Minelab Safari
Approximate price: $1000
Number of Reviews: 10
on 1 pages.
Also in this price range:
Whites DFX
Fisher Coin Strike
Troy Shadow X5
Minelab Sovereign GT
Fisher F-75
Great Machine
CoinMan in Ohio -First off I would like to say that a lot of people buy these high end detectors think they have bought a magic wand and silver and gold is going to fall right in their hands. This of course is not the case, I have had my Safari for 3 years using it on weekends and days off.
The first year I cashed in over 300 dollars at coinstar, not including the rings and other finds. I have paid for my machine over the past 3 years from the finds. The safari will keep up with the explorers and other high end detectors with a little time on this machine and it will be a deadly silver finder.
Dont expect to go to a park that was built in the 70s and pull out silver coins, location and research is the key. People that complain about aluminum cans don't have enough time on the machine, through the tones and id numbers I can tell exactly if its a penny nickel dime or quarter ect. For every 70 to 80 pull tabs you dig you will get a gold ring.
All in all I would recommend this machine to any one wanting to start out in fbs detector. In fact I have cashed in my gold and just purchased a E Trac!! Once you go Minelab you'll never go back to another brand.
Hope this helps.
Jan 23, 2012
34 Yes
1 No
Good but not brilliant
Dave in Northern UK -
I bought my Safari on recommendation from a local dealer. Others I considered in the same price range were Fisher F75 and Teknetics T2 -which are basically the same machine with different displays and firmware.
The Safari was bought to replace a Garrett Ace 250 (fitted with the 9" x 12" coil).
I covered some areas which had previously been searched with the Ace 250, I fully expected to find good targets the Ace had missed... Sadly this wasn't the case. The biggest difference I find is the ability to quickly identify targets as Junk and keep moving, this allows me to cover more ground in a given time. There are times when it fools me, but not too often. The hardest junk targets to identify are aluminium cans squashed "end to end" to form discs and also aluminium bottle tops.
The areas I feel poor are:
1. Battery consumption, a Garrett Ace will run for a couple of days worth of detecting on an average set of 4 rechargeable NiMh cells, the Safari needs 8 cells and just about manages 6 hours on 2 year old 2000 mAh NiMh cells (measured at 1400 mAh). So factor in a new set of batteries or two.
2. Rain ingress: The manual suggests the Safari is OK in light rain with the optional control box cover. What about heavy rain? Do we pack up and go home? The optional cover should give protection in heavy showers!
3. If you are used to dismantling your detector to fit it into a rucksack forget it with the Safari, it's designed to telescope the shaft and fit into a large bag rather than removing the shaft and disconnecting the coil from the control box. It can be done but not as easily as with a Garrett Ace.
On the plus side:
1. I don't find the weight, or balance, too much of a chore and I've not got the strongest arms around.
2. A combination of tones and target ID work most times to minimize digging junk so I can cover around twice the ground in a given amount of time compared to the Ace I previously used.
3. Initial target location is generally very good, the pin point works well.
4. Works to good depth, I am recovering copper and silver coins in the 9" to 12" depth range in moderately mineralized soil.
Jul 18, 2011
54 Yes
9 No
Minelab Super Metal Detector
Jesper Andersen in Denmark -I have only good things to say about Minelab Safari. It is easy to use. It finds everything from nails, to gold. I've had mine for a year. I spend most time on the beach, where I found over 12000,- Danish Kroner, about 1100 us dollars. A 0.50 carats diamond ring. 105 silver rings,7 gold wedding rings, and much more. If it's there, the Minelab Safari will find it. With the notch setting, you can easily exclude unwanted iron and aluminum. But you will also excludes some gold and coins. I use a setup where I shut out all iron and some aluminum. It works fine for me
I love this machine, and can't wait for spring.
All I can say of bad things, is it bit on the heavy side. But I am young, and strong like a bear. :o)
Jan 09, 2011
39 Yes
3 No
Easy and accurate
curly in the OC, CA, USA -This is my first metal detector. I really did my homework and after a lot of study, picked this machine. I am very glad I did. I am newly retired and finally have time to do what I want and now spend a lot of time on the beach with the detector.
Amazingly short learning curve! Everything I read told me to be prepared to spend weeks "learning" the other machines. Not with this. Turn it on and go. I have hit many coins and pop tops (as expected).
The family laughed at me until a lady ran up and said her husband had lost his wedding ring and could I help. Found it in 30 seconds. Accurate, easy and worth the money.
