Hi Tom. I’m Mike (Sand Sifter) and recently joined the forum. I love Merrill’s Metal Detecting NYC YouTube channel, totally trust him and his reviews, and I too never feel that he’s trying to sell us anything.   I’m 67, started detecting when I was 10. I primarily hunt beaches, but I also love coinshooting old houses, old parks, etc. You’ll hear 3 detector brands mentioned a lot here and on other forums: Minelab, Deus, and Nokta.   Personally, I’m a Minelab guy, and have owned several Minelab Sovereigns. They’re older technology, bigger and bulky, but are great beach detectors. I just got back into detecting after a few year hiatus and wanted to update to a newer technology detector. Since I’m getting a bit older, I wanted a more compact, lighter detector, waterproof, quick to set up and basically, a grab & go detector.   I just ordered a new Minelab X-Terra Elite directly from Minelab’s website. It’s not one of their “top end” detectors but although I could afford one of their higher end & more expensive detectors, I just don’t need a lot of the extra features on the higher end models. And personally, IMHO, I have a hunch that the X-Terra Elite shares the same processor & electronics as the more expensive models, just with a few less features. Think of it like buying a car with cloth seats and without a moon roof, rather than the more expensive model with leather seats & moonroof. Same car, same engine, but the different car models come with different features. But for me, the X-Terral Elite presented the best overall value.   Minelab is currently running a promotion until the end of January. I ordered the X-Terra Elite Expedition Pack on Tuesday, which comes with the detector & 12” coil, an 8” coil, waterproof headphones, and they throw in a free Pro-Find 40 pinpointer (their newest & most powerful model that I was going to buy anyway). They also include Free 1-2 day Express Air Shipping, so I should be getting mine today! Total cost of the bundle was $599.00, so fits within your budget.   If I bought everything separately, it would have cost over $800.00, so I just couldn’t pass up this deal. If you’d like to check it out, here’s the link: https://usa.minelab.com/x-terra-elite-expedition-pack. I think it’s a great detector for beginners as well as experienced detectorists.

Greetings All & Merrill, I’m Mike from MD.   I started detecting 57 years ago when I was 10. My mom bought me a Heathkit Detector. Anyone else remember those, lol? If you’re not familiar, we had to build it from a kit. The Heathkit wasn’t very ergonomic to swing so about a year later, she got me a White’s Coinmaster 4 and we joined the MD Freestate Treasure Club. Loved going to our club sponsored hunts.   I still have that Coinmaster 4, but after separating from the Air Force, I picked up a Fisher 1225X, and after that, had many other detectors including a Garrett Ace 350 & AT Pro and several Minelab Sovereign’s. The Sovereign’s were my favorite detectors of any that I’ve owned. I’m down to my last one, a Sovereign Elite, which I’m swinging on my profile & header pics.   I Love, Love, Love Beach Hunting and Coin shooting old houses, churches, etc. The wife and I previously had a 2nd house down near Rehoboth Beach, DE, and every weekend for years I’d be out detecting on the beaches. Love DE & Ocean City beaches! Unfortunately, we sold that house a few years ago, so my Sovereign has been sitting idle. But recently, I got the itch again, decided to see what Minelab was up to these days, and the Manticore, Equinox 700, and X-Terra Elite really caught my eye.   Then, I discovered Merrill’s YouTube Channel and my excitement for detecting was back. I absolutely LOVE Merrill’s videos, he cracks me up with his sly, dry humor, but at the same time, I totally trust him and his detector reviews and recommendations. So, it looks like I’m jumping back in, and will be picking up a new Minelab, maybe 2, gotta always have a backup, lol.   Lastly, when I started watching Merrill’s videos, I kept thinking he looked and sounded very familiar, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. Then it hit me. Check out Rocky LaPorte on YouTube. He was on season 8 of Last Comic Standing. Here’s one of his videos, take a look at see if he reminds you of anyone, lol.    The World's Most Boring Zoo. Rocky Laporte