Top 5 Editorial Picks

Five current fishfinders chosen for distinct buyer needs—from compact value to a premium expandable system. These are editorial selections, not Amazon or reader ratings.

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  1. 1
    Garmin Striker Vivid 4cv Fishfinder with Transducer - 4-inch LCD Display - Easy-to-Use Scanning Sonar - Color Palettes, 11.2 Ounces (010-02550-00) | Transducer, 4-inch LCD Display, Easy-to-Use Scanning Sonar, Color Palettes, 11.2 Ounces 4 Inch STRIKER Vivid 4cv Transducer

    Best Compact Value

    Garmin STRIKER Vivid 4cv

    A straightforward sonar and GPS unit for kayaks, jon boats, and small boats.

    • CHIRP and ClearVü scanning sonar in a compact package
    • A sensible pick when you do not need a chartplotter or SideVü
    • Best fit for budget-conscious small-boat anglers
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  2. 2
    Garmin Striker Vivid 7sv, Easy-to-Use 7-inch Color Fishfinder and Sonar Transducer, Vivid Scanning Sonar Color Palettes (010-02553-00) | Easy-to-Use 7-inch Color Fishfinder, Sonar Transducer, Vivid Scanning Sonar Color Palettes 010-02553-00 7 Inch STRIKER Vivid 7sv Transducer

    Best All-Around 7-Inch Fishfinder

    Garmin STRIKER Vivid 7sv

    A capable sonar-first choice for anglers who want a useful 7-inch display without moving into a full chartplotter system.

    • CHIRP, ClearVü, and SideVü sonar for fish and structure
    • Simple setup with a practical 7-inch screen
    • Strong value for most general boat anglers
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  3. 3
    Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 73sv with GT54 Transducer, 7” Touchscreen Chartplotter, Garmin Navionics+ U.S. Inland 7' Garmin Navionics+ U.S. Inland with GT54 Transducer

    Best GPS & Chartplotter Upgrade

    Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 73sv

    The mapping step-up for buyers who need confident navigation as well as high-quality scanning sonar.

    • Garmin Navionics+ U.S. Inland mapping and touchscreen control
    • Ultra High-Definition ClearVü and SideVü sonar
    • A better fit than STRIKER when charts matter
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  4. 4
    Humminbird XPLORE Series GPS Fish Finder MEGA Side Imaging+ & HD Touchscreen Display Transducer Included) 9-Inch Display

    Best Side-Imaging Upgrade

    Humminbird XPLORE 9

    A current 9-inch imaging platform for anglers ready to build around serious side imaging and boat integration.

    • MEGA Side Imaging+ and MEGA Down Imaging+
    • 9-inch display with touchscreen and keypad control
    • Recommended configuration: 9-inch, transducer included
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  5. 5
    Lowrance HDS PRO Fishfinder/Chartplotter with Smartphone Integration and Preloaded C-MAP U.S. & Canada Charts 10 Inch ActiveImaging HD 3-in-1

    Best Premium Expandable System

    Lowrance HDS PRO 10

    A larger-boat platform for buyers who want premium sonar, mapping, networking, and a serious expansion path.

    • Active Imaging HD and C-MAP charting
    • Wide networking support for integrated electronics
    • Ready to expand with ActiveTarget 2 and the Lowrance ecosystem
    Check Price

Cobra HH330 Review

The Cobra HH330 is the company’s entry level floating marine handheld VHF radio. It has all the needed operational features you’d expect in a handheld plus a maximum power output of 6-watts.

Its grey and orange case is solidly constructed from UV stable ABS plastic. The radio measures approximately 5-inches high, 2.6-inches wide, and 1.5-inches deep. Overall height including the antenna is 11.5-inches. On my scale, with the 1000 mAH lithium-ion battery pack installed, the HH330 weighed in at 9.4 ounces.

Buy this Cobra marine handheld VHF radio here.

Cobra HH330 floating handheld vhf radio

Cobra HH330

The HH330 handheld marine VHF radio package ships with the radio, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC and DC chargers, belt clip, wrist strap, and owner’s manual. The drop-in AC charger cradle will hold the radio with the battery installed or the battery alone and complete a charge cycle in about 5 hours. This charger shows a red light to indicate charging and green light to indicate a fully charged battery. There is an optional AA battery tray available for this radio.

Radio Controls

This is only the second floating handheld marine VHF radio I’ve seen with a rotary control knob, the other was the Cobra HH475. On the HH330 the top mounted knob turns the radio on or off and sets the volume level. As I’ve stated in other reviews, having a rotary volume control is preferable to up/down arrow buttons. An optional external speaker/microphone jack also sits atop the radio case. The antenna on this radio is not removable.

The majority of radio functions are controlled using eight front-mounted pushbuttons. You’ll also find the standard side mounted push-to-talk button and just below that is the display backlight on/off and key lock pushbutton. This button makes it easy and simple to turn the backlight on or off as desired. The key lock function allows the user to lock certain radio settings.

One button control is available to select any one of three levels of transmitter output power, send a call tone, channel up or down, switch to weather channels, quick select channel 16 or 9, as well as some scan features.

Six functions are set using the setup menu. Here is where you’d access the squelch setting and choose your channel group. You can also set a number of