Best Metal Detector for Gold 2020

“There’s gold in dem dar Hills” according to the old movies, and there certainly is! There could also be gold in your back garden (unlikely if you live in a city) or somewhere in the locality. But how can you find it? Unfortunately, there are no treasure maps on the general sale with a large X marking the spot. So, before you pack your shovel and panning tray, the hunt is on for the best metal detector for gold you can find.

Your chances of finding gold are absolutely zero unless you have the right equipment to assist you and that means the right detector. Ranging in price from very inexpensive to extremely pricey, gold and metal detectors come in all shapes and sizes but there are basically just two types.

Types of Gold Detectors

The sort of terrain you are exploring will largely determine which type of gold detector is best.

  • VLF (Very Low Frequency). VLF circuits are extremely sensitive to gold. Unfortunately, they also pick up signals from the more common elements that are usually found in gold prospecting areas. However, VLF detectors can be fine-tuned to eliminate most, but not all, of the returned signals from other minerals and metals present in the ground.
  • PI (Pulse Induction). PI gold detectors are useful for finding larger nuggets of gold that are deeper below ground and are not as susceptible to picking up readings from other minerals that are present.

Another factor to be considered is whether to opt for a Widescan or Concentric Searchcoil.

  • Widescan Searchcoil. As the name implies, a Widescan Searchcoil is good for covering larger areas of ground but not very sensitive to smaller deposits or nuggets of gold.
  • Concentric Searchcoil. These coils are more discriminating and will pick up the smallest traces of gold in the soil and can be tuned to filter out other common minerals.

Top 6 Metal Detectors for Gold Overview

Picture NameType VLF/PI PriceRating (1-5)
Picture
Name
Type VLF/PI
Price
Rating (1-5)
1. Garrett Pro-Pointer Metal Detector PI$$4.8
2. Garrett AT Pro Metal Detector VLF$$$$4.7
3. Fisher Gold Bug Metal Detector VLF$$$$4.7
4. Bounty Hunter Discovery 3300 VLF$$$4.5
5. Bounty Hunter TK4 Tracker IV VLF$4.3
6. Bounty Hunter Gold Digger VLF$4.2

Top 3 Best Metal Detectors for Gold Reviews

1. Garrett 1166000

This metal detector from Garrett gets top marks from me in all the important categories. Whether you are a serious gold hunter or just fooling about looking for coins, the Garrett Pro-Pointer is the detector to rely on.

There are three sensitivity levels with the maximum setting being best for pinpointing nuggets and other small pieces of gold. When you have located a target, you can quickly re-tune the detector to block out background interference and narrow the detection field. Straight away, the saving in wasted time is huge as you can pinpoint a target with extreme precision.

Little features such as being able to measure distances in inches or centimeters, the single-button controls for retuning or adjusting the sensitivity levels and a locating signal should you lose the detector are just the icing on the cake for what is, to my mind, the best metal detector for gold presently on the market.

2. Garrett AT Pro

Another great metal detector from the Garrett line and, before you ask, NO, I am not on a retainer with the company. It just cannot be denied that the two best metal detectors I have tested are both manufactured by Garrett.

The AT Pro is in some ways even better than the Pro-Pointer in that it is waterproof and submersible up to a depth of ten feet. Salt or freshwater makes no difference to the AT Pro which makes it ideal for days on the beach or at the lake. Of course, if gold is your chosen target, the AT Pro can handle that as well. Simply adjust the settings to the correct frequency to block out interference from other metals.

Being a VLF metal detector, the AT Pro is extremely sensitive to gold once properly tuned but with six search modes and eight sensitivity adjustments possible, if there is gold present you will find it with the AT Pro, be it on land or in water.

3. Fisher GOLDBUG

Manufacturers Fisher claims that their Gold Bug metal detector is the best on the market for finding gold. That may or not be true but it is an excellent detector and very simple to use. Its simplicity of use is probably the biggest attraction as the Gold Bug has just two search modes. Select either “all metal” or “discriminate” and away you go.

Another great thing about the Gold Bug is that it is designed to penetrate deeper through the toughest ground to pinpoint gold and isn’t that what we all want? The LCD display is not only accurate but also large, which makes life much easier for us budding prospectors as we don’t have to squint to see the target response.

I can’t vouch for the manufacturers’ claim to be the best metal detector for gold but the Fisher Gold Bug is certainly up there with the best of them!

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