7 Best Kids Metal Detectors of 2025

The Garrett ACE 150 is Garrett’s entry model, but it’s certainly not a toy. It’s a quality piece of detecting kit that suits children from late primary age into secondary school with enough detecting power and technology to keep an amateur adult happy too.

The 150 is lightweight at 1.2 kgs and its ergonomics are designed so the weight isn’t all at the tip. It’s easy to swing and won’t tire kids out quickly. Its telescopic pole is a great help because it personalizes the detector to your kid’s height and arm reach – all this makes it conformable and a pleasure to use.

There’s only 3 buttons on the LED screen. The power button, the search modes, and the sensitivity. It’s more than enough to keep a kid enthused without confusing them.

The factory preset search modes are coins, all-metal, and jewellery – just select the mode you want and it’s time to head outside to detect with no manual required.

When you’ve got more experience the sensitivity button can really help enhance the search because it eliminates trash and focuses more on precious metals.

There’s a handy depth indicator that displays how far down you need to dig once a target is identified too, which is a great addition that means less digging and happier landowners. However, it can be a bit hit and miss.

On the downside, the 150 doesn’t have ground balancing so it might send out false signals on mineralised ground. You can combat this a bit with the sensitivity, but experienced detectorists will want adjustable ground balancing.

There’s also no battery life indicator so you’ll need to take a spare set, and the control box is not waterproof – however the search coil is. It’s fine to use in shallow freshwater but care is needed to keep the control box safe.

One final half gripe – there’s no internal pinpointer so you may find you’re digging bigger holes than necessary. However, for the price, you can’t expect everything!

Overall, this is a top-of-the-range metal detector for a good price. Garrett has not cheaped out on their entry-level model and used some, but not all, of their top technology. For example, its 6.5 x 9 inch PROformance search coil is the same as the more expensive models in their range.

It’s a great choice for older children who are capable of using its simple technology and want a step up from toy detectors, but it’s not suitable for very young children.

A great value option for kids, the MYLEK XP PLUS All-Terrain Metal Detector is a good beginners model. It’s a relatively basic, lightweight detector with simple functions – ideal for getting children interested in what metallic treasures they can find lying around.

It also comes with a selection of accessories, which is why it’s one of the best metal detectors for kids if you’re after value for money. There’s a small 3-in-1 shovel/pick included, for excavating any treasure, and it also has a compass fixed to the end. Alongside this, the detector comes with headphones and a pouch bag that can attach to a belt for storing finds.

The inclusion of these accessories makes it a good all-inclusive buy, with the compass and excavation tools providing a good sense of adventure. Although it’s not the most powerful or effective metal detector featured here, it works well enough to get children interested. Metals can be sensed up to a depth of 10 – 15 cm.

With a waterproof search coil, measuring 16.5 cm, it can also be used to search for metal in shallow water such as streams and rivers. It’s therefore perfect for taking and holidays and camping trips, especially as the shaft can be split in two (by undoing a screw) in order to make it compact for transportation.

The screen has a simple display with a needle that moves at it senses metals. There are also two dials to adjust volume and discern between different metals as well as a low-battery indicator light to make it obvious when the power is running out.

Although the detector is relatively easy to use straight away (once you have provided a 9 V battery), taking the time to read and understand the instructions can make the experience more effective.

The Hello-5ive Metal Detector is a budget-friendly beginner option for kids. It has a simple analogue display, with two adjustable dials – one to turn it on and off, and the other to change which metals are being detected.

The casing is black and light blue, making it more visually appealing to children, and there is a small trowel and hand rake with a matching colour scheme. Out of the detectors featured on this page, it’s the best metal detector for children aged 5 – 10. It strikes a good balance between not being too childish, but not being as expensive or complicated as more premium models.

It can detect to a depth of approximately 5-10 cm, and the ‘eliminator’ dial allows some distinction to be made between different metals. This can be used to eliminate iron, nickel and zinc.

Suitable for children of different heights, the stem can be extended from 47 cm to 78 cm. Another benefit of this is that it’s easy to store a carry the detector, particularly useful if taking it on holiday or transporting it to the beach. The coil also folds up flush against the stem to make it more compact.

It can be used on different terrain, and doesn’t require the ground to be totally dry – the 17 cm coil is waterproof and can be used in shallow water like rivers and the sea shore.

Overall, this is a good metal detector to use for fun and to get children interested in the idea of hunting for different metals. It’s unlikely to turn up any great treasures, but it still functions well enough to give kids the thrill of uncovering different metallic items sitting below the ground’s surface.

If you want to get your children into metal detecting, the DR. OTEK Pinpoint Metal Detector is a great introductory tool. It’s suitable for ages 10 + and is a great way to ignite interest in the hobby.

Like a lot of metal detectors, this model can discern between different types of metal. Whilst kids probably won’t mind if they’re simply uncovering bottle caps at the start of their metal-detecting journey, it leaves room for them to learn and grow.

As they get more adept at using the detector, they’ll be able to appreciate that differently pitched ‘beeps’ indicate different metals (discerning between iron, mid-range metals, and silver).

The 21 cm coil can locate metals up to 18 cm below the ground, and has a pinpoint function to help identify exactly where they are.

