There are lots of junior size drum sets out there aimed at kids. But unfortunately many of them don’t accurately mimic a regular drum set.
So that doesn’t bode well for giving your kid a head start on learning to play the drums. And if your kid intends to become a musician in their free time, they’re going to want bragging rights, and to be able to show off just as well when they’re ready for a regular adult size drum set.
This means that you ought to get them an appropriate drum set. A really good one, with everything in the right place. And if that’s what you’re looking for, you’ve come to the right place.
Coming up shortly we’ve got 7 reviews on drum sets for kids. Then we’re going to follow that up with a buying guide that explains what to look for in a drum set for kids. Then we’re going to top that off with another handy section where we answer some of your most frequently asked questions on the subject.
And just a heads-up, the drum sets shown here are in no particular order and are all acoustic drum sets not electronic ones.
Drum roll please....
OUR TOP PICK
This is the perfect drum set to get for your teen, because it’s designed for teens and adults, and the proportions and ergonomics are the same as a regular adult drum set.
It consists of a 20”x18” bass drum, a16”x16” floor drum, two mounted toms (one 12”x8” and one 10”x7”) a 14”x5.5” snare drum, a 14” hi-hat, and a 16” cymbal.
It’s a professional kit, and the drums are of excellent quality. The drum frames for example are made of solid wood for an incomparably good sound, and the drums have thickened skins for a better feel.
This impressive quality explains why this drum set is notably more expensive than others in our shortlist. But if your kid is really serious about drumming, this is the set to go for.
Pros:
- Designed for teens AND adults
- Professional kit, excellent quality
- Solid wood frames
- Thickened drum skins
- Incomparable sound
Cons:
- Premium product at a premium price
EDITORS CHOICE
This drum set comes from a brand that is dominating the best seller charts with the online retailers. Both for their junior drum sets and the regular adult ones.
Unlike the other Easter drum sets we’ve shown you so far, this drum set is aimed at far younger children, those aged 3 to 6. It replicates the main parts of a regular adult drum set, just with smaller pieces.
It is composed of a 14”x14” bass drum with foot pedal, a mounted 10”x5” snare drum, a mounted 8”x6” tom drum, 10” cymbal and cymbal arm, a throne and both kids and adults drumsticks.
What we love about this drum set is how the pieces are laid out and are not too bunched up or in the way of each other.
It also has a 6 drum lug structure which means you get a larger deeper resonance chamber for a much better sound.
In this drum set, the drum skin tension is larger than in their competitors, which means you get better vibration.
We also like how the soundbelt for the snare drum can be adjusted by simply turning a dial.
It’s a durable set that plays a great sound. And it’s easy to assemble with full instructions included in the box. And it comes backed by a full 12-month warranty, which is reassuring.
It’s available at a very fair and reasonable price, and is quite easily affordable.
Pros:
- Aimed at kids aged 3 to 6
- Available at very good price
- Larger drum skin tension
- 6 drum lug structure
- Backed by 12-month warranty
Cons:
- Only 3 pieces present rather than 5
BEST VALUE
This 5-piece junior drum set is a bestseller with the retailers and comes highly recommended. And it comes from one of the most reputable brands in the industry.
The kit includes: one 8”x13” bass drum with 4 lugs and foot pedal, a 6”x8” mounted tom drum with 4 lugs, a 4”x10” snare drum with 4 lugs, an 8 inch cymbal with cymbal arm and a pair of wooden drumsticks.
It’s a durable set that plays a great sound. And it’s easy to assemble with full instructions included in the box.
It’s available in a choice of 6 different colors, all of which have that nice shiny & new look. I like red the best, but the blue is quite striking too.
Amazon occasionally has deals on this drum set, simply click on “Check price” to see if there’s a deal on now.
Pros:
- Top, reputable brand
- Perfect entry level drum set
- Color to match your kid’s style
Cons:
- Premium product at a premium price
RUNNER UP
This drum set comes from a brand that is dominating the best seller charts with the online retailers. Both for their junior drum sets and the regular adult ones.
It consists of a large 16”x11” bass drum, a floor 12”x10” tom drum, two mounted toms one 10”x5” and one 6”x8”, a 10”x6” snare drum, a straight 12” cymbal with stand, and a 10”x6” hi-hat cymbal, and a stool.
The drum shells are made out of cross-grained poplar which gives it strength, loud sound, and even vibration.
What we love about this drum set is that it comes with both kid’s drumsticks and adult’s drumsticks, which is handy for teaching.
It’s easy to assemble with full instructions included in the box.
Pros:
- Best selling brand
- Made of cross-grained poplar
- Loud sound and even vibration
- Comes with kid & adult drumsticks
Cons:
- Premium product at a premium price
RUNNER UP
This drum set is a little more affordable than the others we’ve shown you so far, but still fits in the same sort of budget range.
It’s aimed at kids from age 3 to age 12. It consists of a 16" x 11" big bass drum with foot pedal, a 12" x 10" floor tom, 10" x 6" and 8" x 6" mounted toms, a 10" x 5" snare drum, 8" hi-hat cymbals, a 10" crash/ride cymbal, a stool and drumsticks.
It’s aimed at beginner and advanced drummers alike and is crafted with the highest quality materials in order to maximize frequency response and resonance for an amazing sound.
