Buying a metal detector isn't always the first step.
Sometimes you want to try a machine before committing to it. Sometimes you've got a rally coming up and fancy using something different. Maybe you're completely new to detecting and want to see whether the hobby is for you before buying all the equipment.
That's exactly where metal detector rental comes in.
At LP Metal Detecting, we offer a range of rental detectors from manufacturers including Minelab, Nokta, XP and Garrett, giving you the chance to get out there and actually use a machine rather than simply reading about it online.
And there are plenty of reasons why renting might make more sense than buying straight away.
Try Before You Buy
This is probably the biggest one.
Metal detectors can look very similar when you're comparing specifications.
Multi-frequency. Waterproof. Wireless headphones. Different search modes. Different target ID systems.
On paper, you can compare almost everything.
What you can't easily compare is how a detector actually feels to use.
You might have spent weeks watching videos about a particular machine, but until you've spent a few hours swinging it, listening to the audio and digging targets with it, you don't really know whether you're going to get on with it.
That's why renting a detector before buying one can be so useful.
Take it onto the type of ground you normally search and see for yourself.
Does it feel comfortable?
Do you like the audio?
Do the controls make sense?
Can you understand what the detector is telling you?
Does it feel like an upgrade from your current machine?
Sometimes you'll know surprisingly quickly.
Thinking About Upgrading Your Detector?
Upgrading is where try before you buy becomes especially useful.
If you're moving from a beginner or mid-range detector into something more advanced, the price jump can be significant.
It's one thing to read that a machine offers more settings, faster recovery or more detailed audio.
It's another thing entirely to decide whether those differences actually matter to you.
Rental gives you the opportunity to try the machine properly before making that decision.
Better still, take it onto a permission you already know.
If you've detected the same field many times with your existing detector, you'll already have an idea of how the ground behaves and what your current machine is like there.
Taking another detector onto that same land can be a really interesting comparison.
You're not trying to conduct a laboratory test.
You're simply asking:
Which detector would I rather use?
That's ultimately far more important than which one has the longest feature list.
Try Metal Detecting Before Starting the Hobby
Not everybody looking at metal detectors is ready to buy one.
You might have watched detecting videos online, followed people making incredible finds, or been invited out detecting with somebody who already owns a machine.
But you might still be wondering whether you'll actually enjoy doing it yourself.
Renting allows you to find out.
Instead of immediately buying a detector, you can hire one, take it out detecting and experience the hobby first-hand.
You quickly discover what detecting is really like — walking the land, listening to signals, pinpointing targets and digging plenty of things that definitely aren't treasure.
And hopefully finding something interesting along the way.
If you catch the detecting bug afterwards, you'll also be in a much better position when it comes to choosing your first detector.
Rent a Detector for a Rally
Got a detecting rally coming up?
That can be another great reason to rent.
Perhaps you've been thinking about a particular machine for months and want a full day with it.
A rally gives you the chance to use it for several hours across a decent amount of ground.
That's long enough to get a much better feeling for things like:
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Weight and balance
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Target audio
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Target IDs
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Pinpointing
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Controls and menus
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How comfortable the detector is after several hours
It's very different from picking a detector up for five minutes.
And if you've got a big rally coming up but your own detector is unavailable, rental can also give you another way of getting onto the field.
Use a Better Detector for a Special Permission
Every detectorist knows that feeling.
You've been offered access to an exciting new permission and immediately start wondering what could be there.
Perhaps it's an old pasture field you've been trying to get onto for years. Maybe research has turned up something interesting nearby.
If you don't currently own the detector you've been considering upgrading to, renting one for the occasion gives you the chance to take it out and see what it can do.
It also means you're not buying another machine purely because one interesting weekend has appeared in the diary.
Try a Premium Metal Detector
Higher-end detectors aren't cheap.
And that makes it completely understandable that you might want to use one before deciding whether to purchase it.
Rental can give you access to machines you may have been curious about without immediately committing to the full purchase price.
You can spend time using the detector properly and decide whether the extra capability, features and overall experience justify upgrading for the type of detecting you do.
Sometimes you'll come back convinced you want one.
Sometimes you'll realise you're perfectly happy with the machine you've already got.
