Skip to main content
Music Radar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
  • Guitars
  • Amps
  • Pedals
  • Drums
  • Synths
  • Software
  • Pianos
  • Controllers
  • Recording
  • Buyer’s guides
  • Live
  • DJ
  • Advice
  • Acoustic
  • Bass
  • About Us
  • More
    • Reviews
Magazines
  • Computer Music
  • Electronic Musician
  • Future Music
  • Keyboard Magazine
  • Guitarist
  • Guitar Techniques
  • Total Guitar
  • Bass Player
More
  • Take our survey to win a £300/$350 Ticketmaster gift card
  • Type beats
  • 86000+ free music samples
  • How to make an AI cover song
  • Three-chord trick

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

  1. Tuition

The best drum hardware in the world today

By The MusicRadar team
published 1 August 2014

Sets, hi-hat stands, bass drum pedals - budget to pro

The best drum hardware in the world today
Sets, hi-hat stands, bass drum pedals - budget to pro
(Image credit: Holger Winkler/Corbis)

The best drum hardware in the world today

This is a constantly updated gallery of the best drum hardware on the planet - from budget packs for beginners, heavy-duty bass drum pedals for demanding professionals, and lightweight but roadworthy stands for the gigging intermediate, there’s hardware here to suit every kind of drummer.

All the hardware here is hand-picked from the buyers’ guide pages of Rhythm magazine following a gruelling test process. So, have a browse and be sure to click through to read the full review for an in-depth look at each piece of kit.

Page 1 of 18
Page 1 of 18
Tama Iron Cobra 600 Series pedals
From £96

Tama Iron Cobra 600 Series pedals

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"Tama's Iron Cobra pedals have earned a world class reputation over the past two decades. This new series bring many of the pedal's qualities and mystique within the reach of more players."

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Tama Iron Cobra 600 Series pedals

BUY: Tama Iron Cobra 600 Series pedals currently available from:
USA: Sweetwater | Full Compass
FR: Woodbrass

Page 2 of 18
Page 2 of 18
Gear4Music double kick drum pedal
£99.99

Gear4Music double kick drum pedal

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"The cost of these Gear4Music double kick drum pedals places them firmly in the entry level market, but their quality makes them a great purchase for any aspiring double pedaller who doesn't want to break the bank."

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Gear4Music double kick drum pedal

BUY: Gear4Music double kick drum pedal currently available from:
UK: Gear4Music

Page 3 of 18
Page 3 of 18
Tama Camco Anniversary pedal
£110

Tama Camco Anniversary pedal

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"The stripped-down design of the Camco pedal is elegant simplicity personified - what it lacks in bells and whistles it makes up for in panache."

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Tama Camco Anniversary pedal

Page 4 of 18
Page 4 of 18
DW 9000 Series hardware
From £130

DW 9000 Series hardware

MusicRadar’s verdict:

The flagship hardware package from DW is a modular system that allows multiple booms and clamps to be mounted in seemingly limitless combinations. Individual stands are suitably hefty and bristle with innovative designs such as the TechLock and Toothless Tilter. The entire range of stands is also available, outrageously, in ostentatious 24-carat gold.

4 out of 5

Page 5 of 18
Page 5 of 18
Gibraltar Stealth Rack hardware
From £132

Gibraltar Stealth Rack hardware

MusicRadar’s verdict:

Cleverly devised alternative to conventional rack systems that splits the rack into two independent side units, leaving the kit to shine, centre-stage. The Stealth Rack is also versatile as Gibraltar’s modular clamps accept virtually every diameter of stand tubing, allowing you to incorporate the top parts of your existing cymbal stands into the set-up.

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Gibraltar Stealth Rack

Page 6 of 18
Page 6 of 18
Ludwig Atlas Pro hardware
From £142

Ludwig Atlas Pro hardware

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"Some of the best hardware we've ever seen. The Pillar Clutch snare stand and hi-hat are innovative, the rest ingenious and functional. If it's good enough for Vinnie Colaiuta..."

