Buying guide
Best budget metal detectors
For most budgets, start with the Nokta Simplex Lite or the Garrett ACE 200, both base models of their ranges. Of the five with a maker spec sheet, only the Simplex Lite is rated as a whole, submersible to 16 ft (5 m).
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The picks
Five simple models from detector makers, then two SUNPOW detectors. We show no prices; each button opens the listing with today's price.
1. Nokta Simplex Lite
The base model that gives up the least: IP68 to 16 ft and Field, Park, Beach and All Metal modes. A built-in 2300 mAh lithium battery means no cells to buy.
2. Garrett ACE 200
Garrett's simplest ACE: 6.5 kHz and three search modes. It runs on 4 x AA (included), and the warranty runs 3 years, limited parts and labor.
3. Minelab Go-Find 11
Minelab's lightest detector on file, 2.2 lb, with two modes, Non-Ferrous and All Metal. Its target ID has 4 segments.
4. Bounty Hunter Tracker IV
All Metal, Tone and Full Discrimination modes on 6.6 kHz, with an analog meter. Its published runtime is 20-25 h (alkaline).
5. Bounty Hunter Gold Digger
The plainest of all: All Metal and Discrimination at 2.2 lb, with no target ID scale (listed as None). For someone who wants to swing and dig.
6. SUNPOW OT-MD16
A rechargeable detector whose title names five search modes, six metal IDs and an IP68 waterproof coil.
7. SUNPOW MD13 kit
An 8-inch waterproof coil and four modes, per its title, which calls it a kit without listing what else is in the box.
The frames show the facts each Amazon listing names, checked Oct. 17, 2026. We have no maker spec sheet on file for these products.
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Side by side
The same facts for every pick with a maker's spec sheet, read on each maker's page. Open a model for its full spec sheet.
| Model | Frequencies | Waterproofing | Weight | Coil | Battery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nokta Simplex Lite | 15 kHz | 16 ftDetector, IP68, 5 m | 2.6 lb1.2 kg | 9.5 x 6-inchSX24, elliptical, DD | 2300 mAh lithium polymer, built in |
| Garrett ACE 200 | 6.5 kHz | CoilWaterproof part | 2.75 lb1.25 kg | 6.5 x 9-inchPROformance, elliptical, concentric | 4 x AA (included) |
| Minelab Go-Find 11 | 8 kHz | 3.3 ftCoil only, 1 m | 2.2 lb1.0 kg | 8-inchrectangular, monoloop | 4 x AA (not included) |
| Bounty Hunter Tracker IV | 6.6 kHz | CoilWaterproof part | 2.6 lb1.2 kg | 8-inch | 2 x 9 V (not included) |
| Bounty Hunter Gold Digger | 6.6 kHz | CoilWaterproof part | 2.2 lb1.0 kg | 7-inch | 2 x 9 V (not included) |
Sources: Nokta (Oct. 17, 2026), Garrett (Oct. 16, 2026), Minelab (Oct. 16, 2026), First Texas Products (Oct. 16, 2026).
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How to choose
Know what you give up
Base models drop features. The Vanquish 340 shows it: its target ID reads -19 to 40 (5 segments). The Vanquish 540 reads -19 to 40 (25 segments).
Count the batteries
Some prices hide a trip to the store. The Tracker IV needs 2 x 9 V (not included). The ACE 200 ships with its AA cells, and the Simplex Lite has a built-in battery.
Water where you hunt
A waterproof coil covers wet grass. For the beach, the Simplex Lite is the one base model here rated as a whole, IP68 to 16 ft.
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What to know before you buy
We show no prices. They change from day to day, and the Amazon page has the current one.
We have no SUNPOW spec sheet on file, so we quote no weight or water rating for its two detectors. On Oct. 16, 2026, both listings were sold by the brand's own store.
A cheap copy of a known model is not a budget model. Check the seller before you pay. On Oct. 16, 2026, each listing here was sold new by Amazon, the brand, a detecting dealer or an outdoor retailer.
We do not promise a detection depth, on a budget model or any other.
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Questions
Answered from the makers' pages, read Oct. 16, 2026.
If you want to wade, the Nokta Simplex Lite, rated IP68 to 16 ft. If you stay on dry ground, the Garrett ACE 200 is ready out of the box, with 4 x AA (included).
They find gold jewelry and coins within range of the coil, like any metal. Gold models run higher because small nuggets are hard to pick up. These run 6.5 to 15 kHz where published, against 45 kHz on the Gold Monster 1000.
The Go-Find 11 and Gold Digger, both at 2.2 lb, among the five with a published weight.
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