Best all around with a single coil, Minelab vs Tesoro. $400-900 Price Range

[Spider-Man]

I've got a month or so before I make my decision, and have changed my mind so many times. It's really hard to pick my first detector. And I'm really sorry for making so many threads asking for different detectors, but it's just really hard to stick with a decision when you've got so much time to decide.

At first I decided to go for the Garrett AT Pro, then that went out the door when I saw how much better the Minelab X-Terra 705 was, and then I decided on the White's MXT Pro and then went back to 705 for versatility with a single coil and depth. Now I'm leaning towards Tesoro Tejon because it seems to have better depth than the 705 and from what I've been told, it's as good or better as an all-around metal detector, as opposed to being really good at one thing and lacking in the other areas.

What I really need is a detector with amazing depth that can detect coins, relics and jewelry. I don't plan on going gold nugget hunting. I do want it to be able to find gold jewelry and coins, though. Hunting areas are parks, fields and lakes. I don't really care about the meters or whatever, because I plan on digging absolutely everything that beeps. I want my money to go to the performance of the metal detector, not how many bells and whistles it has.

So, anyway... out of every single Minelab and Tesoro metal detector under $900(stock coil), which one fits my needs most? And which coil(don't add this to the price, I can save up and get it later) would you recommend I use as the main, all-around, hardly ever changing coil?

 

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[fella]

At first I decided to go for the Garrett AT Pro, then that went out the door when I saw how much better than Minelab X-Terra 705 was,

Where did you see this? Youtube?

 

[Spider-Man]

Where did you see this? Youtube?

The majority of the opinions, recommendations and a few youtube videos. I forgot which videos, though. Once I get back on my computer I can find them.

 

[fella]

Once I get back on my computer I can find them.

No need!

 

[freddy williams]

if you wanna compare the 705 with the at pro you better go with the 705 unless you just need a waterproof machine that is going to get wet, then I would do a tiger or sand shark over the at pro. you cannot compare apple the peaches on here without getting opinions. Minelab and tesoro in my own opinion out performs the at pro.just an opinion

 

[rainyday101]

Hey spider man, I am no expert, been out of the hobby for over 8 years, but..... I am in the same boat as you researching the hell out of detectors. There are soooooo many good ones out their. In my weeks and weeks of research, in your price range everything seems to keep pointing back to the 705 for me. You don't hear anyone complaining about them. I was pretty much sold on the 705 until I started looking at the Tesoro Outlaw with three coils for about $550. Look under the the Tesoro section of the forum and I have a thread going "Outlaw Opinion". On there I have some Outlaw vids. Check them out and see what you think. I have seen some pretty amazing air test results online that show it surpassing the 705. Just some food for thought. Terry Soloman or probably Sandman would be the one to ask about the Outlaw.

 

[Terry Soloman]

I've got a month or so before I make my decision, and have changed my mind so many times. It's really hard to pick my first detector. And I'm really sorry for making so many threads asking for different detectors, but it's just really hard to stick with a decision when you've got so much time to decide.

At first I decided to go for the Garrett AT Pro, then that went out the door when I saw how much better the Minelab X-Terra 705 was, and then I decided on the White's MXT Pro and then went back to 705 for versatility with a single coil and depth. Now I'm leaning towards Tesoro Tejon because it seems to have better depth than the 705 and from what I've been told, it's as good or better as an all-around metal detector, as opposed to being really good at one thing and lacking in the other areas.

What I really need is a detector with amazing depth that can detect coins, relics and jewelry. I don't plan on going gold nugget hunting. I do want it to be able to find gold jewelry and coins, though. Hunting areas are parks, fields and lakes. I don't really care about the meters or whatever, because I plan on digging absolutely everything that beeps. I want my money to go to the performance of the metal detector, not how many bells and whistles it has.

So, anyway... out of every single Minelab and Tesoro metal detector under $900(stock coil), which one fits my needs most? And which coil(don't add this to the price, I can save up and get it later) would you recommend I use as the main, all-around, hardly ever changing coil?

Great question! My choice for you would be the Minelab Safari $1,000.00 (save up one more month), with it's stock 11" coil. End of story. Now, if you must choose a detector for $900.00 my choice would be the Tesoro Cortes, or Tejon.

 

[rainyday101]

On my "Outlaw Opinions" thread under Tesoro, user Cahil_2 stated that Windy City Detectors has the Safari on sale right now for $900. That is very good price. If I was buying only a land machine and did not need to buy a water detector, I would be all over that deal!

 

[LuckyLarry]

The Vaquero will work better than a Tejon under wider and more adverse soil conditions. And it runs quieter in and around high-iron soil/linear steel scrap targets too, by far. Both the Tejon and the Vaquero will go slightly deeper in average soil than the Safari if the coil sizes are similar, but the Cortez or Outlaw won't keep up with the Safari, the Vaquero, (or) the Tejon for depth, no matter what soil. The Tejon really suffers in harsh soil, it reminds me of a race horse with the DT's, I used to own one of them. But it does well in wussie soil, VERY well. The Vaquero is nearly flawless in operation and it and other Tesoros are very durable and long-lived. I own somewhere around 22 detectors now, and the two Tesoros (Golden and Silver Sabre) I bought three decades ago still work and I only tweaked the Silver to get a tone search instead of a quiet search. The Vaquero and the Tejon will both find BB size nuggets at 4", and gold stud earrings at 6", if you ever get near them. Been there, done that. The Safari does not like fine gold, and its air depth is 3"-4" less than the Tejon and the Vaquero. The Safari and the Explorer II have similar depth capabilities. Larry



Now the Safari:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=fB-OHSyfvX

 

[63bkpkr]

For prices you could also check with some of the sponsors here on Tnet like [email protected]

 

[Shenandoah Digger]

Having owned many detectors over the last 30 years, I'll offer my opinion, for what it's worth, if anything. If I wanted a great beep and dig machine, I'd buy the Vaquero over anything else on the market, no matter the price. If I was going to buy a TID machine, my first choice would be the Omega. I've had all the higher and lower end machines, but given the choice, regardless of price, these are the two I'd own, and do own along with others. If you call around you can probably get both machines for around $900. Then all your bases would be covered.

 

[Ihatepoisonivy]

Mine lab has military discounts if you can use that. I just bought a brand new Explorer se pro under 900 to the door!

 

[liftloop]

man do I wish the snow will melt all ready

 

[LuckyLarry]

F-70 with 6.5, 10, and 11" search coils for $875. It might be too powerful for some people, but it's the best of all the above for all-around use, noticeably deeper than the Vaquero, Explorer, Tejon, and Safari in high black sand soils. It surpasses them in nugget-hunting too..