MY METAL DETECTING EQUIPMENT REVIEWS
Welcome to my kit review page! If you’ve been following my live streams, you already know I love digging deep into the gear I use. In these reviews, I’ll break down each metal detector and accessory I rely on, giving you my honest, hands-on feedback. We’ll cover everything—from depth performance to ease of use—so you know exactly what works in the field. Stick around, and let’s get into the details!
MINELAB X-TERRA INTREPID
WEIGTH- SCORE- 7/10, It is light weight at 1.2kg.
DEPTH- 2/10, The depth is actually decent for its price range. Were it will struggle is in difficult ground like wet sand, or mineralised soil conditions.
SEPERATION- 2/10, It features very basic Separation, however if there is iron close to a good target it will most likely be masked out, which would be expected for its price range.
DISCRIMINATION-2/10, It does have an Iron discrimination feature, however this is very limited, expect to dig a lot of iron.
BUILD- 3/10, For its cost, it is great looking with a lovely cammo design. The coil is water proof, but the console is not, so dont get caught in heavy rain without a rain cover. Decent build. It takes 2x 9V batteries, approx 20 hours battery life.
EASE OF USE- 8/10, One of its strong points, very few settings making it a great choice for beginners.
VALUE- 9/10, Normally coming in at £99 it really is great value for money, and a great start point for beginners with a budge of £99.
SUMMARY- 4/10, I have been very honest with this review and have had practical experience with this machine. The Minelab X-Terra intrepid is a great place to start with a budget under £100. You will find coins and good targets, but you will dig a lot of Iron and struggle in difficult areas. Overall though this is a great place to start.
MINELAB VANQUISH 360
WEIGTH- 8/10, Very light weight at 1.1kg.
DEPTH- 6/10, For its cost it has exceptional depth. I have found some really deep small targets with this detector at 10 inches depth.
SEPERATION- 5/10, I have been able to separate targets within a few inches of each other, some targets closer by Iron mya be masked out. It comes with fixed recovery speed for a balanced experience.
DISCRIMINATION- 5/10, Most iron will be discriminated out, were I do struggle slightly is with large deep iron. I dig a lot less iron with the Minelab Vanquish 360 than its peers of the same price range. It is set to fixed Iron bias. The multi IQ on the 360 really helps users enjoy a nice stable experience.
BUILD- 8/10, this is where the Minelab Vanquish 360 really comes to life. To me it looks and feels like the higher end machines, fully water proof to 5m, and charges like a professional machine with a batter life of 10 hours. It has a really solid sleek build, this is currently my no1 recommendation for any beginner.
EASE OF USE- 9/10, One of the strongest points, its ease of use, press on and go and it completes an automatic noise cancel. Then select mode, volume, sensitivity and start swinging.
VALUE- 9/10, this is an absolute bargain for its raw performance, normally going for £259 it is an absolute bargain.
SUMMARY- 7/10, When some asks me what is a good starter, this is always my no1 choice, i often live stream with the Minelab Vanquish 360, and that's for a reason, i know i will perform.
MINELAB X-TERRA ELITE
DEPTH- 8/10. The depth is really impressive with the Minelab X-Terra Elite. have found coins and artefacts deeper than 11 inches depth during my live streams.
SEPERATION- 7/10, I am able to separate good targets amongst Iron targets with ease. The Minelab X-Terra Elite comes with 3 recovery settings to enhance separation when required.
DISCRIMINATION- 7/10, I do not dig up much Iron with the Elite, it is mightily impressive. You can etch out numbers to avoid certain targets, and even make Iron discrimination more aggressive, or less aggressive if required. The Multi frequency on this machine really helps the users have a steady and stable experience.
BUILD- 8/10, i love the look of this machine, it looks the part and acts it too. The detector has a battery life between 8/12 hours, this is a really robust and solid machine.
EASE OF USE- 8/10, There is plenty of customisation to get into with the Minelab X-terra Elite, but not too much. Throw yourself into it and play around with the settings to get the full benefits of the machine.
VALUE- 10/10, The Minelab X-Terra Elites performance is well above its price range, normally retailing at £479, it is a bargain for its performance.
SUMMARY- 8/10, In a nut shell if i had to get rid of my manticore, honestly, this is the machine i would go to. It is a beast, and you dig very little iron with it once you learn the machine. I have had some amazing live streams using the Minelab X-Terra Elite, lots of silvers and artefacts, and hopefully many more to follow.
MINELAB MANTICORE
WEIGTH- 8/10, 1.3kg, lightweight considering it is a high-end machine.
DEPTH- 10/10, The depth is insane, even with the 9 inch coil i am getting small targets down to 15inches +, even on sandy conditions.
SEPERATION- 10/10, The true power of the manticore is not just that it gets deeper, its got savage power to separate targets. i have gone over ground that i have smashed with my Equinox 800, and picked up so much more. Truly supreme depth.
DISCRIMINATION- 10/10, a big part of the Minelab Manticores extra power is its ability to discriminate nearly all Ferrous targets. It has so much additional features that help such as, stabiliser, 2D display, knocking out tones, and the Multi IQ + is a real game changer. I still dig the odd bit of iron, but i normally always call it as that.
BUILD- 9/10, very well built, looks awesome too. Be careful not to apply unnecessary pressure on the carbon shafts. Battery life 8-10 hours.
EASE OF USE- 10/10, there is a bit of a myth floating around that the manticore is complicated to use, that's just not the case, it has all the customisation you need, and has a really easy interface to get used to. If you do struggle drop me a message happy to help out with content i have knocked up.
VALUE- 8/10, This is expensive, but for a reason, there is nothing quite like this on the market currently.
SUMMARY 9/10, It is really hard to imagine a better detector, it is outstanding and gives the users so much information. i have absolutely loved the ride with my manticore, this is going to be my baby for the next 15 years of detecting before looking at an upgrade.
GARRETT PRO-POINTER AT
Sensitivity: 10/10
The sensitivity is fantastic—it’s incredibly responsive. I personally think it’s wicked; it picks up even small targets fast.
Ease of Use: 10/10
It’s super easy—just press and hold the button to toggle between three sensitivity levels. The different tones help guide you, and it’s simple to master quickly.
Depth: 9/10
It offers great depth—it consistently finds coins and small artefacts without fuss.
Final Summary:
The Garrett Pro-Pointer AT is a brilliant all-round pinpointer. With top-notch sensitivity, simple controls, and full waterproofing, it’s my go-to. I can’t recommend it enough!
Average Score: 9.7
emiteR Sand Scoop 200X
Weight: 9/10, 1.7kg. it has got a bit of weight to it, due to the stainless steal scoop, which is much needed.
Performance: 9/10, i have been finding this great for those really deep targets on the wet sand.
Durability: 9/10. this really will stand the test of timem super durable.
Cost: 8/10, on the higher end of the price range for a reason.
Final Summary: The Emita 200X is a lightweight, efficient sand scoop, perfect for beach use and built to last with great value.
Average Score: 9.0
CKG ROUTE SLAYER
Weight: 10/10, At just 1 kg, it’s half the weight of most other shovels—unbelievably light for its strength.
Performance: 9/10, It slices through soil with ease. The slim profile and sharp edge let me get targets out clean and fast.
Durability: 8/10, Solid steel construction—so far, it’s held up well even in tough ground, though I’ll see how it stands over more frequent use.
Cost: 9/10, Excellent value for the performance—it’s affordable for a pro-level tool.Final Summary:
I love this shovel! It’s a total game-changer—so light, efficient, and well-balanced.
Average Score: 9/10