head wet,.... hang on, reading a bit more,... oooohhhhh,.. it's the coil,..the coil is waterproof to 20cm, so don't take that little beauty diving in the shallows at the beach(just incase it gets splashed a bit and dunked),... Be careful Rusty,...you might spend your money and make money,... but don't get it wet above the coil.

 

[Rusty]

Don't worry Silver, I'm not planning to trade in my 2300 to buy of of these.

 

[silver]

One,... you could trade it for 30 of them and rent them at the beach for $10 an hour each,.... just put 10% of the profits back into the sand each night to get the punters in and lining up the next day Rusty.

 

[Martin]

One,... you could trade it for 30 of them and rent them at the beach for $10 an hour each,.... just put 10% of the profits back into the sand each night to get the punters in and lining up the next day Rusty.

:lol:

 

[Rusty]

Food for thought mate..

 

[Digger Danny]

One,... you could trade it for 30 of them and rent them at the beach for $10 an hour each,.... just put 10% of the profits back into the sand each night to get the punters in and lining up the next day Rusty.

What a top idea for the gold coast, I will use Aldi rechargeable battery's and make a killing. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Cheers, DD

 

[silver]

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: