Garrett ACE 250 Reviews, Price and Specifications

All-Purpose Land Metal Detector

Retail Price: $250

Available Reviews: 12

Avg. Rating (3.9 Stars) average total

Garrett ACE 250

Specifications:

  • Single Frequency Operation: 7.2 KHz
  • Graphic Target ID Cursor (12 Segments)
  • Discrimination: Accept/Reject Notch
  • Battery Condition Indicator
  • Coin Depth Indicator
  • Headphone Jack
  • Interchangeable Ace Series Searchcoils
  • Large LCD Display
  • Push Button Controls
  • Clear Speaker Tone
  • Ton ID, 3 Levels
  • Touch-n-Go Operation
  • Length: 42" to 51" - Adjustable
  • 3 Piece Breakdown Stem, to 24"
  • 4 AA battery operation
  • Weight: 2.7 lbs. (1.02 Kg)
  • 2 Year Warranty

Reviews:

Gold

by Dub in Ellettsville Indiana - best

while detecting in an old park in Bloomington, Indiana, I used the Garrett Ace 250 in All Metal Mode. After about an hour or so, all I found was coins, none old. I got a hit for a nickel and it was a loud tone. Digging about 5 inches down, I found a man's 14k white gold ring. Third 14k ring in 16 years of detecting.

Oct 20, 2016

250 Newbie

by Gary in Kalamazoo Mi - good

Santa just left an Ace 250 under my Christmas tree, and the ground here in Michigan is frozen rock hard.
I did take it out for a test sound check and now cannot WAIT for the ground to thaw and dig some targets! I know a spot where there are over 100 feet of creek bed which has NEVER been checked.
All the reviews on the 250 sounds good. When I'm able to use it in warm weather, I'll let you know what happens.

Dec 27, 2010

Sweet Little Machine

by Rey in Caribbean - good

Hi, hope this review prompts whoever is still on the fence with the ACE 250 to try it!
I am a 100% "Beach Hunter" (White's Dual Field PI Pro) that was looking for a "dry sand" detector. I did my homework on the ACE 250 and decided to go with the "Spring Pack."
This machine is true value for your money!
Pros:
1) It's very good on coins.
2) Light weight
3) Loads of options to fit your hunting level and needs
4) Will find EVERYTHING! LOL
5) EASY TO USE
6) PRICE IS RIGHT

CONS:
1) Pinpointing is off (yup the only fault)
If you get the "Spring Package" with the Pro Pointer, you'll be finding and recovering quickly! With the Pro Pointer you have a 5 star set up!

Tips:
1) Pinpoint with the ACE 250, and if your target is 2-4 inches deep, guess what?.. Just use the Pro Pointer to find the exact location of the target! Without the Pro Pointer, you will be digging trenches! lol!
2) Please do the air test (bench test) and study the machine with both junk and good targets to see how the ACE responds. If you are using the ACE in another country, always test the detector with local coinage.
3) Gold falls in the 1st notch below "Pull Tab" which is also in the Gold Range. The key to the ACE: ONLY DIG A SIGNAL THAT IS SMOOTH & STEADY! If it jumps between two coins, it's probably modern pull tab or a coin positioned next to "junk." Circle the signal, and if you get a smooth constant reading on it, dig it. If the Signal is all over the place, the target is 100% JUNK.
For me, I eliminate 50 cent and 1$ because I live in the Caribbean, and the chances are very slim I'd find them. Plus a crushed soda can or a piece of one comes in smooth without distortion in that range!
I have been metal & cable detecting for a living at my local phone company for 10 years so I know a little something. Metal Detection is not a perfect science because a lot on metals have similar "signatures," but with practice the ACE Will Impress you, like it did me.

P.S. I was only getting the ACE for a Beach Back-up and then going to get a White's Spectra V3i on Christmas (Cause I am a Gadget Freak LOL). To be honest, the ACE 250 with Pro Pointer have been working so well for me, I really don't NEED the V3i. (though I still WANT IT LOL)
Bottom line, the ACE 250 with PP is ALL you will really Need.
Happy Hunting :-)

Aug 14, 2010

Great beginners model

by Tim S. in Kinston N.C. - best

I read where some people cannot pinpoint with this detector. Well let me tell ya, the 250 is my first detector and I can pinpoint an object close enough to be able to dig it with a grass plugger. As long as it is 4 inches or less, I can shove the plugger into the ground and come up with the target in the plug. Filling in the hole is much easier with this method also. I have found tons of clad coinage as well as a good amount of silver and gold jewelry and some civil war era artifacts.

