10 Best Electronic Drum Kits for 10 Year Olds Reviews and Buying Guide

One of the most rewarding parts of being a parent is passing down the things you enjoy to your kids. What better to pass down than the love of music? While some kids might rebel against their parents’ “lame” tastes, others may embrace it and even take up an instrument as a result. This is great until you realize the noise involved, especially if they’re interested in drums. So what do you do in this case? What’s the best drum kit for your 10-year-old?

We recommend the Alesis Drums Nitro Mesh Kit with Super-Solid Aluminum Rack. This reasonably-priced electronic drum kit features nine pieces to give your kids a full drum set feel while taking up considerably less space. The 385 drum sounds and 40 different ready-to-lay kit settings make for countless different playing combinations.

We’re also going to look at several other electronic drum kits your kids might be interested in.

10 Best Electronic Drum Kits Reviews

We’ve just gone over the myriad of advantages electronic drum kits can offer both you and your kids. Now it’s time to pick out a kit for them. What should you look for as you start this exciting journey? What offers the best value and features for your money? Let’s take a look now.

1. Alesis Drums Nitro Mesh Kit with Super-Solid Aluminum Rack

The Alesis Drums Nitro Mesh Kit with Super Solid Aluminum Rack offers up high performance and a lot of extra features while not breaking the bank. It’s no wonder then it’s our top pick for 10-year-olds looking to play electronic drums. The Nitro Mesh Kit is part of Alesis’s line of all-mesh electronic kits designed to provide a realistic playing experience.

The kit comes with pro performance mesh drumheads, including an eight-inch snare drum, three 10-inch cymbals, three eight-inch mesh toms, one custom-designed hi-hat, and kick pedals. The kit is built on a durable four-post aluminum frame and is equipped with 385 sounds, a full connectivity jack, and 40 Melodics drum lessons. Your kids will feel like pros in no time!

Pros:

This kit also boasts an aux input and a performance recorder to help develop a child’s playing skills.
The 40 ready-to-play kit settings have both classic and modern sounds with 60 play-along tracks.
The connection cables, drum key, drumsticks, and power supply are all included.

Cons:

Some users have reported the kick drum as unresponsive right out of the box.
Others have said the cymbal parts are brittle and can break easily.

2. Pyle Pro Portable Electronic Tabletop Drum Kit

If space is a concern for you, our next product may be the solution. The Pyle Pro Portable Electronic Tabletop Drum Kit is an all-in-one kit in one easily stored or transported unit. The Pyle Pro features snare drum, tom-tom, hi-hat, crash, and ride cymbal sounds. It comes with hi-hat and bass drum pedals as well to give your kids a full kit feeling while sitting at the table.

The Pyle Pro has 55 preset drum kit configurations as well as 10 custom slots to create your own individualized sounds. This kit also features the ability to record, save, and edit your kids’ playing sessions, making it a great practice kit. You’ll also quite like the Drum Trainer mode, as it can help new drummers get comfortable with their instrument.

Pros:

As a fully portable unit, the Pyle Pro can run on either the included power supply or six C-cell batteries.
The digital control panel allows the user to create limitless unique audio configurations.
Its USB works with both Macs and PCs to act as a MIDI connection.

Cons:

Some users have encountered issues with the power switch failing after a short time.
Others have found a noticeable sound delay with the drum pads and pedals.

3. Carlsbro CSD130 Electronic Drum Set with Realistic Kick Pedal

Next up we have another full kit, the Carlsbro CSD130 Electronic Drum Set with Realistic Kick Pedal. This complete eight-piece drum kit is ready to play within minutes. It even comes with a foldable stand to make storage simple. The pads and cymbals rotate into position when your kids are ready to rock out.

The CSD130 includes impressive stereo outputs that can be directly connected to most any amplifier, recording console, or PA system. It also comes with the Commander 130 Drum Module, which acts as the brain of the unit. The Commander 130 houses 250 different drum sounds, 20 preset kit configurations, and 10 slots for fully customized kit sounds.

