Updated: February 21st, 2024
While there is nothing quite like rocking out on a real drum set, electronic drum pads are an extremely useful piece of kit to have!
When you’re obsessed with drumming, you want to be practicing 24 hours a day, but this can be hard work for your family and neighbors. Electronic drum pads give you the freedom to practice when you want, almost silently with a pair of headphones. They also tend to take up less space, so are perfect for apartment dwellers.
Electronic drum pads also tend to be a lot more affordable than complete drum kits, so they’re great when you are learning. You can save now and invest in your dream kit down the line.
They are also great for experienced players who want something affordable to carry around when they’re jamming with friends at a party, rather than lugging around a full kit for a 20-minute session.
Are you looking for some electronic drum pads? You’ll find our recommendations for the best electronic drum pads on this page. You’ll also find information to help you better understand what electronic pads should be used for, and whether they are the right bit of kit for you.
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Best of Best
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Best Budget
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Best for Kids
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Electronic Drum Pad vs. Sample Pad For Drummers – What Are You Really Looking For?
Note that there is a difference between an “electronic or electric drum pad” (left image below) and a “sample pad for drummers” (right).
The difference is this: Electronic drum pads consist of pads and speakers, so they can be used instead of a drum kit. Sample pads are used as an addition to a drum set.
You can use sample pads with an acoustic drum set to expand its sound range. Or you can use them with an electronic drum kit to add loops and effects like Issah.
So please be aware that this best electronic drum pad review will not deal with sample pads for drummers. While I’m in the process of writing up a review of those, you can check out my best sample pad for drummers – the Alesis SamplePad Pro – here.
5 Best Electronic Drum Pads In 2024
1. Pyle Electronic Drum Set Pad PTED06
- Largest range of sounds and preset drum kits in this review
- Built-in metronome
- Useful learning mode
- The pedals tend to move around when playing them
Specifications:
- 7 touch-sensitive drum pads in a tabletop housing (1 snare, 3 toms, 1 hi-hat, 2 cymbals)
- 2-foot pedals, one acting as hi-hat and the other as bass drum pedal
- 300 sounds and 55 preset beats on board
- 2 built-in stereo speakers
- 3.5mm jack output for an external amplifier or headphones
- 1.4″ input for external music devices (so you can drum along to your favorite music)
- USB MIDI output to connect to a PC and record into music software
- Runs via AC adapter (included) or on batteries (not included)
- Control panel with backlit buttons and LED screen
Overall Verdict:
As you can tell from the proportions of the pros and cons above, the Pyle PTED06 is my top pick for the absolute best electronic drum pad in 2023.
A suite of drumming and learning tools (metronome, recording, groove trainer) along with a competitive price point and the largest range of preset drum kit setups, make this – in my view – the best electronic drum pad for beginners.
See It In Action:
I’m video shy, but I’d better get over myself and shoot one of the Pyle PTED06 – for I could only find this one single video showing it in action.
2. Pyle Pro Tabletop Electronic Drum Pad
- Equipped with a wide range of sounds and preset drum kit arrangements
- Touch-sensitive pads mirror real drum heads
- Lots of songs and demo rhythms to play along to in case you run out of ideas for what to practice
- Some people have reported problems with the MIDI connection to their PC
- The Pyle Pro’s control panel has lots of buttons, some of them with self-explanatory labels – but some are fairly cryptic
- The pedals tend to move around when playing them
Specifications:
- 7 touch-sensitive drum pads on a tabletop housing (1 snare, 3 toms, 1 hi-hat, 2 cymbals)
- Dimensions of the housing: 19.65″ (L) x 14.5″ (W) x 6.2″ (D)
- 2-foot pedals, one acting as hi-hat and the other as bass drum pedal
- 250 sounds and 25 preset kits on board
- 2 stereo speakers built-in
- 1.4″ jack output for headphones or amplifier
- USB MIDI output to connect to a PC
- Runs on batteries or AC adapter (12V)
- Control panel with LCD screen
Overall Verdict:
If you’re dead set on using your electronic drum pad as a MIDI device, I’d say look at another one because it might not connect to your computer. But, if you’re looking to start drumming at a very low cost, in small spaces, and without buying additional equipment, I fully recommend the Pyle Pro tabletop pad.