Jun 08, 2010
44 Yes
7 No
Excellent
eddie in florida -Hi, I think the safari is an excellent metal detector....I previously owned a prism 5g and it gave me mixed signals on wet sand. The safari goes deeper and has no problem detecting over wet ground or sand, it is a keeper for me and from now on I'm hooked on minelabs, I will not own any other, its precise and the new technology allows it to scramble out powerlines.
I also noticed that the U.S military uses minelab....whites detectors are OK, minelabs are by far the better and safari is a wonderful piece of equipment. Extra $$$$.... but well worth the investment, it is also weather friendly, hope this helps.
Mar 28, 2010
53 Yes
5 No
Safari a winner
JP in FL -Firstly, let me say that I don't believe there is one "best machine" out there. Conditions dictate a lot towards what is successful in one location vs another. I have used many brands over the years. I love the Sovereign GT. I currently own a Safari and a Tesoro Sand Shark since I predominately beach hunt.
I have no complaints with the Safari except maybe for the arm rest which is a little on the cheap side. The machine is easy to use even for a relative beginner. The first time out, I found a 10k class ring and two weks later a 14k diamond gold pendant weighing over 1oz which I sold for almost $700. Sure, my GT would have found them also, but the Safari suits me just fine.
Jan 12, 2010
39 Yes
2 No
excellent detector
medicine.man in sc -After much research I felt the Safari was the best detector for me. I have had many other detectors and just wanted the best I could get in a turn on and go detector with the ability to play with a few custom settings if I wanted too. I have found many coins and jewelry with my other detectors but had never found a gold ring until my first day out with the Safari. I took it to north Miami Beach and had no problem going from the dry to the wet sand and had no iron targets showing up at all. I found 128 coins, two pieces of costume jewelry one gold earring and my first gold ring! I really like the easily adjustable shaft length, the different sounds for different targets and the pinpointing was easy. All around very simple to operate and top notch performance.
Dec 07, 2009
43 Yes
3 No
Top Notch
DigDug in Northern California -I purchased my Safari after selling another detector that I was not happy with and all I can say is I'm so glad I did. The Safari is really well made and the design and balance is excellent. It looks and feels like high tech equipment, not like a toy.
The performance of the Safari is top notch. Pinpointing is easy and accurate. The detection depth is remarkable, and the detection depth readout and visual ID/audio ID are spot on, on coins. I have hunted schools, parks, and the beach in the month or so since I received the Safari and I have had nothing but success and fun in all locations. I like hunting in coin and jewelry mode, switching to a modified coin mode with only -10 and 40 discriminated to weed out good targets in areas with a lot of iron.
I would recommend the Safari to anyone looking for a quality, easy to use, versatile and deep metal detector.
Nov 24, 2009
42 Yes
0 No
Minelab safari
Jason Sevene in Swanzey,NH -I've been metal detecting for a few years now, starting with a Bounty Hunter Quicksilver and upgrading to a Garrett Ace 250. The Ace was and still is great but I was seeking something that was a bit better quality, with better depth and discrimination of targets.
My latest detector is this Minelab Safari masterpiece. What a great piece of equipment! It is a coin hunting MONSTER!!!! It is very user friendly with 4 factory preset modes, coin, coin and jewelry, relic and all metal modes. I have had great luck in old cellar holes, as the depth of detection is phenomenal! I have found numerous old buttons here in southwest NH dating back to the early 1700s that were nearly 12'' deep. You will dig trash as you would with any detector no matter the price range but overall the discrimination has been excellent. The advise is true, if you get a solid hit, dig it. The quality is excellent throughout and the display is very easy to read. As per the buyers recommendation,(George Streeter, Streeter's Electronics, the foremost authority of metal detecting here in NH), I hit all of the same areas that I had previously hit with the Ace and found a bunch of stuff that the Ace had missed.
I highly recommend this detector as well as other Minelab products to anybody seriously interested in the hobby. I feel as though I can compete with the "big dogs" with this impressive set up. I do not think that you will be disappointed with this detector in any way shape or form!T hanks to George, I'm now totally addicted!
Jul 02, 2009
109 Yes
10 No
Niece and easy
Terry in rochester ny USA -Just got it the best I ever used had two days of warmup tryed it out in a small town park where I hunt with my xterra 70 I did not believe the difference. I pulled more coins in 45 min than I thought in a 20x20foot area, wheat pennys dimes exc. Its great try one you wont regret it.
Feb 26, 2009
108 Yes
29 No
Number of pages - | 1 |