Donner DED-80 Review: A Very Cheap Mesh Kit for Kids and First Tries

This guide contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Read our affiliate disclosure

The Donner DED-80 is one of the cheapest complete mesh kits you can buy in the US. For a price under $300 you get four mesh drum pads, three cymbal pads, a throne, sticks and usually headphones, on a small folding rack. It is aimed at kids, parents who are not sure the interest will last, and adults who want to find out if they like drumming before spending real money.

That price comes with real limits. The pads are small, every pad is single-zone, the cymbals are 10-inch, and both pedals are switch-type, so the hi-hat is basically open or closed. Donner’s own pages also disagree on a few details.

I have not played this kit. This review is based on Donner’s US product page and spec table, Donner’s own DED-80 vs DED-70 guide, its NAMM 2023 release covering the DED-80P, the Best Buy US listing, the Ivor Mairants UK listing, and the hands-on review published by KillerGuitarRigs.

Our verdict in brief

The DED-80 does the basic job well for the money. Mesh heads make it quiet and give a decent bounce, the bundle covers everything a beginner needs, and the coach mode and backing tracks give a kid something to do beyond random hitting. KillerGuitarRigs, which reviewed it hands-on, called the pads “truly remarkable at this price point.”

The trade-offs are what you would expect at this price. Single-zone 7-inch pads, switch pedals and a 15-kit module make it a toy-to-instrument bridge rather than a kit to learn technique on for years. If the drummer sticks with it, plan on an upgrade.

Our score: 6.3 / 10. A good-value starter for kids and casual players, but the switch pedals and small single-zone pads put a low ceiling on it.

Who it’s for and who should skip it

Good fit

• Kids from about 10 up. Donner’s own guide positions the DED-80 for older beginners, around 10 and up, and points younger kids to the smaller DED-70.
• Families on a strict budget who want one box with a throne and everything else.
• Adults testing the waters who are fine with replacing the kit if drumming sticks.
• Small rooms. It folds down and weighs around 30 lb.

Skip it if

• You are a teen or adult who plans to keep playing. The 7-inch pads and switch pedals will hold you back fast.
• You want to learn hi-hat technique. A switch-type hi-hat pedal gives you open and closed, not a real half-open range.
• You want rimshots or a ride bell. Every pad is single-zone.
• You want Bluetooth play-along. It is not listed.

DED-80 status and versions

As of November 2026, Donner’s US store lists the DED-80 in black and white from under $300, and Best Buy US sells the black version in the same bracket. The gray version on Donner’s US store showed as sold out when I checked. I found no sign that the kit is discontinued.

There is also a DED-80P, announced in Donner’s NAMM 2023 release for sale through retailers worldwide. That release lists a 7-inch single-zone mesh snare and three 7-inch toms, a 6-inch silicone kick pad with a wire beater, and 10-inch single-zone cymbals on iron rods, with the same 180 sounds, 15 kits and 30 demo songs. The difference that matters is the kick: the DED-80P lists a pad and beater, while the DED-80’s US spec table lists only a kick pedal. Donner’s global DED-80 page muddies this further by listing a kick pad with a kick pedal. Check which one you are looking at, because the kick changes how the kit feels and how loud it is through the floor.

Donner’s pages are also inconsistent on pad sizes. The US spec table and most listings say 7-inch pads, a Donner UK article says 6-inch, and one Donner product page lists a 6-inch floor tom on top of three 7-inch toms. I go by the US spec table here: four 7-inch pads in total.

DED-80 or DED-70 for a younger child?

Donner sells a smaller kit below the DED-80, and its own comparison guide is useful for parents choosing between them. Here is what Donner lists for each:

The way I read it: the DED-70 is a kids’ kit, and the DED-80 is a small kit for older kids that an adult can also sit at. If the drummer is 7 and you want something that fits now, the DED-70 or an Alesis Debut makes more sense. If the drummer is 11 or 12 and growing, the DED-80’s larger pads and coach mode are worth the small step up, and a DED-200 is worth a look too.

For a teen, I would skip both. A teenager will be at full adult size within a year or two, and an 8 or 10-inch snare with a real kick pad is a better place to start. Our list of the best electronic drum sets for beginners has the next tier up.

What’s in the box

Based on Donner’s US product page:

Donner lists the cymbal material as silicone and plastic, and its DED-80 vs DED-70 guide describes the cymbals as rubber.

One retailer wrinkle: on Best Buy’s US listing, a customer answer says the kit came with a stool but not the headphones. Donner’s own pages list headphones, so check the bundle on the listing you are buying from.