Pros:

The 20 built-in demo songs with mutable drum tracks are awesome to practice along with.
There’s an aux input, headphone and line outputs, MIDI in/out, and USB interfacing included.
The fully adjustable crosstalk, dynamic, and sensitivity settings work for any playing style.

Cons:

Some users reported the snare and kick drum pads cut out randomly at times.
Others stated the drum pads are loose and do not stay in position once set up.

4. RockJam Mesh Head Eight-Piece Electronic Drum Kit

This full kit features mesh drumheads on each of the three tom pads as well as the snare pad. The RockJam also has three high-quality rubberized cymbal pads which each have a manual choke mechanism. The kit is completed by two heavy-duty pedals, one for the hi-hat and the other for the bass drum.

The RockJam comes with a sound module with 30 different drum kit sounds programmed in, as well as a number of demo songs to practice along with in a variety of genres. It features a USB to MIDI out, which allows the player to externally connect to different music creation programs. It also has both a headphone out and line out for quieter or louder jam sessions.

Pros:

The responsive touch-sensitive sound allows for both soft rolls and hard-hitting beats.
The mesh heads mute sound while giving a real drum skin experience at the same time.
This kit comes with a stand, drumsticks, the power supply, a cable snake, and instructions.

Cons:

Some users have said the assembly instructions are unclear and confusing.
Others have experienced issues with the snare pad sounding without being hit.

5. Paxcess 7 Pads Electronic Drum Set, Roll Up Drum Practice Pad Midi Drum Kit with Headphone Jack Built-in Speaker Drum Pedals Drum Sticks 10 Hours Playtime, Great Holiday Birthday Gift for Kids

The Paxcess Electronic Drum set is a great starter kit for the prospective drummer in your family. As you might expect at such a low price, this drum set doesn’t have the most amazing sound quality and the foot pedals can be a little flimsy to use, but we’re talking about a toy drum set versus a genuine instrument at the end of the day – and this toy still has plenty of impressive features for the price.

There are many different settings and demos to play around with to keep your child amused day after day. The 7 pad drum mat itself can even be rolled up for extra easy storage, so your kid can even take their practicing on vacation or on the go if they want (and thanks to the headphone jack, you won’t be disturbed wherever they play!).

The regular speaker volume is also low enough so as to not disturb your household, but just loud enough that your kid will enjoy practicing and feel like a rock star in the process.

Pros:

Decent sound quality
Budget beginner option
Rechargeable
Headphone jack for quiet practice

Ccons:

Pads are very sensitive
Foot pedals feel quite cheap and flimsy

6. PylePro Portable Drums, Tabletop Drum Set, 7 Pad Digital Drum Kit, Touch Sensitivity, Wireless Electric Drums, Drum Machine, Electric Drum Pads, LED Display, Mac & PC (PTED01)

The PylePro Tabletop Drum set may not have all the bells and whistles of a full-sized drum kit, but this is a huge set up from feeling like a toy drum pad.

This portable set sounds impressively close to the real thing at a fraction of the cost and has over 100 sound effects to play around with. The LCD display screen and top control panel make this a user-friendly little machine for even young kids to get the hang of (8 years and up).

Your child will have a blast with the huge variety of audio configurations whether they are playing along with the Pylepro’s pre-recorded beats or their own favorite songs via USB connection to a MAC or PC – and they can even record their own unique tracks to impress you all with on Christmas day!

The only real snag with this tabletop set is that the pads need to be hit very precisely to get sound out of them, which may be a little discouraging for complete beginners. However, this could be something that becomes less of an issue with practice.

Pros:

Budget price for digital drum set
Multiple audio config controls
Edit and record your own songs
MAC/PC connectivity

Cons:

Drum pads aren’t hugely responsive
MIDI setting is too quiet

7. Yamaha DD-65 Portable Digital Drum Kit with Foot Pedals and Drum Sticks

This digital drum kit from the Yamaha family is, in many ways, a great investment and a cool beginner’s drum kit for your child. The DD-65 portable kit has a crisp sound quality that could be mistaken for a real set of acoustic drums and not mere electronic pads.

