The control box is placed at the top of the handle where your fingers can easily reach the buttons and I was easily able to see the readouts once I’d hit a target. Compared to other metal detectors I’ve seen the buttons are few and simple which is great news for someone that’s easily confused like me.

The great thing about the elimination feature is that it doesn’t have to be used. I was happy to head out using factory pre-set modes and because I am quite lazy with technology, I probably won’t use it too much in future – however, it’s good to know the machine is capable of more. Pinpoint It has an 11” coil which is waterproof, allowing metal detecting to take place in shallow water and damp undergrowth; however, the likelihood of getting some false readings does increase in these areas. The Garrett ACE 250 is an excellent all-round metal detector for beginners, it has everything needed to find treasure and a bit more so you don’t lose interest.

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It can be used straight out the box (as long as you have a 9 V battery ready to go – the battery doesn’t come included), and by using intuition alone you’ll be able to work out how to locate metal like iron. If you want to search for more valuable objects, it takes a bit of getting used to, but the manual is clear and well structured, making the HOOMYA metal detector easy to understand. It would also be good for you as a parent or a guardian to be inspired by the whimsy and excitement that you can observe in the children. Iron, which forms most of the trash you don’t want like nails, is the lowest tone. Coins and jewellery are higher tones. The tones are notably different and it’s easy to figure out which is for what metal.

The Garrett Ace 150 features a digital target ID system. This helps the relic hunter distinguish between different items, based on the conductivity readings. Discrimination control also ensures trash and worthless items can be eliminated from the search. More advanced features, worth looking out for, include sensitivity and ground balancing . These will help distinguish between genuine finds and rubbish in mineral-dense soil. It’s excellent that Garrett puts as much effort into their cheaper metal detectors. As far as I can tell the materials are the same as the more expensive Garrett 250.On reflection, I think ground balancing isn’t necessary for a kids metal detector or for a beginner either. It’s a nice feature that helps conquer difficult soil conditions, but it’s fiddly and distracting when you just want to spend some relaxing time scanning for Roman treasure troves. The modes are factory pre-set but you can adjust them if you want. Starting out I didn’t bother and the detector worked without any issues. I even found a few things! This is especially important if the detector comes equipped with features like an armrest. Complexity