Donner gives the assembled size as 39.37 x 17.72 x 43.31 inches and the folded size as 31.50 x 15.75 x 31.50 inches. The weight is listed as 33.07 lb on the US page, 31.7 lb on Donner’s guide and 26.46 lb at Best Buy. Any of those is light enough for a parent to carry on their own.

There is no speaker, so you need the headphones or an amp.

The module and sounds

Kits and sounds

The module holds 180 sounds in 15 kits, according to Donner. That is a small library, but more than the Alesis Turbo Max’s 110 sounds and 12 kits. Donner’s description mentions sounds from rock kits to electronic and MIDI-style tones, and KillerGuitarRigs describes the range in similar terms.

Practice tools

This is where the DED-80 makes most sense for kids. Donner lists a drum coach mode, 30 backing tracks and exercises, and Donner’s NAMM 2023 release lists 30 demo songs for the DED-80P. Donner also includes 40 free Melodics lessons and points buyers to its Donner Play app. For a child, songs to play along with and a coach that keeps score are what keep the kit in use after the first week.

Display and editing

The module has a 3-digit LED display, not an LCD with menus. That keeps it simple for kids, but it also means editing is limited to what you can do with a few buttons and numbers. Donner does not publish a list of editable parameters, so do not expect per-pad sensitivity curves or detailed trigger settings.

How it sounds

KillerGuitarRigs found that the pads did not have a huge dynamic range, which matches what you would expect from single-zone pads and a basic module. Soft and hard hits sound less different than on a better kit. For learning rhythms and playing along with songs, that is fine. For learning dynamics and ghost notes, it is a real limit.

Pads and feel

Snare and toms

The four 7-inch mesh pads are small even by budget standards. The Alesis Turbo Max uses 8-inch pads and the Simmons Titan 20 has an 8-inch dual-zone snare. Seven inches is a decent size for a 10-year-old and a small target for an adult.

The feel is the DED-80’s strong point. KillerGuitarRigs said “the rebound was really authentic feeling” and called the kit “almost completely silent” apart from stick tapping. Double-layer mesh is a big step up from rubber pads at this price.

Every pad is single-zone. There are no rimshots and no separate rim sounds, which matters more as a drummer gets better.

Kick

The US spec table lists the kick simply as a pedal, and KillerGuitarRigs, which had the kit, describes the pedals as switch-type. Donner’s global page mentions a kick pad, so look at the listing photos for a pad on a tower before you order. In practice, that means a pedal that triggers the kick sound when pressed, not a beater hitting a pad. A Donner UK article describes it as a large, lightweight pedal with a built-in spring meant to feel more like a real pedal and reduce noise.

A switch pedal is quiet and simple, but it does not teach real kick technique. There is no rebound from a beater, little control over volume, and no way to practice heel-up playing the way you would on a real kick. The DED-80P, with its 6-inch silicone kick pad and beater, is closer to a real kick on paper.

Hi-hat

Donner’s US page lists the hi-hat controller as switch type. KillerGuitarRigs said this “made it a very binary experience,” which is the honest way to put it: the hi-hat is either open or closed. There is no smooth half-open range and no foot splash to practice. If hi-hat control matters to you or your teacher, this is the single biggest reason to buy a different kit.

Cymbals

The three 10-inch single-zone cymbal pads are the usual budget size. There is no choke and no ride bell. KillerGuitarRigs notes they have rubber strike surfaces and a rounded mount.

Hardware and footprint

The DED-80 uses a small folding rack. At 39.37 inches wide and 17.72 inches deep assembled, it fits in a bedroom corner, and it folds down to roughly 31.5 inches square. Leave room for the throne and the player’s legs, so plan on around 3 by 4 feet in use.

Donner’s own guide says the DED-80 is a standard height that does not adjust for small kids, while the DED-70 is designed to adjust down for younger children. For a child under about 10, that is a reason to look at the DED-70 or the Alesis Debut instead.

Assembly is simple, but KillerGuitarRigs found some of the parts “a little too tight” to fit together. Do not force joints: work them gently and they loosen with use.

Our guide to electronic drum sets for kids covers sizes and ages in more detail.

Noise for apartments

The DED-80 is one of the quieter kits you can buy. Mesh pads keep stick noise down, and the switch pedals do not slam a beater into a pad. That makes the floor noise lower than on most budget kits with a beater kick.

It is not silent, though. Stick taps on mesh and rubber cymbals still carry, and stamping on a pedal still sends some vibration down. A rug under the kit helps. Our page on how loud electronic drums are explains where the noise comes from.