This set also gives you the option to jam along with your MP3 player and record your own tunes – something any budding child drummer will relish thanks to the wide variety of tuning options.

Now on to some of the features that let this drum kit down slightly. First off, the inconsistent volumes on certain settings can be a bit of a let-down.

When playing your MP3, for example, the speakers only reach half the volume compared to when the pre-set sample tunes are played. The MP3 volume is better with the included stereo headphones, but if your child prefers to play with this feature out loud, the reduced volume may disappoint.

Additionally, the foot pedals feel a little tacky – odd considering the cost – and can slide on wooden floors which could hinder practice.

Pros:

Song recording feature
Plays along with your MP3
Great sound quality
Good variety of tuning options

Cons:

Pricey for portable drum kit
Volume levels are inconsistent
Foot pedals feel quite cheap

8. Roland Entry-level Electronic V-Drum Set (TD-1K)

The Roland V-Drum’s are often cited as one of the highest quality drum set brands out there. And for the TD 1K Entry-level set, it looks as if they’ve brought this same expert quality to a beginner’s kit.

This would make a show-stopping Christmas present for a child who’s serious about taking their drumming hobby to the next level. (And when you consider the eye-watering cost, it’s important that they are serious about it!).

Thankfully, this Roland V-Drum set more than earns its steep price tag with plenty of knockout features. For starters, the drum rack can be adjusted and tailored to your personal comfort, making it a drum kit your child can literally grow with (and so that mom and dad can play comfortably too!).

Also, the in-built sample sounds respond naturally to your playing, rising and falling as you hit the pads much like a real drum kit would to offer an authentic reactionary sound. This set may not come cheap, but for a taste of real drumming at home, this is an incredible kit to get them started on.

Pros:

Superior, authentic sound
Built-in Roland training software
Adjustable drum rack for personalized setup
Option to upgrade the kit using extra wire

Cons:

Initial setup is tricky
Expensive

9. Alesis Command Kit | Eight-Piece Electronic Drum Set with Mesh Snare and Mesh Kick and USB Port for User-Loaded Samples

The Alesis Command Kit has the feel of a genuine drum set with all the cool added extras that only an electronic kit can provide (600 sounds and 70 kits in the advanced drum module).

The drum heads themselves have a ‘spring’ to them when hit and the sound quality is convincingly more acoustic sounding than electric – basically a very good dupe for a real drum kit. So if your son or daughter has their heart set on a grown-up drum set this Christmas, then this is a worthwhile investment in their passion.

The only real downsides are firstly the high price (it’s well worth holding off until these are marked down in price around the holidays). And secondly, the fact that heel toe kicks and fast double-bass pedal kicks often don’t register and ‘skip’ the double sound effect, so this could be an issue for your child.

If this is a major issue, Alesis can thankfully resolve this by replacing either the head unit or the kick pad itself for you, but this seems a little inconvenient for the price.

Pros:

Reactive sensors
Simple setup
Realistic feel
Adjustable drum heads

Cons:

Won’t support double-bass pedals
Expensive

10. Alesis Surge Mesh Kit | Eight-Piece Electronic Drum Kit with Mesh Heads, Chrome Rack and Surge Drum Module including 40 Kits, 385 sounds 60 Play Along Tracks and USB/MIDI Connectivity

Audibly and visually, the Alesis Surge Mesh drum kit creates the illusion of having the real deal in your home. Held together with a solid chrome stand will be able to take everything your eager little drummer can put it through (even Animal from The Muppets couldn’t break this thing!).

As well as being confident that the robust stand can take the heat, this Alesis kit also wows on the electronic front too, with tons of sound options to experiment with and varied sound on each of the drums and cymbals, so your kid can play like the pro’s.

Its compact design means your child gets the chance to set up a near full-size drum kit in even the tightest of bedroom corners. Just be sure they play this set on a carpeted surface or thick rug, as the foot pedals of the hi-hat and kick-drum have pointed edges that could damage expensive hardwood floors.

