Looking for the top options to buy the best electronic drum sets?
Perfect, you're in the right place!
In this essential guide, you’ll learn the following:
- What Are Electronic Drum Sets (How Are They Different To Acoustic Drums)?
- Can I Learn Drums On An Electronic Drum Set?
- What Are The Different Types Of Electronic Drum Sets?
- What Should I Look For In An Electronic Drum Set?
- And much more!
Below is a quick list of all my top picks. Keep scrolling to learn more about my best buying tips and tricks to find your perfect set of electronic drums.
| Image | Product | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
My Top Pick  | My Top Pick | Roland TD-17KV-S Electronic V-Drum Set
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| View on Amazon |
Best Budget  | Best Budget | Alesis Drums Nitro Mesh Electronic Drum Kit
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| View on Amazon |
Best High-End  | Best High-End | Roland TD-25KVX Electronic V-Drum Set
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| View on Amazon |
 | Yamaha DTX522K Electronic Drum Kit
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| View on Amazon | |
 | Alesis Command Mesh Electronic Drum Kit
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| View on Amazon | |
 | Donner DED-200 Electronic Drum Set
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| View on Amazon | |
 | Pyle 7 Pad PTED06 Electronic Drum Set
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| View on Amazon | |
 | Roland V-Drums TD-1K
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| View on Amazon | |
 | RockJam Portable MIDI Electronic Roll Up Drum Kit
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| View on Amazon |
My Overall #1 Rated Pick
Updated 4/10/2020
Roland has been making excellent electronic instruments for over 40 years. Their quality and design are revered by amateur and pro drummers alike.
This TD-17KVS electronic drum set continues that great tradition of well made, robust and expressive instruments at a price that won’t break the bank.
The super responsive all mesh pads and choke-able cymbals give this kit a very realistic feel, in a very compact package.
It is packed with functionality too. Including an ‘Aux In’ for Mp3 players and smartphones, Bluetooth connectivity as well as USB MIDI, to connect to your PC/Mac for use with your favorite sound libraries and recording software.
So If you’re looking for a reliable, well made electronic kit that’s an absolute joy to play, then look no further than the Roland TD-17.
Making it My #1 Top Pick in electronic drum sets for 2020.
Top 9 Best Electronic Drum Sets
In a hurry? Check out my top 9 picks below! Keep reading to learn more about these best electronic drum sets.
- Roland TD-17KV-S Electronic V-Drum Set (My Top Pick)
- Alesis Drums Nitro Mesh Electronic Drum Kit (Best Budget)
- Roland TD-25KVX Electronic V-Drum Set (Best High-End)
- Yamaha DTX522K Electronic Drum Kit
- Alesis Command Mesh Electronic Drum Kit
- Donner DED-200 Electronic Drum Set
- Pyle 7 Pad Tabletop PTED06 Electronic Drum Set
- Roland V-Drums TD-1K
- RockJam Portable MIDI Electronic Roll Up Drum Kit
What Are Electronic Drum Sets (How Are They Different To Acoustic Drums)?
An electronic drum set is an electronic percussion instrument that is primarily used to mimic the playability and feel of an acoustic drum set.
Electronic drum kits have a variety of rubber or mesh pads that are arranged just like an acoustic kit. However, these pads are actually just used as triggers for ‘sampled’ sounds that are stored in the electronic drum sets drum module (or ‘brain’).
Every time you strike one of the electronic drum or cymbals pads, the drum module interprets that data and uses it to trigger a pre-recorded (sampled) sound of an acoustic drum or cymbal (or any number of other percussion or electronic sounds).
Depending on how many layers of samples the sound module has, this can translate to a very realistic drum kit playing experience.
Acoustic Vs Electric Drums
Acoustic drum kits are beautifully dynamic and expressive instruments, however, they all have one thing in common…
As much as having an acoustic drum kit at home to practice is the dream for many drummers, it’s often just not practical due to the excessive volume they can produce.
To put it into perspective, the upper range of volume an acoustic drum kit can produce is between 90 - 120 decibels...
...that’s the same as a subway car roaring through your living room!
This means that anyone that has neighbors within close proximity (pretty much anyone that doesn’t live in a rural area), having a full acoustic kit is probably not an option.
