Do I Need A Pinpointer?

When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more.

Whether you’re just getting started in the world of metal detecting, or you’ve been metal detecting on the weekends for fun and are looking to level up your metal detecting sessions – then you might be currently wondering whether or not you should ditch your metal detector in favor of a pinpointer instead.

Unlike a traditional metal detector, which is able to simply locate a metal object (or material capable of emitting an electromagnetic field) and then give you a general idea of where the object is located in the ground, a pinpointer metal detector is able to offer you an exact location of where the object is located.

Thanks to that, this means that when it comes to grabbing your shovel, the pinpointer will make it a whole lot easier for you to quickly dig it up and inspect it closer to see if the object is of any value.

With all of that being said, if you’re currently asking the question of whether or not you should use a pinpointer instead of your standard design metal detector, then it’s easy to see the benefits of choosing to use a pinpointer. Nevertheless, to help make your decision a little easier – here are three main advantages that a pinpointer offers:

Do I Need A Pinpointer

Convenience

Unlike a large, bulky metal detector, a pinpointer will offer you plenty of conveniences, as it will be significantly smaller than your regular metal detector.

Thanks to that, it means that you will have the freedom to travel to a wide variety of metal detecting locations without having to worry about being bogged down by having to carry around a large metal detector.

Pinpointer metal detectors are so small, in fact, that you’ll be able to easily slot one inside your backpack for quick and easy transportation, regardless of whether you’re planning on traveling in your own vehicle or via public transportation.

On top of that, you’ll also find that you will be able to metal detect over much larger areas of land without feeling arm or wrist strain, as besides the small size of a pinpointer, they’re also super lightweight, too.

Nevertheless, there are some reasons why you may not wish to use a pinpointer. Generally speaking, most people who metal detect for fun often enjoy the excitement of having to dig around to locate the object that their metal detector has picked up on, and so the anticipation of trying to then locate it is thrilling, and almost like looking for buried treasure!

However, apart from that reason, you’ll likely find that making the swap from a standard metal detector to a pinpointer metal detector will be a decision that you’ll wonder why you didn’t make sooner.

Time Effective

Another huge benefit to opting to use a pinpointer metal detector instead of a regular metal detector is being able to locate metal objects in the ground a lot more easily and faster than ever before.

This is because, if you were to use a standard metal detector, it would only be able to provide you with a general idea of where the object is located, which means that you would have to then go to the trouble of digging around until you find the metal.

On the flip side, if you were to use a pinpointer in place of a standard metal detector, the probe design would be able to give you a precise location of where the metal object is located under the ground, which means that you’ll know exactly where you need to dig.

Helps You Avoid Hard Soil

Another major benefit of opting to use a pinpointer instrument as opposed to a traditional style metal detector is the ability to understand the quality of the soil underneath the ground.

If you’ve ever gone metal detecting before, then we are sure you’ll understand the frustration of locating a metal object and preparing to dig it out, only to discover that the soil underneath is hard or full of rocks or plant roots that make it practically impossible to be able to get to the metal object that the detector managed to pick up on.

This is where a pinpointer comes in to save the day. Unlike a traditional metal detector, a pinpointer (despite its much smaller size) contains a probing stick that will be able to insert directly into the soil so that you can get a feel for the conditions, and whether or not it will be possible to actually reach the metal object that the pinpointer found,

Can a Pinpointer detect gold?

Yes, it is possible for a pinpointer to be able to detect gold objects deep within the ground. Similar to a metal detector, pinpointers also work by transmitting an electromagnetic field via its searching probe, which is then able to energize any surrounding objects that have electrical conductivity.

For this reason, most pinpointers on the market are then able to detect large-sized pieces of gold, although do keep in mind that this ability will very much depend on the quality of the manufacturer that you have purchased from.

There are even some pinpointers on the market that are specifically targeted towards locating precious gems and metals and will in turn be able to pick up on and detect small nuggets of gold. If you need a recommendation, we highly recommend checking out this one.

How deep can Pinpointer detect?

The answer to this question will heavily depend on the quality of the pinpointer you have purchased, as well as which manufacturer you have purchased the pinpointer from.

However, as a general rule of thumb, if you’re planning on purchasing your very own pinpointer, then you can expect it to be able to search for metal objects that are up to 6 feet deep within the earth.

However, as we have already said, you should make sure that you refer to either your owner’s manual or the manufacturer’s website to gain an accurate understanding of how deep your particular pinpointer will be able to detect.

Related Articles