With so many online and local music stores, it’s hard to find the ultimate electronic drum set that gives more value to your money. Hence, we made this list of the best electronic drum set for the money for you to be guided.
Music stores offer a lot of budget drum sets, but we aren’t sure if they are worth your money. You might end up gambling on cheaper drum sets, but soon dreading to return it. Or, you buy the more expensive one and end up regretting knowing that you can get a cheaper, yet better drum set.
To ensure that you’ll get the ultimate drum set for you, we include 10 popular drum sets in the market. Additionally, we also include the guidelines we used in choosing our music gear, which includes drums and drum sets. Keep reading to learn more.
Contents
Top 10 Best Electronic Drum Sets for the Money
- Alesis Nitro Mesh Kit
- Roland TD-1K
- Yamaha DTX402K
- Alesis Surge Mesh Kit
- Alesis Command Mesh Kit
- Roland TD-25KV-S
- Yamaha DTX562K
- KAT KT4
- Roland TD-50KV
- Yamaha DTX760K
Also Great | Editor's Choice | Budget Pick |
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Alesis Nitro Mesh Kit
The cheapest electronic drum set and the latest installment in the Alesis value-packed Nitro Series, the Alesis Nitro Mesh Kit is a great buy. It’s a perfect practice tool with 40 ready-made kits, 385 drum/cymbal sounds, and 60 play-along tracks. It’s endowed with AUX input for mobile devices and has USB and MIDI ports for more connectivity.
The Alesis Nitro is an 8-piece electronic drum set with dual-zone 8-inch snare, three 8-inch tom pads, and three 10-inch cymbals. All the mesh heads are made with Alesis mesh head drum technology that gives the natural feel and ultra-quiet response. With this affordable drum set, Alesis makes a new standard for drumming.
- Setup is very easy and straightforward
- Mesh heads are playable and responsive
- Quiet and great for late-night practice
- Kick drum doesn’t have the best quality
- Limited features, especially with the cymbal sounds
- Some players have complained about the double bass pedal
Roland TD-1K
Roland has the best electronic drum set for the money and it’s none other than the Roland TD-1K. It’s a 4-piece drum set with a 10-inch snare pad, two 6.5-inch mesh-head rack toms, and 8-inch floor tom. With the Advanced Supernatural sound engine that is based on its flagship TD-30, you’ll get top-of-the-line sound quality.
The setup is very simple and compact with an easily adjustable drum rack to accommodate any player. Young and adults can play this drum set and progress in no time. It has everything you need in an electronic drum set, plus connectivity to a computer via USB for a whole wide range of capabilities.
- Easy to use controls, like the practice modes and the kits
- MIDI connectivity and the ease to connect to your computer
- Pads have great response, like real acoustic drums
- No built-in speaker, so you need to have one
- Though the pads are adjustable, their position seems limited
Yamaha DTX402K
If you need a more versatile electronic drum set, the Yamaha DTX402K is your best choice. It’s packed with an overwhelming 415 authentic acoustic drums and cymbal sounds, 10 drum kits, 10 songs, and 10 training functions. You can still access more advanced features with the free “DTX402 Touch” mobile app and share your performance on YouTube using the “Rec’n’Share” app.
With all of these, the DTX402K has been our favorite 5-piece electronic drum set, which we highly recommend to beginning drummers. Aside from the training functions onboard, you can also benefit from the metronome, tone generator and nine types of reverb. The USB can help you become more flexible since you can integrate it into your computer.
- Good sound with a solid construction, not bad for the price
- Easy to set up and play right out of the box
- Though lightweight, it can take heavy beatings
- Cymbals don’t have the resonance of the real ones
- Drum heads are smaller for those who played acoustic drums
Alesis Surge Mesh Kit
Just like the first product on the list, which is also from Alesis, the Alesis Surge Mesh Kit is an 8-piece electronic drum set with everything you need. It comes with a bigger snare drum, which is 10-inch, three 8-inch toms, and 8-inch mesh kick pad. Made of all-mesh heads to give natural playing response and bounce.
