6 Best Electronic Drum Pads With Great Responsivity

• What are the Best Electronic Drum Pads?
• FAQs
• 1. Pyle Portable Drums Tabletop Drum Set PTED01 (Our Pick)
• 2. Alesis Strike Multipad (Best Premium)
• 3. Donner Electronic Drum Set DED 50T (Best Budget)
• 4. Alesis SamplePad Pro
• 5. Pyle Electronic Roll-Up MIDI Drum Kit PTEDRL11 (Best Portable)
• 6. KAT Percussion KTMP1 Electronic Drum and Percussion Pad Sound Module
• Are Electronic Drum Pads Good For Beginners?
• Can You Learn Drums On An Electronic Drum Pad?
• Find out the top electronic drum pads in the market
• Learn about their features and use cases
• Check out the best electronic drum pads for all budgets 
• Also, check out our post on the best headphones for drummers

If you don’t have the money or the space to fit a large electronic (or acoustic) drum kit in your home, e-drum pads may be the ideal solution. They are small, portable, and lightweight in most cases, while even the “bulkiest” models weigh barely 5 pounds.

Brands that manufacture electronic drum kits usually use similar technologies to create their electronic drum pads, too, meaning that if you love how the Alesis Nitro kit sounds, you’ll probably also love how its Strike Multipad sounds.

Since electronic drum pads are very different from typical drum kits, I wanted to show you some of the best models, so let’s start from the top.

What are the Best Electronic Drum Pads?

The Pyle PTED01 is my top pick for the best electronic drum pad because it excels in virtually all fields of performance; with hundreds of unique voices, dozens of presets, and ample storage space for your loops, effects, and custom sounds, it checks all the boxes required to consider it among the best electronic drum pads.

My top premium pick goes to the Alesis Strike Multipad. It boasts unbeatable versatility, and you’ll have to search far and wide to find a better-sounding electronic drum pad. 

Even though it’s pricey, Alesis Strike is one of the greatest pads you can have by your side in a recording studio or during a live performance.

My top budget pick is the Donner DED 50T Electronic Drum set. It features hundreds of unique sounds, seven fully customizable pads, and a highly intuitive design, and it’s great for beginners and seasoned veterans.

Given that electronic drum pads’ sound, design, and price tags are nowhere near as uniform as electronic drum kits, check out our reviews on the several models that may fit your needs and budget better.

The top six include:

1. Pyle Portable Tabletop Drum Set PTED01 (Our Pick)
2. Alesis Strike Multipad (Best Premium)
3. Donner Electronic Drum Set DED 50T (Best Budget)
4. Alesis SamplePad Pro
5. Pyle Electronic Roll-Up MIDI Drum Kit PTEDRL11 (Best Portable)
6. Kat Percussion KTMP1

Each of these electronic drum pads offers different benefits and comes with a unique set of shortcomings; some may be a bit smaller than you imagined, and others may not feature as many drum sounds or enough inbuilt storage space for your tracks and effects.

They’re still some of the best the market has to offer, and considering the price, they’re well worth the buck and then some.

1. Pyle Portable Drums Tabletop Drum Set PTED01 (Our Pick)

Our Pick

 

Pyle Portable Drums Tabletop Drum Set PTED01
 

 

This electronic tabletop drum kit is an all-in-one wonder. It's super-customizable, lightweight, and portable - it's the ultimate tabletop kit for the drummer on the go. 

Why We Love It:

• 7 drum touch-sensitive pads
• 215 percussion sounds
• 25 drum kit presets

View Price On Amazon

 

 

 

Pyle is a reputable American manufacturer of high-quality music and audio gear. Their catalog features a variety of electronic drum pads represented by the acclaimed PTED01.

This affordable drum pad offers excellent sound performance, recording capabilities, and much more.

Key Features: 

• Dimensions: 23.5 x 6.75 x 16 inches
• 7 drum touch-sensitive pads
• 215 percussion sounds
• 25 drum kit presets and 5 user-defined banks
• Metronome with two voices
• USB and headphone connectivity

Pyle’s PTED01 is a 7-piece electronic drum pad set that was engineered to mimic the sound and feel of a traditional drum kit. Equipped with rubber touch-sensitive pads, your drumsticks will bounce back as if you were hitting the head of a real snare or tom.

It’s one of the best-sounding electronic drum set pads out there tone-wise, as each voice was designed to be as close to acoustic voices as possible.

