Responsible for making some of the best metal detectors on the planet, there may not be a more respected or reliable company making metal detectors today than Fisher. Here we give you the complete Fisher F22 metal detector review and find out if this model lives up to that reputation.
The Fisher F22 metal detector, which we review below, represents a major upgrade to their first-ever entry-level detector, the F2, that took the industry by storm back in 2007.
Eight years later the folks at Fisher went back to the drawing board to create the F22, the successor to that first starter detector. Today the F22 is almost universally regarded as the best entry-level metal detector money can buy – and for good reason.
Lightweight, easy to use, 100% waterproof, with a lightning-fast recovery speed and no real learning curve to manage, don’t be surprised if you find yourself falling in love with the Fisher F22 metal detector the first time you try it out.
Newbies to the world of treasure hunting or metal detecting will love this setup!
To learn more about what makes this so special let’s dive deeper into this review.
Build Quality
You know exactly what you are getting when you buy a Fisher metal detector (this one or any other model).
The build quality on these tools is second to none.
While it doesn’t include advanced features like ground-balancing, I expect that it’ll be a while before I feel the need to upgrade.
Not only does Fisher use the highest quality construction materials available (including lightweight metals like aluminum and other alloys, synthetics, and rubberized materials), but the engineering behind these metal detectors is top-tier, too.
The Fisher F22 metal detector is smaller and more compact than the original F2, with a well-designed and intelligently put together.
A waterproof/weatherproof control box that lets you detect in less than ideal weather – or in rivers, creeks, and along sandy beaches.
Combine that with a top-of-the-line warranty and great customer support from Fisher and this is a no-brainer kind of investment for beginning treasure hunters and metal detectorists.
Search Coil Capabilities
One thing that stands out in this complete Fisher F22 metal detector review is that the coil design is totally unique, a new design from Fisher that features a 9-inch triangulated elliptical concentric coil system.
This design makes the coil itself a little narrower. This goes a long way to help more accurately pick out good targets amongst the rubbish and debris buried under the ground.
It also helps you squeeze this metal detector into tighter spots (like between rocks, for example) that you might not have been able to accurately detect otherwise.
The triangulated elliptical concentric coil system is 100% waterproof and fully submersible. You’ll be able to use it in shallow water without any worries at all.
Scanning Mods
As we highlighted above, the Fisher F22 metal detector might not be the most advanced metal detector on the planet today – but it isn’t designed to be, either.
This is very much a beginner’s detector with four individual search modes that lets you detect different discrimination patterns without much difficulty.
A jewelry pattern discriminates for iron targets, a coin pattern discriminates iron targets and pull tabs as well as other “garbage” targets, the artifact pattern will not discriminate all, and a custom mode gives you the ability to adjust your own settings to come up with a pattern that works best for you.
It’s not the most customizable thing in the world for the most sensitive metal detector on the planet but it’s great for when you are starting out.
LCD Screen
The LCD screen on the Fisher F22 metal detector is bright, easy to read, and easy to understand in pretty much every lighting condition.
A bunch of different indicators are prominently displayed on the LCD screen, including target ID categories, target ID designations, iron indicators, the indicator for your current search mode, target depth indicators, battery level indicators, and so much more.
Fisher lays all of this information out in a simple and straightforward kind of way, making it easy to use this metal detector without a lot of training or a lot of experience.
Audio Quality
The tonal alarms of this metal detector leave a bit to be desired as well, with only four different options to choose from:
- Base
- Low
- Medium and
- High
You’ll have to use these sound cues in connection with the numeric target ID on the LCD screen to know exactly what your detector has located, and sometimes it’s a little bit difficult to navigate accurately.
For the most part, though, you should be able to get the hang of these tonal cues with a bit of practice. And then you are off to the races!
First and Third-Party Support
One of the biggest advantages of buying a Fisher metal detector like the F22 is the amazing amount of first and third-party support you get, particularly in the accessory and add-on world.
Fisher has plenty of accessories you can use to totally customize your Fisher F22 metal detector to your heart’s content, but there are a lot of third-party companies out there that offer a lot of great accessories as well (some of them pretty inexpensively).
This lets you really make the Fisher F22 a more versatile option than the entry-level tool it is, right out of the box.
Features
- Visual Target-ID by Category
- Weatherproof
- Operates on 2 AA Batteries (25-30 Hours)
- Fe-Tone® (Adjustable Iron Audio)
- Iron Identifier Icon
- 9-Segment Visual Target-ID
- Large 2-Digit, 1-99 Numeric Target-ID
- 4 Modes of Operation: JEWELRY, COIN, ARTIFACT, CUSTOM
- Pinpoint
- 10 Levels of Adjustable Sensitivity
- 20 Levels of Adjustable Volume
- 4-Tone Audio-ID
- Non-Volatile Memory Saves Settings
- 9-Inch Concentric Elliptical Waterproof Searchcoil
- Ultra-lightweight Only 2.3 lbs. Operational Weight
- 7.69 kHz. Operating Frequency
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Final Verdict