See It In Action:
3. Yamaha DD65 Electronic Drum Pad
- Aux input enables you to connect your phone or mp3 device and play along to your favorite song
- Has more pads than any other tabletop electronic drum pad in this review – plus the pads are very responsive and accurate
- The intuitive control panel will most likely enable you to play this thing right out of the box
- Doesn’t have a second hi-hat pad situated in the center of the tabletop but to the left of the snare pad
- The normal, non-premium package comes without an AC power supply
- Still comes with standard MIDI inputs and outputs, not a USB one
Specifications:
- 8 touch-sensitive drum pads on a tabletop housing (1 snare, 3 toms, 1 hi-hat, 3 cymbals)
- 2-foot pedals (1 hi-hat, 1 bass drum)
- 254 sounds and 50 preset kits on board
- 2 built-in stereo speakers
- 1.4″ jack output for headphones or amplifier
- 1.4″ input to play along to your favorite music on your phone or similar music device
- MIDI output to connect to a PC
- Runs on batteries (not included) or AC adapter (included in the premium package))
- Control panel with LED screen
Overall Verdict:
Another option that I wouldn’t recommend if you’re dead set on using an electronic drum pad as a MIDI device. Instead, the Yamaha DD65 is a very intuitive-to-control drum pad with the widest possible choice of pads to play even highly orchestrated musical styles such as metal.
You will have to reach deeper into your pocket for the Yamaha DD65, but for the purposes just explained, I think it’s well worth the money.
See It In Action:
4. Momkhx Electronic Drum Pads
- Realistic drum setup for the pads
- Built-in recording function
- Foldable and portable
- Fold-up design means you need a sturdy surface for playing
- Doesn’t contain a metronome
Specifications:
- 9 drum pads: 1 snare, 3 toms, 1 crash cymbal, 1 ride cymbal, 1 hi-hat cymbal, 2 foot pedals
- 5 different drum kit sounds
- Various preset rhythms
- Built-in dual speakers
- Headphone and speaker AUX output
- Bluetooth and MIDI connection
- Rechargeable battery with 10 hours of playtime
- USB output and charge
Overall Verdict:
These roll-up electric drums are ideal if you have a child who is keen to learn. They can play any time of the day or night without headphones, without disturbing the rest of the family. It also rolls up to be transportable and has up to 10 hours of playtime on a single charge.
The drum pads are arranged in a realistic way, making this kit a great stepping stone from toy to real drum kit if your child shows real interest and aptitude.
5. Paxcess Roll-Up Electronic Drum Pad
- Rolling up the Paxcess pad is quick and easy
- You can use this as a MIDI trigger
- 8-10 hours of playing on battery enables your child to drum anywhere
- The setup of the pads is not transferable to real drum kits
- Foot pedals are so lightweight that playing with them can push them away
- A little pricey
Specifications:
- A roll-up surface with 7 drum pad zones on it (1 snare, 3 toms, 1 hi-hat, 2 cymbals)
- 2-foot pedals, one for open and closed hi-hat sounds, the other for the bass drum
- 2 built-in stereo speakers (2 watts each)
- 1.4″ jack output for headphones
- Input for mp3 / music devices (3.5mm)
- USB output for charging and MIDI connection
- Chargeable battery board
Overall Verdict:
The Paxcess roll-up electronic drum pad is explicitly geared toward children so they to develop their drumstick coordination. Still, it is a pretty big jump from this to a real drum kit, so I wouldn’t recommend it for adults who are just starting.
The organization of the pads does not mimic a real kit, which is problematic, but it stands out because it has a long battery life. So it’s ideal for kids if you are traveling, as they can get hours of use off a single charge.
See It In Action:
Related Post:
Electronic Drum Pad Buying Guide
Let’s take a quick look at the main features of a good electronic drum pad set so you can evaluate any set that you might be considering investing in. We are mainly looking at the kit as a learning tool for kids and beginners who want to train without the noise and expense of a full kit.
1. Pads And Pedals
If you want to learn the drums and find out if you have an aptitude for playing, you need to be able to simulate all the components. This means that a kit should have at least five drum pads, mimicking the snare drum, three toms, and a cymbal, and preferably at least two other cymbal pads. Your set should also come with two pedals to simulate the bass drum and hi-hat cymbal. If it doesn’t come with all these features, you aren’t getting a genuine learning experience.
2. Out- And Inputs?
I hold these to be crucial for two reasons:
- Playing along to your favorite music can provide tremendous motivation. And for that to work, you need to be able to plug your smartphone or mp3 device into the electronic drum pad. A 1.4″ input is needed for this.
