I have three detectors, all Minelab and they have all paid for themselves. I recently graduated to the E-TRAC and although a little intimidated at first, within a few short weeks it has almost became an extension on my arm. For me, it's real strengths are in its ability to set patterns to allow you to target the good stuff. I set a fairly tight pattern which I use almost exclucively in the parks to find gold and silver jewellery and coins. There is one particular park I drive past nearly every day and finally got there to have a bit of a hunt with the E-TRAC. The targets came thick and fast and the E-TRAC also has a great ability to identify targets accuately. I keep coming up with different coins (quite a few silvers) to add to the collection everytime I go from as early as the 1860's.