Unless you’re willing to invest in building a soundproof room (which can be very costly and difficult to do effectively), you’re going to have to find a different solution to practicing the drums at home.
This is where electronic drum sets come into their own.
The main benefit of an electronic kit is that you can plug headphones into the sound module, allowing only you to hear the triggered percussion sounds...while everyone else will just hear the tapping of your sticks on the rubber/mesh pads.
Also Read: Top 5 Best Headphones For Electronic Drums
This reduces the overall sound coming from the drums by a huge amount, however, be aware that electronic drum sets are not completely silent.
Rubber pads will be much louder when struck with sticks than mesh, meaning that if you’re looking for the quietest drum kit possible, a full mesh electronic drum kit might be the way to go.
Another thing to take into consideration is the thumping of the bass drum pedal on the floor when you’re playing the kick drum. If you live above your neighbors, that thumping can very easily transmit straight through into their apartment (especially if you have wooden floors!)
Luckily (in the video below) there’s a brilliant cost-effective DIY solution for this, all you need is some tennis balls and a couple of sheets of MDF!
I’ve built this myself and can attest to its effectiveness in reducing low-frequency ‘thumping’ from your electronic drums.
As well as the reduced volume an electronic drum kit produces, there are many other benefits that acoustic drum kits don’t have.
Aside from housing all the electronic sounds, the electronic drum module can often also include many features that make practicing the drums more effective and fun.
Many modules have built-in metronomes and coaching functions to improve your timing, as well as a variety of play-along songs in different musical styles...meaning you can practice your skills along with real music.
Some electronic drum sets also have PC/Mac connectivity via USB, allowing you to connect your drum kit to recording software so you can record yourself jamming to your favorite songs...or add drums to other people's tracks!
Another benefit of an electric kit is that they tend to take up less space, meaning you can fit a compact kit into the corner of a bedroom with ease.
Can I Learn Drums On An Electronic Drum Set?
Absolutely!
In many ways learning drums on an electric kit can be better than practicing on an acoustic kit at home.
Due to electric kits being much quieter, you’re less likely to have issues with noise complaints from your neighbors….meaning that there’s no problem with practicing for hours on end!
Also, some of the built-in coaching functions on electronic drum sets can definitely help to make you a tighter, more solid drummer.
HOWEVER
I recommend to all my students that practice on electronic drums at home, to try and get access to an acoustic kit as often as they can to accompany their home-based practice.
WHY?
Drum kits are inherently ‘acoustic’ instruments. Meaning that you’re hitting actual solid things that vibrate and create a sound (i.e a drumhead or cymbal vibrating after you’ve struck it with a stick)
Depending on how and where you strike cymbals and drums, they will respond differently.
For example, if you strike the snare drum in the center of the drum you will get a clear, crisp sound….but move out to the sides and you’ll notice more overtones and high pitched ‘ringing’.
Getting used to controlling these variations in sounds on the drums is essential to becoming a great sounding drummer…
Unfortunately, electronic drums are quite flattering when it comes to how ‘you’ sound on the kit because they are simply triggering pre-recorded sounds of drum kits that have been ‘perfected’ in the recording studio.
As a practice tool for beginners and people with sound and space limitations, electric drum kits are amazing but they will never replace an acoustic kit for overall feel and expression (unless you spend $1000’s on a top of the range electronic drum set that gets pretty close!!)
What Are The Different Types Of Electronic Drum Sets?
Full Electronic Drum Kits
A full electronic drum kit is designed to emulate the setup and feel of a real acoustic drum set.
Anyone that has played an acoustic drum set will instantly feel right at home.
In general, they are made up of a multitude of rubber or mesh drum and cymbals pads that are attached to a drum rack mounting system. These pads are then wired into an electronic ‘brain’ (sound module), which houses all of the drum and percussion sounds.
The sounds are triggered when you hit the pads with your sticks.
Due to the realistic and usable nature of these types of drum kits, they will be the main focus of my reviews and comparisons in this article.
Desktop Electronic Drums
A desktop electronic drum kit is essentially a full kit, condensed into a single portable unit that can be placed on a desk. The hi-hat and bass drum pedals are usually simple on/off buttons that sit on the floor, attaching to the main unit via cables.
