I selected the best metal detectors after trying a handful of options that came recommended to me by Jeff Lubbert, an expert detectorist who has been tracking down treasures and finding lost rings since the mid-1980s, and a handful of other expert detectorists. Most metal detectors have a round head called the “search coil,” which is the actual detector itself. The first thing to look at before buying a metal detector is where you plan to use it, as some detectors are better equipped to scan specific types of terrain.