Good-quality budget electronic drum sets typically start at around $400, with beginner electronic drums costing around $600. You may also need accessories, which usually cost $100-200. Electronic drums for intermediate and pro players can be a lot more expensive, from $1000 up to $8000.
How much does an electronic drum set for beginners cost? (Your options explained)
For many drummers looking to buy their first electric drum kit, a $600 beginner drum set from Yamaha or Roland is a go-to choice.
These are the most famous names in electronic drums and have the best reputation for providing quality instruments that are inspiring to play.
These drum kits are very durable, have great sound quality, and are super enjoyable to play.
If you’d like to see my recommendations for beginners drawn from my experience as a teacher and professional drummer, I’ve written a handy article to help you choose the best electronic drum set for you.
Here’s an example of a beginner priced drum set and the kind of the sound you can expect to hear at this price point:
My personal experience: I used one of these $600 drum sets for my first 5 years of playing and I always recommend that my students get something similar.
How much does a budget electronic drum set cost?
While there are low price options available on the market, it’s rarely a good idea to buy a very cheap electronic drum kit.
These drum sets tend to break very easily and even when functioning, tend not to produce an enjoyable drum sound that you’ll want to listen to when practicing.
There are many small name companies out there that make electronic drum sets but the quality does tend to be sub-par compared to the more established brands.
If you’re going to choose a budget option, the cheapest electronic drum kit I would recommend is the Alesis Nitro Mesh, which costs around $380 dollars (plus accessories).
This kit retains lots of the features found on more expensive drum kits and is probably the best budget option out there if you’re not sure about committing to a more expensive drum set.
Find out more about the Alesis Nitro Mesh.
Are there any extra costs when buying an electronic drum set?
With any drum kit, you’ll need a few accessories which will likely cost an additional $100-200 or so, depending on what you need.
These include a drum throne/stool, a bass pedal, a pair of drumsticks and a pair of headphones.
You can save money on these extras by buying your drum kit as part of a bundle, which has these accessories already included.
There’s no need to go crazy with expensive accessories, and for most drummers, they likely won’t add too much cost onto your overall spend.
The last thing to remember in working out the cost of your electronic drum set is any tuition or lessons you might require.
You might want to pay for drum lessons (which are typically around $40 an hour), though there are more affordable ways to learn online too.
How much does an electronic drum set cost for intermediate drummers?
As you become an intermediate or advanced drummer, you may wish to invest in more advanced electronic drum set technology – though this will cost you significantly more.
Some more expensive electronic drum sets provide you with extra features that don’t appear on beginner drum sets.
For example, some drum sets allow you to play more advanced drum techniques such as rimshots and cross-sticks.
These intermediate drum sets will typically cost you between $1000 and $3000.
It’s worth noting that some beginner drum sets can be upgraded, meaning that if you do wish to make your drum set more advanced, you don’t have to spend your money on a brand new set of drums.
A great example of an intermediate drum set is the Roland TD-17KVX, which you can have a listen to in the video below, as played by the famous drummer Anika Nilles.
How much does a professional electronic drum set cost?
As the price range of electric drums goes into the thousands of dollars, the technology hits a professional level – unlocking a staggering range of possibilities.
Professional drum sets (which can cost up to $8000) provide a breathtaking range of features. The $8000 kits even allow you to adjust each individual drum sound with studio-level precision.
These more expensive drum sets are often designed to look like traditional acoustic drum sets and deliver the most authentic, “acoustic-like” feel possible on an electronic kit.
Here’s a demo worth watching of a fantastic professional kit. This particular series of drum sets sells for $4000-$5000.
In conclusion
Compared to most musical instruments, an electronic drum set isn’t too expensive and you can get started with a beginner kit relatively cheaply.
Now you have a benchmark of how much you should be spending (depending on your ability level), you’re one step closer to finding the drum kit that’s right for you.