- You can virtually silence your kit to third parties (your family, your neighbors) by connecting it to headphones. To people outside those headphones, your playing will then only be as loud as hitting the pages of an open book with a stick.
Note: a USB or MIDI input is only required if you want to record AND later modify the grooves you play on your electronic drum kit. For that, you’ll have to connect your pad to your PC through the USB or MIDI output.
3. Sound Range
Sound range refers to the individual sounds that are stored in your electronic drum pad – and there are two important distinctions to make here:
- Some pads will have hundreds of those sounds on board and some will only come with a handful. More sounds give you more creative flexibility since you can change the sound of the kits inside the pad – or create your kits from scratch.
- Electronic drum pads let you assign the sounds on a pad-to-pad basis – or they only give you the option to change the sound of all (4, 7, 9) pads as a whole. The first option provides you with much more room for customization and finetuning of your sound. It’s also the way that electronic drum kits work and therefore preferable.
4. Sound Quality
Sound quality certainly is an important feature since no one wants to play the electric drum pad a lot if it sounds like crap.
Yet, sound is a very subjective matter, so please don’t give too much weight to my opinions. Rather, check out the videos I’ve provided and decide for yourself.
5. Look for additional features
Look out for additional features in the electric drum pad you’re purchasing. Doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner, if you’re dedicated to the learning process, look beyond the basic features. Some drum pads can have built-in metronomes, and lesson modes or you can even connect your equipment to record your music.
6. Brand reputation and future upgrades
Electric drum pads are not cheap, and while you’re at it, I recommend you invest in something that will serve you for many years. To do that, if you buy a drum pad that has built-in software make sure that you are going to be able to update that! For example, my favorite the Pyle PTED06 can just do exactly that.
FAQs
What’s the difference between high-end and low-end pads?
High-end models have sturdier builds and are guaranteed to withstand wear and tear from prolonged use. They also have more user-preset options and tools than the low-end models. Signal integrity issues like crosstalk may occur with low-end models, as well as other performance inadequacies that can be annoying.
How do I record on my electronic drum pad?
In music production, you may want the flexibility of playing the sound you need on drums and recording it, rather than programming one with a keyboard. Electronic drum pads make it possible through an audio interface, which transmits the sounds to digital signals that are playable on your computer. Models with MIDI output, a MIDI to USB interface, will allow you access to sounds produced through a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW).
Is an electronic drum pad good?
Electronic drum pads aren’t like playing the real thing because they are more compact and you just don’t get the same feedback. But if you are just starting and want to be able to practice with headphones rather than disturb the whole household, they are an excellent beginner’s tool. They can help you develop skills and decide whether you have enough passion and aptitude to invest in a full drum kit.
Is an electronic drum pad good for beginners?
An electronic drum pad can be great for beginners to develop a basic understanding of the drums, read music, and develop the coordination needed to play. There is a fairly big step between playing the pads and real drums because the pads are spaced differently and you don’t get the same bounce back, but you will certainly be well-placed to make that leap.
Do electric drums sound like real drums?
Yes, drum pads sound like real drums, and they can sound like a variety of real drums. You can program your pads to deliver a heavy metal rocker drum arrangement or a light jazz arrangement at the click of a button. You can also mix and match drums that would not usually come together. Some more experienced drummers like drum pads just for the ability to experiment and find new sounds.
The Verdict
Electronic drum pads are a great piece of kit for both beginner and experienced drummers. They are affordable, and you play them almost silently. This means that you can practice and train to your heart’s content without annoying your household or your neighbors.
For beginners, they are a great tool. They are cheap and can help you learn drum theory and develop the necessary coordination. Working on an electronic drum pad can help you decide whether you have the passion and the aptitude to invest in the much more expensive real drum kit.
Experienced drummers also appreciate these pads. Again, they let you drum quietly so you can work whenever you want. They also let you experiment with different sounds and kit arrangements, which can be useful when you want to discover new sounds.
A good electronic drum pad set will be organized more or less like a real drum kit to ensure that the leap between pads and drums is as small as possible.
Hello You?
I appreciate you made it all through the review. But I’m also sure there might be a question lingering in your mind. Or a comment on my best electronic drum pad reviews. Or some feedback.
I’m grateful for any of that, so please do let me know in the comments below. I will get back to you very quickly – guaranteed!