Metal detecting is becoming increasingly popular, and with good reason. The best pulse induction metal detectors are sought after by both novices and seasoned enthusiasts.
With technology on the rise, it isn’t surprising that metal detecting lovers would be interested in discovering the best PI metal detector. One of the best metal detecting technologies available is a pulse induction coil since the transmit and receive coils can be the same.
Because of pulse induction (PI) metal detectors, treasure hunting in beaches or even underwater is no longer just a fantasy. Knowing the best pulse induction metal detectors will go a long way in making your detecting experience one of a kind.
The 6 Best Pulse Induction Metal Detectors
There are several excellent metal detectors available if you’re interested in starting. Here are the top 6 that will be focused on:
- Nokta PulseDive 2-in-1 Detector: Most Affordable PI Detector
- Minelab SDC 2300 Gold: Best PI Detector For All Terrain
- Minelab GPX 5000: Best PI Metal Detector For Gold
- Garrett ATX: Best All-Purpose PI Metal Detector
- OKM Pulse Nova: Best PI Metal Detector For Beginners
- Garrett Sea Hunter MK-II: Best Underwater PI Metal Detector
Continue reading to discover why these PI metal detectors are the best.
1. Nokta PulseDive 2-in-1 Detector: Most Affordable PI Detector
The Nokta fits into a segment of intriguing diving pulse induction metal detectors for saltwater treasure seekers. Unsurprisingly, there is a significant amount of treasure underwater. Because it is so well-made, portable, and simple to use, and because it is adjusted for usage in salt water, this pulse metal detector is the best in the game.
The powerful internal speaker of this dive detector, which is clearly audible underwater, is used to alert treasure seekers that treasure has been discovered. It also uses vibration and flashing LEDs. These LEDs also help you find targets at night. The level of detection is surprisingly high.
This metal detector pulse does not require constant movement because it is not motion-based, making it simple to locate targets. The 5.5″ search coil is handy because it can squeeze in between rocks and weeds.
It is useful for finding targets in water with little or no visibility. An 8″ search coil is available for those that wish to search larger areas. Powerful PI technology is employed by PulseDive to provide a reliable operation.
The Scuba Detector and a trusty Pointer Detector are included with Nokta Makro to give you an unforgettable experience. The PulseDive 2-in-1 kit mainly consists of a Scuba Detector that can be seamlessly changed into a pinpointer.
With an IP68 designation, the PulseDive is water-resistant up to 60 meters. It does, however, have difficulty detecting gold nuggets smaller than one gram or gold powder. One way to try to overcome this is to ensure that other metals aren’t interfering.
- A scuba detector can easily be swapped for a pinpoint detector
- Waterproof up to 60m
- 5 sensitivity levels that can be adjusted.
- The Nokta Makro 2.4 is compatible with this detector thanks to its built-in wireless module.
- Has difficulty detecting gold nuggets smaller than one gram or gold powder
2. Minelab SDC 2300: Best PI For All Terrain
This PI detector has Multi Period Fast technology in addition to PI technology, significantly enhancing performance in heavily mineralized terrain and on tiny gold. The transmit waveform switch-off of MPF sets it apart from standard PI tech. There is no possibility of tiny receive signals getting hampered by lingering transmit signal decay.
It’s crucial for exceptionally efficient gold detection, specifically in heavily mineralized soil. Interestingly, no components need to be assembled. You merely have to straighten out the coil, so the machine is one long piece.
The SDC 2300 is pretty difficult to beat for a straightforward, easy detector with all the built-in tech capabilities you could want. This makes it a suitable option for people who don’t want to devote much effort to learning how to use harder detectors or those who don’t know how does a metal detector work.
It provides target response in both audible and visual formats using a waterproof speaker, headphones, and LED indicator. Keep in mind that the headphones aren’t waterproof. However, there are headphones you can purchase that are waterproof and compatible with the SDC 2300. The SDC 2300 has an inherent icon user interface and is made to be simple to operate.
Only the cord can be immersed, despite the Minelab SDC 2300 being completely waterproof and submersible to 10 feet. The strength of the target signal, battery status, etc., is displayed by the LED indicators.
