Best Acoustic Drum Kits Under £700 in the UK (2025)
Buying your first acoustic drum kit is a big commitment. These are the kits worth considering at each price point up to £700, including what's genuinely different between them.
Acoustic drum kits are the most disruptive instrument purchase a household can make. Before you buy one, have an honest conversation about noise - both with yourself and with anyone else who lives or works nearby. Even with a practice pad cover, a full acoustic kit is genuinely loud. Many drummers end up buying an electronic kit specifically because it's quieter, even if they prefer the acoustic feel.
With that caveat firmly stated: if you've got the space and the neighbours are on board (or far enough away), there's nothing quite like playing a real acoustic kit. Here's what's worth buying at different price points in 2025.
What you actually need to check
Before price, check shell material. Entry-level kits use poplar or basswood for the shells - these are lightweight, durable woods that produce a reasonable sound, though they lack the resonance and warmth of maple or birch. Mid-range kits use mahogany or a mahogany-birch blend. Proper maple kits start at a price that takes them well beyond the budget of most beginners.
Cymbal quality also matters considerably. Many drum kit packages include cymbals, but budget cymbals tend to be harsh and papery-sounding. If a kit comes bundled with cymbals you're not familiar with, research them separately - a mediocre drum kit with good cymbals will sound better than a good kit with poor cymbals, because cymbals are what you hear most of the time.
Best budget kit: Dixon Little Roomer 5-piece
The Dixon Little Roomer is specifically designed for smaller spaces. The shells are compact - the bass drum is 16 inches rather than the standard 22 inches - which makes a significant difference in a typical bedroom setup. The kit includes hardware but not cymbals, which is actually a positive: it means you're not paying for cymbals you'd want to replace immediately, and you can choose appropriate cymbals for your budget and music style.
Dixon is a Taiwanese brand that's been making instruments for decades, and the quality control at the entry level is consistently better than some of the similarly-priced alternatives. The hardware (stands, pedal, snare stand) is solid for the price.
Mid-range: Mapex Mars Maple Stage+ Shell Set
The Mapex Mars range uses maple shells, which is exceptional at this price point. Maple has a warm, balanced sound with excellent projection - it's the wood that most professional drummers play on, and getting maple shells at £499 is genuine value.
The Stage+ configuration is a shell pack only (no hardware or cymbals), which is the sensible way to buy drums if you already have hardware or want to choose your own cymbal and hardware setup. The bearing edges are well cut and the shells are manufactured to a higher tolerance than most kits at this price.
Step-up: Yamaha Stage Custom Standard
Yamaha's Stage Custom has been one of the most respected entry-to-mid level kits on the market for many years, and the current generation continues that tradition. The shells are Yamaha's own hybrid wood formulation, the bearing edges are superb, and the tuning stability is notably better than most kits at this price - which means your kit will stay in tune longer and be easier to tune consistently in the first place.
The Stage Custom is a step up in manufacturing quality that you can genuinely hear and feel when you sit behind it. If you're serious about drumming and intend to play for years rather than months, it's worth the additional investment over the Dixon or Mapex at the entry level.
Comparison
| Kit | Shell Material | Includes Hardware | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dixon Little Roomer | Poplar | Yes (no cymbals) | £499 |
| Mapex Mars Maple Stage+ | Maple | No (shell pack) | £499 |
| Yamaha Stage Custom Standard | Yamaha hybrid | No (shell pack) | £699 |
What about cymbals and hardware?
If you're buying a shell pack (Mapex or Yamaha), budget at least £200-300 for hardware (hi-hat stand, snare stand, two or three cymbal stands, bass drum pedal) and another £150-250 for a basic cymbal set. Stagg, Meinl HCS and Zildjian Planet Z are the typical recommendations at the beginner cymbal budget level.
The DW 6500UL hi-hat stand at £131 is worth knowing about if you're going to be playing seriously - it's used by professional drummers and the quality difference to a budget hi-hat stand is immediately obvious. The Yamaha DFP-9500C double bass drum pedal at £219 is similarly excellent if you're planning to do any double-kick work.
Practice pads and mesh heads
If you genuinely can't make an acoustic kit work in your current living situation, practice pads are worth considering as a stepping stone. Remo and Evans make pads that replicate the feel of different drum surfaces reasonably well, and silent mesh heads can replace standard heads on an acoustic kit to reduce volume significantly (though not completely). Neither solution is as satisfying as playing a properly tuned acoustic kit at full volume, but both are workable compromises.