8 Most Amazing Drum Sets for Beginners – Master Your Feeling of the Rhythm!

All musicians know that a great drummer is what really makes a band. Percussion is the beating heart of any musical combo, and playing the drums can give you a lot of fun. So, if you’re just starting out and looking for the best drum set for beginner musicians, you might be confused because of the variety of the products on the market. Well, stick around, and we’ll help you find the best starter drum kit.

We’ve looked at eight of the very best drum kits out there, and no matter what style of music you intend to play, we have found a kit that will suit you. In our review section, you’ll find our Editor’s Choice, the absolutely fabulous Pearl Roadshow RS525WFC. We couldn’t help but make this the number one drum kit on our list since it is made from 9-ply poplar, which provides a high sound quality and comes with four different colors available. The kit also includes everything you might need, from stands to pedals. Fear not, however, if the Pearl kit doesn’t float your particular boat because we’ve included other seven kits – each with their own specific attributes.

We’ve spent hours doing our research, checking the customer reviews and feedback for these products, as well as asking experts’ opinions. We’re going to discuss the best beginner drum set features, such as the number of pieces, colors, shell materials, the recommended age for different kits, and even warranties. Stick with us, and you’ll find a detailed review section aimed at finding the best drum set for beginner drummers – but there is also our handy buying guide, which can help you find the answers to any questions you might have.

Top 8 Drum Sets for Beginners Review 2025

How to pick the best drum set for a beginner

Looking for your own drum kit doesn’t have to be an ordeal. As with buying any product, having a clear idea of what you want from your new kit will significantly improve your chances of finally choosing the right one. There is no magic formula since each drum kit is different and unique.

Everything will depend on your own preferences and needs. So, let’s dive deeper into the features that will be useful for you.

Pieces of the drum set

If you are just starting out your drumming journey, the truth is that you do not need to be overly concerned about getting larger sets. All drum kits that you are looking at will feature at least five pieces, which will be exactly enough for you to begin learning and practicing.

The more pieces you buy, the more confusion you can get if you have never held drumsticks in hand. To start with, though, you will need to work out the rudimentary functions of percussion on a five-piece kit. Work on your hi-hat, snare drum, and cymbals, and learn the art of using the toms with the bass drum. For example, consider the Pearl Roadshow RS525WFC as your very first option. It has a standard number of pieces and provides perfect quality of sound.

Age of the beginner

Learning the drums is just like discovering the basics of any other musical instrument, sport, or skill. Methodical learning and practice will get you to your end goal, and you’ll become proficient if you go about the task of learning the fundamentals first. To do that, you will need to get the drum kit that matches your age or, to be specific, your height. While some kids and teenagers have the build that can handle a full-size drum kit, some smaller people will greatly benefit from choosing a smaller option that isn’t quite scaled up to the size of an adult kit.

In that case, you might want to take a look at the Gammon 5-Piece Junior Starter Drum Kit. This set will impress you with the color and high gloss finish quality and the package, which includes everything for your kid to start playing right away. If your kid is quite big and tall, or you want the drum set for yourself, go for the Ashthorpe 5-Piece Full Size Adult Drum Set, which will last you a long time.

Acoustic drums vs. electric drums

It’s quite a common topic with most musical and percussion instruments and sets on the market in the twenty-first century – while there are many acoustic versions available, you will also find a range of electric options to buy too. Electric musical instruments have become widespread as technology has progressed, and drum sets are no exception. You will find the pros and cons of buying both acoustic and electric drum kit versions.

One of the biggest advantages of practicing on an electronic drum set is the option to play in headphones. Therefore, you will not disturb your neighbors and other family members, and your opportunities to play won’t be limited. A con of digital drum sets is that they will not give you the feel of an authentic acoustic drum set. Still, they do not require any knowledge of how to maintain them. If you want to get an electric drum kit, we recommend the Alesis Drums Nitro Mesh Kit, which has a sequencer and a metronome to make your practice more fun and effective.

Shell material

The shell is the main part of the drum, and the materials used in the production of the drums significantly influence the quality of the sound. While you can find metal and carbon shells, we will focus on the wood, since this material is most commonly used for acoustic drums.

