Electronic drum kits are a good option for beginner drummers due to their low entry-level cost, coaching features, and low noise levels.
Not everyone has the space to set up an acoustic drum kit, and this is where electronic drum kits fill that gap and allow new drummers to get started on important practice sessions.
Electronic drum sets have come a long way over the years, and there’s no doubt that they can compete with many acoustic setups.
If you are new to the world of percussion instruments or a beginner, there are many great brands to start with.
Best Electronic Drum Sets for Beginners
There are many different types of beginner electronic drum kits available to suit different needs and preferences.
Compact kits are ideal for those with limited space, while larger setups provide a more comprehensive playing experience.
Some models come with mesh drum heads for a more realistic feel and quieter practice sessions, making them perfect for those living in shared spaces.
Investing in a beginner electronic drum kit is a smart choice for new drummers.
With user-friendly features, adaptability, and advanced technology, this kit makes learning drumming fun and rewarding. Start your drumming journey with a kit that will support and inspire your growth.
1. Donor DED-300
Designed for beginners, the Donner DED-300 features 25 preset kits and 329 sounds to suit a variety of music styles.
Easy setup, adjustable mesh drum pads, and dual pedaling support make it ideal for drum room use. The portable and foldable design is perfect for live performances, home practice, and small studios.
Donner DED-300 has an 8-inch snare and toms and a 10-inch hi-hat, with a 12-inch ride and crash.
It also comes with a realistic kick pedal, hi-hat controller, and drum throne to sit on. It has a USB connection and audio input function so you can practice with your own music.
2. Roland TD-02KV
Roland’s latest addition to the V-Drums family is a very attractive package for users just starting out.
It features Roland dual-ply mesh heads on the snare, clean, responsive bass drum and hi-hat controller pedals, and some of the best studio-quality sound I’ve heard in this price range.
The TD-02 module also has Bluetooth functionality, which can disrupt your music collection, but requires an adapter that costs extra.
There are cheaper options, just as there are kits with more sounds and features, but in our testing we found that the TD-02KV represents a cohesive package that you’ll want to use in the months (or years) ahead.
You bought it. Add to this some comprehensive coaching features for developing players and it’s clear that Roland has considered who, how, and where this kit was designed.
If you like the look of this kit but want to save a little cash, the TD-02K centers around the same modules but features a rubber snare instead of mesh and a slightly different rack design, saving you quite a bit of money. KV model.
3. Simmons Titan 50
The Simmons Titan 50 is a good choice for beginners and costs about $450, but is often sold for less.
The kit is small, lightweight, and can be easily moved if needed. The rack comes fully assembled in the box, making this kit easier to assemble and very sturdy.
The pads on this kit are pretty fun to play on an inexpensive drum kit. This kit features a 10-inch dual-zone snare pad that is responsive and performs great rim shots.
I really like the snare pad on this kit. The 8-inch tom pads are single-zone and also feature mesh heads. The cymbal pads are all single-zone, perfect for a budget-level kit.
This kit comes with a decent single kick drum pedal, which is a big reason we like it for beginners.
The kick tower is large enough to mount a double bass pedal if you want to learn to play the double bass, but you will need to buy your own double bass pedal.
The drum module is great for beginning drummers and has some fun features to play with. The most important one is the built-in metronome, but there are other coaching features as well.
You can also edit drum kits and create your own custom drum kits, or if you’re using an iOS or Android device, you can use the Simmons Drums 2 app to edit your kits with a more visual interface.
4. Alesis Surge Mesh SE
The Alesis Surge Mesh Special Edition kit features customizable and adjustable white mesh heads, 385 drum sounds, 24 kits, 60 practice tracks, and USB-MIDI connectivity. Ideal for practicing, playing, and creating songs.
First, there was Turbo, then Nitro, and now Surge Mesh. It has similar measurements and features to the other two kits, except it has more module triggers and analog inputs and outputs.
This is simply a better model that sounds better and feels more realistic. If you have the budget, choose this Surge over the other two.
5. NUX DM-210
Better known for their affordable guitar pedals, digital pianos, guitar amplifiers, and wireless systems, NUX actually makes some very good electronic drum kits.
The NUX DM-210 is a beginner electronic drum set that offers an excellent performance-to-weight ratio in terms of playability and functionality.
This lightweight, compact-framed kit includes all mesh drum pads, a standalone kick drum (designed specifically for the DM-210), as well as a few extra features like Bluetooth audio, auxiliary input, and coaching mode.
We found that the “tunable” heads were very responsive and delivered a natural feel, while the multi-zone cymbals added a more realistic feel to the kit.
