Short answer: yes, for almost everyone. If your budget only stretches to one accessory after the detector, make it a pinpointer. Ask a room of experienced detectorists what they wish they'd bought sooner and most will give you the same answer. Browse our pinpointers once you know what to look for.
What a pinpointer actually does
Your detector tells you a target is somewhere under the coil, which is an area the size of a dinner plate. Once you've dug, the target could be in the side of the hole, in the plug of soil you lifted out, or in the pile of loose dirt beside it. A small coin-sized target in a pile of dirt is surprisingly hard to find by hand.
A pinpointer is a handheld probe with a tiny detection field at the tip. You push it into the hole or run it over the pile, and it beeps or vibrates louder as you get closer. It narrows the search from the size of a plate to the size of a thumbnail.
Why it matters more than you'd think
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Faster recoveries. It turns a ten-minute hunt through the dirt into a one-minute recovery. Over a session that means far more targets dug.
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Smaller holes. You dig less and do less damage to lawns and parks, which keeps landowners and park managers happy.
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Fewer damaged finds. Without one, you end up stabbing around with a trowel and scratching coins or bending rings.
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Less frustration. Nothing ends a beginner's hobby faster than an afternoon of empty holes where the detector swore something was there.
When you can skip it
There are a few situations where a pinpointer matters less:
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Beach hunting with a sand scoop. In loose sand, a scoop that lifts and sifts the target in one go does much of the work. Even here, a waterproof pinpointer helps in wet sand and around rocks.
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A very tight budget. If it's a choice between a decent detector and a worse detector plus a pinpointer, buy the decent detector and add the pinpointer next.
Everywhere else, in parks, fields, relic sites and gold country, it earns its keep on day one.
What to look for
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Waterproofing. A pinpointer lives in wet holes and gets dropped in puddles. A properly waterproof one, ideally rated for full submersion, lasts far longer.
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Adjustable sensitivity. You need to be able to turn it down in mineralized soil or when the target is large, so it doesn't sound off across the whole hole.
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Audio plus vibration. Vibration is useful when you're wearing headphones or working somewhere noisy.
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A side scanning area. Detecting along the shaft as well as the tip lets you sweep the walls of the hole quickly.
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Bright color and a lanyard. You will set it down in the grass. A bright one with a lanyard is one you won't lose.
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Battery life. Check how long it runs, and whether it uses a standard battery or a rechargeable pack.
How to use one well
- Center the target with your detector before you dig.
- Cut a plug and check the hole with the pinpointer before you lift anything more.
- If the hole is quiet, scan the plug, then the loose pile.
- Sweep the pile in thin layers rather than poking at the middle.
- Re-tune or turn the pinpointer off and on if it starts sounding off on the soil itself.
- Before you fill the hole, check it once more.
The rest of the starter kit
A pinpointer pairs with a proper digging tool on land or a sand scoop on the beach. Together with the detector, that's a complete recovery kit. Headphones can wait until you know you're keeping the hobby. For more on building a first kit, see our beginner's guide and what a full starter kit costs.
Questions about which pinpointer suits your detector and ground? Call (689) 407-5377, Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm EST.
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