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When you are looking at buying a metal detector there are a wide range of brands to choose from. Some brands are more popular than others, but is that because they are better than other brands or is it just because they have a bigger marketing budget and are stocked by the mainstream dealers?
So for a bit of idle amusement lets take a look at the brands of metal detectors available in the UK and group them into tiers or maybe leagues like football teams, so who is in the Premier League and who is in the Amateur League.
Premier League Metal Detector Brands
Minelab Metal Detectors
Minelab are an Australian Company that pretty much dominate the metal detecting world with amazing detectors at almost every price point.
The entry level Go Find models are entry level machines designed for complete beginners who are just dipping their toe into the hobby and just need an inexpensive model for a bit of holiday fun or maybe as a gift for someone.
Then there are the Vanquish models which are Simultaneous Multiple Frequency Machines at a surprisingly low price. The only criticism I would have of the Vanquish range is that they maybe look at little basic and they aren’t waterproof but they will give you an incredible start to your new hobby of metal detecting.
Sitting above Vanquish are the X-Terra models, great detectors that fill that middle ground between pure entry level and full on serious enthusiast targeted machines.
The most popular models from Minelab are their Equinox models that are probably the most widely used metal detector by those who have got hooked on the hobby and moved on to upgrade their detectors to something better.
At the very top of the mainstream Minelab family of metal detectors is the Manticore, a truly incredible piece of equipment. However that isn’t where the range actually ends. The Minelab CTX3030 is an older machine that costs more than the Manticore but for those who understand it, it is still a beast of a metal detector.
For the price of a small used car you can buy one of Minelabs specialist detectors such as the GPX5000, GPX6000 and GPX7000, but these are very specialised high end detectors that are way beyond what the typical metal detectorist needs.
So, no wonder Minelab have the market pretty much sewn up. They have a complete range of metal detectors from entry level models for children and beginners right through to high end specialist machines, and of course all the metal detector dealers stock Minelab, and why wouldn’t they?
Nokta Metal Detectors
Nokta are a brand based in Turkey that have pulled out all the stops with a range of detectors that competes head on with Minelab in almost every area.
Their entry level childrens detectors are the Mini Hoard and Midi Hoard models along with their budget starter detector the 1st Swing.
Next up in the range are the Simplex models which was the model that first established Nokta as a serious mainstream metal detector brand. Since the launch a few years ago the Simplex range has been expanded to cover three variants the Lite, Ultra and BT.
Sitting virtually alongside the Simplex range is the newer Score range. These are all Simultaneous Multi Frequency models called the Score, Double Score and Triple score. All incredibly well made, fully waterproof models at great prices.
Nokta’s top mainstream model is the Legend, a great metal detector that competes head on with the Equinox from Minelab.
Just like Minelab, Nokta have a high end specialist model, in this case it is the Invenio, this is part metal detector, part ground scanner but at an eye watering price, so definitely for those with very deep pockets.
XP Metal Detectors
XP is a french company, their range is fairly limited with just three models occupying the mid to high end, but they have an incredibly loyal following and their metal detectors are as good as you will get for most people. They specialise in ultra lightweight wireless metal detectors.
The range is essentialy centred around the XP Deus, once you get to know your Deus and are accustomed to its lightweight and amazing detecting ability it is just hard to imagine using anything else.
Their entry level model is the ORX, which is essentially a Deus that is even easier to operate, it has the same power, just an easier user interface. Then above the ORX you have the Deus itself, almost identical in appearance but with a few more customisable features.
Above the Deus is the Deus II an improved, higher powered, sumultaneous multiple frequency, fully waterproof version of the original Deus. That is the complete XP range, but it is enough to make them a direct competitor to Minelab and Nokta, very different but very capable.
Championship League Metal Detector Brands
Sitting below the big three we have some brands that didn’t quite make it into the Premier League, but that doesn’t mean that the detectors they make are not as good, it just means that for one reason or another, they are just not as popular as the top 3 metal detector brands.
Garrett Metal Detectors
Garrett are a USA brand and as such have a massive and loyal following, particularly in the USA. They are a long established brand that at one time could have made it into the Premier League, but over the years they have just been left behind as technology has moved on. They are trying to make a comeback with the newly launched Vecor model, but is it too little, too late to compete with the big three?
The entry level models are the ACE models starting with the basic 150, 200, 300 and 400 models, all capable machines but just not enough to make them stand out from their competitors. The ACE Apex is actually a very good machine and the AT Pro and AT Max models are pretty amazing, but we are looking at the range as a whole and how it compares to the ranges from other manufacturers.
