Garrett ACE 300 Metal Detector: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide

Have you ever thought about a reliable metal detector that is easy to use but packed with powerful features? The Garrett ACE 300 might be exactly what you need. If you are a beginner or a professional detectorist, this metal detector is a good choice for you. It offers simplicity without compromising performance. Its beautiful design and versatile modes make metal detecting both fun and accessible for all ages.

The Garrett ACE 300 comes with features like Digital Target ID, which helps you identify what kind of metal you are detecting. This can save a lot of time by reducing unnecessary digging. It also has five search modes, including ones for coins, jewellery, and relics, so you can customise your searches to what you are most interested in. Plus, with its built-in pinpointing function, you can accurately locate your target before you start digging.

Despite its simplicity, the ACE 300 is not behind when it comes to performance. It is designed to handle extreme conditions and environments with an adjustable frequency and waterproof search coil. Whether you are detecting on dry land or shallow waters, the ACE 300 can help you find coins, jewellery, and even relics up to 8-10 inches deep.

In this detailed article, I will share my experience with this metal detector with you. How it performed in various conditions, its features, and specifications followed by pros and cons. So let’s begin!

The Garrett ACE 300 is part of the popular Garrett ACE series, a lineup that has become well-known among detectorists. This series started with the ACE 250, which quickly became one of the best-selling metal detectors of all time due to its affordable price and beginner-friendly features. The ACE 250 earned a reputation for being a great entry-level detector. The ACE 250 make it easy for newcomers to get into the world of metal detecting easily.

Based on the success of ACE 250, Garrett introduced ACE 300 with several improvements. One of the key upgrades is the addition of Digital Target ID. This feature helps users to better identify what they are detecting before they dig. This improvement makes the ACE 300 more accurate and efficient in finding valuable items, saving the time and effort of the detectorists. The ACE 300 also has enhanced iron discrimination. By using this feature you can easily avoid junk targets like nails and bottle caps while focusing on more valuable items like coins and jewellery.

With its improved features and user-friendly design, the ACE 300 continues the tradition of the ACE series, offering an affordable and reliable tool for both beginners and experienced users. It combines the best of its predecessor with new technology that makes metal detecting easier and more efficient.

You can read my review of Garrett ATX if you are interested in buying it.

Garrett ACE 300 offers a lot of advanced and powerful features that can boost your metal-detecting experience. I have personally tested all of these features during my detection, and here is what I have experienced with each one.

Digital Target ID

One feature I really enjoy on the Garrett ACE 300 is the Digital Target ID. It shows a number on the screen that helps me figure out what kind of metal is in the ground before I start digging. This saves me from wasting time on junk targets, and I can make better decisions on what to dig up. It is a real time-saver, especially in areas where trash and treasures are mixed.

Search Modes

The ACE 300 has five useful search modes: Zero-Disc, Jewellery, Coins, Relics, and Custom. I love that I can switch modes depending on what I am hunting for. For example, if I am looking for coins, I use the Coins mode to filter out unwanted signals. The Custom mode is helpful too because I can set it up the way I want, which gives me more control over what I detect.

Pinpointing

The built-in pinpointing feature makes finding targets much easier. After getting a signal, I just press the pinpoint button, and it helps me locate the exact spot. This means I can dig smaller holes and spend less time searching once I get a signal. It is a feature I use all the time, and it speeds up the whole process.

Iron Resolution

The Iron Resolution feature is really helpful in areas where there is a lot of junk. It helps me avoid digging up useless items like nails or bottle caps while still detecting valuable items like coins or jewellery. This feature has definitely made a difference in the quality of items I find, especially in trashy locations.

Waterproof Coil

The waterproof coil is great for detecting in wet conditions, like at the beach or near rivers. While the coil is waterproof, I have to be careful because the control box isn’t, so I can’t fully submerge it. Still, the coil works perfectly in shallow water, which is where I usually detect.

Graphic Target Analyzing

One of the standout features of the ACE 300 is the Graphic Target Analyzing. It shows the conductivity of the target and the detector’s discrimination pattern at the same time. This feature helps me understand whether I am dealing with a valuable metal or trash. It is super helpful when I am deciding if something is worth digging for, as it gives a quick visual clue of what’s under the ground.

You can check my review of Fisher F22 for detailed info.

The Garrett ACE 300 offers great performance for its price range. I have used it in different places, and it has impressed me with its reliability. Whether I was detecting in a park, a field, or at the beach, this detector consistently delivered good results.

One of the best things about the ACE 300 is its ability to detect small objects, even those buried deeper in the ground. I found coins and small pieces of jewellery around 8-10 inches down in the ground, which is impressive for a detector at this price. The sensitivity of this machine is strong, and with adjustable settings, it can be adjusted to different types of environments. I noticed that when I lowered the sensitivity a bit in highly mineralized areas, the detector became more stable and still did not miss the important targets.

The built-in pinpoint feature works well, and it makes detecting targets faster and more accurate. I didn’t have to dig big holes because the pinpointing function helped me locate items precisely. This saved me a lot of time and effort. The ACE 300’s performance in trashy areas is also worth mentioning. The iron discrimination feature allowed me to easily avoid digging up useless items like nails and bottle caps so that I focus on more valuable items.

Overall, the ACE 300 is a solid performer. It’s reliable, easy to adjust, and works well in different conditions.

In conclusion, the Garrett ACE 300 is a solid choice for both beginners and experienced detectorists. It is easy to use, and its key features, like Digital Target ID and pinpointing, help make metal detecting more accurate and less time-consuming. Whether you are looking for coins, jewellery, or relics, the ACE 300 performs well in different environments and has a waterproof search coil for shallow-water hunting.

However, it’s important to note that the control box is not waterproof, and it doesn’t have a backlit screen or manual ground balance. Despite these small limitations, the Garrett ACE 300 provides excellent value for its price and is a reliable option for metal detectorists of all skill levels.