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Ludwig Atlas Pro hardware

Page 7 of 18
Page 7 of 18
Tama Speed Cobra pedal
£158

Tama Speed Cobra pedal

MusicRadar’s verdict:

If you're looking to upgrade from a mid-level unit, or for metalheads desperate for the last word in kick drum velocity, as of now your 'to check out' list isn't complete without the Speed Cobra.

5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Tama Speed Cobra

Page 8 of 18
Page 8 of 18
DW 5500TD Turbo Delta hi-hat stands
£160

DW 5500TD Turbo Delta hi-hat stands

MusicRadar’s verdict:

The 5500TD is DW’s most popular hi-hat stand, with twin legs that can be swivelled to accommodate double pedals. Its footplate ball bearing hinge and cleverly devised pull rod bearing link connector ensure reduced friction and a positive action. Other features include integrated memory locks and a folding spring-release footboard for compact transportation.

4 out of 5

Page 9 of 18
Page 9 of 18
Gibraltar G-Class Pedal
£199

Gibraltar G-Class Pedal

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"Gibraltar's G-Class pedal is an ambitious addition to the market. Its strong visual aesthetics are complemented by straightforward operation and a cracking performance."

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Gibraltar G-Class pedal

BUY: Gibraltar G-Class pedal currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann
FR: Thomann | Woodbrass

Page 10 of 18
Page 10 of 18
DW Airlift Stands
From £204

DW Airlift Stands

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"Like all the best ideas, Airlift stands are ingeniously simple yet brilliantly effective."

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: DW Airlift Stands

Page 11 of 18
Page 11 of 18
DW 5000 Series Delta III Accelerator bass drum pedal
£209

DW 5000 Series Delta III Accelerator bass drum pedal

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"The 5000's subtle design improvements make a surprising difference to the pedal motion, giving it improved speed and feel."

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: DW 5000 Series Delta III Accelerator bass drum pedal

BUY: DW 5000 Series Delta III Accelerator bass drum pedal currently available from:
UK: Thomann
USA: Sweetwater | Full Compass
FR: Thomann | Star's Music | Woodbrass

Page 12 of 18
Page 12 of 18
Mapex Falcon pedals
From £245

Mapex Falcon pedals

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"The direct drive option makes what is already a great pedal even more desirable."

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Mapex Falcon pedals

Page 13 of 18
Page 13 of 18
Sonor Perfect Balance pedal
£253

Sonor Perfect Balance pedal

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"The Perfect Balance is a pedal of rare beauty, though at a price. It's also perfectly named."

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Sonor Perfect Balance pedal

Page 14 of 18
Page 14 of 18
Pearl Eliminator Demon Chain Drive pedal
£305

Pearl Eliminator Demon Chain Drive pedal

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"The speed at which these pedals interpret each step is incredibly smooth, fast and accurate. Although we had previously played with the direct-link Demon a year or so ago, to us, the 'chain' seems to give a slightly more organic feel - a little less like attempting to connect to a machine. Impressive!"

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Pearl Eliminator Demon Chain Drive pedal

BUY: Pearl Eliminator Demon Chain Drive pedal currently available from:
FR: Woodbrass

Page 15 of 18
Page 15 of 18
DW 9000 Series bass drum pedals
From £324

DW 9000 Series bass drum pedals

MusicRadar’s verdict:

Range-topping DW pedal that pretty much sets the standard. Constructed from aircraft-grade aluminium, the 9000 pedals feature DW’s patented free-floating rotor-drive, rotating swivel spring and adjustable cam, all of which are carefully Aligned for as smooth an action as possible. The single post design of the double pedal’s second pedal is also brilliant.

4 out of 5

Page 16 of 18
Page 16 of 18
Highwood Malleus Double Kick pedal
£500

Highwood Malleus Double Kick pedal

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"It was HighWood's criteria to create a no-compromise, yet cost-effective bass drum pedal. The result is a quality product, representing Brit engineering at its very best - mission accomplished."

