Ask any treasure hunter: gold nuggets are the best thing to find. No need to put hours into studying treasure history or understanding its true value, and no need to bother about laws protecting the historical item. You find it, you keep it, is the rule here.
The search for gold has a lot of history in America, from panning to mining! Today people can continue the search using metal detectors.
Hunting for gold is an exciting and rewarding hobby, but it takes the right set of tools and proper techniques for you to hit the jackpot. Choosing the best metal detector for gold can be challenging. You should be putting hours into the best gold detector selection rather than wasting days with the wrong one.
Here is the ABC of how to select a good metal detector for gold and provide tips for successful gold prospecting.
Why You Need a Specialized Metal Detector for Gold
Gold is a metal, so all metal detectors are able to detect gold, but not all metal detectors are built the same. Gold nuggets are not only small, but they are of very irregular shape, and most of the time, are present in highly mineralized soil, which makes them very difficult to detect with regular metal detectors. So, a metal detector designed and built to detect gold only will have all its features, settings, and options optimized to detect even the smallest and deepest of gold nuggets from any type of soil and land.
What Makes a Good Metal Detector for Gold?
Although you need each and every feature of a standard or good metal detector to detect gold, we have selected a few features that are more important than the other features. A metal detector should not only have these features but also have to be exceptional in performance to be titled as the best metal detector for gold.
When selecting a good metal detector for gold, you should look for the following key features:
1. Gold Detecting Frequency
Based on how metal detectors work, they can best detect a specific metal by emitting a unique frequency (usually a range of frequencies). So, to detect gold, your metal detector should perform optimally at that specific range of frequency. As gold nuggets can be of any size but are usually very small in size, the detector should perform best for the frequency range of 3 kHz to 60 kHz.
2. Multi-Frequency Option
Multi-frequency is a unique feature that will help scan using a complete range of gold-detecting frequencies. This feature will make your metal detector emit frequencies from 3 kHz to 40 kHz at the same time and get the response from gold nuggets of any size and shape.
3. Discrimination Setting
Scanning with a gold-detecting frequency does not mean that a metal detector will not pick other metallic objects of different sizes that are buried at different depths. To eliminate that, you need a discrimination setting that ignores the response of other metallic objects based on their conductivity. The best metal detector for gold should very effectively eliminate the other metallic objects whose metal, size, and shape respond to the gold hunting frequency.
4. Sensitivity Setting
Sensitivity setting is what fine-tunes your metal detector for finding gold nuggets of good size and avoiding common trash. A high sensitivity will help you find even the smallest of nuggets but also detect a lot of trash, but frequency and discrimination settings will help. Setting a moderate sensitivity with proper frequency and discrimination setting will increase your chances of hitting the jackpot manyfold.
5. Target ID
To support this work further, the best gold detector should give you the target ID of the metal piece buried deep down the ground. Target ID is a number that metal detectors give to any metallic object based on its metal, shape, size, and responding frequency. If you set a specific ID number, then your gold metal detector should block all other IDs from being detected.
6. Dedicated Search Mode
All the above settings can be made individually, or your best metal detector for gold can have them all optimally set in a dedicated search mode for gold hunting. Most professional metal detectors have a dedicated search mode that might go with different names in different brands.
7. Depth Indicator
Depth indicator is a supporting feature that helps you understand the relationship between the response metal detector receives from underground metallic objects for a specific frequency, the ID displayed, and the depth of the object. One single metallic object will respond differently on one single frequency depending on the depth at which it is buried. You might get a different ID number based on the depth of the object.
8. Search Coil Size
A good metal detector for gold should offer multiple search coil sizes for you to scan soil. A small search coil with the proper setting will help you do a detailed scan of soil, whereas a big size coil helps you in a quick and deeper scan but with a lot of failed signals.
What Is the Best Metal Detector for Finding Gold?
