# DetectorTested

> Metal detecting guides: beginner, beach, relic and gold detectors, multi-frequency and pulse induction, search coils, pinpointers, digging tools and headphones, plus permission and land-use rules.

DetectorTested publishes metal detecting gear reviews, buying guides and reader discount codes. Every review states who the product suits, the current price from the brand's own store, and any active reader code.

## Key pages
- [Reviews](https://detectortested.com/reviews): every product we recommend
- [Buying guides](https://detectortested.com/guides): how to choose
- [Glossary](https://detectortested.com/glossary): metal detecting gear terms defined
- [How we test](https://detectortested.com/testing-methodology)

## Topics
- [Detectors](https://detectortested.com/category/detectors): Beginner VLF, multi-frequency and pulse induction metal detectors.
- [By ground](https://detectortested.com/category/by-ground): Detectors and setups for beaches and water, relic hunting and gold prospecting.
- [Pinpointers & tools](https://detectortested.com/category/accessories): Pinpointers, digging tools, sand scoops, search coils, headphones and pouches.
- [Hobby basics](https://detectortested.com/category/hobby-basics): Land-use rules, permission, code of ethics, cleaning and storing finds.
- [Prospecting gear](https://detectortested.com/category/prospecting): Gold pans, classifiers, sluices where lawful, scales and storage for recreational prospectors.

## Buying guides
- [Beach Metal Detecting: Detectors, Gear and Tides](https://detectortested.com/guides/beach-metal-detecting-guide): Dry sand is easy for almost any detector, but wet salt sand and the surf are conductive and make single-frequency VLF detectors chatter. Multi-frequency and pulse induction detectors handle salt far better. Go after storms and at low tide, use a long-handled sand scoop with holes sized for your finds, choose a waterproof detector rated for how deep you wade, and check local beach rules first.
- [Gold Prospecting Detectors: Frequency, Ground and Claims](https://detectortested.com/guides/gold-prospecting-detector-guide): Small gold nuggets are faint targets in often heavily mineralized ground. High-frequency VLF detectors, often above about 40 kHz, are sensitive to small gold and are lighter and cheaper. Pulse induction and similar gold-focused technologies cope better with mineralization and reach larger, deeper nuggets. Learn to ground balance, expect hot rocks, and check for active mining claims before you detect.
- [How to Choose Your First Metal Detector](https://detectortested.com/guides/how-to-choose-your-first-metal-detector): Pick a first detector for where you will hunt most. For parks and fields, a light VLF with clear target ID, adjustable discrimination, ground balance and a pinpoint mode is ideal; for beaches, choose a waterproof multi-frequency model. Keep weight low so you can swing it for hours, check that accessory coils are available, and budget for a pinpointer and a digging tool.
- [Metal Detecting Laws and Permission: Where You Can and Can't Detect](https://detectortested.com/guides/metal-detecting-laws-and-permission): Always get permission on private land, ideally in writing. In the US, detecting is prohibited in national parks, and the Archaeological Resources Protection Act makes it illegal to dig or remove archaeological resources over 100 years old from federal and tribal lands. BLM and Forest Service land allow some recreational detecting outside protected sites; state and local parks set their own rules. In England and Wales, the Treasure Act requires reporting treasure.
- [Metal Detecting Pinpointers: Why You Need One and What to Buy](https://detectortested.com/guides/metal-detecting-pinpointer-guide): A pinpointer is a handheld probe that finds the exact spot of a target in the hole, cutting recovery time and damage to the ground and the find. Choose one with a waterproof rating that suits where you hunt, adjustable sensitivity, a bright color, a lost alarm and, if your detector supports it, wireless pairing. Switch it on away from the detector's coil to avoid interference.
- [Metal Detector Search Coils: Size, DD vs Concentric and Compatibility](https://detectortested.com/guides/search-coil-size-guide): Small coils (about 5 to 6 inches) separate targets in trashy parks and reach tight spots. Standard coils (about 9 to 11 inches) balance coverage and separation. Large coils (13 inches and up) cover ground faster and reach deeper on larger targets but struggle among trash. DD coils handle mineralized ground and give a wide sweep; concentric coils pinpoint well in mild soil. Coils only fit their own detector models.
- [VLF vs Multi-Frequency vs Pulse Induction Metal Detectors](https://detectortested.com/guides/vlf-vs-multi-frequency-vs-pulse-induction): Single-frequency VLF detectors are affordable, light and discriminate well between targets, making them strong in parks and fields. Multi-frequency detectors run several frequencies at once, so they handle wet salt sand and mineralized soil far better while keeping good target ID. Pulse induction (PI) detectors ignore salt and heavy mineralization and reach deep, but discriminate poorly, so you dig more iron. Match the technology to your ground.

Contact: info@detectortested.com