Best Minelab metal detectors:Vanquish, X-Terra Pro and X-Terra Voyager

Minelab is an Australian manufacturer best known for bringing multi-frequency detection down to beginner tiers. Its four models in our metal detector aisle cover a wide spread: two "switch on and go" Vanquish detectors, a fully waterproof X-Terra Pro for people who like to adjust, and an X-Terra Voyager starter kit. The name on the box is the same, but the technology inside is not.

What defines Minelab's entry-level lineup

The headline feature is Multi-IQ, Minelab's name for simultaneous multi-frequency. A Multi-IQ detector transmits several frequencies at once instead of one. Minelab presents it as working across all soils, with no frequency or ground balance for the user to set. That is a manufacturer claim. The practical benefit most often cited is steadier behavior on wet salt sand, where single-frequency detectors tend to chatter.

But not every Minelab here uses Multi-IQ. Only the two Vanquish models do. The X-Terra Pro runs one frequency at a time, chosen by the user. The X-Terra Voyager runs a single fixed frequency.

Minelab also uses a different target ID scale from Garrett and Bounty Hunter. On the Vanquish 360 and X-Terra Pro, iron reads from −19 to 0 and non-ferrous targets from 1 to 99. The Vanquish 340 stops at 40, a coarser scale. The Voyager uses 0–99, with iron at 0–30. All four use Double-D coils.

How the four models differ

Vanquish 340. The simplest Multi-IQ detector here. It has no frequency to choose, no ground balance to set and only four sensitivity levels. It weighs 2.6 lb and collapses to 30 in. Owners praise its build and ease of use, but they are split on depth and sensitivity. Minelab's spec sheet lists no pinpoint mode. See our Vanquish 340 review.

Vanquish 360. The same light frame, now fully submersible (IP68, 16 ft), with Beach and Park modes, pinpoint, a finer target ID and a built-in battery rated up to 10 hours. Early owner feedback is positive, but the listing is recent and lightly reviewed so far. See its card in the aisle comparison.

X-Terra Pro. The most adjustable model. You pick 5, 10 or 15 kHz in Park and Field modes, or 8 kHz at the beach. Ground balance can be automatic, manual or tracking, and there are 30 discrimination segments. It also has a flashlight, a backlit screen and handgrip vibration. Owners rate its value and accuracy highly. Ease of use draws more mixed comments. See our X-Terra Pro review.

X-Terra Voyager. A starter kit: the detector comes with wired headphones, a collapsible digger and a backpack. It runs one fixed frequency and two 9V batteries, and its warranty is 12 months, the shortest in the Minelab lineup here. Owners find it simple to learn, though a few dislike the included shovel. See its card in the aisle comparison.

Which Minelab should you pick?

• You want to switch on and swing in parks and fields: the Vanquish 340.
• You hunt the beach, wet sand or shallow water: the Vanquish 360.
• You want to learn settings and hunt everything, from mineralized fields to the surf: the X-Terra Pro.
• You want everything in one box for a first season on land: the X-Terra Voyager.

Honest caveats

• Multi-IQ is not a guarantee of depth. Several Vanquish 340 owners report mixed results on depth and sensitivity. Its benefit is mostly convenience and stability, especially at the beach.
• The X-Terra Pro is not multi-frequency. Its frequencies are selectable, not simultaneous. That is a real difference at the waterline.
• Built-in batteries cut both ways. The Vanquish 360 and X-Terra Pro are sealed for the water, so you cannot swap batteries in the field.
• Warranty differs. Three models carry 3 years on the control box and coil. The Voyager has 1 year.
• Headphones. The X-Terra Pro supports wireless audio, but headphones are not included.

To compare with other brands, see our Garrett and Bounty Hunter pages. New to the hobby? Read metal detector basics and check where you can metal detect legally before you dig.