When it comes to buying drum sets, prices come within the range of the full spectrum. There are high end kits and budget ones too. Now, even though cheap drum sets aren’t your go-to for the highest quality, there’s still a way to end up with value for your money.
This is what our article is going to be showing you today.
Fortunately for us, these days, “cheap drum sets” does not mean what it used to mean many years back. Today’s budget drum kits are of a far higher quality than those from years past. From their sound, to the materials, today’s drummer on a budget has a far better deal.
But this does not answer the pertinent questions. “How do I pick the best cheap drum set?” or “What is the best cheap drum set?” If you stay with us though, our article will answer all your questions.
Contents
Top 7 Best Cheap Drum Sets For The Money 2023 Reviews
| Name | Pieces | Adult/Children | Material | Drums | Cymbals | Color |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pieces 5-piece | Adult/Children Adult | Material Not specified | Drums 22 x 14 inch Lug Bass Drum, 5.5 x 14 inch Wood Snare, 12 x 10 inch and 13 x 10 inch Mounted Toms Adjustable Tilt Memory Locks, 16 x 16 inch Floor Tom | Cymbals Two 12 inch Hi-hat Cymbals, One 14 inch Crash/Ride Cymbal | Color High Gloss Black | |
Pieces 5-piece | Adult/Children Adult and Teens | Material Cross Laminated Poplar | Drums 22 x 16 inch Bass Drum, 12 x 8 inch and 13 x 9 inch Tom Toms, 14 x 5.5 inch Snare Drum, 16 x 16 Floor Tom | Cymbals 14.5 inch Hi-Hat, 16 inch Crash Cymbals | Color Blue | |
Pieces 8-piece | Adult/Children Adult | Material Mesh and rubber heads | Drums 8 inch Dual-Zone Snare Pad, Three 8 inch Tom pads, 8 inch Kick Drum | Cymbals Three 10 inch Cymbals (Ride Cymbal, Hi-hat, Crash with Choke) | Color Black | |
Pieces 5-piece | Adult/Children Children | Material Not specified | Drums 16 inch Bass Drum, Wood Snare Drum, Two Hang Toms, Floor Tom | Cymbals Hi-hat Cymbals, 10 inch Crash/Ride Cymbal | Color High Gloss Black Finish | |
ALso Great Mendini 5-Piece Drum Set  View Price | Pieces 5-piece | Adult/Children Children | Material Not specified | Drums 16 inch Bass Drum, 10 inch and 8 inch Toms, 12 inch Floor Tom, 10 inch Snare Drum | Cymbals 8 inch Hi-Hat, 10 inch Crash Cymbal | Color Blue |
Pieces 8-piece | Adult/Children Adult | Material Mesh | Drums 8 inch Mesh Kick Drum Tower, 10 inch Dual-Zone Mesh Snare, Three 8 inch Dual-Zone Mesh Tom Pads | Cymbals Three 10 inch Cymbals, Hi-hat, Crash with Choke | Color Black | |
Pieces 8-piece | Adult/Children Adult | Material Mesh and Gum rubber | Drums Mesh Head PDX-8 V-Pad Snare, Three Gum-Rubber Tom Drums (Floor and Racks 1 and 2) | Cymbals Hi-Hat Cymbals, Crash and Ride Cymbals | Color Black |
1 Gammon Percussion 5 Piece Drum Set
Coming at a sub-$300 price tag, the Gammon Percussion 5-Piece Drum Set is our first drum set on review today. As you can tell, it’s super affordable and so it’s great for the drummer on a budget. It’s also pretty good quality too.
The Gammon Percussion 5 Piece Drum Set is a nice beginner drum set for the price. Of course you can’t expect this to give you stellar recording quality or stage performance. However, barring all that, this is a pretty good drum set.
Now, let’s check out the sound. The snare and toms will impress you as they sound good. And since the snare is central to the drum set, we think this is a big plus for this drum set. Gammon Percussion obviously set their priorities right.