This drum set also comes with cymbals that have great quality and deliver an unmatched response. It has a collapsible design for easier storage and transport without the need to attach all the parts when setting up. With all the preset kits, play-along tracks, and drum lessons from Melodics, this drum set will give you more options to enjoy.
- The mesh heads and the hardware are solidly built
- Has decent samples and play-along tracks
- Sound is a bit louder compared to other electronic drum sets
- The control box isn’t easy to manipulate, it needs a new brain
- Mesh head sensitivity needs more options
- The kick drum works, but not of good quality
Alesis Command Mesh Kit
Three Alesis products on the first five of the list? It shouldn’t surprise you much as Alesis has the jack-of-all-trades status when it comes to innovative music gears. And our third Alesis on the list, the Alesis Command Mesh Kit allows you the ultimate ‘command’ of your sound and performance.
Still, an 8-piece drum set, but this one offers more forward-thinking features like total customization, a plethora of connectivity options, collapsible rack design, and more. You’ll be overwhelmed by its 70 drum kits onboard along with over 600 sounds and 60 play-along tracks. You can easily connect to your computer and other AUX-compatible devices since it has USB and MIDI In/Out options.
- Solidly built and can take on heavy and aggressive drumming
- Easy to set up and great electronic drum set
- Versatile drum set with tons of sounds onboard
- Snare still gives you a soft and quiet response even for ‘normal’ banging
- Bass drum starts losing its sensitivity after two months
- Cymbals aren’t the best, though working fine
Roland TD-25KV-S
Experience the expressiveness of top-of-the-line V-drums from the Roland TD-25KV-S electronic drum set. It’s a 5-piece drum set with 10-inch snare drum, two 8-inch tom pads, 10-inch floor tom, and a kick pad. Its simple interface helps you customize each drum and cymbal to match your preference, making this electronic drum set the best for the money.
The TD-25KV-S is equipped with Roland’s SuperNATURAL technology that responds to your playing like real acoustic drums. You’ll enjoy the snare drum rimshots, rolls, ghost notes, as well as the swells and crashes from the cymbals. With USB connectivity, you can insert a USB stick to play along with your tracks or capture your drum performances for YouTube sharing.
- The drum set is user-friendly
- Mesh heads are very responsive with a great feel
- Snare drum is amazing with great modeling — responds to how you hit the drum head
- A lot of parts are missing, not a complete drum set
- Some drummers complained about limited editing capacity
- Doesn’t have extra input options to expand your setup
Yamaha DTX562K
This Yamaha electronic drum set offers more juicy features to drummers compared to the previously mentioned one. The Yamaha DTX562K is made to give aspiring drummers and professionals a true drum set that emulates the playing experience of an acoustic drum set. This 5-piece drum set has professional features that promise natural response and playability, plus comfort and versatility.
You’ll enjoy all DTX-PADs for snare and toms, plus the 3-zone cymbal pads for a more realistic response and playability. The module comes with 691 drum, percussion and effect sounds, plus training functions, practice songs and recording capacity. The USB port allows plug and play control of VSTi software and to import your music files.
- Affordable with tons of onboard effects and songs
- Sturdy construction
- With training functions and MIDI compatibility
- Kick drum has rubber pads, which isn’t the choice for other players
- Pads are quite small, especially for those who are accustomed to acoustic drums
- Has a small memory, can be used up easily
KAT KT4
It looks like this list is dominated by Alesis, Roland, and Yamaha. So, we give you one of KAT Percussion, to let you know that you can also find your best electronic drum set for your money from other brands. The KAT KT4 is a 5-piece ultra-responsive electronic drum set made by an American electronic percussion company.
Like most of the drum sets mentioned above, it’s also mounted in a 4-post rack featuring and 11-inch dual-zone drum pads, 8-inch bass pad, and three-zone cymbals. This has sounds onboard amounting to over 700 sound samples. If you need an electronic drum set with realistic playability, great sound and fits your budget, shop for a KAT.
- Great feel of the pads and looks nice
- Cymbals have choke function and you can assign MIDI notes
- Resonant, like real drums
- Doesn’t have speakers, you need to buy one if you don’t use headphones
- You need to buy the kick pedal
- White pads, so it’s recommended to wipe it after each use
Roland TD-50KV
The most expensive one on the list, those who are very serious in getting the best electronic drum set can have the Roland TD-50KV. It’s made in China, but this 5-piece drum set has an expressiveness that’s even better than the popular V-drums. You can modify the size and composition of the drum kit and import your files using SDHC cards.