The instructions can be a little confusing which makes the initial set up a bit of a slog, but this can soon be resolved with the accompanying online tutorials by Alesis. A great buy!

Pros:

High quality chrome stand
Sound variation on all drums and cymbals
Adjustable drum heads
Great authentic response

Cons:

Instructions are a little unclear

5 Benefits of Electronic Drum Kits

1. Electronic Drum Kits Give You Increased Control Over Volume

As a parent, one of the scariest thoughts you can have when buying a drumset for your kids is the noise. Let’s be honest. Drums aren’t exactly a gentle instrument, and the idea of your kids pounding away on the instrument can make you want to immediately reach for an aspirin before they even start. Luckily, electronic drum kits have a solution for this problem.

The drum pads and cymbals in these kits make minimal acoustic noise when played. What’s more, the sound volume can be adjusted to suit almost any scenario. This makes electronic kits ideal for small stages, larger venues, or anywhere else where volume could be an issue. Many kits even come with headphone jacks for earbuds or studio headphones. This makes late-night practicing much less of a disturbance for the rest of the family (and the neighbors).

2. Access an Impressive Array of Sounds Quickly

Admittedly, tuning and dampening your instrument is quite tedious and probably the least fun aspect of playing drums. Drum tuning is the process of adjusting the pitch or frequency of your drums. Drum dampening is done by adding something to the drumhead to alter the sound. Both these processes are used to change the sound of the drum to better match the style of play you want.

Using an electronic drum kit allows you to change the sound of your drums with the simple push of a button. Your kids can now switch back and forth from the sounds of arena rock to techno beats to high quality acoustics. Some kits have hundreds of different drum and effect sounds which will give you the ability to play a broad range of styles. How fun!

3. Electronic Drum Kits Allow You to Both Free Practice and Play Along

Everyone knows that to get better at anything, you have to take the time to practice. Playing drums is no exception. Practice can be admittedly dull, with warmups and other exercises leaving a lot to be desired, especially for young kids. Using electronic drum kits can actually make practicing more fun and engaging for you children.

Many electronic drum kits come with added features such as metronomes with adjustable tempos. They may also have “mix-in” jacks to connect iPods or other mp3 players and let your kids play along to their favorite songs. Some even have recording features so they can play back their practice sessions and listen to their performance. That’s a great way to improve.

4. The Freedom to Practice Almost Anywhere

While drumming is a very fun instrument to take up, what’s not nearly as fun is hauling the kit from one place to another. That is, of course, unless you become a big enough deal to have drum techs move the kits for you. Chances are your kids aren’t that skilled right away, so if you don’t want to have your car overloaded with clunky drums, an electronic kit is a great option.

Whether your kids are taking their kit on vacation, bringing it back and forth between relatives’ homes, or taking it to a friend’s for band practice, electronic drum kits travel easily. Most kits come with a soft carry bag and a case or two for the legs. Assembly is normally easy enough that anyone can do it, making them an ideal on-the-go option.

5. Built to be Convenient in Small Spaces

If you don’t have room to fit an entire traditional drum kit in your car, you probably don’t have room to fit it in your house either. Even starter drum kits are sizable, and the smaller your living space, the more challenging it can be to get your kids comfortably behind the kit.

In addition to being conveniently portable, electronic kits don’t have to be as large as standard acoustic kits. While acoustic drums rely on their size to produce sound, electronic kits use programming and touch sensitivity instead. That makes these kits an excellent choice for anyone who is faced with a challenge when it comes to making room at home.

Conclusion

As we’ve shown, the Alesis Drums Nitro Mesh Kit with Super-Solid Aluminum Rack is an incredible starter drum kit for your kids. With its compact construction, numerous presets, and generous accessories, the Alesis offers a complete drumming experience that won’t break the bank (or your ears). This kit is a great option for kids whether they’re taking up the drums as a serious passion or just want to have some fun after school.

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Mike Zhang. Founder of FamilyLifeShare