The bass drum is actually not so great but isn’t bad either. To get the best sound from it though, we will advise you to tune it a bit. But then again, we know that when it comes to cheap drum sets, the key is to expect to make sacrifices.
Moving on to the cymbals… Expectedly, these don’t sound great. However, fortunately for us, the hi-hat sounds better than the crash cymbal. And this is good news because you’ll be using the hi-hat more often than the crash cymbal. So, it’s not so bad.
Lastly, the hardware here is fantastic and sturdy. There’s every assurance that it will see you through many years with the kit.
The Gammon percussion 5 Piece Drum Set is, altogether, an investment well worth the price.
(4.1 / 5)- Great drum set well worth the price.
- Box contains everything you need to begin playing right out of the box including pedal, sticks, and throne.
- Overall decent sound quality.
- Cymbal quality isn’t exactly great as expected.
- Not ideal for onstage performances.
2 Mendini by Cecilio 5-Piece Adult Drum Set
We’ve all come to know Cecilio as a brand that caters to the musicians on a budget as well as the beginners. The best thing about this brand though isn’t just their prices, it’s how they still make sure to give you value for money with their products.
The Mendini by Cecilio 5-Piece Adult Drum Set is one of those products. Let’s get to know this kit a little better.
Mendini uses poplar shells on this kit so they sound pretty good. Plus, because the makers made sure to laminate the shells, you also get an assurance of durability. So, this isn’t something that would be needing a replacement sometime soon however hard or often you have to practice.
We also love the fact that in this box, you get literally everything you need to begin playing immediately. There are sticks, there’s a drum throne, of course pedals too. So, this is a complete package.
We checked out the hardware too and the construction really impressed us. This set will definitely last with the quality of hardware here. In essence, this drum set will readily take a good beating.
Furthermore, with 7 color choices, this drum set leaves you spoiled for choice. There’s blue, green, silver, red, wine red, and black. For sure, there’s definitely one color that suits you of all the available colors.
Overall, we think this drum set is worth the price. It definitely won’t compete with a higher priced set, of course, but it’s great all the same.
(4 / 5)- Complete package: contains everything you need to begin playing immediately.
- Sizes of the drums and cymbals are pretty decent.
- Usable by adults and teenagers.
- Great looks with several color options.
- No assembly instructions.
- No full size bass drum.
3 Alesis Drums Nitro Mesh Electronic Drum Kit
The Alesis Drums Nitro Mesh Electronic Drum Kit is a great budget electronic drum kit option. It is affordable, quiet, durable, and boasts a great performance. Let’s check out what else this kit has to offer.
One, the snare and toms come with mesh heads which is just great. Mesh heads tend to give a more natural feel than rubber heads (rubber heads tend to feel cheap). Plus, they are also much quieter than rubber heads.
Besides that, the heads are also tunable so you get a reasonable level control over how your kit performs. This is because you’ll be able to control the rebound and sensitivity of your drums. We definitely love this feature.
Now, the kickpad is still rubber which is common for electronic drum kits within this price range. So, yeah there’s that. And that’s not all, the cymbal pads are also rubber which means that they don’t sound as great as the snare and the toms. Both kickpad and cymbals still sound decent though.
Moving on to the sound module… Alesis obviously did a beautiful job with the sound module as it’s highly versatile and functional. There are about 385 onboard drum, cymbal, and percussion sounds. There are also 40 preset kits here as well. At this price point, this is probably the highest you’d find.
Moreover, one thing we really love about the sound module is the practice mode. Drummers get to have a lot of fun while practicing that it doesn’t even feel like practicing anymore. Who says work can’t be fun?! Definitely not Alesis.
(4.4 / 5)- Sound module is versatile and easy to handle.
- Can use a double bass pedal with the kick pad.
- Hardware is sturdy and good-looking.
- Interesting practice mode.
