You can buy metal detectors in a number of ways. Whether you decide on a new one, a used one, a local purchase, or online, they are out there waiting for you.
You can buy a metal detector through various online stores, big box stores online or in-person, online auction sites, internet classified sites, and other detectorists. Here’s the scoop!
One more thing to consider is purchasing used versus new. That will impact price and perhaps even your equipment’s lifespan.
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Where to buy metal detectors?
Buying Online
One of the easiest ways to shop for and buy a metal detector is online. This method allows you to compare features, see pictures, and read reviews.
Do your research and take the reviews with a grain of salt. Some sites suffer from fake reviews and some seem to favor only good reviews, filtering out unhappy customers. Look for a mix of reviews and balance them against each other.
Buy at Amazon
One site that most everyone knows is Amazon, and they have a large selection of metal detecting equipment. One good thing about Amazon is that they try to crack down on fake reviews and have a good “star” rating system.
TIP: To compare similar items on Amazon, hover over the area with the stars and number of reviews. You’ll see a dropdown that shows the percentage of reviews for each star. A similar product (for example two metal detector pinpointers
) may have 134 reviews with 80% 5 stars, 15% 4 stars, and 5% 2 stars. A comparable pinpointer may have 212 reviews with 60% 4 stars, 30% 2 stars, and 10% 1 star. That should give you a feeling for the two products.
When you read their reviews, you’ll many times see the words “Verified Purchase”. This means they’ve verified that the person writing the review purchased the product at Amazon and didn’t receive the product at a deep discount.
Buy at Treasures In America
Metal Detectors – Treasures In America
Buy at CKG Scoops
CKG quality metal detecting scoops
Buy at Big Box Stores (Online and Brick & Mortar)
gear at big box storesYou can read reviews on metal detecting equipment at many big box store websites. You’re likely to have a physical store nearby as well. If the store has metal detectors on display, it’ll give you a great chance to ask questions, perhaps get a demo, or get your hands on it.
You may want to compare prices online, ahead of going to the store, in case they’re running an online special.
These big-box stores are known for selling metal detectors and some metal detecting equipment (both online and in-store) and are worth checking out:
Should you buy a cheap metal detector?
Maybe. Do your research. They’re not all bad, but please check my article about cheap metal detectors for some things you should consider.
Using Online Marketplaces
Online marketplaces like eBay, Facebook Marketplace, and Craigslist are good places to find used metal detectors and accessories. They have their good points and less good points, and “buyer beware” is the watch phrase.
| COMPARISON OF ONLINE MARKETPLACES | eBay | Facebook Marketplace | Craigslist |
| Has seller reputation rating | X | X | |
| Consider in-person meeting safety or bring a friend | X | X | |
| May require cash in hand | X | X | |
| Be wary of scams and/or being asked for personal information during the transaction | X | X | |
| Easy to create fake profiles | X | X | |
| Purchase Protection policies (read their latest version to confirm) | X | X |
Risks
If you Google “risk of using (fill in the blank)” you can find additional information to make your transaction smooth and safe. Here are three sites I checked when writing this article:
Other options on where to buy metal detectors
Since people who use metal detectors are a great source of information, and also upgrade from time to time.
Following along on metal detecting Facebook groups or pages will help you pick up some good tips on equipment.
Also looking for local metal detecting clubs may point you to some friendly folks who can let you try a metal detector or who may know someone who’s selling one. Try Googling “metal detecting clubs near me” and if you see one, great! If not, it may list local shops and they could point you to one.
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