The PTED01 rocks 215 percussion sounds, 128 MIDI sounds, 25 drum kit presets, and 5 user presets.

The speakers are located on the sides, while the drum module & display are placed on the top of the pad. Although I’m not a fan of side speakers, I love how Pyle ensured they occupy the least amount of space.

The display features a rolling knob that you can use to navigate the menu, change active sounds, play backing tracks, and more.

The only thing I didn’t like about Pyle’s PTED01 is that certain sounds feel a bit “choked”; while congas, toms, and other low-frequency tones are highly authentic, certain MIDI cymbals and high-pitched sounds sound a bit murky.

Overall, it’s an excellent electronic drum pad for virtually anyone.

If you’re a touring professional, you can keep practicing in your bus; if you’re an experienced drummer that can’t play at home, you’ll keep your chops in shape while beginners can use the backing tracks, metronome, and tap tempo functions to learn the ropes.

Pros

• Hundreds of acoustic-sounding percussion voices
• Extremely responsive drum pads
• Easy-to-use display
• Recording capabilities
• USB and headphone ports

Cons

• Certain voices sound a bit plastic and murky

2. Alesis Strike Multipad (Best Premium)

Best Premium

 

Alesis Strike Multipad
 

 

Alesis designed the Strike MultiPad around the drummer’s requirement to be able to sample, edit, loop, and perform seamlessly. To that end, the Strike MultiPad offers an incredible 7000+ built-in sounds, 32GB of storage, and the ability to record samples from any source.

Why We Love It:

• Built-in looper and audio sampler features
• Unbeatable sound quality
• Precision-tuned velocity-sensitive pads

View Price On Amazon

 

 

 

Alesis is renowned for making some of the best high-end electronic drum kits and pads. The Strike Multipad changed the game for e-drum pads by bringing a streamlined design and unparalleled sonic quality.

Key Features:

• Dimensions: 14.2 x 13.8 x 3.5 inches
• 9 velocity-sensitive electronic drum pads
• More than 8,000 drum samples and loops
• Inbuilt drum sampler and audio looper
• A-Link rotary knobs
• USB & microphone connectivity
• Can be upgraded with up to five external triggers (3 drum/cymbal and 2-foot controls)

Alesis Strike Multipad represents the pinnacle of contemporary electronic drum pads. It was built to provide a superiorly expressive feel, which means that the only difference between playing acoustic drums and smashing the Strike pads is in the design.

Each pad was custom-tuned to respond to even the slightest of stimuli, not to mention that you can map each pad with over 8,000 samples. If that isn’t enough, you can download or upload your custom voices into the Strike Multipad module.

Unlike regular e-drum pads, Alesis Strike features an audio interface that you can use to sample, loop, edit, and record the sound of your drums as you’re playing.

The controls are intuitive, and the display is decently sized and backlit for easier visibility.

The Strike pad rocks 32 gigabytes of internal memory, meaning that you can load it with thousands of instrument or percussion sounds, effects, loops, and even backing tracks if you’re a beginner.

It’s a perfect electronic drum pad for practicing, as it rocks an integrated audio looper.

You can loop single strokes, chunks of audio, multiple sections, or entire songs, or even string up your favorite playlist and experiment to your heart’s content.

Most people have a problem with Alesis Strike Multipad’s price tag. Even though it is the most expensive model on the list, I firmly believe it’s one of the best electronic drum pads that money can buy.

Pros

• Built-in looper and audio sampler features
• Unbeatable sound quality
• Precision-tuned velocity-sensitive pads
• More than 8,000 samples plus the ability to download your own

Cons

• Highly expensive

3. Donner Electronic Drum Set DED 50T (Best Budget)

Best Budget

 

Donner Electronic Drum Set DED 50T
 

 

A compact electric drum set that offers 150 sounds, 50 songs, and 15 drum kits, the Donner Electronic Drum Set is perfect for beginners. 

Why We Love It:

• Great for beginners
• High-quality silicone pads
• Good sonic performance

View Price On Amazon

 

 

 

The DED 50T is a high-quality electronic drum pad designed to cater to the needs of beginners and somewhat experienced drummers; with it, you can practice, record, or even perform small gigs, as its design is as great as its price tag.