- Great for beginners as well as intermediate players.
- Mesh heads come a little smaller in size.
- Racks are not easily adjustable.
4 Gammon 5-Piece Junior Starter Drum Kit
This is our first kids drum set on review. If you want something for your budding star and you can’t afford to spend so much right now, here’s a great option. It doesn’t hurt the pockets but your kid would be able to get some good skills practicing on this.
The Gammon 5-Piece Junior Starter Drum Kit is great for all kinds of kids of all ages. In fact, it could also work for children who are already more than 5 feet tall. Also, this kit makes the perfect upgrade for the kid who has outgrown the kiddy drum set.
This drum kit boats a great sound quality. We are sure it will further motivate and encourage your young star to practice as often as they can.
Plus, the drum set is also super sturdy. And with the way we know kids to be, this is a plus since the kit remains in excellent condition however the kids thrash it.
Furthermore, the wood here is high quality. And the hardware is, well, it’s fairly decent too. Just be careful though as you could cause the hardware to fall apart with constant assembling and reassembling.
Finally, you’ll get this drum set well-tuned, great-looking, and ready to play. Check it out!
(4.5 / 5)- Could also work as an adult starter kit.
- Wooden shells are high quality and sturdy.
- Sounds great.
- Quite affordable.
- Set kinda feels small.
- Not exactly easy to put together.
5 Mendini 5-Piece Drum Set
The Mendini 5-Piece Drum Set is another great drum set for kids at an affordable price tag, of course. We don’t expect anything less from Cecilio, Mendini is a household name in things like this.
This drum set is excellent in the performance department. And for the kid who wants to start exploring the art of drumming from a young age, this is a drum set to consider. The set is complete with everything they’ll need at their age and stage.
Keep in mind though that this set is not for kids shorter than 2.5 feet or taller than 5 feet. So, once your kid maxes out of this zone, you’d have to upgrade. For the meantime though, there’s lots to enjoy with this kit.
Using this beautiful drum set from Mendini, children will be able to practice their coordination. Plus, they’ll also be able to practice time keeping as well.
Furthermore, to ensure that your kid jumps on this immediately, this kit comes with a pair of drum sticks and a drum throne. And to even seal the deal even more nicely, the price tag on this is lower than $200. Of course, it’s a steal, no question!
It’s got its drawbacks, def. But with the price tag and the other aspects this drum set had going for itself, it was difficult for us to dislike the set. In all, it’s a good one for its purpose.
(4.2 / 5)- Easy to put together.
- Wooden construction.
- Available in different color options.
- Easy to tune for enhanced sound quality.
- A little smaller than expected.
- Bass drum could be much better.
6 Alesis Surge Mesh Electronic Drum Kit
The upgrade to the Alesis Surge, the Alesis Surge Mesh is another affordable drum set you can try. As you can see, it’s an electronic drum set with mesh heads. And mesh heads, as you know, are great because they are quieter and give a higher quality sound and feel.
Using the Alesis Surge Mesh Electronic Drum Kit means that you’ll be able to rehearse all you want without disturbing the peace. Plus, feel and rebound are excellent. The pads just throw back your sticks at you nicely, the way you like it, when you play.
Now, even though this is naturally more expensive than its rubber head counterpart as it should be, it still makes a great deal. Because with all the features this kit boasts, a sub-$500 price tag is more than fair.
We also found the sound module to be quite impressive as well. There are about 385 different sounds here. Plus, you also get 60 play-along tracks for practice and entertainment.
Additionally, this sound module also features UDB/MIDI outputs which are great for hooking up your drums to your computer. The rest is up to your imagination!
Overall, this is a fantastic kit and we love it. Check it out!
(4.2 / 5)- Compact setup that’s great for smaller apartments.
- Excellent response time from the time you play to when it delivers to your headphones.
- Easy to use for beginners.
- Mesh heads are high quality with excellent rebound.
- Allows for quiet practice.