Jul 18, 2010

Using the Garrett 250 in France

by Arran Bos in France - three stars

I've been detecting for a few years, since 1986, and using all sorts of detectors. Now a mate of mine had bought the Garrett 250 and he said it was a great little machine, but I did not like the look of it - toy-lke in that brignt yellow colour, and, in mine opion, it was too cheap to be true.
About a year later, my XP broke down, so I was looking for a not too expensive detector, and my mate sold me the 250 and he bought the sport-pack version with the larger coil.
Boy, was I wrong about the little machine! I have used it for a year here in the South of France and found some great stuff with it. It is very easy to use, plug-and-play. I always use the relics mode, sensitivity one block down and discriminate the iron. I just dig every signal above the iron. If the detector gets too unstable, I turn the sensitivity another block down to stabilize it.
I found three gold items, about 15 silver coins and a large amount of copper and bronze coins with it. Great value for its money!
Like every detector, it also has a few downsides: it does not go very deep, and the plastic of the coil is too hard and easily chips away when it gets bumped against stones. Don't be turned down by its yellow colour, it is a great machine!

May 27, 2010

So-So Detector

by Stan in Arkansas - one star

I'm a seasoned detector operating with old technology, mostly old Fisher models, but wanted to get into the newer machines with improved electronics. I went for the Garret Ace 250 after reading reviews that were mostly favorable, but was badly disappointed when I found the 250 to be very sluggish (electronically), and not able to pinpoint objects well. When two objects are close together, the microprocessor gets overlaoded and gives all sorts of crazy readings. It also isn't able to pinpoint objects well... you almost need a backhoe to dig enough to find a pull tab. I wish my old Fisher were repairable and I'd be happy.

Mar 27, 2010

The Best Detector for Any Beginner!

by Sergei from Upstate NY in Albany, New York USA - best

I had a chance to try this detector once during relic hunting at the Nomadic camp site in the Eurasian steppes. The metal detecting conditions at the hunt site were more favourable for Ace 250 than any other detector participating in the hunt, and the results were fruitful. My companion, she had never used a metal detector before, scored more finds than the guys with Minelab Explorers and even one E-Trac! This simple machine is definitely the best detector for any beginner! For more details and operational tips please read my complete review (copy the link and paste it in your browser window): http://metaldetectingworld.com/garrett_ace_250.shtml

Mar 06, 2010

Poor Pinpointing

by Steve Lynch in st louis mo - two stars

Garrett Ace 250 is a pretty good model but the pinpointing is terrible. I went back to a Whites detector and it pinpoints right on every time.

Dec 26, 2008

Ok For the Money.

by Mark in Baytown,Texas - best

I bought my ACE 250 about 3 weeks ago on eBay. I was looking for some new technology at a decent price. Well, here is my report. The Ace 250 is a great machine for coins, it goes deep, and it is light. It does get confusing though when there is a lot of trash, it would be nice if there were more than one tone, (guess I am used to my Bounty Hunter :)). I have used a Bounty Hunter Quick Draw for years, and it is still a great machine. I think the Ace 250 is great for the money. I will use it for my back-up.

Aug 22, 2008

New to Detecting

by Ed Kidder in lewiston,idaho - good

Last summer, I researched for a detector. After about a month, I chose a Garrett Ace 250. Since then I've had about 30-40 hours using it. I have found about $7.00 in change at local parks. Nothing much, but it seems to really be a good machine for the money. I have found 3 "wheaties" at the old town site that is just a wheat field now. I hope to start finding some silver at that place come spring. I also prospect for gold and I am looking forward to summer so that I could hit places that I know have gold (maybe find a nugget!).

Feb 24, 2008

Great Detector for Beginners

by Ales' in Polatsk, Vitebsk region, Belarus - good

I have used Garrett Ace 250 for two years. Last year, I found 168 coins. Among them, there were three small silver coins, circa 14-15 centuries, of a thumbnail's size, recovered at the depth of about 10 cm (4 inches). Very good detector for beginner-hunters!

Jan 23, 2008

Awesome!

by creeper71 in South Central , Pa - best

I am new to metal detecting and I was looking for something that would give me everything that those expensive detectors had... I checked with one guy an he was trying to sell me a White's (I don't remember the exact model). Then I checked with another guy who turned me on to the Garrett Ace 250. It has all the features that those expensive models have. It is a very light Machine. I wasn't sure how well I would do since I was new to this hobby, but the Ace 250 does almost all the work for me. Within the first hour of using it, I found a little over a dollar in change and A Tree of Life sterling silver ring. The pinpointer on this machine is accurate, it just takes a little bit of time for us newbies to understand how it works. Once it's figured out, it will hit the target dead on everytime. I'm hooked on this hobby! It's winter now but everyday it's 42F or above outside - I'm out detecting somewhere. I can't tell you how much I love this machine and I can't find anything bad to say about it. I highly reccomend this to any beginner and hope you have as much fun with this machine as I do.

Jan 13, 2008

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