Most drummers own more sticks than they will ever break, and they are fussy about the rest of the kit. The gifts that get played are the ones that add something they don't have yet: a new sound on the cymbal stand, a way to practice after 10 pm, headphones that let them hear the click over a crash. Here are 21 of them, from a $20 trigger to a full electronic kit.
We pulled every pick from our own rankings, which score products on demand, price, specs and brand. Next to each one you'll see where it stands in its ranking today and what Thomann charges for it tonight, because both numbers update every night.
What to get a drummer if you don't play
Answer three questions first and most of the list sorts itself out:
- Acoustic kit or electronic? Cymbals and snares are for an acoustic kit. Triggers, mesh pads and drum monitors only make sense with an electronic one, and headphones work with both.
- Where do they practice? If it's an apartment or a shared house, the quiet section near the end is worth more than any cymbal.
- Do you know what's already on their kit? Drummers rarely want a second ride. A splash, a stack or a bell is safer, because most kits have room for one more small cymbal.
Gifts for drummers under $50
Small cymbals and headphones are the safest cheap gifts: they don't depend on the drummer's other gear, and they get used.
Meinl 10" HCS Splash, $33
A short, fast splash for accents, from Meinl's beginner HCS series. Ten inches is the size most drummers put between the hi-hat and the first tom, and at this price it's the cheapest way to add one. #6 of 83 10" splash cymbals in our ranking.
Paiste 2002 04" Accent Cymbal, $39
A four-inch bronze cymbal that sounds more like a bell than a crash: high, short and cutting. It mounts on top of another cymbal or on a small clamp, so it needs no new stand. #18 of 59 effects cymbals.
the t.bone HD 990D, $36
Closed headphones made for drummers, with about 22 dB of noise reduction. That's enough to hear a metronome or a song over the kit without turning the volume up to dangerous levels. #4 of 9 drummer's headphones.
DDrum Red Shot Snare / Tom Trigger, $20
A trigger that clamps to the rim of an acoustic snare or tom and sends each hit to a drum module. It only makes sense for a drummer who already owns an e-kit module or a sampling pad, and the cable is not included. #5 of 30 electronic drum triggers.
Gifts for drummers under $100
Paiste 10" 900 Color Sound Splash RED, $84
A bronze splash with a short sustain and a red finish that stands out on any kit. Paiste's 900 series is a step up from beginner cymbals, so it won't be the first thing they replace. #1 of 83 10" splash cymbals in our ranking.
Paiste 10" PSTX Pure Bell, $89
An aluminium bell cymbal with a pure, ringing tone that cuts through a full band. Drummers use bells for grooves on the cymbal stand instead of the ride, and very few kits have one. #2 of 59 effects cymbals.
Meinl 12" HCS Trash Stacks, $89
Two cymbals stacked on one stand, the top one drilled with holes, for a short white-noise "chh" that changes with how tightly the pair is screwed together. Stacks are the most fun gift on this list for a drummer who plays rock or hip-hop. #14 of 49 cymbal stacks.
Millenium MPS-850 08" Mesh Head Pad, $73
An extra eight-inch mesh pad for an electronic kit, with a rack clamp, mounting rod and cable in the box. Most starter e-kits come with three toms; this adds a fourth, or a second snare for effects. #15 of 32 electronic snare drum pads.
Gifts for drummers under $200
Vic Firth SIH3 Headphones, $104
Isolation headphones from the stick maker, rated at 25 dB of noise reduction, with a drawstring bag for the gig bag. A good gift for a beginner too, because playing along to songs is how most drummers learn. #3 of 9 drummer's headphones.
Roland VMH-D1, $179
Roland's closed headphones made for electronic drums, with 50 mm drivers and two cables (3 m and 1.5 m) so the drummer isn't tethered to the module. If they play a Roland or Yamaha e-kit, this is the upgrade they won't buy for themselves. #1 of 9 drummer's headphones in our ranking.
Paiste 14" PSTX Swiss Flanger Stack, $190
A bronze and brass pair that gives a dry, aggressive effect sound, more open or more closed depending on how the two are clamped. One of the highest-rated stacks we track. #1 of 49 cymbal stacks.
