If you are a farm owner, company, or specialist in the field of water exploration and prospecting, the most important tool in your arsenal is obviously the underground water detector.

However, with so many models on the market, covering a wide range of price points, it can be difficult to decide which device to invest in.

There are also questions of depth detection range, mapping ability, and overall build quality to think about.

Professional users will undoubtedly benefit from real-time geographic mapping. For a farm owner exploring the land for water, such features may not be as important.

There’s also the issue of portability; a lightweight option will make scanning easier. However, the inevitable knocks and bumps that a detector will experience in its working life, means it needs to be robust too.

There are also accuracy levels to think about. How well can you fine-tune the detection in order to differentiate between the different types of water? Is the LCD screen clear and easy to read? How much data can be recorded? All of these are factors you will need to think about.

To help you in your search we have pulled together a selection of top-rated underground water detectors, (we’ve also included a pipe leak detector). Our choices are backed by verified customer reviews alongside in-house product research and analysis.

These are the results for 2021.

Top 5 Picks

NAME	IMAGE	DETAILS
EDITOR'S CHOICE: PQWT-TC900 AUTO mapping Water Detector		1200m Range Geographical Mapping	CHECK ON AMAZON
GOLD AKS Aqua Long Range Water Detector		1300m Range	CHECK ON AMAZON
BEST BUDGET: GER DETECT River F Water Detector		1300m Range	CHECK ON AMAZON
PQWT-TC500 Water Detector		500m Range	CHECK ON AMAZON
BEST LEAK DETECTOR: VTSYIQI Pipe leak detector		Frequency: 70~3000Hz	CHECK ON AMAZON

Underground Water Detector Reviews

1. EDITOR’S CHOICE: PQWT-TC900 Colourful AUTO mapping 1200M deep underground geoelectrical water detector

Our top pick underground water detector this year, is the TC900 from PQWT.

This is an extremely high-quality detector packed with features for commercial use. Giving the ability to undertake geophysical groundwater prospect mapping with ease, this is an essential tool to speed up your workflow.

The efficient one button groundwater detection works by utilizing the natural electric field as a working electromagnetic field source.

The system does this by measuring the resistivity differences of underground rock, ore or groundwater if present.

The performance levels, as a result, have made the TC900 one of the industry’s leading groundwater detectors.

In fact, a number of patented technologies have gone into this unit. It really is on the cutting edge of water prospecting equipment.

Beyond the detection technology itself, there’s a whole host of other features and design choices that make this an extremely satisfying machine to work with.

The instrument is lightweight for a start, meaning there’s less strain while using it. Combine this with the fact the measuring line needs only 10 meters, and you have a system that can be fully operated with just one person. A cost-saving measure for your company by reducing team sizes.

The TC-900 is also very easy to use. The full touch screen menu and options accessibility is most intuitive, meaning little training is required.

Working in conjunction with a high-capacity memory card you can record all necessary data.

There’s also real-time mapping functionality, all of which can be operated with just one button.

The instrument can detect high resistance fault zones, as well as low resistance areas such as water.

Furthermore, once the data has been collected, recorded and stored, the unit display can automatically create a curve graph and profile map of the terrain.

Even a novice will then be able to see the geological structure in a wider context, enabling them to pinpoint the locations of the various elements and structures located under the ground.

Bottom Line

If you are a professional and need to detect groundwater for commercial purposes, this is the detector for you and/or your business.

Highly efficient, yet easy to use, the TC900 can be operated by just one person, providing high-quality, accurate results every time.

An industry leader and our top pick underground water detector for good reason. If you have the budget, look no further than this.

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2. GOLD AKS Aqua Long Range Water Detector | Professional Underground Water Finder and Detection System | 1,300 Meter Depth

For a more budget-friendly underground water detector, you might look towards the GOLD AKS Aqua Long Range Water Detector.

At less than half the price of our top pick, this will be a more interesting choice for those on a tighter budget, (having said that, make sure you read the review below too if price-point is a deciding factor for you).

The Gold AKS is still a professional level machine mind you. Suitable for commercial use, the range on this beast is impressive.

The water detector can scan all layers of the ground to a depth of 1300 meters. The front range is also useful, providing the user with up to 5000 meters in detection ability.

Furthermore, you can choose the type of water you are trying to detect in the main unit settings.

Fine-tune the system with just a few clicks of a button, to recognize water types such as Salty, Natural, and Artesian. You can also check the depths of these with the automatic depth checking function.

However, it doesn’t have the high-grade geographical map-making ability that our top pick TC-900 has, but then this shouldn’t be expected at the price point we are in with this model.

A manufacturer’s warranty is available on all products from Detector Power.

The sales provider also offer a hassle-free 15-day return policy if the machine doesn’t match your expectations upon arrival.