Combined with USB MIDI, this makes a fantastic kit for drum beginners, home producers looking for a more fun way to input MIDI drums, and established players looking for an affordable alternative to Roland and Yamaha.
6. Roland TD-17KVX 2nd generation
The Roland TD-17KVX2 features realistic pads, an updated sound engine, and a premium quality kit, making it perfect for beginners.
It offers excellent practice features, easy setup, and quick customization, making it a great choice for those new to drumming.
It might seem odd to include a kit that costs over $1,500 here. So I put this kit at the bottom of the list. I believe this is the best kit on the list.
If you have the budget and are committed to learning drums, you won’t go wrong choosing the TD-17KVX.
These expensive beauties are very popular thanks to their great sound, pads, and features. Equipped with the flagship TD-17 drum module and cutting-edge technology, this drum is perfect for practicing and recording.
It has audio, MIDI, and Bluetooth adjustments for every part of your drums. The biggest problem with many entry-level kits is the lack of mesh heads. But the TD-17KVX has that aspect covered.
7. Roland TD-17KV2
The Roland TD-17KV2 is more expensive at just under $1500, but it can be a good beginner electronics kit if you want a more serious kit that can be developed and upgraded over time.
This would be a good choice for beginning drummers who have a larger budget to work with and want to avoid cheaper drum kits.
This kit has a compact rack that’s great because it doesn’t take up a lot of space and is lightweight when you need to move it around.
The rack is very sturdy. This is actually the same rack used in the cheaper TD-1 and TD-07 kits.
The pads in this kit are larger, which is a plus. The snare pad is a 12-inch dual-zone mesh pad that is responsive and tactile.
The tom pads are all 10-inch dual-zone pads, allowing sound to be produced from both the head and rim.
The cymbal pad is Roland’s new, thinner cymbal pad that moves and feels like an acoustic cymbal.
The ride is a triple zone pad with a bell zone, while the crash and hi-hat pads are dual-zone pads with a bow and edge zone.
This cymbal pad feels really nice to play, and as your skills improve, you’ll appreciate having the trigger feature.
Since the hi-hat pedal uses a pedal controller, the kit price is low and there is no need to purchase a separate hi-hat stand, which is good for your overall budget.
The controller pedal feels good, so it’s not a major drawback.
The kick drum pad is large enough to support a double bass pedal. However, you will need to provide your own bass drum pedal, which incurs additional costs.
The TD-17 module is a step up from Roland’s cheaper modules. There are 70 great-sounding preset drum kits and you can edit and save custom drum kits. You can bring your own drum samples for fun.
There are also the usual metronome and coaching features useful for both beginners and experienced drummers.
The thing about beginners using a kit like this is that they feel as if their skills improve and they don’t have to upgrade anytime soon, even if they demand more from the kit.
8. Alesis Nitro Max
The Alesis Nitro Max may be a new kit, but it’s right up there on the throne as the perfect entry-level kit. It takes everything we loved about the previous Alesis Nitro Mesh and brings it to a new level.
The mesh head gave us a completely realistic playing experience, and we found it to be quieter to the touch than other kits at this level. This alone is worth a look.
The Alesis Nitro MAX is cheap, compact, and perfect for learning for free for 90 days on Drumeo, the best place to learn drums online.
In testing, I found this kit enjoyable to play and definitely suitable for young drummers.
The Alesis Nitro MAX is perfect for beginners and is affordable. It consists of a 10-inch snare, 8-inch tom, 10-inch cymbal, 4-post aluminum stand, kick pedal tower, and hi-hat controller. The mesh head is adjustable for a customized playing experience.
It also has USB and MIDI connectivity and virtual instrument compatibility, so you can use drum VST software (such as EZDrummer 3) if you prefer. A perfect practice kit at low volume!
9. Yamaha DTX402K
Yamaha’s DTX402 series is suitable for beginners. With years of drum-building expertise, we’ve put together everything a drummer needs to get started.
The rubber pads are a bit stiff compared to mesh alternatives, but they feel high-quality and responsive.
Although this model is quite old now, it still offers decent value for money and features quite a bit in our guide to the best Yamaha electronic drum sets.
The DTX402 module features 10 customizable kits containing 287 expressive drum and percussion sounds. Along with this, there are 10 training tools including Fast Blast, Pad Gate, Rhythm Gate, and recording functions.
What brings this kit to life is the free ‘Yamaha Touch app (iOS/Android), which allows for deeper kit customization and excellent training features.
Our favorite is a neat program called the ‘DTX Drum Lesson Program’, which scores your performance of each song and awards you a certificate at the end. If you’re looking for a kit that focuses on training and development, this is it.
