Best Garrett metal detectors:ACE 200, ACE 300 and ACE 400 compared

Garrett is the most familiar name in beginner metal detecting in the US. Charles and Eleanor Garrett started the company in their garage in Garland, Texas, in 1964, and the ACE line is its entry point for hobbyists. The three ACE models in our metal detector aisle share the same look, the same control layout and a 3-year limited warranty. They differ in frequency, coil and how much help they give you with iron.

What defines the Garrett ACE line

On paper, the ACE detectors follow one formula. Each is a single-frequency VLF machine with a 0–99 numeric target ID, three audio tones and a pinpoint button. Each has a waterproof coil and a control housing that must stay dry. Each runs on four AA batteries, which Garrett includes in the box. And all three are listed as made in the USA.

What Garrett does not publish is a ground balance setting. The ACE models are factory preset. That keeps them simple, but it also means you cannot tune them to heavily mineralized soil the way you can with a Minelab X-Terra Pro or a Bounty Hunter Land Ranger Pro.

The other shared limit is the beach. A single-frequency detector with a non-waterproof control box is fine on dry sand. It is less comfortable on wet salt sand, and it cannot go into the water.

How the three models differ

ACE 200. The simplest of the three. It has three modes (Coins, Jewelry, Zero-Disc), four sensitivity levels and a fixed frequency. There is little to set, which suits a family outing. Owners like its value and light weight. The recurring complaint is loud tones with no volume control.

ACE 300. The middle model adds a higher 8 kHz frequency, a frequency adjustment to reduce interference in crowded areas, eight sensitivity levels and Iron Resolution, which helps separate iron from good targets. Owners most often praise how quickly they learn it. Our Garrett ACE 300 review goes through its specs and owner feedback in detail.

ACE 400. The top ACE moves to 10 kHz and a larger 8.5 × 11 in Double-D coil. Its standout feature is Iron Audio, which lets you hear iron targets before you dig. Owners like its value, accuracy and build. A few mention constant chatter in noisy places, and a few find the coil cover a tight fit.

Which Garrett should you pick?

• For kids, families and casual weekends: the ACE 200. It has the fewest choices to make. Accept that you cannot fine-tune sensitivity or volume.
• For most beginners in parks and yards: the ACE 300. It is the best balance in the line between simplicity and control.
• For old homesteads, farm fields and iron-heavy sites: the ACE 400. Iron Audio and the Double-D coil make the most difference where the ground is full of nails and scrap.

If your main goal is the beach or shallow water, look beyond Garrett's ACE line. The Minelab Vanquish 360 is fully submersible and runs multiple frequencies at once.

Honest caveats

• No user ground balance. All three ACE models rely on a factory preset. That is fine for most parks, less so for highly mineralized ground.
• Coil only is waterproof. The control housing must stay out of the water and away from heavy rain.
• Single frequency. Wet salt sand is harder going than with a multi-frequency detector.
• Older designs. The ACE line has been around for years. That means a long track record and plenty of owner advice online, but fewer modern extras such as a rechargeable battery or a backlit screen.

To compare the ACE line with Minelab and Bounty Hunter, see the Minelab and Bounty Hunter brand pages. Before your first hunt, check where you can metal detect legally.