Garrett have recently launched their Vortex model. The concept is that you can pay for downloadable upgrades, so the entry level V5 specification can become the V7, which in turn can become the V9. All very admirable but if the machine itself isn’t up there with its competitors then it won’t catch on anyway.
For me the Apex and AT Pro/AT Pro are the only Garrett machines worth considering, until Garrett revamp there entry level machines they will always struggle to compete with Minelab and Nokta.
C.Scope Metal Detectors
C.Scope are a British company with a range designed and built in the UK. There beginnings go back to the 1970’s and from then through to maybe the mid 1990’s, they were probably the market leader in metal detectors, certainly in the UK anyway. The USA had White’s which were in a similar position, but they no longer exist.
Now C.Scope have fallen behind the market leaders. They still produce some amazing metal detectors, but the problem is that they just look at bit basic and old fashioned compared to others. They don’t even have displays and are operated by old fashioned twiddly knobs. Its an image problem, not necessarily a performance problem. Give them a go and put your scepticism to one side and you might be pleasantly surprised by these ‘old school’ looking metal detectors.
C.Scope did try to take a step forward by launching a more modern machine with a display, it looked the part, but sadly they very quickly realised that it had some serious issues and quietly withdrew it. Hopefully C.Scope will eventually take a step forward with a new model, but for now they are capable but a little old fashioned.
Quest Metal Detectors
Quest are a Chinese brand that are really one to watch. They make some really good metal detectors, the quality and performance is all there, they just haven’t quite made the leap into the Premier League just yet, but the way they are going they might just make it. It is one of the newest brands out there, but the only one in many years that has been good enough for the established metal detector dealers to stock and support.
Their detectors perform well, look the part and are waterproof and are rechargeable. The entry level models are the great looking X5 and X10, sitting above them is the Q35, then at the top of the range are the V60 and V80. These two V models, on paper, are good enough to to take on and beat the Nokta Legend and Minelab Equinox models, so just maybe give them a chance because they really are that good. They just need to build a bit more of a following to step up into the Premier League.
Fisher Metal Detectors
Another USA brand that also have the brand Teknetics. These are really good metal detectors that shouldn’t be overlooked. Lightweight with good performance. Just not quite well known enough and with too small a range to get out of the Championship League.
Third Division Metal Detector Brands
I am probably being harsh here calling these Third Division because these Metal Detector brands are actually really good, they just fall behind the others not because of their capability, but because of their availability and popularity, two things that go hand in hand. If they cannot easily be bought then they will not be as popular. So lets take a look at the metal detector brands that are actually really good but don’t get the recognition that they really should
Rutus Metal Detectors
This Polish brand is understandably very popular in Poland and with Polish detectorists all around the world. They currently have two models the Versa and the Atrex, specification wise they are okay, price wise maybe a little more expensive than some of their competitors. They appear to be very good well thought of machines but the fact that the main dealers don’t stock them and that the other mainstream brands offer something at least as good, for maybe a bit less money, is always going to leave them left in the shadows of the others. Always worth a look at if you can find one.
Golden Mask Metal Detectors
Another very well thought of brand. This bulgarian company have some interesting models with a strong loyal following. Like C.Scope they can look a bit old fashioned with a panel of twiddly knobs. Some do have a display, but they look fairly simple in design. In you can find one, maybe give them a go, because their owners swear by them.
Tarsacci Metal Detectors
An odd one this one. There just seems to be one model the MDT8000, they aren’t readily available and they aren’t cheap, but there is something oddly appealing about this little known metal detector brand.
Dr Otek Metal Detectors
Kind of popular but kind of very entry level. Very generic looking and average performance. There is better out there but if you want a cheap entry into metal detecting then why not, after all that is exactly what the brand is about, getting you easily and cheaply into metal detecting. If you get hooked then you can always upgrade later.
Bounty Hunter Metal Detectors
Exactly the same comments apply. These are designed as a cheap entry point into metal detecting. I once bought a Bounty Hunter Tracker IV to get me back into detecting after being out of it for 20 years, never found anything interesting with, but I probably only ever took it out twice. If the budget won’t stretch to anything better then maybe give one a go.
Amateur League Metal Detector Brands
Here we have all the rest of the unknown brands that pop up on Amazon and eBay. Essentially the advice is to probably steer clear. If its a relatively unknown brand then there is probably a reason why. Is it build quality? Is it performance, either way if the brand isn’t listed above then probably best to steer clear. Here we find brands like Sunpow, Kaiweets, Hazlewolke and a multitude of other strange sounding names. They are probaly no worse than some of our Division Three brands but you just don’t know, so maybe best not to go there.