Key Features:

• Dimensions: 21 x 16 x 4 inches
• 150 instrument voices
• 15 drum kits
• 30 songs
• Coach, Silent, and Recording modes

Donner’s DED 50T is the prime example of a well-made e-drum pad. The pads are remarkably responsive; there are dozens of percussion voices you can experiment with, and the intuitive positioning of the pads & speakers makes it very easy to play.

DED 50T is a portable electronic drum pad that weighs only 11.02 pounds. Its small size and perfect hexagonal shape make the pad enable you to place it and practice anywhere.

The quality of preset tones far exceeded my expectations. Even the MIDI sounds are great, although they aren’t too great for recording.

Namely, most recording apps (without special plugins) will map each MIDI stroke as a single hit, meaning that you’ll have to manually stretch the bar if you want it to ring.

Other than that, the only other issue I have is that DED 50T requires 6 AA bats to work, and they don’t come included with the package.

Overall, Donner DED 50T is fantastic for the money. It’s nearly impossible to find a more versatile, better-sounding, beginner-friendly electronic drum pad in its price range.

Pros

• Great for both beginners and experienced drummers
• High-quality silicone pads
• Good sonic performance
• Multiple playing modes
• Intuitively positioned pads and speakers

Cons

• Requires 6 AA batteries to work, and you need to buy them separately

4. Alesis SamplePad Pro 

 

Alesis SamplePad Pro 
 

 

With two additional drum pad inputs plus a Kick Pedal input, 8 isolated rubber pads with blue LED pad illumination, and 200+ built-in drum, cymbal, and percussion sounds, the Alesis SamplePad Pro is the perfect instrument for expressive performances. 

Why We Love It:

• 8 isolated pads made of quality rubber
• Active LED illumination
• 200 percussion sounds

View Price On Amazon

 

 

 

If you were excited about Alesis Strike MultiPad until you saw how pricey it is, you might want to check the SamplePad Pro out.

It’s a slight downgrade compared to the Strike pad but costs a fraction of the price and offers similar performance in terms of versatility and sound quality.

In short, it’s more than just a cheaper alternative, especially if you already have custom sounds you want to use since their design is very similar.

Key Features:

• Dimensions: 2.28 x 11.16 x 15 inches
• 8 isolated pads made of quality rubber
• Active LED illumination
• 200 percussion sounds
• USB, 0.25-inch, and 0.125-inch ports
• 1-inch display

At first glance, the SamplePad Pro may look like a set of eight rubber blocks.

After touching the surface of the pads, you’ll notice how smooth they are; upon activating the device, you’ll realize that the pads can recognize everything from slight bumps to the strongest smashing and still produce the same quality of sound.

Speaking of sound quality, all percussion voices Alesis uses in its electronic drum kits and pads sound phenomenally well. Unlike Strike MultiPad, the Sample Pad rocks “only” 200 unique drum and percussion voices and effects.

The gorgeous blue LED lights illuminate the SamplePad and activate whenever you hit any of the pads.

Another shiny component of this drum pad is the 3.1-inch display. Compared to contemporary alternatives, it offers a more detailed overview of the active effects, sounds, mode, sensitivity, and more; however, it’s smaller and not as advanced as the display Strike MultiPad features.

All things considered, the SamplePad Pro is a great choice for professional drummers that are searching for a reliable practicing & recording companion. It’s not exactly cheap, but it’s well worth the buck.

Pros

• Can be upgraded with four additional pads
• Great sound quality
• Built to last
• Decently compact and portable
• Custom importable samples and sounds via SD card

Cons

• Pricey
• Small display

5. Pyle Electronic Roll-Up MIDI Drum Kit PTEDRL11 (Best Portable)

Best Portable

 

Pyle Electronic Roll-Up MIDI Drum Kit PTEDRL11
 

 

This hassle-free tabletop drum kit is perfect for taking along to any place for quick stops on road trips. The unique roll-up design is for instant drumming anywhere with a counter or surface. Place on any surface and turn it on for a full drummer experience.

Why We Love It:

• Remarkably lightweight and portable
• Dozens of sounds, effects, and demo songs
• Recording capabilities

View Price On Amazon

 

 

 

Pyle’s PTEDRL11 is the lightest and arguably the best portable electronic drum pad on the market. Light as a feather, it offers a convenient way to practice your drum chops and record your music.

