Finding the Best Electric Drums: 3 Quick Tips

Let’s talk electric or electronic drums.

First, why trust me? Yes, I have played electronic drums for over 20 years—that is me in the back playing in a tribute band with a basic set of Roland electronic drums:

And of course, I’ve also played with acoustic drums over the years, learning the key differences between both experiences.

You probably realize the key advantages of electronic drums: they can be played with headphones (and make a fraction of the noise of acoustic drums). And they never need tuning. Electric drums allow you to play a variety of kit sounds (sampled from acoustic and drum machine sounds), better fitting today’s musical trends. 

Before we get into specifics, let’s talk the three basic differences between electronic kits:

  1. The Drum Brain. All electronic kits have two basic components: the triggers (pads) and the drum brain. The brain contains all the samples. Entry-level kits have a limited number of kits and sounds. The more expensive the kit, the fancier the brain—some let you edit the sounds (adding reverb) and even import sound samples (like the Syndrum popular in the 70’s). Now ask yourself: if you are just starting out, do you need to edit the samples? Or do you need a basic drum brain with a good selection of kits?
  2. The Triggers. The more expensive kits have mesh heads; the beginner kits have rubber heads. Mesh heads (especially for the snare) better approximate acoustic drums—and are more pricey than rubber heads. Mesh head triggers have become less expensive over the years but they have one downside: if they are damaged or wear out, they must be replaced. Rubber triggers are more durable . . . but they have a bit of rebound that takes some getting use to.  Also: fancier kits have real bass pedals; less expensive models have foot switches for the bass and hi-hats. When you spend more money, you also get bigger/wider trigger heads, which are easier to play.
  3. Brand reputation. Electronic drums used to be a two-way race between Roland and Yamaha for the best quality. Yes, there are less expensive kits, but they usually had inferior sound sample quality and other compromises (rubber heads). In recent years, Alesis has joined the ranks for the top-quality drum makers with mesh heads and better sound samples . . . at prices that are more akin to entry-level kits. 

When it comes to recommending drum kits, we break down these picks based on different uses: beginners, intermediate and advanced players. 

Beginner kits are designed for practice at home. Once you move into the intermediate and advanced category of kits, you are getting fancier drum brains and triggers. 

FYI: These kits are designed for adults. If you are buying a kit for a child, we have an article just on that subject!

Best For Beginners: Alesis Drums Nitro Mesh Kit

This moderately priced kit offers good bang for the buck: note the mesh drum heads versus rubber pads you see with other kits in this price range. Mesh is easier to play and offers more responsiveness than rubber, in my experience. And mesh is quieter than rubber, so that can be a key consideration if you are playing in an apartment or condo.

What We Liked

• Easy to assemble.

• 40 kits with 385 sample sounds.

• Crash cymbal has choke feature.

• Impressive sound.

• Mesh heads are responsive and quiet.

• Affordable compared to other kits with mesh heads.

What Needs Work

• No throne or drum monitor is included.

• Frame is more fragile compared to others we tried.

• Heads at 8″ in width are on the small side and may be harder to play for some beginners.

Best For Advanced Players: Roland TD-17KVX2 Ultimate Generation 2 Drums Kit

Roland is to electronic drums as Tesla is to electric cars—they set the standard. And this kit (which sits in the middle of Roland’s lineup) is a good example: excellent sound quality and mesh heads with two-zones—and yes, that is a 12″ snare with a raised rim (to give it more of an acoustic feel).

What I like most about Roland drums is their quality of samples—and the huge variety of kits (you can download additional kits from the Roland cloud). 

This is the second generation of TD-17 drums—what’s new is a drum brain with 20 new preset kits, including 10 that were exclusive to their more pricey acoustic design drums. Yes, you can add reverb and other effects to the samples, which is easy to do with an intuitive menu design. There are a total of 70 kits . . . trust me, just about everything you want is in there.

Also new: thinner V-cymbals that move more and respond more like metal cymbals. 

What We Liked

• Natural feel of drum heads.

• Bluetooth! You can play along to tracks from your phone or favorite app. 

• Easy to learn how to use.

• Excellent sound sample quality—70 preset kits!

• Dual zone snare.

• Tried and true brand has good durability reputation.

• Large 12″ snare.

• Larger mesh pads for toms.

• Floating hi-hat that fits on an acoustic stand.

What Needs Work

• Pricey. 

• Throne not included.

• Hi-hat stand not included.

Best For Intermediate Players: Yamaha Electronic Drum Set (DTX6K-X)

Yamaha has been one of the key mainstay brands for many years and the reason is clear to any drummer: the quality of these kits is superior to many entry-level brands. Listen to the sound samples and you’ll see what I mean. 

We like the bang for the buck here: this kit has 400 samples, much more than similarly priced Roland kits. 

What We Liked

• Sophisticated drum brain yet is easy to use.

• Awesome sounding samples.

• Cymbal pad can be choked and muted.

• Ride cymbal has different zones (bell, edge, etc).

• Mesh-like snare has three zones.

• Good brand reputation.

• Durable, sound construction.

What Needs Work

• Rubber pads for toms instead of mesh.

• Doesn’t include kick pedal.

• No Bluetooth.

About the Authors

Denise & Alan Fields are consumer advocates and best-selling authors. The Fields have authored 12 books with three million copies in print, including the best-selling guide to baby gear, Baby Bargains.

The Fields have been featured and quoted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times.

As consumer products experts, the Fields have been guests on the NBC Today Show, Good Morning America and ABC’s 20/20.

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