Minelab Excalibur II 1000

Brand: Minelab Equinox 900

Excalibur II 1000 has been Minelab's underwater workhorse since 2008 and still sells on the strength of BBS technology, which transmits seventeen frequencies from 1.5 to 25.5 kHz at once. That spread is why it holds depth in salt water where single frequency machines struggle. Submersible to 200 ft, it carries a 10 inch coil, a rechargeable NiMH pod, knob controls that can be worked with gloves and a hip mount kit for shore hunting. Everything is done by ear, since there is no display at all.

Divers and dedicated surf hunters keep buying it because the audio tells an experienced ear more than a screen does. Newcomers usually regret it: around five pounds on the arm, an old style tone only interface, and a price that still looks steep next to newer waterproof detectors. Rebuilt battery pods are a common purchase on used units.