After introducing you to the basics of a good metal detector for gold, we have shortlisted five metal detectors of different brands, with each metal detector being top of the line from its respective brand:
The reason why we short-listed these five is that their respective brands claim them to be the best in finding gold, with features and technology all optimized to detect gold in all types of soil compositions.
| Feature | Minelab GPZ 7000 | Fisher Gold Bug Pro | Garrett AT Gold | XP DEUS 2 | Nokta Makro Gold Kruzer |
| High Frequency (10 kHz to 45 kHz+) | No (uses ZVT technology) | Yes (19 kHz) | Yes (18 kHz) | Yes (multiple frequencies) | Yes (61 kHz, 56 kHz, 45 kHz) |
| Multi-Frequency Options | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Manual Ground Balance | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic Ground Balance | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tracking Ground Balance | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Adjustable Sensitivity | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Small Search Coils (6″ to 10″) | Optional | Yes (10″ elliptical) | Optional | Optional | Yes (10″ x 5.5″) |
| Large Search Coils (12″ to 16″) | Yes (14″ x 13″) | No | Optional | Optional | Optional |
| Double-D Coils | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mono Coils | Yes | No | No | Optional | No |
| Adjustable Discrimination | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| All-Metal Mode | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Prospecting Mode | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Lightweight and Ergonomic Design | No (heavier) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Adjustable Shaft | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fully Submersible Coil | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Weatherproof Control Box | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Long Battery Life | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Visual Target ID | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Audio Tones for Target ID | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Depth Indicator | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reputable Brand | Minelab | Fisher | Garrett | XP | Nokta Makro |
| Wireless Headphones | Optional | No | Optional | Yes | Optional |
| GPS Integration | No | No | No | No | No |
| Budget-Friendly Options | No (high-end) | Yes | Mid-range | No (high-end) | Mid-range |
Minelab GPZ 7000: The Best Metal Detector for Gold
Considering the above comparison, we can claim that the Minelab GPZ 7000 is the best metal detector for gold because it offers a new Zero Voltage Transmission Technology that can detect gold at far greater depths and with much more perfection than any other metal detector available in the market. However, it’s not this technology that is the best part of it; it’s the brand reputation and the metal detector’s overall performance in detecting highly valuable targets in the most challenging soil conditions. It offers all high-end metal detector features but with performance that no other metal detector can offer. Its superior depth and sensitivity features, when combined with reliable performance, make it the best metal detector for gold hunting. The only negative points came in from it being heavy and very expensive for beginners to start with. It was designed and built for professionals.
When to Choose Other Detectors
It is not that the other metal detectors are not good at gold detection; it’s that the Minelab GPZ 7000 was built for professionals, just like the other four were made for their own unique users.
Fisher Gold Bug Pro
The Fisher Gold Bug Pro is the best metal detector for gold hunting if you are a beginner and have a limited budget. It offers a frequency of 19 kHz and all the features of a standard metal detector at a very affordable price.
Garrett AT Gold
If you want to scan soil of different compositions and want to work in both dry land and water-covered beaches, then Garrett AT Gold offers you versatility and is a great choice for all-rounders.
XP Deus II
The XP Deus II is the best metal detector for gold hunting if you are an expert in this field. It offers the best blend of features that you can adjust to scan ground as you will. It offers wireless functionality, multi-frequency options, and customizable settings, making it ideal for those who want cutting-edge technology.
Nokta Makro Gold Kruzer
The Nokta Makro Gold Kruzer works as a bridge between professional, more expensive metal detectors and beginner-level, cost-effective metal detectors. It offers excellent value for your money and ease of operation with its multiple frequency options and fully waterproof design.
Conclusion
If you are serious about gold prospecting and want the best performance regardless of cost, the Minelab GPZ 7000 is the ultimate choice. However, if you are a beginner on a budget, the Fisher Gold Bug Pro or XP Deus II are fantastic alternatives.
Check out another one of my articles on a more cost-efficient gold metal detector: Minelab Gold Monster 1000 Review: Best Detector for Gold Prospecting?
My name is Paul and I am the founder of Detector For Metal, a dedicated resource for metal detecting enthusiasts seeking to uncover historical treasures and connect with the past using the latest technology. As a stay-at-home dad and family man, I’ve found metal detecting to be the perfect hobby that combines family adventure with historical learnings for the whole family.
As a father, I’m deeply committed to passing on this hobby to the next generation of detectorists, starting with my own children. I share advice on everything from metal detecting with kids to exploring the top 10 metal detecting sites you never thought about. My methodical approach to the hobby goes beyond the thrill of discovery—it’s about creating family traditions while preserving history and sharing the stories of those who came before us.