There are three sensitivity options available. The 8″ circular mono coil used by the Minelab SDC 2300 is hardwired to the equipment. This removes a potential site of system leakage and enables the waterproof coil to be adjusted for optimal performance.
- Nearly no problems exist with ground balance.
- Compared to a VLF metal detector, it is much simpler to operate on poor ground.
- No components need to be assembled.
- Headphones are not waterproof
- Cost
3. Minelab GPX 5000: Best PI Metal Detector For Gold
For gold lovers, Minelab GPX 5000 is their weapon of choice, and with good reason. When it’s pulse induction metal detector vs. VLF, PI triumphs. The Minelab GPX 5000 is undoubtedly the most sophisticated gold prospecting metal detector currently on the market.
Simply said, only a small percentage of metal detectors have the features to identify gold, both big and small, in various ground conditions. Typically, mineralized soil is where gold is found. Therefore, a detector that can tolerate high levels of mineralization is required to find it.
The Minelab GPX 5000 includes a remarkable variety of distinct soil timing settings to adapt the detector’s performance to a broad range of ground conditions. With the GPX 5000, Minelab has gotten as much performance from a pulse induction as possible, making it one of the best pulse induction metal detectors. The GPX 5000 is remarkably adaptable because of its 8 timings.
A high bar is established for gold-detecting technology with the GPX 5000. This is due to the Multi Period Sensing, Smart Electronic Timing Alignment, and Dual Voltage Technology, which are all proprietary to Minelab.
Although the iron discrimination mechanism is generally unreliable and of not much use for deep targets, the detector can be easily adjusted to accommodate all ground conditions thanks to various options.
- Compared to a VLF metal detector, this PI detector is highly sensitive
- High performing technology
- Ground balance is automatic
- The iron discrimination mechanism is generally unreliable and of not much use for deep targets
- Expensive
4. Garrett ATX: Best All-Purpose PI Metal Detector
The Garrett pulse induction metal detector is a flexible detector that may be used for coin detection, jewelry detecting, etc., both out and in water. The ATX genuinely resembles a piece of tech meant for the military. With the Garrett ATX all-purpose metal detector, treasure seekers can search for various targets in various environments.
The metal detector uses pulse induction and is waterproof up to ten feet. The ATX coils are special because they are merged with the lower rod, and the coil has a hinge fixed on the back. The coil mechanism has a 90-degree rotation for hunting walls.
Furthermore, the Garrett ATX folds into a lovely, compact package, making it perhaps one of the simplest pulse induction metal detectors to carry or store away. Although heavy, it is strong and fairly damage-resistant, making it one of the best pi metal detectors.
Although the lack of an LCD display renders it even more robust and shockproof, users will be forced to lean more on the auditory to understand the signals because of this. The manufacturer offers a two-year warranty on the product. Rechargeable batteries are used to power the Garrett ATX, much like the Garrett ATX Extreme pulse induction metal detector.
This is always advantageous as recharging might not be possible outdoors or on extended journeys. There are 25 Discrimination modes available. This is great, as the more there are, the better. It’s beneficial as the user may be more able to establish precise target preferences and determine whether the target should be further explored.
The Garrett weighs about 3.1 kg, a little more than the standard detector. It might not be the best metal detector for you if you are not used to doing some heavy lifting. Garrett has put a lot of effort into maximizing detection on just about all metals at once. Therefore, you won’t need to switch between modes or fiddle with the settings to distinguish between one signal and another.
ATX’s capability to detect reliably in any circumstance is another key element that contributes significantly to customer happiness. It operates at approximately 730 pulses per second and detects electromagnetic fields at a frequency of 18 to 19 kHz using PI. Due to the lower pulses compared to other machines, Garrett is able to get even greater sensitivity and performance.
- Great depth capabilities
- Easy to handle
- Portable design
- Functionalities and features are easy to utilize.