- EQ options are limited.
7 Roland Entry-level Electronic V-Drum Set (TD-1K)
Lastly, we have the excellent quality Roland Entry-level Electronic V-Drum Set (TD-1K). We never expect anything less once we see the Roland brand. This is because the brand has proven itself over time.
The TD-1K is a great drum set with a tiny footprint which works for most spaces. Plus, it also comes with sturdy hardware that can hold up to any level of torture. Lol. Besides that, you’ll find them easy to adjust which is another reason we love this kit.
The mesh head snare is great as they allow for a quiet practice. Moreover, the snare and the tom pads (made from gum-rubber) fee pretty great and realistic too. And more so, they offer a great level of comfort and a fantastic rebound which eggs the player on.
Furthermore, to ensure that you’re always sounding your best, this kit also includes a drum key. So, yes, you can tune your drums to create a better sound.
Lastly, let’s check out the sound module here. There are literally hundreds of options when it comes to the TD-1K sound module. You get 15 drum kits, a built-in metronome and recorder as well as a “Coach” function which helps the beginner through the first few stages.
There’s everything to love about this kit!
(4.4 / 5)- Easy to set up.
- Sound module is vast in options.
- Drum pads are velocity sensitive, comfy, and realistic.
- Does not require much space to set up.
- Pedals might be frustrating for the advanced player.
- Mesh snare does not support brushes.
Best Cheap Drum Sets Buying Guide
This guide becomes even more important if you’re in the market for your first ever drum set. It’s an important decision that stays with you for a long time. And so, you need your drum set sounding great so it motivates you to always want to play.
If you toms or snare sounds like garbage every time you hit them, it’s going to be really frustrating. playing your drums. You don’t want that.
That said, a cheap drum set, understandably, does not give you a wide range of options to pick custom parts. You’ll just have to make do with getting a whole set.
And since you’re going to be making do with a set, then you should also be willing to make some intelligent sacrifices as not all parts would come out sounding great.
Here are some important components of a cheap drum set you want to consider.
Snare
The snare is central to any drum set so you want it to sound great. If your snare doesn’t sound great, you’re not going to like the sound of the entire set altogether.
So, the first thing you’re going to be looking out for is the shell. There are wooden shells and metal shells. Of course with each material comes its unique sound.
Wood shells include mahogany, maple, bubinga, birch, poplar. Metal shells, on the other hand, include bronze, aluminum, steel, brass.
Now, most cheap drum sets would come with poplar. However, if you seem to be pressed for choice, check out what your favorite drummers are using. Or you could also check out your local music store and try out some of them to see how you like their sound.
Cymbals
Straight goods only, the cymbals on a cheap drum set will never sound great however you stretch your imagination. So, plan to upgrade them as time goes on. Also, think of going with sets that have tolerable cymbals, at least.
Furthermore, most cymbals are bronze, however beginner/cheap drum sets have brass cymbals for the sake of cost. Nevertheless, we won’t advise you to go for brass cymbals as they sound a little tacky. If you can afford it, you should go for bronze cymbals as they sound a lot better.
Also, if you’re a heavy drummer, you want to get heavier cymbals so you don’t crack them in one gig.
Toms and Kick
You want your toms and kick to come with a dependable build quality so they last over time. Things like “warping” spell bad news for your investment. So, look out for what other customers are saying with regards to that.
As for sound, you should be able to modify the sound to your tastes by changing out the drum heads. Plus, tuning and muffling should also help too.
Conclusion
The Gammon Percussion 5 Piece Drum Set is our favorite cheap drum set on review today. That is, when we’re talking for the acoustic drums.
For the kids, we’ve got to go with the Gammon 5-Piece Junior Starter Drum Kit. It might be more expensive than the Mendini, but it’s also of a higher quality all round.
And lastly, the Roland Entry-level Electronic V-Drum Set (TD-1K) is our most loved cheap electronic drum set.