If you are an aspiring drummer, an affordable electronic drum set under $500 seems like the best option you have.
However, with so many options on the market, it might easily get you confused, especially if you are not sure what to look for.
Have a look at the next sections to check out the best electronic drum sets under $500!
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Electronic Drum Sets Under $500
- OUR TOP PICK: Alesis Drums Nitro Mesh Kit
- RUNNER-UP: ZHRUNS Electronic Drum Kit
- BEST BUDGET OPTION: Donner DED-200
Table of Contents
What Are The Benefits of Investing in an Electronic Drum Set?
Electronic drum sets are increasingly popular. This is because newer technologies allow manufacturers to combine all the perks of acoustic drums, but also offer other hard-to-miss features. Here are some of the benefits of investing in an electronic drum set:
Quiet Practice
First of all, electronic drum sets are the first option for drummers who want to practice and learn peacefully. The acoustic drums might get the neighbors and family quite annoyed. An electronic drum set will allow you to plug in a pair of headphones and start playing whenever you want.
Alesis Drums Nitro Mesh Kit
Sonic Versatility
As briefly mentioned above, electronic drum sets can faithfully replicate the acoustic drum sound, but they also embed numerous tech sounds that you can tweak to your liking. Whether you play jazz, blues, rock, or punk, an electronic drum set can fulfill all your needs.
Customization
Lastly, another benefit of an electronic drum set is that it has an interface that allows you to customize your tunes. You can record your performance, play along with other tunes, edit and tweak the notes until you get the results you wish.
How to Choose an Electronic Drum Set
Electronic drum sets have different features, and it can be quickly overwhelming to choose the best one, especially when you are not sure what to look for. Here are some guidelines to help you out:
Your Needs
First of all, consider what you need: are you looking to practice, learn, or both? If you want to practice a lot with your new electronic drum set, you should consider one that comes with headphones, so you can quietly play whenever you want. What is more, you might want to choose a model that supports audio connections, USB ports, and others, this will help you develop your skills faster.
Your Skill Level
While most people consider that models under $500 are suitable for children and aspiring drummers, you will be surprised to find out that our best products can perform great even during live gigs or studio recordings. If you are a beginner, you could choose a simpler model to get you started, but you might also go for one that can be used live.
Versatility
Electronic drum sets come with numerous ready-to-play kits, ranging from classic tunes to the most modern, tech-sounding ones. The more sounds they can produce, the most suitable they are to play a wide range of music genres.
Comparison of the Best Electronic Drum Sets Under $500
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Review of the Best Electronic Drum Sets Under $500
Without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the best options that will not break the bank that you can get.
Best Overall:
Alesis Drums Nitro Mesh Kit
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PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
The kit’s performance is up to expectations. The cymbals do not seem to be very sturdy, but they work flawlessly, especially if you enjoy the bell-like sound when they are hit hard. The mesh heads are well crafted, and they offer great bounce. They replicate the acoustic drum sound faithfully.
Why it Stands Out to Us
Alesis Drums Nitro Mesh Kit is a masterfully designed kit with a perfect feel and a natural response. This next-generation electronic drum set features mesh head drum technology with an ultra-quiet response and natural feel, ideal for silent late-night practice sessions. It is highly convenient and easy to use.
Who Will Use This Most
If you want the ultimate electronic drum set for beginners, this needs to be on the top of your list. It includes all the cabling and other accessories to get you playing as soon as you open the package. It even includes drumsticks and eight pieces that will provide you with all you need to advance your skills in no time.
Bottom Line
All in all, Alesis Drums Nitro Mesh Kit is our best model in this category. It provides its users with anything they could ever wish for to supercharge their performance. The 60-built-in play-along tracks offer the perfect start to a beautiful career that allows you to capture your creativity and discover the world of music.
Runner-up:
ZHRUNS Electronic Drum Kit
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
This electronic drum set has a very professional appearance. With 30 demo songs, it is the very best in terms of electronic drum sets. It helps you greatly in building your skills, especially the metronome and recorder. The sounds are very versatile, ideal for any play style and music genre.
Why it Stands Out to Us
ZHRUNS Electronic Drum Kit is a professional-looking drum set that promotes an authentic play feel. The mesh heads offer the ultimate, real drum skin experience, and you can use essential acoustic drum techniques for the ultimate performance. It includes many features that help you generate more than 300 sounds.
Who Will Use This Most
This versatile drum set is ideal for players of all levels. With more than 300 sounds, it is impossible not to learn something new, whether you are a beginner or a more advanced player. What is more, you can use a wide variety of more than 300 sounds to play any genre, whether it is jazz, blues, funk, or pop, the options are virtually endless.
Bottom Line
If you want an electronic drum set to express your creativity, this is the product for you. You can use the acoustic play style to enjoy this instrument. What is more, you can tune each drum and cymbal individually, which means that there is something for everyone, no matter the skill level.