These types of e-drums can be a good option for those with very limited space or with a very limited budget, as they tend to be much lower in price than the full-sized kits.
Having played a few of these kits myself (and owned one when I was just starting out), I feel their usability as an effective practice tool is pretty limited.
They’re better than nothing for beginners, but you’ll find yourself wanted to upgrade pretty quickly as you progress with your drumming.
Portable/roll-up drum kits
Roll-up drum kits are essentially the same as desktop drum sets, except they are housed in a mat that can be rolled up for easy storage or travel.
Often these kits tend to be more like toys aimed at keeping kids entertained so the quality can vary massively.
I wouldn’t suggest buying a roll-up drum kit for regular practice...however it may be a good option if you travel a lot and want something portable to help keep those drumming chops up to scratch!
History Lesson
The first electronic drum was created in the early ’70s by Graeme Edge (drummer of The Moody Blues), in collaboration with Brian Groves, a professor at Sussex University in the UK.
It was used on the song ‘Procession’ from the 1971 Moody Blues album ‘Every Good Boy Deserves Favor’.
It was never put into mass manufacture and had the annoying habit of constantly breaking down!...
...electronic drums have come a long way since then.
What Should I Look For In An Electronic Drum Set?
The main thing that will determine the type of electronic drum set you can get is your budget.
In general, the higher in price the kit, the more realistic the playing experience will be. The built-in sounds will be more detailed, combined with more sensitive and accurate pads that aid in creating a more ‘genuine’ drum kit feel.
Also Read: Top 5 Best Amps For Your Electronic Drums
Having said that, even at the lower end of the price range there are some great kits that are a lot of fun to play.
Here are some of the key differences in features, and things you should keep in mind when looking at purchasing a new electronic drum set…
Rubber Vs Mesh
The material the electronic drum pads are made of will have a big impact on how the kit feels to play.
Usually, electronic drum sets at the lower end of the price range tend to have rubber pads.
Rubber pads are made of a solid piece of rubber/plastic that has a trigger (sensor) built-in, to detect the contact of a stick hitting its surface.
These types of pads are less realistic than mesh in how they feel when struck as the sticks will often have an excessive amount of rebound.
Also because they have less ‘give’ than a mesh head, if your technique isn’t great, there is the risk of excessive vibrations being transferred into the wrist and arm...which can eventually lead to repetitive strain injuries. (not good!)
On the plus side, they tend to be more durable and less susceptible to wear due to their solid construction.
Mesh ‘pads’ are actually plastic ‘mesh’ versions of acoustic drum heads, that are stretched over small electronic drums. They are fitted and tightened using a drum key in the exact same way as an acoustic drum head.
This gives the electronic drums a much more natural and authentic feel, that’s much more akin to a real acoustic drum.
They also have the benefit of being replaceable if the head wears out with extended use.
Personally I much prefer the more natural playing experience that a mesh head gives. The transition from acoustic to electronic drums is much easier and they definitely feel kinder on the wrists!
Cymbals
There are some key differences when it comes to cymbal pads on electronic drum kits.
Cheaper electronic kits will generally ship with basic single or dual zone cymbals pads. Meaning that they either trigger one sound no matter where you hit, or they will have a different sound on the bow compared to the edge.
Some, even at the budget end, will be choke-able. Basically ‘choking’ a cymbal (often a crash cymbal) is when you strike it with your stick, then abruptly stop the decay of the cymbal by grabbing it with your hand.
More advanced cymbal pads will react and swing more like acoustic cymbals, as well as having multi-zonal playing surfaces...allowing the subtle sound differences to come through depending on where you strike the cymbal.
Generally making for much more realistic and pleasurable playing experience.
Foot pedals
There are a few different solutions for the hi-hat and bass drum pedals when looking at electronic drum sets, some more effective than others...
Starting with the bass drum, the most popular method is a rubber or mesh bass drum pad, mounted on a stand that a normal bass pedal attaches to. This is by far the most realistic and playable solution.
Also Read: Top 5 Best PedalBoards For Your Acoustic Guitar
The other option is a single spring-loaded pedal, that’s depressed to trigger a bass drum sound.
These options have much more of an on/off feel and don’t allow you to practice your bass drum pedal technique...something that’s essential when learning the drums.