10. Alesis Turbo Mesh
The Alesis Turbo Mesh Kit is perfect for young children learning to play the drums.
This complete electronic drum set features responsive 8-inch mesh pads, 10-inch cymbals, MIDI via USB, and integrated practice tools. Ideal for quiet practice and studio use.
If the Nitro Mesh is too expensive, you can find the Alesis Turbo for about $100 less. This model is suitable for beginners as well as children and teenagers.
It has an 8-inch snare and toms and a 10-inch cymbal. Also included are equally expressive kick and hi-hat controllers. The main difference between Turbo and Nitro is the kick pedal tower.
11. Yamaha DTX6K-X
Yamaha’s DTX6 series really shows what a midrange kit can do. The three-zone snare and ride cymbal pads provided the excellent playing feel that most drummers crave from an acoustic kit.
We even felt the rubber-padded toms on the least expensive option in the DTX6 series were forgivable. There’s so much that this kit gets right, especially where the modules are concerned.
Consider, for example, the new kit modifier knobs, separated into ‘Ambience’, ‘Compression’, and ‘Effect’.
These adjustable settings allow us to easily access the nuances of the kit’s sound in a way that is normally very difficult to replicate on electronic kits and will be an especially valuable feature for beginning drummers.
It’s actually a very luxurious inclusion. It also includes Cubase A1, so budding session drummers and beatmakers can start creating right away.
Tie all of this together with classic Yamaha build quality, and you get a solid option that’s worth the slightly higher price tag.
12. Roland TD-07DMK
The latest addition to Roland’s TD-07 family, and the ‘DMK’ version of one of Roland’s best electronic drum sets, is a very attractive offering whether you’re just starting out or getting your gigs underway.
It features Roland’s dual-ply mesh heads on the snare and tom pads, a clever bass drum pad built into the rack system, and a clean, studio-quality sound that’s customizable.
Add in the TD-07’s Bluetooth connectivity and an onboard USB MIDI/audio interface for jamming out your music collection, and I find this to be a mid-priced kit that will last for years.
Roland also includes 40 free interactive lessons with Melodics to help you keep improving.
We thoroughly enjoyed the feel and specs of the TD-07, but for those who want a more ‘real’ feel, i.e. full bass drum towers and pads, a higher spec model may be better suited.
13. Alesis Nitro Mesh
Alesis Nitro Mesh is an electronic drum set with a mesh drum head that provides a realistic and comfortable playing experience.
With 40 preset drum kits and hundreds of sounds, Alesis Nitro Mesh is a versatile and affordable option for drummers of all levels.
14. Millennium MPS-1000
Featuring both a full-size real wood shell and a mesh head, the Millenium MPS-1000 offers beginners a more affordable entry point into the latest on-trend acoustic look/electronic variety.
It includes all the shell and hardware you need to get out of the box and start playing (but you’ll need your own stool) and includes an 18″ ride cymbal, 13″ hi-hat, and a pair of crashes.
It’s a well-equipped piece of kit that won’t require any upgrades or additions for a long time. During testing, we found that the cabin noise was similar to that of a typical electronic kit.
However, the size and spacing of the setup made it easy to transfer technique and feel between the electric and acoustic kits.
Preset module sounds are reflected in the price, but they also have built-in EQ and effects, as well as basic editing functions, so you can tweak them to your liking.
Likewise, it’s a good idea to experiment with pad settings to get the right response. Add in Bluetooth and user sample capabilities and it has a lot to offer, especially at this price.
Are electronic drum kits a good option for beginners?
In many ways, electronic kits are actually the best place for beginners to start learning.
That’s because electronic kits provide an ergonomically realistic simulation of playing a full drum kit without the worry and natural tentativeness of hearing your mistakes out loud.
Of course, if the noise factor is reduced, family members will be more likely to embrace the idea of a drum kit in the first place.
Moreover, electronic kits can be cheaper than acoustic alternatives and take up much less space.
Manufacturers usually also include learning programs within their drum modules.
Features include track playback, precision testing (where you are awarded points based on the accuracy of your performance and timing), the ability to record yourself and rate your performance, and of course a metronome, which is crucial for demonstrating your abilities. To play on time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are electronic drum kits good for beginners?
They take up little space. As a beginner, you may not want to allocate a lot of space to your drum kit until you know you’ll be using it for a long time.
Smaller kits take up about 4×6 feet of space, and some even less. This is probably half of what you need for an acoustic kit.
You can install it in the corner of your bedroom or in your office. Some kits can also be folded for storage.
