Fisher ID Excel
Price: $500
Avg. Score: 
4.58
Based on 19 reviews
4.58Based on 19 reviews
Avg. Durability:
5.00
Avg. Ease of use:
5.00
Awesome vintage machine
July 01, 2017
I've had that unbelievable luck that I could buy one of the last Excel
ID´s brand new in it's original box worldwide! I love these older Fisher
Models, especially the small housing of the ID Excel with the funky Decals
on it. I've tested this machine in a very iron infested Park and I dug out
a few nice coins between a lot of junk. The separation is very good, the
recovery Speed is just good as it is.
The ID works well and I was very surprised of the very good sensitivity on small silver objects. I dug out a very thin silver penny from the 1800th about 5" deep! The Detector is lightweight and it is built as well as we know it from the more expensive Fisher models of that time. I love this little friend, it's a perfect turn on and find machine!!!
Max Depth: 8 inches on US quarter
Overall Rating
Durability
Ease of Use
Would you recommend this to a new user?
Yes, absolutely!
Andy from
Germany
30
ID Excel
April 10, 2011
I just got one, in perfect working order. While there are much better
machines available today, I love mine. It works GREAT for what I use it
for.As far as the funky decals, they simply peal right off...
Overall Rating
Fishkiller41 from
Jupiter Florida
122
Great underestimated machine
January 14, 2010
This is a great, easy to use, alround machine, which loves coins.Sens is usually set on 7-8. On highly mineralized ground I put it on 6, sometimes 5.
Discrimination hardly to not infect the search depth.
It has a great ID which makes you dig on good targets.
If you get used to it (which is quick) you hardly dig for nothing, and you will have a good hunch of what you will dig up.
It's pinpoint is very accurate. If you got used to it a finding is normally dug up and found in about 15-20 seconds (yes, sometimes a bit longer on a harder target). I've seen more than one detectorist search for more than 10 minutes, and sometimes still couldn't find it.
I've read about the limited depth.
The depth is good, great for coins.
Found lots of very thin copper and silver 17-18th century coins on 8inch.
I've walked next to different other similar detectors, favorite types off known brandings (same prices), and I didn't find less than them ;-)
Some of the detectorists where surprisingly over-interested when they saw this underestimated and therefore not so well known detector and his performances.
If you can try one, do it. after that you probably want one.
I have one point of criticism:
there are no other coils to use than it's standard 8inch.
But with it's performances I'm hardly sad about that.
Overall Rating
John from
EU (Europe)
253
WOW
June 12, 2009
THe excel is a very good machine. I'm 14 and I have found LOTS of wheats
and siver coins. I found a buff 7-8 inches down.
I say this machine is great.
My brother has the x-tera 70 and I follow behind his and get all the coins he misses =P
Overall Rating
Mark h from
Slc utah
93
The Good vs the Bad
January 14, 2008
I have found well over 300 coins along with several pieces of jewelry in a
span of 2 years with my Excel. The detector is light weight which makes it
easy to swing for hours without fatigue unlike some of the others I've
used. The discrimination is excellent, ground balancing is simple, battery
life is also excellent with the exception of having to pry them out when
it's time for new ones. The pinpoint/depth works for me, it's a matter of
getting to know the machine as any with any detector. The things I dislike
is the cheap looking plastic housing as well as the decals, the lack of
optional coils offered for the unit. The detector is really over rated on
depth. 90% of the coins I've found were new clads less than 4" deep and we
hunt some very old sites. My wife has a Ace 250 and it performs just as
well as the Excel if not a fraction better with more features and was $200
less in price. Overall it's a nice detector but if it had more depth I'd
have zero complaints.
Overall Rating
Charles Hattaway from
Mullins,SC
204
Awsome detetor!
August 06, 2007
Hello ,just wanted too say the fisher id-excel is one hot detector
discrimination is awsome and i just love the four tone audio id the digital
readout is vary accurate and with this detector it will find the old coins
at 7 to 8 inches no problum becouse i have found indian head cents that
deep loud and clear. i know that this big surprise in a small box will and
i repeat WILL keep up with the big boy detectors no problum becouse i have
hunted along side them. i also own a more expensive other brand model and
have not out detected my fisher id -excel yet so dont hesitate too purchase
a fisher id-excel becouse it is alot of bang for the buck! thank you
Overall Rating
Paul b. from
Maine,usa
94
Love it
January 19, 2007
i had a cz-6 and updated to the id excel love it here the new technology
is the best
Overall Rating
Jeff from
Nova scotia
69
Good target seperation and ID but under powered
April 03, 2006
I got an Excel last Spring. Sold it after a few months and then got another
late in the fall. It just did not do it for me even, moving from the
Bounty Hunter world. I really wanted to like this machine, but just could
not.The good:
Decent target separation, it was a moderate sweeper and the ID was nice and not too jumpy. Target ID worked in ALL Metal mode. All metal mode had a little more depth then discrimination did but most detectors with all metal do also.
The Bad:
Was very under powered in it's sensitivity. Target depth indicator kinda stupid, just tell us the guessed depth! No coil options. Control box and buttons are a common problem. The pin point button died first on one then the Display died on another. Fisher fixed both under the warranty with no questions (That's a good) Over priced for the power and lack of options.
Overall Rating
Scott Beasley from
South Carolina
234
ID Excel a great metal detector
March 29, 2006
The Id Excel has worked really well for me.I have found a lot of wheat
pennies and silver coins at 5-6 inches in thrash littered parks.At first
this Fisher doesn't seem to work for nickles,but with a little
experimenting a great nickle hunter retrieved a 1928 Buffalo nickle out of
solid clay soil in Virginia at about 5 inches.Don't be fooled by the lame
airtest(which I'm sure hurt sales) response by this detector it has great
depth and good target seperation.
Overall Rating
Ron from
Oxford Mi.
163
Correction for previous review
March 02, 2006
I've seen the Fisher 1236X2 go for around $165.. not the ID Excel....sorry.
I've seen a couple ID excels go for $240, but they're usually higher.
Overall Rating
Digitaltim from
Ct, USA
72