You’ll find this spring-loaded style on lower budget kits, or kits designed to be super compact. If at all possible I’d try to stay clear of this type of pedal.
When it comes to the hi-hat pedal, there are two main solutions.
The first most common way is a rubber pad that acts as the hi-hat cymbal, with a separate spring-loaded pedal that your foot sits on. The sound module measures how depressed the pedal is, which is then translated into how open or closed the hi-hat sound is.
This method isn’t necessarily the most realistic compared to an acoustic hi-hat, but it’s often pretty accurate and is totally usable as a means to play the hi-hat.
The second method is the use of electronic hi-hat cymbals that sit on a traditional hi-hat stand (the same as you’ll find on an acoustic kit). This type of hi-hat has the benefit of feeling much more realistic due to the real hi-hat stand and cymbal pad, but it’s usually only found on higher-end kits.
Connectivity
A lot of modern electronic drum sets nowadays come with a whole host of options to connect various bits of technology.
The majority of kits will come with an ‘Aux input’, which is simply a ⅛ inch headphone jack input that allows you to plug in an iPhone or mp3 player (basically anything with a headphone jack!).
Also Read: What are the best drumsticks for your electric drum set?
This lets you play along to your favorite tracks whilst hearing your drums at the same time, which is great fun and I’ll admit to spending hours and hours doing it as a bored teenager!
Bluetooth is also becoming more and more common in some of the upper mid-range and top-end electronic kits.
This allows you to connect your drum module to any Bluetooth enabled device, allowing wireless streaming of music or in some cases connecting to a dedicated music and training app.
USB MIDI
Another thing to look for when buying a kit is the inclusion of USB connectivity. This can be a real game-changer for some when picking an electronic drum set.
A USB or MIDI port allows you to utilize external drum software that massively expands the amount and overall quality of drum kit sounds available to you.
In a nutshell, you can effectively bypass the built-in sounds in the sound module and use the pads to instead trigger kit samples in an external piece of drum software such as EZDrummer or Steven Slate Drums.
This can often mean your $350 entry-level kit can end up sounding like a $4000 Roland, for only around $100-150 for the software in many cases…. something definitely worth thinking about, especially if you intend to use your kit for any recording!
The downside is that you’ll need a computer to run it.
Practice Vs Gigs
Another main factor that will influence the decision on which electronic drum set to buy is what you intend to use it for.
The majority of people with electronic drum sets will set up their kit somewhere in their house and never move it. This means that the hardware, rack and drum mounts don’t necessarily have to be as robust compared to a professional gigging drummer.
Also Read: What are my favorite kick pedals for an electronic drum set?
So electronic drums in at the lower end price-wise will be fine for this level of static home practice.
However, if you intend to use your electronic drums for gigs and rehearsals about town, you’ll need something that will be able to withstand the constant setting up, tearing down and general rigors of the professional drummer’s job.
In this case, investing in a solidly built, upper mid-range/high-end Roland or equivalent kit would be the way to go!
So without further ado, here are my top picks of electronic drum sets to suit any budget….
My Reviews Of The Best Electronic Drum Sets For 2020
Roland V-Drums TD-17KV-S (My Top Pick)
If you’ve read any of my other reviews, you’ll know what I think about Roland products.
When it comes to electronic musical instruments they are second to none in terms of quality, sound, and playability.
I have owned countless Roland instruments and they have all worked flawlessly and lasted through years of abuse.
This TD-17KVS is no exception, it's another fine example of Roland's quality and craftsmanship and this all mesh kit comes packed with an array of excellent features for the up and coming drummer and pro alike.
The TD-17 module features many of the same sounds/kits found on Roland’s flagship TD-50 kit.
Having played one of these kits recently, I found the expression and dynamics to be fantastic, as well as the overall sensitivity of the pads to be excellent.
Within the module itself, there are some brilliant features to help you improve as a drummer. There’s a ‘coach mode’, with exercises to help your timing, groove and stamina...giving you an overall score you can strive to improve over time.
It has an on-board recorder, allowing you to quickly and easily record what you’ve just played...to check your groove really makes the grade! This is a fantastic feature for drummers that are learning new material or are working towards an audition.
This kit is also designed to be expandable, with extra inputs available for you to add an extra tom or snare pad and an extra cymbal.
