The Best Drum Sets for Any Skill Level

Regardless of your age, level of expertise, or preferred genre of music, it can be a challenge to find the right set of drums for your specific needs. If you’re feeling unsure, check out these picks we recommend for you.

The drums are certainly an instrument where you can express yourself, whether you’re learning to keep a steady beat to a backing track or you’re letting loose to your favorite rock song’s drum solo. Therefore, it’s important to play on a drum set that you’ll enjoy—one with high-quality sound, long-term durability, and features to support what you’re looking for.

What to Consider in a Drum Set

Here are a couple of things to consider in a drum set:

• Dimensions: The dimensions of your drum affect the overall footprint of your entire set, which may be important if you’re tight on space. Additionally, your drum’s size can impact its sound. Typically, smaller drums create higher-pitched tones, while larger ones make the opposite.
• Included Pieces: Some drum sets don’t include all the pieces necessary to start playing right away. Some sets, called shell packs, don’t include cymbals and are typically higher-quality drums. Be sure to know what’s included before you pick a set.
• Age: If you’re an adult or an older child, it’s best to opt for a full-sized drum set. But for younger children, full-sized drum sets may be too large. In that case, a kid-sized set is your best option.

Best Drum Set: Pearl Roadshow Drum Set

Pearl’s Roadshow drum kit is one of the best sets you can get for its price. It is a five-piece set with a 22- by 16-inch bass drum, a 14- by 5.5-inch snare, a 10- by 8-inch tom, a 12- by 9-inch tom, a 16- by 16-inch floor tom, a 14-inch hi-hat, and a 16-inch crash/ride cymbal. Additionally, the set includes two maple drumsticks, a chain-driven bass drum pedal, and a Pearl Drum poster as well. The set includes double-braced and height-adjustable stands that can tilt and lock into your preferred position, 6-ply Poplar hardwood shells, and triple-flanged steel hoops.

Best for Kids: Eastar Drum Set

If your kids are interested in playing drums, Eastar’s kid-sized drum set is a great beginner tool for them. Unlike other drum sets, this one is kid-sized, so your child won’t have trouble when it comes to playability. It includes a 14- by 10-inch bass drum, an 8- by 6-inch tom, a 10- by 5-inch snare, and a 10-inch cymbal. Additionally, you’ll get two kid-sized and two 7A adult-sized drumsticks with an adjustable throne. Don’t judge this set as a low-quality kid’s toy because these six-lug drums are made with genuine Poplar hardwood shells and electroplated technology for better resonance and sound quality.

Best Value: Ashthorpe Full Size Adult Drum Set

This full-sized drum set from Ashthorpe doesn’t sacrifice quality for affordability. The set includes a 10-lug bass drum with a chain-driven pedal, a snare drum, two mounted toms with tilting capabilities, a floor tom, a chain-driven brass hi-hat, and a brass crash cymbal. The set includes an adjustable throne and drumsticks as well. The drums are made with Poplar hardwood shells and high-quality heads, and the cymbals are made of premium brass. Additionally, the drum set includes a detailed instruction guide for easy setup and play.

Most Compact: Ludwig Black Sparkle Drum Set

If you’re tight on space, here’s a kit that doesn’t have as large of a footprint as other drum sets may have. The bass drum is 14 inches by 16 inches, the tom drum is 7 inches by 10 inches, the floor tom is 13 inches by 13 inches, and the snare drum is 5 inches by 14 inches. The kit is equipped with 7-ply hardwood shells for a versatile tone and is fitted with Remo heads. The set also includes storage bags since it can easily be broken down and portably stacked—making it a great kit for traveling musicians as well.

Note: This set does not include cymbals, a snare stand, or a throne.

Also Consider: Ludwig Accent Drive Drum Set

If you’re looking to get playing right away, then this is the drum set for you. The Ludwig Accent Drive drum kit includes all necessary hardware. The kit includes a 22-inch bass drum, three toms of 10, 12, and 16 inches, a 14-inch snare drum, a 13-inch hi-hat, and a 16-inch crash cymbal. The set also includes a throne, so there’s no need to purchase one separately. The drums are equipped with a 9-inch Poplar shell that produces a bright tone and double-braced stands for durability.