It’s available in a choice of 6 different colors, all of which have that nice shiny & new look. The purple on has a nice vibe.
Pros:
- Available at a reasonable price
- Suitable for every level of ability
- Maximized frequency response
Cons:
- Some customers found it a little tricky to assemble
RUNNER UP
If you have a younger kid, or a kid who needs to build their confidence with their drumming, then a small 3-piece set like this one would be a great way to go. And this one comes from a top brand.
It consists of an 8”x13” big bass drum with 4 lugs and foot pedal, a 4”x10” mounted snare drum, a 6”x8” mounted tom drum with 4 lugs, and an 8” cymbal with cymbal arm, a foot stool, and wooden drum sticks.
It’s a durable set that plays a great sound. And it’s easy to assemble with full instructions included in the box.
It’s available in a choice of 6 different colors, all of which have that nice shiny & new look. I like red the best, but the blue is quite striking too. And the purple is quite funky.
Amazon occasionally has deals on this drum set, simply click on “Check price” to see if there’s a deal on now. But to be honest you get excellent value for money even if you don’t manage to catch a deal.
Pros:
- Perfect for younger kids
- Well built and durable
- Bargain affordable price
- Easy to assemble
- Great look
Cons:
- Only 3 pieces, not as sophisticated as a 5 piece set
RUNNER UP
Now, this is a very popular drum set. A best seller that’s been selling in its thousands with the online retailers.
It has just three pieces, so is perfect for beginners and younger kids to start off on, before they graduate to a 5 piece set. It has pieces you’d find in a regular adults 3 piece drum set, but is scaled down to suit kids of ages from about 3 to 8 years of age.
It’s made from the exact same materials as an adult’s drum set, so will produce amazing and authentic sound.
It consists of a large 14” bass drum together with foot pedal, an 8” mounted snare drum, an 8” mounted tom, a 10” cymbal, a throne, and drumsticks.
It’s available in 3 colors, all of which are amazing. There’s blue, red or black. And even the black one is shiny.
It’s had excellent customer feedback and is available at a fantastic price.
Pros:
- Aimed at kids aged 3 to 8
- Delivers authentic sound
- Excellent customer ratings
- Looks amazing in any color
- Available for a great price
Cons:
- Only 3 pieces present rather than 5
Buying Guide
Here’s the low-down on what to look for in a drum set for kids.
Number Of Pieces
The number of pieces in the set will be your foremost consideration.
How many pieces to go for depends on the kid’s natural ability. If they’re really young you’ll want to start them off with something more basic. Such as a 4 piece set made up of a snare, tom, bass drum and cymbal.
But if you think your kid will be ready for an adult’s size drum set in a year or two, then you’d be best advised to get them a drum set that mimics the ones their idols use in their concerts.
This means getting them a set made up of at least 5 pieces, consisting of a couple of toms, snare, and bass drum, as well as a hi-hat and a couple of cymbals.
Sound
Of course what you’re really looking for in a drum set is a good sound. The best way to judge the sound of a drum set is to actually listen to it.
However, if you’re shopping for a drum set online this is simply not possible. But you can however read descriptions of the sound produced, and study a few customer reviews to see what other people have said about the clarity and volume of the sound.
Brand
There’s a lot to be said for going for a well known brand. If you go for a best selling brand such as Eastar or Medini, you know you are buying not just one of the most popular drum equipment, but also the best quality too.
That’s why we were sure to include some great Easter and Medini brand drum sets in our shortlist.
Verdict
After looking at 7 of the best kids drum sets out there at the moment, we would argue that the 5 piece kid’s drum set for the money would be our number one pick, the Eastar 20 Inch 5 Piece Drum Set.
Frequently Asked Questions
What age is a junior drum set for?
Unfortunately there’s no exact answer to this question. If you head over to the product pages for the drum sets we’ve shown you, by clicking on “check price” you will find a full product description which details what age groups the drum set is aimed for.
However choosing what drum set to get for your kid depends far more on their height than their age, because they have to be able to adequately reach all the pieces in the set.
So if your kid was a tall 12 year old for example, then they would usually be better off with a teen and adult drum set rather than a junior one.
Which drum set is best for beginners?
To be honest we would argue that beginner drummers should get stuck in the deep end and learn to play a 5 piece drum set like our number one pick, the Eastar 20 Inch 5 Piece Drum Set that we showed you earlier.
But if it’s for a kid who lacks confidence, they may feel more at home with a 3 piece set, in which case we would recommend something like our number two pick, the Eastar 14 inch 3 Piece Kids Drum Set.
What size drums for a 12 year old?
With reference to the question we answered earlier, which type of drum set to get a youngster depends less on their age and more on their height. They need to be able to comfortably reach over to all the pieces in the set.
With a 12 year old, remember that they’re going to grow. This means that if you were to buy too small a drum set you will be wasting your money.
It would be far more sensible to buy them a drum set aimed at teens and adults, such as our number one pick, the Eastar 20 Inch 5 Piece Drum Set.
What is the best drum set for the money?
We would argue that the best 5 piece kid’s drum set for the money would be our number one pick, the Eastar 20 Inch 5 Piece Drum Set.
And we would argue that the best 3 piece kid’s drum set for the money would be our number two pick, the Eastar 14 inch 3 piece Kids Drum Set.
Last update on 2023-05-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