Connectivity is incredible too, with onboard Bluetooth to connect your mobile device as well as USB to plug into your computer for use with external recording software.
Overall you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better value, quality made drum kit at this price point. Yes, there are some other companies that have similar offerings at a lower price, but with Roland, you know you’re getting something that’ll sound great and is built to last.
Pros
- Very well made
- Trusted manufacturer
- Excellent sounds
- Great playability
Cons
- Kick pedal not included
- Pricier than some other brands offerings
Alesis Drums Nitro Mesh Kit (Best Budget)
In the last few years, Alesis has established an excellent reputation in the electronic drumming world.
They boast a wide range of electronic drum sets that combine great features at very competitive prices.
The Alesis Nitro Mesh Kit is aimed at entry-level drummers looking for a robust, feature-packed full-size electronic kit that’s a pleasure to play.
I’ll be honest, whenever one of my drum students that’s on a tight budget asks what electric kit they should buy, I always recommend the Nitro Mesh kit.
There’s nothing out there that can compare with the insane amount of features and sound quality at such a great price.
With 40 built-in drum kits, 60 play-along tracks, aux input for smartphones/mp3 players, all mesh heads (insane at this price point!), dual-zone snare drum pad AND choke-able crash and ride cymbals...it really doesn’t get much better than this at this price point.
The mesh snare trigger is also dual-zone, meaning you can play rimshots on it too, nice!
It also includes USB connectivity which means it’s perfect for use with external VST instruments and recording software such as Pro Tool or Logic.
(it even comes with a drum key and pair of sticks!)
Pros
- Affordable
- All mesh-heads
- Great connectivity
- Everything you need to get started
Cons
- Not much at this price point!
Roland V-Drums TD-25KVX (Best High End)
Where do I begin with this beautiful beast of an electronic drum kit...
If you have a few $1000 burning a hole in your pocket and you want an electronic drum kit that is going to feel and play just like the real thing....then look no further than the Roland TD-25KVX.
Firstly you’ll notice the inclusion of an acoustic bass drum shell for the kick drum.
This gives a super realistic feel of ‘moving air’ just like a real drum kit, but with Roland’s ‘air damping’ system...keeping the external acoustic volume down.
Plus it just looks super cool for live performance.
Unlike most electronic drum kits, the snare pad has ‘positional’ sensing meaning that (just like a real snare) there will be subtle changes in sound depending on where you strike it on the head.
It also has a cross-stick feature, meaning you can play a traditional cross-stick sound....a seriously awesome feature which is pretty rare to find on electronic drum sets.
I also found that tom rolls, especially on the floor tom, were super-expressive and dynamic...leaving very little ‘machine gun’ like triggering found on cheaper kits.
The cymbal pads all swing like real acoustic cymbals and are ‘multi zonal’ so will trigger different sounds when you strike the bell, bow or edge. As well as being choke-able.
The VH-11 hi-hat is also another great addition, which emulates the feel and response of a real hi-hat effortlessly.
At this price point, the sound module has all the features you’d expect: various coaching functions, USB MIDI, Aux input...but the real star of the show is the sheer realistic drum experience the pads and brain give you.
If you're a professional drummer looking for a top-quality gigging or studio kit, that gives a super realistic drumming experience, then you’d be hard-pressed to find anything as enjoyable and well made as this...
What a kit!
Pros
- Incredible sounds
- Very dynamic and sensitive
- Multi zonal cymbals and snare
- Great connectivity
- Robust
Cons
- High price point
- Takes up more space
Yamaha DTX522K Electronic Drum Kit
This DTX522K electronic drum kit (catchy name right?), sits solidly in the mid-range price point, so would be perfect for someone looking to upgrade from a starter kit...or someone that wants something more advanced that will last them a long time.
It comes with the excellent DTX502 drum module, which has 691 drum and percussion sounds, 50 preset drum kits and onboard memory available to import your own sounds.
It also has a dedicated iOS app that connects to the module, allowing you to play along to over 1000 songs...it even has a coaching feature that brings up an image of your kit and lights up the drums to show you where to hit and when (very cool).
The one major downside of this kit is that none of the pads are mesh.