Either way, you've learned something useful before spending a considerable amount of money.
Compare Two Different Types of Detector
Choosing a detector isn't always about deciding between the expensive one and the cheaper one.
Sometimes you're deciding between completely different machines.
You might prefer the audio from one manufacturer but the menus from another.
One detector may feel better balanced.
Another might simply make more sense to you.
That's why recommendations from other detectorists can only take you so far.
Someone else's favourite detector isn't automatically going to be yours.
Rental lets you build your own opinion.
Rent One While Your Detector Is Unavailable
If you detect regularly, being without your machine at the wrong time can be frustrating.
You could have a rally booked, a weekend permission arranged or simply a rare free day when the weather is actually behaving itself.
If your usual machine isn't available, hiring another detector can keep your plans moving.
And you might as well use the opportunity to try something you've been interested in.
Metal Detector Hire for a Holiday
Detecting isn't always something you do close to home.
Maybe you're heading away somewhere and have permission to detect while you're there, or you're planning some beach detecting during a trip.
Hiring can make sense when you only need a detector for a limited period.
It can also be a good excuse to try a machine that suits the type of detecting you're planning to do without adding another detector permanently to the collection.
Just make sure you have permission and understand the rules affecting wherever you intend to search.
Beach Detecting Without Buying Another Machine
Plenty of detectorists spend most of their time inland.
If that's you, buying another machine primarily for the occasional beach trip might not be something you want to do.
Hiring gives you the option of using a suitable detector for the period you actually need it.
It can also be a good opportunity to experience how a different detector behaves on wet sand and around saltwater conditions compared with the machine you normally use inland.
Need a Detector for a One-Off Search?
Sometimes you're not looking to take up detecting at all.
You've simply lost something.
A ring in a garden.
A piece of jewellery in a field.
An important metal object somewhere on a property.
Buying a detector for one search probably doesn't make much sense.
Hiring one does.
You can use the equipment for the period you need it without being left with a detector you may never use again.
You Don't Have to Commit Straight Away
Perhaps the biggest advantage of rental is simply that it gives you options.
Metal detecting equipment is an investment.
And while research, reviews and recommendations are useful, you don't always have to make your decision from behind a screen.
Rent the detector.
Take it detecting.
Dig some targets.
See how it feels after several hours.
Then decide.
That's what try before you buy is really about.
Which Metal Detectors Can I Rent?
Our rental range includes detectors from leading manufacturers including:
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Minelab
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Nokta
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XP
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Garrett
There are machines suitable for complete beginners as well as experienced detectorists looking to try more advanced equipment.
Availability changes as detectors are booked and returned, so the best place to see what's currently available is our dedicated Metal Detector Rental page.
How Does Metal Detector Rental Work?
We've kept the process straightforward.
Choose the detector you'd like to hire, select your rental period and complete your booking.
For next working day delivery, orders need to be placed before 2:00pm.
Rental detectors can also be collected from our warehouse by prior arrangement.
We even offer hourly rentals, which must be collected from our warehouse and can be particularly useful if your main aim is to spend some time trying a detector before deciding whether to buy it.
What Comes With the Detector?
Your rental includes the equipment needed to use the machine, including:
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Search coil
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Headphones where supplied as standard
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Battery and charging equipment for rechargeable models
Every rental machine is also cleaned, tested and inspected before going back out.
Checks include the coil, cables, control unit, batteries, charging equipment, shafts and stems.
Is There a Deposit?
Yes.
A refundable security deposit is required when renting a detector.
Once the machine has been returned, inspected and confirmed to be in satisfactory condition, the deposit is refunded to the original payment method.
You'll also need valid photo identification, such as a driving licence or passport, and we may occasionally request proof of address.
Full rental conditions can be found in our Rental Terms & Conditions.
Try Before You Buy with LP Metal Detecting
You can research a detector for hours.
You can compare every specification.
You can watch every review.
But eventually, there's only one way to find out whether you really like a metal detector.
Go detecting with it.
Whether you're buying your first machine, considering an upgrade, attending a rally or simply curious about a detector you've never used before, renting gives you the chance to experience it for yourself.
Try before you buy.