The Best Electric Drum Sets
Investing in a great electric drum set might be your ticket to stardom or it might just be the makings of a super-fun and rewarding hobby. Either way, you'll want to look for a set that comes with flexible, responsive drum pads and everything else you need to play electric percussion. And, especially if you're a beginner, your drum set should also come with play-along-tracks and sounds, to help you develop your timing. Ready to rock out with an electric drum set? Here are the best ones to choose from.
What to Look For
During our research, we found that the best electric drum sets are user-friendly, reliable, and boast excellent sound quality. For example, we loved how the Alesis Drum Nitro Kit comes with all the bells and whistles. From tom pads to cymbals, each component is responsive and produces amazing sound effects. If you’d prefer something more portable, consider the electric drum set by Lightahead. It’s a great size for kids and beginners. Read on to learn more about why these are some of the best drum sets on the market.
Alesis Drums Nitro Kit
The Alesis Drum Nitro Kit has everything you need to become a pro drummer in no time. This kit’s premium eight-piece configuration comes with a dual-zone snare pad, tom pads, cymbals, a hi-hat, and more. And with 60 ready-to-play-along tracks and over 350 expertly curated sounds, this kit is equipped with more tracks and sounds than most. There are also several cool educational features, like a sequencer, metronome, and performance recorder, all of which will help you hone and develop your skills.
Pros:
- The all-mesh drum heads deliver a very responsive, realistic, immersive playing experience
- Premium eight-piece configuration
- In-demand sound, with more song choices and curated sounds than most
- Comes with plenty of useful accessories, including a four-post aluminum rack, connection cables, drumsticks, a drum key, and a power supply
- Extra educational features
Cons:
- The high hat only has three sounds (closed, open, and pedal tap)
Donner DED-200 Electric Drum Kit
Worthy contender
The Donner DED-200 Electric Drum Kit produces truly high-quality sound thanks to the uniquely responsive mesh drum heads and high-end silicone cymbals, which all have a great, evenly distributed tonal response. Work on your timing skills and overall confidence by using the hundreds of demo songs and sounds as your backing track. You can even plug in your phone and play your own music. This drum set also comes with a super-solid, collapsible stand.
Pros:
- The sound is high-quality and realistic
- Ultra-delicate, all-mesh drum head
- High-end silicone cymbal with a well-distributed tonal response
- Sturdy, collapsible iron metal stand
- Comes with 225 built-in sounds and 30 demo songs
Cons:
- The price point may be inaccessible for some
Lightahead Electronic Drum Kit
Channel your inner rock star without breaking the bank when you get the Lightahead Electronic Drum Kit. This budget-friendly pick isn’t nearly as expensive as other, similar-quality electric drum sets, but it’s still a decent set for beginners. One of the best features of this set is the USB MIDI connection, which enables you to easily record MIDI data into your computer. This set comes with all the necessary accessories, too, like two pedals, drumsticks, a crash cymbal, a high tom, and more.
Pros:
- Drum pads provide realistic expression, with similar sounds to a non-electric drum kit
- The drum pads have a variety of sounds: a crash cymbal, high tom, snare, etc.
- You can upload songs to your computer thanks to the USB MIDI connection
- The thick pad can be rolled up, allowing for easy transport
- Comes with all basic components and accessories, like two pedals, drumsticks, and built-in speakers
- Great value buy
Cons:
- Doesn’t have the nuanced sound of higher-dollar drum kits
Pyle Portable Drums
Rock on
Take the show on the road with the Pyle Portable Drums. This drum set is designed to resemble, sound, and play like a regulation-sized drum set, but it’s at a fraction of the size. Conveniently, this set is very portable since it can be powered by either the AC adaptor or batteries. And you can choose to play at full volume or plug in your headphones for your own personal jam sesh.
Pros:
- Super-portable, lightweight design
- Powered by the included AC adaptor (or you can opt to go wireless)
- Sounds and plays like a regulation-sized drum set
- You can either play the drums to pre-recorded sounds and songs or make up your own beats
- Headphone jack
- Budget-friendly price
Cons:
- The pads are fairly small and do take some getting used to
Orasant Electronic Drum Set
Kids can march to the beat of their own drums with the Orasant Electronic Drum Set, an electric drum set that’s designed with younger players in mind. This kit comes with everything you need, and it has multiple demo songs and rhythmic sound compilations for you to play along with. It’s also powered by a particularly long-lasting, durable battery, which definitely comes in handy.
Pros:
- Designed for younger drum players
- Comes with everything you need: a snare, toms, a hi-hat, two-foot pedals, and more
- Made of waterproof silicone
- High-quality dual speakers
- Powered by a long-lasting rechargeable battery
Cons:
- Doesn’t have quite as many demo songs as other drum kits
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some features to look for in a beginner electronic drum set?
Look for a set that lets you play along with music (using an aux input), especially if you’re a true beginner. There are few better ways to practice. Ideally, your kit should also have mesh heads, and it should come with everything you need to play dozens of percussion sounds, like cymbals, tom pads, and snare pads.
What are the benefits of owning an electrum drum kit, as opposed to an acoustic drum kit?
With an electronic drum set, you have more flexibility with what you can play and can also write and record your own music to play back. Plus, electric drum sets tend to be more lightweight and portable than heavy acoustic kits. Some options can even be used as MIDI inputs, so you can edit the individual notes in post-production.
Why Trust Us
With the constantly shifting landscape in the world of technology, GameRevolution seeks to provide gamers and tech-enthusiasts with the information they need to select the right products for their needs. Since 1996, our experts have used their knowledge on all the latest gadgets – everything from headphones to standing desks – to help millions of people navigate specs and answer common questions.