There are many detectors, here are a few well known manufacturers Bounty Hunter, Fisher, Garrett, Minelab, Teknetics, Tesoro, Treasure Commander, Whites - Where to buy is a question lots of people ask? Well it's good to support your local dealers, the forum sponsors are great to deal with great prices too, there's eBay, you can also buy used through the classified ads. I will suggest that you check with the manufactures on warranty transfers when buying a used detector, some do not except warranty transfers. You will want to know this in case you want to sell that unit for an upgrade. Sometimes it's harder to sell a used unit without a warranty.
Hand diggers, pinpointers, Shovels, Sand Scoops, knee pads just to name a few of the main ones.
Then there are the forums, a place that has so much information it can be overwhelming. But all the information can be the key to getting started properly. There are many forums out there, they are free, many members that have years of experience and knowledge that freely share it. It's a place that's worth spending the time reading and learning about the hobby. Plenty of pictures of finds, plenty of information on different units. People that help others learn the hobby, all in one place.
Friendly Metal Detecting Forum, TreasureNet, Kinzli's California Forum and Treasure Illustrated, are just a few to get you started. Stop by and read a few stories, view a few pictures of metal detecting finds and enjoy. If your new to forums, just stop by as a guest you don't have to be a member to look.