Key Features:

• Dimensions: 0.99 x 10.63 x 14.97 inches
• 9 electric drum pads
• Roll-up portable design
• Record and hand percussion modes
• Adjustable tempo
• Headphone and aux ports

Simple, compact, and cheap would be the words that best describe Pyle’s Electronic Roll up PTEDRL11 electronic drum pad.

Although it’s a basic low-end model, it offers a decently good sound, a variety of selectable drum voices and kits, and a simplified interface that even beginners can use effortlessly.

The main selling point of PTEDRL11 is its roll-up design. Even though most e-drum pads are considerably smaller and lighter than full-sized electronic drum kits, this model takes portability to another level.

Weighing under a pound and being less than 15 inches tall, you won’t have to worry about finding a quiet spot to practice your drumming, as anything will do.

In terms of drumming “feel,” Pyle’s PTEDRL11 isn’t my first recommendation to people that aren’t too keen on e-drums. The rubber pads are decently responsive, but the sticks won’t bounce as hard as you’re accustomed to.

As far as sound quality is concerned, this electronic drum pad is much better than most similarly-priced models. The problem is that it doesn’t feature as many selectable percussion and instrument voices.

The ones that PTEDRL11 is outfitted with are above average for a low-priced e-drum pad.

Overall, the main reason why I’m recommending Pyle’s PTEDRL11 is that it’s one of the best portable electronic drum pads, even when compared to models twice its price.

If you value sound quality above everything else, you may not be overly thrilled with it.

Pros

• Nine touch-sensitive pads
• Remarkably lightweight and portable
• Dozens of sounds, effects, and demo songs
• Recording capabilities

Cons

• Simplistic module
• Mediocre sound quality

6. KAT Percussion KTMP1 Electronic Drum and Percussion Pad Sound Module 

 

KAT Percussion KTMP1 Electronic Drum and Percussion Pad
 

 

The KAT KTMP1 is a quick and easy solution to expand any setup. This compact and affordable module features 50 high-quality, fully-adjustable, multi-purpose sounds. Sounds can be tuned, panned, and assigned to one of the four highly-responsive pads.

Why We Love It:

• Compact
• Lightweight
• Good sound quality

View Price On Amazon

 

 

 

KAT Percussion makes everything from quality guitar cables to amplifiers, drum pedals, electronic drum kits, and e-drum pads. I’ve picked KTMP1 from its catalog because it offers authentic sound and feel while being remarkably simple to play.

Key Features:

• Dimensions: 27 x 13 x 16 inches
• 4 velocity-sensitive electronic drum pads
• 50 drum & percussion voices
• 25-inch and 0.125-inch ports

Many people of all ages have always wanted to play drums but, for whatever reason, never got the chance. The usual reasons are that drums are too big, too loud, and too complex to understand.

If you start out with KAT Percussion’s KTMP1, neither of those will be an issue.

KAT Percussion’s KTMP1 electronic drum pad is considerably cheaper, smaller, and lighter than most drum pads, let alone electronic drum kits.

It’s packed with top-tier electronics, which is why it weighs 4.14 pounds; the only lighter model on the list is Pyle’s PTEDRL11, which is also fairly wider and taller.

Loudness shouldn’t be a problem, as you’ll be the only person hearing what KTMP1 sounds like when you connect your headphones to it (although there will be light tapping noises whenever you hit a pad).

E-drum pads were meant to be simpler to master than real electronic drum kits. KTMP1 features only four pads, so you can take your time practicing your strokes and tempo.

The only issue is that it doesn’t come supplied with practice tracks, so you’ll have to improvise.

Its sound is phenomenal, although it rocks only 50 unique voices, among which you’ll find tones for rock, rap, hip-hop, jazz, and other styles of music.

Pros

• One of the most compact electronic drum pads around
• Good sound quality
• Remarkably lightweight yet sturdy construction
• Compatible with additional triggers and inputs

Cons

• Only 50 drum and percussion sounds
• No backing or training tracks

FAQs

Are Electronic Drum Pads Good For Beginners?

Electronic drum pads are perfect for beginners.

Since the pads are inches from each other (and often feature customizable and mappable zones), you can explore the drumming world in a much simpler way.

Can You Learn Drums On An Electronic Drum Pad?

You can learn the basics of tempo, time, and striking, but you won’t have an opportunity to develop your hand-eye-leg coordination skills as much.

Many electronic drum pads can be upgraded with foot pedal triggers, which can circumvent this issue.