Mapex 10"x5,5" MPX Steel Snare CN, $156
A ten-inch side snare with a sharp, high crack, for a second snare next to the hi-hat. Small snares are the one drum most players don't own and still love to add. #1 of 5 10" steel snare drums.
Shure SE215 Pro K, $134
Sound-isolating in-ear monitors that block over 90 percent of outside noise, with a detachable cable and a carry case. Drummers use them on stage with an in-ear mix, or at home to protect their hearing. #4 of 89 in-ear headphones.
Alesis Nitro Amp, $110
A small 70-watt monitor that mounts on the drum rack of an Alesis Nitro kit, so the drummer can play without headphones when the house allows it. #1 of 12 drum monitor speakers.
Bigger gifts: $200 to $400
Yamaha DTX402K E-Drum Set, $389
A complete electronic kit with 287 sounds, ten user kits, a built-in metronome and Yamaha's quiet KU100 kick pedal. It's the safest first e-kit for a teenager who wants to learn, because it plays quietly enough for an apartment. #2 of 80 electronic drumkits in our ranking.
Millenium MPS-150 E-Drum Set, $280
Thomann's own beginner e-kit, with a module, rack, pedals and every cable, on a footprint of about 110 by 80 cm. Cheaper than the Yamaha, with rubber pads instead of mesh. #6 of 80 electronic drumkits.
Pearl Decade Maple 14"x5,5" Snare BR, $297
A thin six-ply maple snare with Remo heads and triple-flanged hoops, in a satin brown burst. A real upgrade over the steel snare that comes with most starter kits. #7 of 234 14" wooden snare drums.
Shure SE425-CL, $309
In-ear monitors with two drivers, one for highs and one for lows, so cymbals and kick stay separate in the mix. A gift for a drummer who already gigs. #1 of 89 in-ear headphones.
Alesis Strike Amp 8 MK2, $326
A powerful 8-inch drum monitor with Bluetooth for playing along to songs. It works with any e-kit and is loud enough for a rehearsal with a band. #2 of 12 drum monitor speakers.
Gifts for drummers who practice in an apartment
Noise is the number one reason drummers stop practicing. These two cymbals solve it on an acoustic kit, and the electronic kits above solve it completely.
Zildjian L80 Low Volume 38 Box Set, $348
A 13" hi-hat and an 18" crash/ride that are up to 80 percent quieter than regular cymbals and still feel like real ones under the stick. Pair them with mesh heads and an acoustic kit becomes playable at night. #7 of 162 cymbal sets in our ranking.
Zildjian 10" Low Volume Splash, $118
The same low-volume idea in a ten-inch splash, for a drummer who already has the L80 set or wants to start small. #40 of 83 10" splash cymbals.
Questions
What do you get a drummer who has everything?
A sound they don't have yet: a cymbal stack like the Paiste PSTX Swiss Flanger Stack, a bell like the Paiste PSTX Pure Bell or a side snare like the Mapex 10" MPX. Low-volume cymbals are another safe bet, because almost nobody buys them for themselves.
What is a good gift for a beginner drummer?
Isolating headphones like the Vic Firth SIH3 ($104), so they can play along to songs, or a complete electronic kit like the Yamaha DTX402K ($389) if they don't have a kit yet.
Are drumsticks a good gift?
Only if you know exactly which model they use. Drummers choose sticks by weight, length and tip, and the wrong pair stays in the bag. That's why there are no sticks on this list.
What can I get a drummer for under $50?
The Meinl 10" HCS splash ($33), the Paiste 2002 4" accent cymbal ($39), the t.bone HD 990D headphones ($36) or, for an e-kit owner, the DDrum Red Shot trigger ($20).
How we picked. Every product comes from an AudioFu ranking, where products are scored on demand, price, specs and brand. The rank shown is the product's place in its ranking today, recalculated every night. Prices are Thomann's, converted from euros at the European Central Bank rate and updated every night; shipping is not included.
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Denis Kataev runs AudioFu. Every night the site records the prices of more than 38,000 instruments and studio tools at Thomann, and he writes about what those numbers show: what got cheaper, what just arrived, and which discounts are real.
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