With a folding spade included, and a belt-bag to carry it in, this DR.ÖTEK detector provides a full kit of parts, making it one of the best metal detectors for kids. The detector is splash-proof, and can be used on holidays at the beach or camping by the river, opening up a lot of possibilities for activities with the children.

Having said this, it’s worth bearing in mind that the metal detector is splash proof but not waterproof, so the coil shouldn’t be submerged.

With just three buttons on its control unit, and an easy-to-read LED display, the DR.OTEK Metal Detector keeps things simple. There’s an on/off button, pinpoint button, and sensitivity button.

Although it’s easy to go out and use this detector straight away with minimal instruction, getting the most out of its features will take a bit of time and getting used to.

6 x AA batteries are required, and they don’t come included. Although the batteries last a while with occasional use, it still needs more batteries than the majority of metal-detectors featured on this list.

All things considered, it’s an accurate and well-designed metal detector that will keep offering more to kids as they continue to learn how to use it.

If you often head out metal detecting and would like to take your children along with you, this Voilamart Metal Detector will be a great option for younger kids.

It has a simple, uncomplicated design which will appeal to children between the ages of approximately 5 to 10 years old. There are no settings to alter, just a simple on/off switch, meaning they can easily sweep the ground for any metal close to the surface.

The Voilamart Metal Detector will sense items up to a depth of 5 cm, and the search coil is waterproof so the detector can be used in shallow water as well – perfect for hunting in rivers and on the sea shore.

It’s one of the best metal detectors for kids who want a toy metal detector to play with, without any of the complications of having loads of adjustable settings etc. When compared with the AMYSPORTS Metal Detector (also featured on this page) the models are very similar; however, this Voilamart detector is slightly longer – it can be altered from 65 – 83 cm.

All of the external components are made from plastic, including the handle which is chunky, ergonomic, and rounded off to make it comfortable for children to hold. It’s easy to adjust the length of the stem as well, by loosening the plastic lock nut.

It also has a simple LCD display, which will create more interest for children, even though it’s mostly useful for displaying how much battery power is left rather than revealing anything useful about the location of any potential finds.

One small design floor is present, regarding the battery compartment. The detector requires 1 x 9 V battery (not included), but it’s a little small for the compartment. As a result, it can move around too much. Purchasing sticky pads or similar can help pad out the area and stop the battery from intermittently disconnecting.

Overall, this is a relatively ‘cheap and cheerful’ option, but it’s got enough going for it to provide fun, interest and adventure for little ones.

For a different type of metal detector, this Sakobs Metal Detector Pinpointer offers a way to detect metals in the ground without using a large, upright unit.

It’s a small, handheld detector that measures 28 cm long and has a lot of versatile uses. If you think a larger unit may not be of interest to your child, they might enjoy using this different type of tool instead. It can be used on its side, to sweep over the ground and find any areas with metal present, and then vertically, in order to pinpoint the exact location of the metal.

Weighing just 340 g, it’s an extremely manageable unit, and can easily be carried in a backpack or pocket. It’s easier to transport than full-size metal detectors, which may appeal to some children, as well as their parents.

The pinpointer has a waterproof rating of IP68, meaning it’s able to be submerged in water. It can therefore be used when snorkelling or diving, as well as in rivers and streams. However, unlike a standard metal detector it has a relatively shallow detection depth of just 5 cm.

There are many ways that it differs from a standard metal detector, and it has less functions overall. For example, there’s no way to eliminate certain metals from the search (therefore, it will likely detect a lot of non-valuable iron, bottlecaps etc.).

Nevertheless, it’s the best metal detector for kids if they want a smaller, handheld model. It’s also extremely straightforward to use, with just a single button on the whole unit. Depending on how many times the button is pressed, the pinpointer will alert you to the presence of metal by either beeping, vibrating, or beeping and vibrating.

The vibration function is particularly useful if the detector is being used in an area where the beeping can’t be heard, or where beeping would be disruptive to others.

Specifically designed for younger children, the AMYSPORTS Metal Detector is a lightweight tool that will give kids a reason to play outside and keep them entertained.

Suitable for children 5 + (under supervision), the detector’s height can be adjusted from 59.5 cm to 78.5 cm making it suitable for a mix of young ages. It’s also extremely lightweight, weighing 0.45 kg, and won’t wear children out if used for extended periods of time. This is good news because it’s the type of item that can be used wherever they go, in the garden, at the park, or when walking to the shops, and can help keep them entertained for hours.

It’s more of a ‘toy’ detector compared to many of the others models featured on this list. Although it has enough power to detect metals close to the surface of the ground, it’s not got the strength to uncover much buried treasure. However, it performs as you would expect for the price.

The coil is waterproof, so it can be used at the beach or near water without causing damage to the internal parts of the machine. It’s also easy to transport, so can be easily taken on holiday, or carried in your child’s backpack, folding up to measure just 45 cm.

There’s just one on/off switch resulting in an item that is intuitive for children to use, and all of the plastic components are moulded to have smooth edges and be comfortable for children to hold. It doesn’t have any settings to adjust, and can simply be used straight away to detect many different types of metal.