Bottom Line

The GOLD AKS Aqua Long is a good groundwater detector, however, for those looking for more features, there are better options.

And if you are on a budget, the GER Detect (reviewed below) is the better buy. Still, a worthy addition to our top 5 nonetheless.

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3. BEST BUDGET: GER DETECT River F High Resolution Long Range Underground Water Detector

Our best budget choice underground water detector is the GER Detect River F.

As with the GOLD AKS reviewed above, this is a 3 water search instrument that allows users to detect the location of fresh, salty and natural water deposits and sources.

The unit itself can be operated via the touch screen or the keypad, and the different search attributes can be selected with a few taps of a button.

Essentially, the Ger Detect River F can detect underground water sources as well as artesian wells. The range for such detection is good too.

While not as wide as the Gold AKS, you can still reliably scan and detect to a depth of 1300m, with a front range of 3000m.

It is also easy to pick up and use. Opting for a pistol grip style mode of operation, you can literally, begin scanning the terrain with the press of a button.

The unit features a built-in digital compass so that users can set the north and south directions before they begin to search the terrain.

Language selection is also a highlight, with the device working in German – English – French – Italian – Spanish, and Arabic languages.

The supplier on Amazon (Detector Power) is the same as for the GOLD AKS, so you can expect similar support levels here too. Namely the manufacturer’s warranty and 15-day no-hassle return policy.

Bottom Line

For those looking for a high-quality underground detector that is cost-effective and easy to use, the GER DETECT is our number one choice.

Balancing professional-level accuracy and operation modes at an affordable price point, this is a highly recommended device for 2021.

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4. Deep Water Detection PQWT-TC500 Accurate Instrument for Water Well Drill

The TC500 is another PQWT device to make our top 5. While not as packed in features as the TC900, (nor does it have the same high range), this is still a top-quality instrument for underground water detection.

Utilizing the same patented technology as our top choice, the TC500 can also automatically provide a visual representation of the substances detected under the ground.

The TC500 will give you an understanding of the subterranean geological structures in the most user-friendly manner. As a portable water finder, it really is a great device.

However, one negative (and this is related to the lower cost nature of the equipment), the depth range is only 500m. To obtain greater power and detection ability you will need to buy one of the more premium devices.

That being said, if the 500m range is suitable for your needs the instrument is easy to pick up and use.

From a novice perspective, the device uses a single selective menu, with the options being intuitive and simple to understand.

For the professional user, it is important to know that the manufacturers state that the data acquisition accuracy rate is up to 0.001mv.

Also, relevant for commercial use is the fact that once data is collected, just one button will initiate the mapping of geographical features, with depth measurements being traced too.

Underground water prospecting really is efficient with this tool, (as long as 500m is deep enough for you).

Bottom Line

For the price, the PQWT TC500 packs a lot of very impressive features. The one-button geographical map-making ability is especially beneficial.

However, as we have covered throughout the review, with only 500m depth capacity at your disposal, this is a unit that you need to think carefully about buying. Is that detection range suitable for your needs?

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5. BEST LEAK DETECTOR: VTSYIQI Underground Pipe water leak detector

For those looking for a water detector with less depth range, (suitable for underground pipe leaks for instance), the VTSYIQI 2000 is an excellent option.

For home or professional trade use, this device is a reliable way of getting to the source of disruptive water-pipe damage.

This water leak detector utilizes a special bandwidth in order to effectively analyze frequency in the pursuit of water leak sources.

Furthermore, the VTSYIQI Water Leak Detector features a low-power microprocessor (meaning battery life is very good) alongside an advanced special filter for digital processing of noise. The upshot being the device is very accurate and can pinpoint leaks with impressive accuracy.

The device has the ability to set 9 different channels of storage. With these the user is able to store the value of 7 measuring points for each bandwidth, enhancing the data collection ability while providing a more thorough leak detection sweep.

Build quality is also good on the VTSYIQI 2000. The main unit is housed in a special ABS plastic box. This is sturdy enough to meet the demands of regular in-field detection.

The main operation is simple too. Function keys provide an intuitive way of selecting different options, while the bright, backlit LCD display will give you the data readout you need whatever the work environment.

Finally, for those interested in the true specification of the water leak detector, it runs with a frequency analysis bandwidth of 70~3000Hz. This translates to nearly 5 octaves and two bandwidths overall.

Bottom Line

For practitioners looking for a way of detecting pipe water leaks, the VTSYIQI 2000 really is a system that is hard to beat.

Extra sensitive detection technology with low noise interference and long battery life, there is a lot to like here.

If you are a tradesman where water leak detection is a regular part of your working day, you will need a device as accurate as this. Highly recommended.

Anyone looking for an underground water detector, however, should look elsewhere.

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