The snare may look like it’s mesh but it’s actually a Silicone head that’s full of tiny bubbles, giving a softer, more forgiving feel. I’ve always found the Yamaha silicone pads take a little getting used to and aren’t for everyone, they also don’t have adjustable tension options either.
The tom pads are all hard rubber, which compared to other kits at this price point (Notably the Alesis Command) seem like a bit of an oversight by Yamaha.
However, there has obviously been a trade-off because the cymbals that ship with this kit are fantastic. They all feature 3 different trigger zones (bell, bow, edge), are choke-able and swing like real acoustic cymbals… I’ve always been a big fan of these high-quality Yamaha cymbal pads.
Overall this is a great kit made by a name you can trust. It is lacking some of the features found on equivalent kits at this price point which may deter some, but with Yamaha, you know it will last.
These kits are also highly upgradeable so you can always upgrade the drum and cymbal pads as you go!
Pros
- Excellent build quality
- Good connectivity
- Dedicated iOS app
- Excellent cymbal triggers
Cons
- No mesh pads
- More expensive than others at this price point
- Silicone snare not for everyone
Alesis Command Mesh Electronic Drum Kit
It comes with full dual-zone mesh heads, which give a great realistic feel throughout. It also includes a mesh kick pad which is a nice touch at this price point.
The sound module itself boasts 70 preset kits, 600+ drum, and percussion sounds, as well as USB MIDI connectivity and an Aux In for use with mp3 players and smartphones.
Compared to the Yamaha DTX522K, which is at a similar price point, the cymbals are of a more basic design. They are choke-able, but don’t have 3 trigger zones like the Yamaha and are not quite the same build quality.
However the whole kit is mesh, unlike the Yamaha, so it depends on your priorities...at this price point, there always seems to be a trade-off somewhere.
If you’re looking for a great value mid-range electronic kit that shares many features from higher-end models and is a pleasure to play, then you’ll be hard-pressed to beat the Alesis Command Mesh kit.
Pros
- Full mesh
- Good value
- Good built-in sounds
Cons
- Cheap feeling cymbals
Donner DED-200 Electronic Drum Set
Drum kits such as the Donner DED-200, are examples of relatively cheaply made ‘no-name’ Chinese kits that you’ll see everywhere. Usually touting incredible features at an even more incredible price. Which can often be too good to be true.
Not to say that all of these types of kits are bad though.
This offering from Donner has pretty much all the same features as the Alesis Nitro Mesh kit. It includes all mesh pads, USB and Aux-In connectivity to connect to your computer for recording or to play along to Mp3 players or smartphones.
It’s playing experience is pretty good, with the pads being responsive and the sound module including built-in sounds that aren’t great, but still very usable.
This kit also comes as a full bundle, offering everything you need to get started including sticks, bass drum pedals and drum throne.
However, as is with the case with most of these types of kits, there have been some issues with quality control and reliability reported.
Personally, if you’re looking for a quality starter kit, I would go with a more established brand.
The Alesis Nitro Mesh kit (my best budget pick) is at the same price point and is made by a company with a history of quality electronic instruments.
Pros
- Affordable
- All mesh
- Good connectivity
Cons
- Issues with reliability
- Poor cymbals
- Built-in sounds lacking
If you’re on a very tight budget or you need something that takes up minimal space, then this offering from Pyle may be just what you need.
The Pyle 7 pad tabletop drum kit can be placed on a hard surface. It includes two on/off type pedals that attach to the main unit via cables, for the kick and hi-hat respectively.
The specs on this unit are very similar to that of starter full electronic kits but at about ⅓ of the cost!
The unit boasts 55 preset kits with over 300 individual drum and cymbal sounds at your disposal.
It also includes a headphone jack, Aux-In (for use with mp3 players and smartphones) as well as USB MIDI, which means you can use it to trigger your favorite drum sounds from DAW software on your computer (a fantastic addition at this price!).
Compared to a full electric kit, tabletop drum kits are very limited in terms of feel.
The single-zone pads are packed quite close together and the cymbals are triggered by simple rubber pads (instead of the realistic swinging type found on full kits). However, this does mean it takes up minimal space.
This would be a great option for someone looking to dip their toe into the world of electric drumming, or is on a very tight budget and needs something for general coordination practice.
It would also be a great starter to get for a child, without having to shell out for a full e-kit that they may lose interest in.
