What is the best metal detector for under $200?
If you want to purchase a metal detector, it’s easy to spend $500 plus for one. However, there are great metal detectors under $200. Most people can’t go wrong with the ACE 200 Metal Detector. I review a few metal detectors that are solid tools for beginners and more experienced users. There’s even a metal detector that routinely sells for under $150 from time to time.
Garrett ACE 200 Metal Detector
The ACE 200 Metal Detector is what most beginners start with. It’s a great metal detector. You will not go wrong if you purchase this metal detector. In addition to being a great metal detector, the team at Garrett makes great instructional videos. This video goes over the features in-depth of the ACE 200 and takes less than 13 minutes to watch.
Garrett ACE 200 Metal Detector Key Features
- Digital target id with a scale of 0 – 99 for more target information
- Three Preset Search Modes
- Coin depth indicator
- Battery Powered (4 – AA batteries)
- Four Sensitivity adjustments
Garrett ACE 200 Metal Detector Rating
The Garrett ACE 200 Metal Detector has a 4.5 out of 5 stars with 680 reviews on Amazon. This metal detector has the best overall score and a lot of ratings.
SUNPOW OT-MD04 Metal Detector
The features I love about the SUNPOW OT-MD04 Metal Detector are that you can use it in water and you have multiple (4) modes of operation. The really increases the terrain where you can use the detector. It uses 2 9V batteries. I like 18V versus 6V when you use 4 AA batteries seen with other detectors. At this time the SUNPOW OT-MD04 Metal Detector is on sale for $127.49. It’s normally listed at $149.99.
SUNPOW OT-MD04 Metal Detector Key Features
- 10″ Deeper Detection Depth
- 4 Modes of Operation
- Battery Powered (2 – 9v batteries)
- IP68 Waterproof Search Coil
SUNPOW OT-MD04 Metal Detector Rating
The SUNPOW OT-MD04 Metal Detector has a 4.4 out of 5 stars with 299 reviews on Amazon at the time of writing this article. That’s a health score and a number of ratings.
Fisher F11 Metal Detector
Fisher is a well-known brand that produces great products. This includes the Fisher F11 Metal Detector. The detector is packed with features to find coins, jewelry, and other metal treasure buried in the ground. What I like about the Fisher F11 is its weight. This machine is only 2.3 pounds. You can hold it all day and not be tired.
Fisher F11 Metal Detector Key Features
- 3 Modes of Operation: JEWELRY, COIN, ARTIFACT
- 4-Tone Audio-ID
- 7-Inch Concentric Elliptical Waterproof Searchcoil
- Ultra-lightweight Only 2.3 lbs
Fisher F11 Metal Detector Rating
The Fisher F11 Metal Detector has a 4.5 out of 5 stars with 69 reviews. Not as many as others on the list. However, you can see people have purchased this metal detector and appreciate the performance.
PANCKY PK0075 Metal Detector
This one is tough. I’ve been aware of the PANCKY PK0075 for a while now. Normally this metal detector is over $200. I decided to add it to the list because it is a great metal detector. However, I’m not sure if this detector will stay under $200.
PANCKY PK0075 Metal Detector Key Features
- 5 Modes of Operation
- 10inch Waterproof Search Coil
- Battery Powered (2 – 9v batteries)
PANCKY PK0075 Metal Detector Rating
The PANCKY PK0075 Metal Detector has a 4.3 out of 5 stars with 1719 reviews on Amazon when I wrote this. I know there are a lot of reviews, but two things. Yes, this detector has the most reviews. Many more reviews than the rest of the metal detectors. The overall rating is 4.3, which is good. This metal detector has the overall lowest score.
Additional considerations when looking for the best metal detector for under $200
Many hobbyist metal detectors will not recommend most of these. The biggest reason is due to their years of experience. Most feel if you put a little more in, say around $500, you will get a true starter metal detector.
I will not argue with their point. I will say if you’re just starting out and want to figure out if you really want to get into metal detecting on your own, any of the detectors reviewed in this post will get you there.
Is metal detecting a good side hustle?
Here at Gigsonline, we love to talk about side hustles. The cool thing about metal detecting is that it’s an interesting outdoor hustle. You can metal detect in the summer or winter. Whatever you find metal detecting can be sold to a pawn shop or on eBay. Yes, metal detecting is a good side hustle.
Disclosure: I may receive affiliate compensation for some of the links below at no cost to you if you decide to purchase any detector. This site is not intending to provide financial advice. This is for entertainment only.