5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Highwood Malleus Double Kick pedal

Page 17 of 18
Page 17 of 18
Bullet & Kitch/Natal Double Kick pedal
£599

Bullet & Kitch/Natal Double Kick pedal

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"Having experimented with the various settings during the review, the pedals remain set pretty much as they arrived - they feel amazingly natural underfoot and perform beautifully with little compromise on the dilemma of power versus speed."

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Bullet & Kitch/Natal Double Kick pedal

Page 18 of 18
Page 18 of 18
The MusicRadar team
The MusicRadar team
Social Links Navigation

MusicRadar is the number 1 website for music makers of all kinds, be they guitarists, drummers, keyboard players, djs or producers...

GEAR: We help musicians find the best gear with top-ranking gear round-ups and high- quality, authoritative reviews by a wide team of highly experienced experts. TIPS: We also provide tuition, from bite-sized tips to advanced work-outs and guidance from recognised musicians and stars. STARS: We talk to musicians and stars about their creative processes, and the nuts and bolts of their gear and technique. We give fans an insight into the actual craft of music making that no other music website can.
More about drums
Dom Famularo

Drum community mourns the loss of 'Drumming’s Global Ambassador', Dom Famularo, who has passed away aged 70

Natal Zenith vintage-inspired drums

Natal launches Zenith: a vintage-inspired, modern drum kit in five finishes

Latest
Brad WIlk

Brad Wilk pays homage to three of his favourite classic snare drums in the first episode of Lauten Audio's 'Snare' series

See more latest ►
Most Popular
How to get the sound of Abbey Road's vintage plate reverbs

By Andy Jones6 September 2023

How to perfect your kick and snare with Arturia's Neve 1073 emulation

By Andy Price5 September 2023

How to use the Pultec 'low-end trick' to improve your bass and kick

By Andy Price4 September 2023

Computer Music 326 Autumn 2023: free downloads

By Computer Music30 August 2023

The 6 essential acoustic guitar chord groups every player should learn

By Total Guitar29 August 2023

The 5 chord progressions you need to play 100s of songs

By MusicRadar27 August 2023

Practical music theory: 10 things every songwriter and producer needs to know about chords

By Computer Music23 August 2023

Use the CAGED system to play guitar chords across the fretboard quickly and easily

By MusicRadar22 August 2023

How to make a Gorillaz‑style synth string patch

By Dave Gale21 August 2023

How to use distortion to enhance individual elements of your mix

By Jon Musgrave11 August 2023

Ditch the pick and start fingerstyle today with three guitar chords and this lesson

By Total Guitar10 August 2023

  1. Natal Zenith vintage-inspired drums
    1
    Natal launches Zenith: a vintage-inspired, modern drum kit in five finishes
  2. 2
    The Vaporizer 2 wavetable synth plugin is now free and open-source: a commercial-quality instrument you can download for nothing?
  3. 3
    Best Christmas gifts for piano players 2023: the ultimate festive gift guide for pianists
  4. 4
    “For pianists, it's a magical feature”: StaffPad can now generate sheet music just by ‘listening’ to your acoustic piano playing, which sounds like an AI-powered tool we could get on board with
  5. 5
    Nirvana session cellist Kera Schaley talks about playing on In Utero: "The funny thing about All Apologies is Steve kept trying to talk Kurt out of putting cello on it"
  1. Songtradr and Bandcamp
    1
    Bandcamp is under new ownership once again, as Epic Games offloads it to music licensing company Songtradr
  2. 2
    If you’ve been holding out for a drumless version of Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories, you’re about to get lucky
  3. 3
    7 effects pedals that synth players need to try
  4. 4
    “For pianists, it's a magical feature”: StaffPad can now generate sheet music just by ‘listening’ to your acoustic piano playing, which sounds like an AI-powered tool we could get on board with
  5. 5
    Al Di Meola suffers heart attack onstage – guitar maestro in stable condition and plans return to the stage in 2024

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.