Wooden shells are constructed of several layers, which enables the manufacturer to manipulate the material more easily. Each layer is called a ply, and different drum sets will feature drum shells with varying numbers of plies. Generally, the higher the number of plies is, the more costly the drum will be. The species of wood will affect the final price of a drum set too. With the drum kit like the Pearl Roadshow, you can be sure that this is a high-end product. It is made from the 9-ply poplar and provides a wonderful sound quality.

Music style

Drumming is an art form that varies a lot when it comes to playing the myriad of styles of music out there. For example, not all drum kits are suitable for playing thrash metal music, and you will often see kits played by drummers within that genre, which is hugely complicated and requires a double bass drum set-up a bass drum pedal for both drummer’s feet.

When you look toward drummers who play mostly jazz music, they often get away with a relatively small drum set – often just a basic five-piece set. However, you can also notice that they tend to have upgraded cymbal set-ups, and you’ll see them playing some pieces of music with brushes.

In popular music, electronic drums are widespread. The truth is that when it comes to musicians’ creativity, their possibilities are endless.

Drum brand

When you are starting out playing the drums and looking around for your first set, it is very easy to be tempted by some of the drum kits from major manufacturers. Those drum sets are often fantastic and well-made. Among all the instruments in your rock band – and even in classical ensembles – the drum kit is usually the one that catches the eye first. Try to remember, however, having the best looking or the most expensive equipment isn’t that important – and those lovely kits from the major market players are going to be the most costly options. To learn playing the drums, all you will need is a modest but well-manufactured set, like the Ashthorpe 5-Piece, and you can always upgrade it later when you develop your skills.

Drum set color

While it definitely is not wise to go out and blow an absolute fortune on an expensive drum set as a novice drummer, there is certainly nothing wrong with selecting the color you like, since many manufacturers offer multiple color options for their products.

One way to get the street cred and draw admiring looks from those who watch you play without losing a whole chunk of your hard-earned cash is to buy a modest kit in an awe-inspiring color. If you are a parent looking to get your child into learning an instrument, and that instrument happens to be the drums, then choosing a great looking kit might well be the difference between them sticking with the practice, and losing interest. The budget-friendly Mendini by Cecilio MJDS-5 offers a variety of colors so your kid can find a favorite one.

Let’s face it, who doesn’t enjoy posting a cool picture on social media? Remember that a practical learning drum set definitely doesn’t need to look drab.

Warranty

No matter which drum set you buy, as with any purchase of that type, a warranty is an essential consideration. The peace of mind in a warranty is all about the fact that it protects you against faulty workmanship or component failure. Remember that it’s always worth checking out the terms of the warranty for each product you look at.

Extra accessories

Accessories are important when it comes to your purchase because what’s included and what’s not will define how much additional cash you will have to spend to get drumming.

You may also get drumsticks included, brushes, and items like cymbal stands and tensioning keys. Keep an eye out.

Prices

As you’ll have seen in our review section, owning beginner kits – such as the Mendini by Cecilio MJDS-5 or the Gammon 5-Piece Junior Starter Drum Kit doesn’t have to cost a great deal of money, and you can start learning for around $150.

Several kits are available around the $200 mark, and you can even opt to get a full-size kit for this sort of money, such as the GP Percussion GP55WR, although top-notch kits like the Pearl Roadshow will cost way more. But you definitely will get what you pay for because it is hard to compare this set to any of the abovementioned in the list. You will get an impressive sound quality, and this kit will last you a long time.

If you want to learn to play the electronic drums, check out the Alesis Drums Nitro Mesh Kit, which costs nearly $400.

FAQ

Our Verdict

The Pearl Roadshow RS525WFC topped our list of the best eight beginner drum sets because it’s an all-around star. It’s a brilliant kit for beginners, which will serve you for many years. All newcomers out there will love the perfect sound of this kit as well as the flawless design.

The Pearl kit was closely followed by our second-place pick – the Gammon 5-Piece Junior Starter Drum Kit. It’s a purpose-built beginner drum set that offers everything a young starter needs to get playing right away. Many customers admit that this kit was above their expectations.

The Mendini by Cecilio MJDS-5 found itself in third place on our list because it gives many advantages to the novice drummers and is very modestly priced.

We hope that this review helped you to find the best drum set for beginner musicians and start your journey towards becoming a professional drummer.