[size=medium]Hi Brandy, I am fairly new to this also. I have asked many questions, received many answers, many different answers. I agree with some of the posts above, the best detector is the one that fits YOUR needs for what you will be doing. You are on the right track by joining the forum, you will learn a lot as I have. I also note that many of the "old timers" have more than one brand. Thats where I landed, I wanted one that is waterproof in case I drop it in the water, and one that works better inland, and then one that could target raw gold, nuggets etc. It looks to me I will be buying three! One down, two to go! One important thing I learned is that some detectors use 9 volt batteries that cost more than AA's and it seems harder to find 9 volt multi packs. Plus I want to use rechargeables. My general purpose choice will be the Garrett Ace 250 as it is priced well and has good reviews around these boards! Have fun! [/size]