The price is cheap. An inexpensive electronic drum kit with some basic features for beginners can cost less than $500. And that’s for the new kit.
If you look for used kits, you can often score less than half a deal. This isn’t to say that electric kits will be cheaper, as you can find acoustic kits for cheap too.
It’s just that the technology has matured to the point where electronic drum kit prices are no longer premium.
The mesh pad is quite playable. There was a time when drum pads were mostly hard rubber surfaces, like practice pads.
Although there are still some rubber drum pads, the industry has largely moved to mesh drum pads. Mesh drum pads use mesh drum heads to simulate the feel of acoustic drum heads without the noise.
They feel great to play and can translate well to acoustic drumming if you practice with a mesh drum head.
The drum module has good practice and learning features. It is said that you should always use a metronome when practicing and playing drums.
The metronome has always been a standard feature on all drum modules. If you can turn it on by pressing a button on the module, there’s no reason not to practice with the clicks.
Many modules have learning features and coaching modes, as well as patterns and songs you can play along with.
This can be very useful for beginning drummers, and you can start using an electronic drum kit right away.
It’s fun to have different drum sounds. If you’re on a budget, you can get a lot more variety in sound from electronic drums than you can from acoustic drums.
Buying additional cymbals and other specialty drums can add up quickly. It’s great to be able to practice a variety of sounds on a small budget, and electronic drums succeed in this area.
Is it difficult to learn electronic drums?
Learning to play electronic drums isn’t difficult. With consistent practice and built-in learning tools, even beginners can quickly master basic rhythms and techniques.
The versatility and adjustable settings of electronic drums can make your learning experience smoother and more enjoyable.
Can I get drumsticks with my beginner electronics kit?
Most beginner electronics kits come in a single box that contains almost everything you need to get started, including drumsticks.
All parts mentioned above are supplied, as well as all associated cables, power supply, and drum keys for tightening parts and adjusting drum head tension (if the kit provides this functionality).
The box may also contain drumsticks and drummer headphones.
What you need to check is whether the kit includes pedals. Many of the best beginner electronic drum sets feature standalone hi-hat and bass drum controller pedals.
Alternatively, your kit may have a bass drum tower and a separate bass drum pedal. If the latter, check if the pedal is part of a bundle.
The final piece of the puzzle is the drum throne, a chair specifically designed for drumming.
You can start out using a standard chair or chair if not one that is adjustable, but you will quickly find what you need to adjust it to the optimal height for comfortable play.
Is it easy to set up a beginner electronics kit?
Overall, yes. E-kits are relatively painless to set up and it’s possible to get everything hooked up and ready to play reasonably quickly.
We’ve compiled a guide explaining how to set up an electronic drum set. If you’re wondering if this is a convenient purchase, or have a kit at home and are scratching your head, we can help.
Is it easy to learn drums with an electronic drum set?
In short, yes. They’re not as intuitive to the touch as acoustic kits, and the pads often have a smaller surface area, but these minor issues aren’t deal-breakers when starting your playing journey.
Electronic drum kits give you easy access to a variety of sounds. Explore a variety of genres at the touch of a button.
Without exception, they come with a metronome function, allowing every learner to practice the most essential skill a drummer needs: timing.
Additionally, when learning a new instrument, there will always be an initial period of understanding things that, in drum terms, can be challenging.
It is much easier for beginners to do this on an electronic drum kit because using headphones provides privacy and peace of mind (for both the player and anyone else in the house).
Not to mention, the onboard program is aimed at teaching beginners how to play.
Should I buy an amplifier for my electronic drum set?
Not necessarily. Beginner electronic drum kits are best used with personal practice headphones (check out the best headphones for drummers here).
If you plan to use your electronic kit for live purposes or want to play loudly for jam sessions with friends, it may be a good idea to invest in an electronic drum amplifier.
However, if your reason for buying a beginner e-kit is primarily to practice, learn, and potentially record into a DAW, you don’t need an amplifier.
Electric vs Acoustic?
Most players will prefer an acoustic drum kit, and there is no doubt that there are better aspects.
However, these modern electronic kits provide tons of samples, exercises, backing tracks, and more. No need to worry about which wood or kit sounds best when you can have all of them!
And above all, the ability to practice with less noise is a huge advantage for many players. You can play more often without having to worry about loud sounds.
Sure, it’s not very quiet, but it’s much better than an acoustic kit with drum mutes. A better electronic drum set will produce less ambient sound.
This is a common theme in the music world, especially drum machines and synthesizers. People want nostalgia and they think sound should be pure and analog.
But once you realize how much you can do with modern instruments; Perfume wears off quickly.