Gold panning can be used as a prospecting method in itself or can be used in connection with other prospecting methods. For this reason, gold panning is probably the most popular method of gold recovery in use today by recreational gold prospectors. Of the two panning methods, wet panning is the easiest to learn and allows for greater gold recovery than dry panning. Because of this, wet gold panning is far more popular than dry panning. Gold pans are inexpensive, in comparison to most other prospecting equipment.
Gold pans are usually small, light-weight, and can be carried just about anywhere.
One's ability to pan for gold is seldom effected by weather conditions such as rain, wind, or snow. The process of gold panning is quiet and can be very relaxing. Gold pans require virtually no maintenance. Gold panning can be a slow process when compared to other prospecting methods.