Best for the Money:
Donner DED-200
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PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
This product packs in a huge surprise, the product quality is astonishing compared to its affordable price tag. It has incredible sound and feel, and what’s truly great is that you get everything you need in only one box. It is easy to set up, and the instructions are very clear.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The Donner DED-200 is an electronic drum set worthy of live playing gigs and studio recording. The electronics and sound are astonishing, while the module can adjust 16 different drum kits to your liking. The metronome and tempo allow you to practice beats and pre-recorded sounds.
Who Will Use This Most
The quality of this drum set is well worth the attention, whether you want a drum set to practice at home, have live gigs, or you need it for studio recording. You can achieve anything from acoustic sounds to synthetic, thunderous drum sounds. The 30 sounds included are useful for jamming and practicing.
Bottom Line
The Donner DED-200 is one of the most versatile products on the market that provide high value for money. It embeds endless parameters that you can tweak to your liking, suitable for any play style or music genre.
4. Alesis Surge Mesh Kit
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PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
This electronic drum set has outstanding features that make it one of the best on the market. The chrome stand has excellent quality, while the fixtures are top-notch, and everything is easy to adjust. What is more, the mesh heads are high-quality, and the drum sticks reflect on them just like any other acoustic drum.
Why it Stands Out to Us
Alesis Surge Mesh Kit is an affordable electronic drum set with eight pieces that include all the features you need to start playing right away, like a pro. The ten inches of dual-zone mesh snare and other features provide a singularly natural play response. This product offers an unlimited range of playing expressions.
Who Will Use This Most
This kit is ideal for teaching and practicing. It includes everything you need, and the premium-quality mesh heads offer an unmatched response and superior comfort and playability. What is more, the design is compact and collapsible, which means that it is extremely easy to transport and store.
Bottom Line
If you want an electronic drum set that grows with you, Alesis Surge Mesh Kit is the ideal choice. It contains eight pieces that allow for ultimate playing experience, ideal for aspiring drummers. The superior playability and unmatched response make this product a one-stop solution for all drummers.
5. Simmons SD200
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
This electronic drum set contains all the features you need for learning and practicing. For instance, the easy-to-play integrated kick drum pad allows for minimal sounds so you can practice whenever you want. Additionally, you can connect it to any computer, iPad, or iPhone to help you learn.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The Simmons SD200 is an affordable electronic drum set that is ideal for anyone who wants to learn and practice on an instrument with a natural, authentic feel. It includes a simple button interface and 11 drum kits. What is more, the extensive library of dynamic voices provides extra versatility.
Who Will Use This Most
This drum kit is ideal for any aspiring drummer. It comes with a kick drum pad that makes it effortless to practice with minimum sounds. You can choose your own kits, customize the sounds, and you have access to multiple practice tools. It is well-built and provides easy playing customization.
Bottom Line
The Simmons SD200 is a great full-sized kit designed for helping aspiring drummers to learn and practice their skills. It has a realistic feel and authentic response, moreover, it includes all the features to take your music experience to a whole new level. It is a drum set built with ease of play and quality in mind.
Types of Electronic Drum Sets
Here are the main types of electronic drums that you should be aware of:
Table Drums
This type needs to be placed on a support. They usually have four strike zones, they are ideal for beginners, but the use is quite limited. Some of them do not have any pedals or MIDI jacks, meaning that you cannot register the tunes on a computer.
Drumpads
Drumpads are similar to table drums as they need to be placed flat, but they come with seven strike areas, instead of only four. This allows for increased flexibility, and you can program more elements. What is more, they can also be connected to a computer to record or change the sound of the drum pad.
Complete Drum Sets
Lastly, the complete drum set is the closest to acoustic drums. You enjoy realistic, authentic sounds, basic models feature the elements of a drum set, with a snare drum, three toms, two cymbals, and a Charleston.
The higher the price range, the most elements you will find on a drum set. A full drum set will allow you to record, edit your tunes, import new kits, and many more features.
Conclusion
Overall, you now have the information you need to choose the best electronic drum set under $500. We provided all the details, considerations, and aspects you need to make the best decision, and we also reviewed the best electronic drum sets under $500.
People Also Ask
Do you still have a few questions left in your mind? You are not alone! Here are some of the commonly asked questions.
Is an Electronic Drum Set Good For Beginners?
Electronic drum sets are ideal for beginners. Many models include onboard programs to boost your skill level but also coaching functions that will improve your timing, accuracy, and endurance. Other features that are beginner-friendly are record and playback, which will allow you to assess your own drum passages.
Are Electronic Drum Sets Any Good?
If you’ve never considered an electronic drum set before, you are missing out on all the fun! They are more versatile, and the selection of sounds is more extensive than acoustic drums, as they offer a vast onboard library of tones that can play any song, any music genre. They also have an authentic feel, feedback, and response, you can control the volume for practicing times and many more.