- Fully foldable
- Heavier than other metal detectors
- Costly
5. OKM Pulse Nova: Best PI Metal Detector For Beginners
Because of its simple and easy handling, the Pulse Nova is ideal for launching a treasure-hunting experience. The fact that the search coils are interchangeable makes it much more desirable. As a result of the pulse induction tech being used, this metal detector has incredible depth. It is one of the deepest-detecting metal detector on the market.
The detection depth of up to 3 meters serves as proof of this. This PI metal detector’s search coil can be enlarged as needed. The depth of the search can be increased by increasing the metal detector’s coil size. The way it functions and the many coils allow treasure hunters to effectively focus on their intended objects.
This device has a unique pinpointing mode that fits in with the metal detector principle. This comes in handy as there is no vibration mode. One search coil, the delta search coil, is included with the Pulse Nova metal detector. You can purchase Omega coils as well as other search coils.
The Delta and Omega PI metal detectors, designed for gold prospection and metal detection, are part of the OKM Pulse Nova series. They are pretty much the same, with the search coils being the key difference between the two. The open coils in the Delta series are ideal for use in water to lessen drag.
The closed coil in the Omega series, as opposed to the open coil, makes it particularly appropriate for stony regions because it won’t get trapped on rocks or plant matter. OKM is one of the cheapest pulse induction metal detector.
Given that there are 2 preset controls, one for volume and the other for sensitivity, this metal detector is an easy PI detector to operate for both novice users, making it the best pulse induction metal detector for beginners. This Pulse Induction metal detector is perfect for mineralized areas, including clay-rich soils, in addition to locating larger targets underground or targets that are buried deep down.
- Clear, measured values
- Easiest to use for novice users
- Interchangeable search coils
- There is no vibration mode
- Ground balance is manual
6. Garrett Sea Hunter MK-II: Best Underwater PI Detector
Designed particularly for underwater detecting, the Garrett Sea Hunter MK-II is a pulse induction metal detector that can be fully submersed. The Sea Hunter is perfect for deep diving because it can withstand 200 feet of water depth, making it the best pulse induction detector for underwater metal detecting.
This machine is a crowd favorite for many that enjoy deep diving. However, it isn’t without its problems. The absence of good discrimination is a major flaw. Since it doesn’t allow for as much discrimination as other PI detectors in its niche, many avoid using it on the shore, as quite a bit of digging is required.
There aren’t many settings to fuss with, as the control box is straightforward without any visual display, meaning that your detectorist experience will be somewhat limited. This is because you will have to make do with audio tones and memory of the control box’s features.
While the Garrett Sea Hunter is simple enough, there is a learning curve with this machine. Although this metal detector is a decent device, novice and experienced users may find the learning curve discouraging.
This metal detector has trouble working on hot rocks or mineralized soil conditions and lacks the typical search modes you may anticipate. One way to work around this is the Discrete Trash Elimination search mode exclusive to Sea Hunter MK-II.
- Good waterproof depth
- Ideal for deep diving
- Interchangeable search coils
- There is a challenging learning curve
- No visual indication display
- Poor Discrimination
- Has trouble working on hot rocks or mineralized soil conditions
➜ Check out the best underwater metal detectors
How Does Pulse Induction Technology Works?
Pulse Induction metal detectors work by emitting a short burst of electrical current, called a pulse, through a coil of wire. This pulse creates a magnetic field, that when it encounters a metal object, it creates a secondary magnetic field. The detector’s coil then picks up the secondary magnetic field and generates an electrical current, that the detector interprets as a signal signifying the presence of metal.
PI metal detectors are frequently chosen over other types of detectors for underwater or beach metal detecting because they can penetrate the ground or sand to deeper depths and are less impacted by ground interference or mineralization. Additionally, they are capable of detecting both ferrous and non-ferrous metal items, which is helpful underwater, where a variety of metals may be present.
Their only drawbacks are that they are usually more challenging to operate, especially for beginners, and the price point.
In Closing
If you love exploring underwater it’s important to pick the best pulse induction detector for your needs, in order to make treasure hunting both enjoyable and profitable.
Few PI metal detectors triumph over the all-purpose Garrett ATX PI metal detector. A close runner-up in our list with the best PI detectors for those that want built-in tech galore is the Minelab SDC 2300.