Connectivity and apps

• USB MIDI to a computer or tablet for DAWs, drum software and apps like Melodics.
• Headphone output for silent practice.
• Audio cable included in the bundle.
• No Bluetooth listed on any DED-80 page I checked.
• Power: a 9V DC, 500mA adapter. Donner does not list battery power.

Donner does not list an aux input or main outputs on the DED-80 pages I checked, so do not count on plugging a phone straight into the module. To play along with songs, the simplest route is a tablet app over USB MIDI. Our guide to connecting electronic drums to a computer explains the setup. KillerGuitarRigs said it could plug the kit straight into a DAW over USB, and that the cables are labeled, which helps a first-time parent.

What owners say

Independent feedback on the DED-80 is limited. The most detailed source I found is the KillerGuitarRigs review from July 2022, which was hands-on. Best Buy US shows a rating of about 4.3 out of 5 from a small number of reviews, but the review text was not shown, so I cannot report patterns from it.

What reviewers like:

• Pad feel and rebound for the price (KillerGuitarRigs).
• Low noise: “almost completely silent” (KillerGuitarRigs).
• USB connection that works with a DAW, and labeled cables (KillerGuitarRigs).
• Complete bundle. A Best Buy customer answer confirms the stool is included.

What reviewers criticize:

• Binary hi-hat from the switch pedal (KillerGuitarRigs).
• Limited dynamic range on the pads (KillerGuitarRigs).
• Tight-fitting parts during assembly (KillerGuitarRigs).
• Headphones may be missing from some retailer bundles (Best Buy US Q&A).

Problems and fixes

1. The hi-hat only does open and closed

This is the hardware, not a fault. Practice open and closed patterns, and treat half-open work as something for a future kit.

2. Soft and loud hits sound the same

Single-zone pads and a basic module have a narrow dynamic range. Focus on timing and coordination on this kit rather than dynamics.

3. Parts are stiff to assemble

KillerGuitarRigs found some joints too tight. Fit them slowly and do not hammer them in.

4. Headphones are missing

Some retailer bundles leave them out. Check the listing before you order, and if they are listed but missing, contact the seller.

5. The kit is too tall for a small child

Donner says the DED-80 does not adjust down like the DED-70. For a young child, a smaller kit is the better buy.

Upgrades worth buying

Honestly, not many. Spending a lot on upgrades for a kit at this price rarely makes sense.

• Better headphones if the bundled pair is basic or missing. Our headphones guide has options.
• A rug to cut tapping and pedal vibration.
• A better throne if the player is an adult and practice sessions get longer.

If you find yourself wanting a real hi-hat stand or a kick pad with a beater, that is the sign to replace the kit, not upgrade it.

Alternatives

Alesis Turbo Max

The closest rival, in the same under-$300 bracket. Four 8-inch tensionable mesh pads, three 8-inch cymbal pads, Bluetooth audio, and a throne, headphones and sticks in the box. Its kick is also a beaterless trigger pedal with a full-size footboard, so it does not fix the DED-80’s kick limits. It wins on pad size and Bluetooth, and has fewer sounds. Read our Alesis Turbo Max review.

Alesis Debut

Built for young kids, with a lower rack and smaller pads. If the drummer is under 10, read our Alesis Debut review.

Simmons Titan 20

An 8-inch dual-zone mesh snare, Bluetooth audio and MIDI, USB audio and a practice mode with scoring, in a slightly higher bracket. Its kick is an all-in-one trigger pedal: a short beater inside the unit strikes a small internal pad, so there is no separate kick pad. See our Simmons Titan 20 review.

Donner DED-200

Donner’s next step up, with an 8-inch dual-zone snare, crash and ride with choke, a kick pad and 450 sounds. Our DED-200 review explains the many versions, and Donner vs Alesis compares the two brands’ starter kits.

How it compares on paper

None of the three has a separate kick pad and tower, so that is not what separates them. The DED-80 wins on sound count; the rivals win on pad size, and the Titan 20 adds a snare rim zone, USB audio and Bluetooth MIDI. For a 10-year-old who wants to bash along to songs, the DED-80 trade can be fine. For lessons that should transfer to a real kit, the bigger pads and the Titan 20’s dual-zone snare matter more than an extra 70 sounds. If you want a beater kick on a budget, the DED-200 has a kick pad.

Final thoughts

The DED-80 is a sensible way to find out if a child likes drumming without spending much. The mesh pads feel good for the money, it is quiet, and the coach mode and backing tracks help a beginner stay interested.

Just be honest about what it is. Switch pedals and small single-zone pads mean it will not teach real hi-hat or kick technique. If the drummer is a teen or adult, or if the interest is already serious, look at the Alesis Turbo Max for bigger pads at a similar price, or a DED-200 for a real kick pad.