It’s not your typical electronic drum set. This one has the one-up/two-down configuration with 14-inch snare pad and 18-inch ride pad featuring multi-sensor technology. You can control the size and thickness of the shells, as well as the virtual mic placement to have the best performance.
- Worth your hard-earned money since it’s the closest you get to play an acoustic drum set
- Has dynamic and good-sounding samples
- You’ll enjoy the customization options available
- Quite pricey, although some user sought after it
Yamaha DTX760K
Getting the 3-zone DTX-PADS in an affordable drum set seems to be a gift from the heavens. The Yamaha DTX760K has large 3-zone choke-able cymbals to give more realistic playing experience with a comfortable feel. It includes a hi-hat and snare stand so you can adjust the position as you please or add two more pads to the configuration.
This is a 5-piece drum set with three tom pads, four cymbal pads, one snare, and one kick pad. It has a large LCD, where you can see your current settings. It has a total of 1396 sounds, 57 effects, 60 drum kits and more. Fitted with a headphone jack, USB, MIDI, and training functions to make you a better drummer.
- The best electronic drum set that offers enjoyable playing experience
- Has real hi-hat and snare drum stand
- Includes impressive kick pad with realistic response
- Silicone pads aren’t everyone’s choice
- Still expensive, especially for beginners
What to Consider When Buying an Electronic Drum Set for the Money
Surely, you’re thinking of getting a drum set that isn’t only great for playing, but also the best electronic drum set for the money. And, if you go to any local music stores or shop online, there are a lot of recommendations from anyone. It seems confusing, but if you stick to your decisions and follow these simple guidelines, you’ll never be lost and get what you need.
What You’ll Get for the Price?
Electronic drum sets, whether cheap or expensive, have the drum module, rack, pads, hi-hat controller and cable. However, you should know that these are not the only ones you need to start playing a drum set. You still need the kick pedal, throne, hi-hat stand, and sticks.
If you want a complete drum set, then, go for those entry-level kits, which are designed to give new players everything they need. Or, better check them beforehand. Otherwise, you’re going to spend hundreds on the accessories.
Try Before You Buy
Before you invest in anything, especially electronic drum sets, you should try them. Check if you like the feel of the pads and if you get the sound you want from an electronic drum set, advised Roland. More so, you should check the sound latency (if there’s some delay of the sound produced after you strike the drums).
Ensure that you like playing the drum set before you buy it. Otherwise, you won’t get any electric drum set that gives value to your money.
Sound Versatility
There’s the sound module that gives you access to hundreds of voices and instrument sounds onboard. But, even if the electronic drum set has tons of built-in sounds, do you like it? You should also check them before buying the drum set.
If you are a working drummer, you should be versatile. With just one control or tap of the touchscreen, you’ll be able to play just anything you need. So, instead of carrying different acoustic kits, you can just have a single electronic drum set with all the functionalities and sounds you need.
Connectivity
These drums are designed to be connected to multiple audio interfaces, computers and mobile phones. Ensure that it has inputs and outputs available for you to integrate with other external devices easily. Additionally, the ability to connect to your mobile phones to access training apps is another thing that you might need to check in your next electronic drum set.
Also Read: 10 Things Every Beginner Drummer Should Know
Our Top Pick
Since this list is about the best electronic drum set for the money, our choice should be reliable, playable with great sound quality and affordable. There’s only one drum set that’s worthy to be dubbed as the best in this category, and that is the Alesis Nitro Mesh Kit.
It comes with responsive mesh drum pads which are very easy to set up. They all have a natural response and ‘bounce’ of acoustic drums. Above all, you’ll enjoy the presets and sample sounds onboard.
This Alesis drum set is compact and a choice for many drummers, beginning players, to be specific. It’s also equipped with USB and MIDI ports that allow you to connect to your mobile devices. At a price less than $400, do you think there is still another electronic drum set out there that could be better?