Review — Performance & Use

The Quest Q30 has carved out a niche for itself in the sub-£300 detector market, appealing especially to UK beginners and casual hobbyists. From the outset, the Q30 impresses with its sleek form factor, remarkably light weight, and solid waterproof build. UK reviewers repeatedly noted the practical advantage of full submersibility up to 5 metres, making it one of the few truly amphibious machines at this price point.

On pasture and plough, users reported that the Field Mode yields the most stable and consistent results. Several forum threads highlight that reducing sensitivity slightly (around 80–85%) improves target ID clarity on mineralised soils, particularly in Somerset and Lincolnshire clay. In Field Mode, the machine delivers reasonably accurate TIDs for coin-sized objects up to 8 inches deep.

A major strength is the TurboD 11"x9" coil, which offers a good balance of coverage and separation. One UK reviewer tested the Q30 against the Nokta Simplex and X-Terra Pro, praising the Q30’s quiet operation and resistance to EMI in rural areas. However, they also noted that its recovery speed is slightly more sluggish than higher-end models — making iron-infested Roman sites a bit of a challenge.

The interface is intuitive, with one-button switching between modes and clear icons. Beginners appreciated the lack of excessive settings, though more advanced users found the manual ground balance a welcome feature when dealing with stubborn soil conditions.

Beach performance was decent in dry and slightly damp sand, but several users on UK forums noted that it struggles on wet salt sand — a common issue for detectors without multi-frequency. It’s not a dedicated beach machine, and the manufacturer doesn’t market it as such, so this is no surprise.

Battery life is excellent. Most users got over 25 hours on a full charge, and the magnetic charging cable was a small but appreciated touch. Audio tones are clear but a bit sharp for some; using headphones helps, and the machine is Bluetooth-compatible with Quest’s own wireless units.

In short, the Q30 is a quiet workhorse. It’s not flashy, but for general UK farmland use, especially for those looking to avoid a steep learning curve, it delivers solid value and performance.