How deep does a metal detector search?

How deep can metal detectors detect? 

We are often asked by our customers how deep a metal detector can search? However, there is no single answer to this. For all metal detectors, the maximum detection depth depends on the object size, soil type, soil conditions and the settings of your detector.

You can find out which objects can generally be found with a metal detector in our blog article "What can you find with a metal detector?".

How deep does a good metal detector go?

The larger the object, the deeper the detector can detect it. Beginner metal detectors from the best brands can often detect a single coin up to a depth of about 20 – 30 centimeters and a large object up to a maximum depth of 1 meter.

However, there are also metal detectors for professionals that can find a single coin significantly deeper up to 30 - 40 cm and large objects significantly deeper. There are no metal detectors that can detect an object the size of a single coin at a depth of more than about 60 cm. Even a professional metal detector that costs more than 5,000 euros cannot do that. However, these professional metal detectors and ground scanners are able to detect large objects very deeply, sometimes up to several meters deep! 

For most metal detectors, there are optional additional search coils for your detector that allow you to search deeper than with your standard search coil. This can often achieve up to 25% more depth.

You can find out how a metal detector works in our blog article "The science behind metal detectors".

Is an air test with a metal detector reliable?

The answer is no. Often, an air test is performed with the metal detector to see how deep the metal detector penetrates. A coin or other object is moved back and forth in front of the search coil and the maximum distance at which the metal detector still detects the object is measured. This test only gives an indication of the depth performance of the metal detector and therefore only partially says anything about the depth result in the ground. Some metal detectors for treasure hunting perform very well in an air test, but later show a significantly worse result in the ground and vice versa. Do you want to know how deep your metal detector can really search? Then you have to test this in the ground!

How deep does a pinpointer search?

A pinpointer is a useful tool that you can use in addition to your metal detector to determine the exact position of hidden objects. This makes it easier to find hidden objects and dig them up faster.

We are often asked how deep a pinpointer searches. A good pinpointer has a depth range of approx. 10 – 15 centimeters. With your pinpointer, you move around in the excavated hole to determine as precisely as possible exactly where the object is located. With pinpointers, the accuracy of the pinpointer is particularly important. All pinpointers from the best brands also have good depth. Of course, one brand of pinpointer goes a few centimeters deeper than another, but these are only minor differences. Unfortunately, many Chinese low-budget pinpointers are also in circulation, which are often much less accurate and have a very limited depth range of sometimes only 2 – 3 centimeters.

The pinpointers in our range are all high-quality locating devices with excellent depth and accuracy.

Buying a metal detector with a search depth of 10 meters?

If you want to search even deeper, you can consider a 3D ground scanner or ground radar. These can detect and map large objects and underground spaces such as tunnels, cellars and bunkers up to several meters deep.

We are often asked whether metal detectors or 3D ground scanners can search up to 10 meters deep? For the search for large objects, the depth of ground scanners and ground radars is limited to about 5-6 meters deep, even for very large objects.

Smaller objects, such as a single coin, are not found deeper than 60 cm, even with the most expensive metal detector or ground radar, which costs several thousand euros.

Unfortunately, there are currently many advertisements on the Internet for gold scanners, gold long-range antennas and ground radars that promise depths of up to 20 or 25 meters. Attention! These are almost always fraudsters, as it is currently technically impossible to find gold at these depths with a detector. Do not buy these devices! We have had many customers in our company over the years who have lost a lot of money through this fraud. Often, these devices are advertised as "Made in Germany", which is a lie and merely a toy with which you cannot find anything! So don't believe every advertisement, especially if it's too good to be true. And don't transfer large sums of money online for devices you haven't tested beforehand.

At IDC, the International Detector Center, you will receive a free demonstration and an honest explanation of how ground scanners work and their depth. Make an appointment today via our customer service.