Pros
- Very compact
- Very affordable
- Good connectivity
Cons
- Unrealistic playing experience
- Sounds aren’t great
Another entry from Roland, the TD-1K is the cheapest most ‘entry-level’ kit they produce.
It has a super stripped down and simple TD1 sound module that has 15 built-in kits, a metronome and coaching function as well as USB-MIDI connectivity...making it super easy to connect it to your favorite sound libraries on your computer.
A massive plus for this kit is its compact nature. It takes up so little space for something that feels and plays like a real drum kit. Making it an excellent choice for someone that lives in an apartment.
The downsides are that all the pads are rubber and relatively small as well as the bass drum pedal being a sprung design.
The sprung design bass pedals (basically the same as hi-hat control pedals) don’t allow you to use a real bass drum pedal, which is a really important skill to practice on the drums.
Also they tend not to be as accurate, especially when you’re playing double strokes or complex kick patterns.
However if you live in an apartment, the sprung pedal design does somewhat reduce the amount of low frequency ‘thumping’ transmitted through the floor...a bonus when trying to keep the neighbors happy!
As you’d expect from Roland, this kit is very well made and would definitely suit younger beginners looking to practice something that feels and sounds like the real deal!
Pros
- Compact
- Affordable
- Good connectivity
- Solid build quality
Cons
- Rubber pads
- Sprung bass pedal
So here we have the most affordable electronic drum kit option on my list.
The RockJam portable electronic drum kit is basically a drum set that’s built into a fold-up rubber mat.
The trigger pads are laid out in a ‘top-down’ view of a full-size electronic drum kit so it should feel relatively comfortable for anyone used to the real thing.
I’ll be totally honest, the inbuilt sounds aren’t going to win any prizes, the speakers are pretty tinny and the pads themselves aren’t that sensitive.
HOWEVER
It does include a headphone output for quiet jams as well as USB connectivity, allowing you to use it to trigger better drum sounds in your PC/Mac recording software. Also, bedroom producers might find it useful for inputting MIDI drum data instead of using a MIDI keyboard.
As a serious tool for drummers to hone their skills this drum set is pretty limited, however as a portable option for practice on the go...or for someone that just wants to have a laugh bashing along to their favorite tunes, it will totally do the job!
...and at such a low price point, there’s really not much to lose.
Pros
- Extremely affordable
- Very portable
- Good connectivity for the price
Cons
- Poor in-built speakers
- Pads aren’t very expressive
- Pedals aren’t great
My Extra Pick: Aerodrums Air Drumming Percussion Instrument
Air drumming anyone?
As an alternative to sitting down at an actual electronic set, Aerodrums have created an air-drumming solution.
For anyone that spends the majority of their time air drumming in their kitchen, or driving your family mad by ‘jamming’ on the steering wheel... this could be everything you ever wanted!
Using a camera connected to a PC or Mac, purpose-built software captures the movements of the included specially designed drumsticks. These movements are tracked and then used to create an invisible ‘virtual’ drum kit around you.
This is a great, super portable and fun way to play along to your favorite tunes or practice grooves if you are extremely short on space.
The only downside is that you’ll need a computer to run it.
Final Thoughts On The Best Electronic Drum Sets For 2020
Some final thoughts on choosing your perfect electronic kit…
Personally, when it comes to electronic drum kits you tend to get what you pay for. If something seems too good to be true, with a million amazing features for a super low price, it’s often the build quality that suffers.
Meaning you’ll end up with a kit that will last a few months before things start to go wrong.
My best piece of advice would be, get the best kit you can afford.
If it takes you a couple of extra months to save up to reach that ‘next-level’ of electronic kit, you’ll have a much better playing experience that will not only last longer...but will encourage you to play more drums! (that’s the whole point right?).
Also if you go with a trusted manufacturer, their kits are usually modular. Meaning that instead of having to buy a whole new drum kit to upgrade, you can gradually replace pads with better versions.
Other great kits that I didn’t manage to include were the Alesis Surge Mesh and Alesis Strike options...both great kits at the affordable end of the price range.
So there you have it! A concise roundup of the best electronic drum kits available today that will suit any budget, with the tools and know-how to pick the right kit for your electronic drumming needs.
