Harbor Freight Metal Detector Review: 9-Function 67378 vs GORDON

Harbor Freight metal detectors compared

Prices and stock are from Harbor Freight’s metal detector category on October 3, 2026.

9-Function Metal Detector (item 67378)

Harbor Freight sells the 9-Function Metal Detector with Arm Rest under item numbers 67378 and 62307. Its owner’s manual lists three modes:

• All Metal sounds on any metal while the coil is moving.
• Disc uses a DISC/TONE knob to stop responding to chosen metals. In the manual’s bench test, about 11 o’clock ignores an iron nail, 1 o’clock also ignores a nickel, and 3 o’clock ignores everything in the test set except a silver quarter. It also notes that aluminum and silver sit at similar positions, so they are detected together.
• Tone works like Disc, but instead of ignoring the selected metals it gives them a short broken tone and gives everything else a sustained tone.

In All Metal mode, a red Target button steps the sensitivity down to pinpoint a target, and a needle meter shows signal strength. There is no numeric target ID, ground balance control or display.

The manual rates maximum detection at about 7 inches for a US quarter. It also says only the search coil and the black section of the lower leg are waterproof, and the control housing should never be submerged or exposed to rain or blowing surf. Harbor Freight’s product page says it “works even under shallow water,” which applies to the coil only.

Buy it if the detector is for a child, a curious first try, or finding a lost ring or keys in a lawn. Skip it if you plan to hunt parks, beaches or old sites regularly; an analog meter and fixed 90-day warranty give you little to grow into.

GORDON High-Precision Metal Detector Set (item 58892)

The GORDON set is Harbor Freight’s step-up model. Its listing gives a 10-inch waterproof concentric coil, five modes (all metal, discrimination, memory, jewelry and pinpointing), five sensitivity levels, a target depth indicator and three tones. The kit includes headphones, a carrying case, a control box cover and two 9V batteries. It weighs 2.56 lb and adjusts from 41 to 51 inches.

Harbor Freight compares it with the Garrett ACE 300. The spec sheet is broadly in that class, but the warranty is not: GORDON gets 90 days, while Minelab’s Vanquish 340 comes with a 3-year warranty for less than $50 more at Minelab’s own store. Harbor Freight also does not publish an operating frequency or a waterproof rating for the GORDON control box.

CEN-TECH 9V Metal Detector Wand (item 94138)

The CEN-TECH wand is the “hand held metal detector” in Harbor Freight’s range. Harbor Freight describes it as a tool to detect metal embedded in wood and for security scanning. It is not a pinpointer for metal detecting and not a ground-searching detector. It is now in-store only at a clearance price.

Better alternatives at the same budgets

For more ways to spend under $200, see best budget metal detectors for backyard practice and the best metal detectors for beginners .

First-day setup for the 67378

The manual’s own bench test is the quickest way to learn it:

1. Fit six AA batteries and adjust the shaft so the coil sits parallel to the ground.
2. Lay the detector on a table with the coil facing up, away from other metal.
3. In Disc mode, sweep a nail, a nickel, a penny and a quarter 2 to 3 inches above the coil while turning the DISC/TONE knob, and note which ones it ignores at each position.
4. Keep the samples moving. It is a motion detector and will not respond to a target held still.

FAQ

What metal detectors does Harbor Freight sell?

As of October 3, 2026, Harbor Freight’s metal detector category lists three items: the 9-Function Metal Detector with Arm Rest (item 67378, under $60), the GORDON High-Precision Metal Detector Set (item 58892, $100 to $150) and the CEN-TECH 9V Metal Detector Wand (item 94138), an in-store-only handheld wand for finding nails in wood or security scanning.

Is the Harbor Freight metal detector good for beginners?

The under-$60 item 67378 is fine for a child’s first detector or a backyard trial. Its manual rates it at about 7 inches on a US quarter, it uses an analog meter rather than a numeric target ID, and it has a 90-day warranty. If you expect to keep detecting, a branded starter detector is a better first purchase.

Is the Harbor Freight metal detector waterproof?

Only partly. The 67378 manual says only the search coil and the black section of the lower leg are waterproof, and the control housing must never be submerged. The GORDON 58892 has a waterproof coil; Harbor Freight does not rate its control box.

Is the GORDON metal detector worth the price?

It adds a 10-inch waterproof coil, five modes, a depth indicator and headphones over the 67378, but keeps a 90-day warranty. The Minelab Vanquish 340 costs under $200 on Minelab’s US store with a 3-year warranty, which makes it the better buy for most people at that budget.

Sources

• Harbor Freight, metal detector category (three items, prices and stock status, checked October 3, 2026).
• Harbor Freight, 9-Function Metal Detector with Arm Rest, item 67378 and owner’s manual (modes, 6 x AA, about 7 in on a quarter, waterproof parts, 90-day warranty). Item 62307 is listed alongside 67378 on Harbor Freight’s coupon page .
• Harbor Freight, GORDON High-Precision Metal Detector Set, item 58892 ; the Garrett ACE 300 price comparison is on Harbor Freight’s GORDON coupon page .
• Harbor Freight, CEN-TECH 9V Metal Detector Wand, item 94138 .
• Minelab USA, VANQUISH 340 (under $200, 3-year warranty, V10 waterproof coil).
• Amazon listings checked for exact model titles: Bounty Hunter Tracker IV , Minelab Vanquish 340 (Amazon search) .

Compare the next step up

To see what changes around wet sand, read our best beach metal detectors guide . For another low-cost branded option, see the Bounty Hunter Quick Draw Pro review , and for how setup affects stability, read how to balance a metal detector before hunting .