Tesoro Compadre
Price: $200
Avg. Score: 
4.76
Based on 50 reviews
4.76Based on 50 reviews
Avg. Durability:
4.85
Avg. Ease of use:
5.00
Simple, Effective, Economical
March 04, 2012
The Compadre is the best $160 I have ever spent. One can swing it all day as it is so light. There are no display screens to distract you from the hobby. Discrimination works very well with no noticeable loss of depth at its maximum setting.
If one wants to get into metal detecting at a low cost with a machine that will find you coins, silver and gold the Compadre is your best choice hands down.
Overall Rating
Cougar from
Northern Michigan
281
Tesoro Compadre
December 26, 2011
I have been metal detecting for over 20 years and always gone for single
control machines, I have owned my compadre for 2 years. This
machine is the one, the electronics are second to none, the 7 inch coil is
good around trees and all those hard to get places, it is light and has
good battery life.Do not be fooled by its(toy like) looks
Last weeks finds
Victorian Silver Florin 1890
George 3rd farthing 1799
Tudor Hammered Silver Penny
Pewter ink well
RAF cap badge
musket ball
London North Eastern Railway button
Large amounts of drinks cans, bottle tops etc
The Compadre always finds something,
if you are looking for turn on and go this is the one.
Overall Rating
R Neill from
Northampton, England
512
Should have bought the Compadre first
October 11, 2011
I started detecting with a machine that had VDI, ground balancing and a DD
coil. A good machine but once I got my hands on the Compadre, nothing else
compared.I just love how this machine allows me to get in a rhythm of digging targets. I've only owned it for a couple of weeks and I've found an earring and a really nice Fiori. 925 Italian pendant. Looked up the value of that single find and it almost pays for the Compadre.
I no longer have the other machine. Right now, the Compadre is everything I need and want in a metal detector.
HH!
Overall Rating
Joe Faraldi from
New Jersey
415
It's a no-brainer. Buy one!
September 10, 2011
First off, let me just say that I love this machine. It's so nice to just
grab a machine, turn it on, and find some great stuff. I use this machine
more than I use my F5 simply because it works, it's light, it's fast, and
it sounds great. It's the one machine I can say that I will NEVER sell. If
you're at all considering it, just look at what everyone else says. It's
the best bang for the buck out there.
Overall Rating
DetectorOCD from
Dallastown, PA
362
Simple, quiet, and loves small gold!
September 01, 2011
I absolutely love this machine. It's so light, very fast recovery speed and
the silent search discrimination is easy on my ears. Yes, this machine
won't go as deep as other machines due to it's smaller coil, but it
separates well, loves tiny tiny gold that other machines will walk over,
and has a lifetime warranty. Get one! You won't regret it!
Overall Rating
DetectorOCD from
Dallastown, pa
323
Newbie... But Compadre finds a ton!
August 04, 2011
I bought a used compadre about two weeks ago. I have never used a metal
detector before, and my wife made fun of me for buying it. Let me tell
you, she isn't laughing anymore..... I was playing with it in my front yard, just trying it out and learning how it worked, and I found a 14K gold wedding band about three feet from my front door. I was pretty excited!
I took it to our local park a few days later and found tons of coins and about 1 billion pull tabs. Found several old wheat pennies, lots of quarters, and even a few dimes... No nickles though.
In my very own back yard I have discovered some amazing things. I have so far found 2 Continental Currency coins buried together about a foot deep, and the compadre had no trouble pinpointing them. They look to be silver... I am trying to find out how much they are worth, so if anyone has an idea of there value please let me know.
The Gold ring paid for my compadre 4 times over....
The compadre is simple to use and it finds tons of stuff. The tone it gives when it finds a coin is unmistakable. Two thumbs up!
Overall Rating
Dan from
Ohio
343
My introduction to the Coinpadre!
July 27, 2011
Being new to the hobby I recently bought a used Compadre with the 7" coil
and so far I can honestly say it's found me money EVERY time I've used it.
The beauty is it's simplicity - it's nice and quiet until you hit a target,
then that single discrimination knob is dead on. A majority of the time I can tell what I'm about to dig - but you have to learn what it's telling you first. It's so light and has a quick recovery time so can swing it pretty fast. The only problem with that is sometimes getting a loose cam lock and the pole gets a little creaky. Put it back together and your good to go. The quality is top notch, pin pointing is a breeze and I can easily determine the size and shape of any big iron objects.
It's small size is very unassuming and toy-like, so you don't look like a threat to the local park manager - but oh how looks can be deceiving. The Compadre is a truly capable machine.
Digital displays are nice but they eat battery time and the real essence of detecting comes down to the sound and that's what drew me to Tesoro. There is something about the quality and crispness of their sound that made them stand out.
As I learn the Compadres language the age and quality of the finds have gotten older and better. Last find was a 1902 indian head penny ay 7 1/2 inches.
Bottom line, would I recommend this detector - heck yes!
Overall Rating
Jim from
Minnesota
262
Very Fine Metal Detector
May 28, 2011
This metal detector is one of the best. It is so light and comfortable
fatigue is not an issue. It is very, very sensitive to targets and the
discrimination works well. I could have spent a lot more for bells and
whistles but the Compadre's performance and simplicity makes detecting fun
and eventful.
Overall Rating
Cougar from
Northern Michigan
201
Tesoro Compadre
March 27, 2011
The tesoro compadre is an amazing detector. I have found coins, also a
1700s belt buckle that is believed to have been used in the revolutionary
war. Best detector for the money by far. Highly recommended..
Overall Rating
Anonymous from
New York
191
Looks can be deceiving.
March 13, 2011
I've spent way too much money on metal detectors over the years and have
earned plenty of regrets in the mean time- including some very high end
machines that didn't live up to expectations.I can't count how many times I've been up for a quick trip out to the park or tot lot and have foregone my pricier machines in favor of the little Compadre. Really, it's the ultimate grab and go MD.
Nope, it isn't 'impressive to look at' what with all manner of buttons and screens and knobs and levers and switches, but an experienced detectorist will be doing lots of digging with it. Once you learn its language and start to get a better grasp of what signals are given off by what targets, you will be able to use the Compadre and your brainpower to compete with many high end machines.
My favorite machine of all time is still the Whites 1266X, but I do love this little Tesoro. Price aside, they could charge $399 for it and I'd still love it based on performance and durability. It's a real champ.
Overall Rating
Stan C from
Gilbert, AZ
236