The Garrett Ace and the Minelab Vanquish are the two ranges most UK beginners end up choosing between. Garrett’s Ace series has been one of the best-selling detectors in the world for years, and Minelab’s Vanquish is the one most often recommended to UK beginners today. Here’s how they compare.
How we compared them: from the manufacturers’ specifications, the Amazon UK listings and reviews, and current UK prices. We haven’t tested them side by side ourselves.
The short answer
- Best for most UK beginners: Minelab Vanquish 340 (about £199) or the fully waterproof Vanquish 360 (about £259).
- Best Garrett under £200: Ace 200i (about £186). A simple, proven single-frequency detector.
- If you want Garrett’s multi-frequency: Ace Apex (about £408). But the Vanquish 460 (about £349) is cheaper.
- The cheapest proven option: Ace 150 (about £155). Very simple and very popular.
The key difference: single vs multi-frequency
The Ace 150, 200i and 300i are single-frequency detectors. It’s a well-proven design, and they find plenty, but single-frequency detectors are more affected by wet, mineralised soil and salt beaches.
Every Vanquish is multi-frequency, using Minelab’s Multi-IQ. On UK farmland and beaches, that gives more stable performance with less fiddling. Garrett’s answer is the Ace Apex, which uses Garrett’s Multi-Flex technology, but it costs about twice as much as the Vanquish 340.
For most UK beginners, that’s the deciding factor, and it favours the Vanquish.
Where the Garrett Ace wins
- Price. The Ace 150 is the cheapest detector from a major brand in this comparison.
- Track record. The Ace 150 has nearly 1,800 Amazon UK ratings, more than any detector here.
- Manual control. The 300i gives you more adjustable settings, which some people like to learn on.
- Coil options. A range of Garrett coils, including the 8.5x11-inch PROformance DD coil (about £136), fit the Ace series.
Side-by-side comparison
| Detector | Price (approx.) | Frequency | Waterproof | Amazon UK rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garrett Ace 150 | £155 | Single | Coil only | 4.4 (1,775) |
| Garrett Ace 200i | £186 | Single | Coil only | 4.6 (434) |
| Minelab Vanquish 340 | £199 | Multi (Multi-IQ) | Coil only | 4.3 (704) |
| Minelab Vanquish 360 | £259 | Multi (Multi-IQ) | Fully, to 16ft | 4.6 (28) |
| Garrett Ace 300i | £276 | Single | Coil only | 4.5 (1,005) |
| Minelab Vanquish 460 | £349 | Multi (Multi-IQ) | Fully, to 16ft | 4.8 (24) |
| Garrett Ace Apex | £408 | Multi (Multi-Flex) | Coil only | 4.4 (49) |
Prices and ratings are from Amazon UK in September 2026 and change often.
The detectors
Minelab Vanquish 340: our pick for most beginners (about £199)
Multi-IQ multi-frequency, automatic setup, Park, Field and Beach modes, and about 1.2kg. The control box is water-resistant rather than waterproof. Rated 4.3 stars from 704 reviews.
Minelab Vanquish 360: best if you want it fully waterproof (about £259)
Keeps Multi-IQ and adds full IP68 waterproofing to 16ft, with a 10-inch V10X coil. See our Vanquish comparison for the 460 and 560.
Garrett Ace 200i: best Garrett under £200 (about £186)
A simple, well-proven detector with a clear display and target ID. It's single-frequency, so less stable than a Vanquish on difficult ground, but it's a solid first machine. Rated 4.6 stars from 434 reviews.
Garrett Ace 150: the cheapest proven option (about £155)
The simplest Ace, and the most-reviewed detector in this comparison, with nearly 1,800 ratings averaging 4.4 stars. A sensible choice if your budget is tight but you want a major brand.
Garrett Ace 300i: more control (about £276)
More adjustable settings than the 200i and a wide user base, with over 1,000 ratings averaging 4.5 stars. At this price, though, the multi-frequency Vanquish 360 is the stronger buy for UK ground.
Garrett Ace Apex: Garrett's multi-frequency Ace (about £408)
Garrett's Multi-Flex technology gives multi-frequency performance, and it comes with a narrow 6x11-inch DD Viper coil that suits trashy fields. It's a detector many people keep for years. Rated 4.4 stars from 49 reviews. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Our verdict
For most UK beginners, the Minelab Vanquish is the better buy, because multi-frequency matters on British soil and the Vanquish offers it from £199. Choose a Garrett Ace 150 or 200i if you want the cheapest major-brand detector and mainly detect dry fields and parks, or if you’d like a simpler, more manual machine to learn on.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Garrett Ace good for beginners? Yes. It’s one of the most popular beginner detectors ever made. It’s single-frequency, so it’s less stable than a Vanquish on wet or salty ground.
Garrett Ace 300i or Vanquish 340? For UK farmland and beaches, the Vanquish 340, which is cheaper and multi-frequency.
Do Garrett headphones work with Minelab? Yes, with an adapter if the plugs differ. See our headphones guide.