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Snare drums are the most important centerpiece of every drum set. And the type of snare you have tends to establish a good bulk of your overall drum sound.
Many drum shell packs come without snares, so it’s often that we as drummers need to buy them separately. It’s also common to build up snare collections, as having different options is useful for various purposes.
I’ve played a bunch of cheap snare drums in my career, and I’ve made a list of all the best ones I’ve come across.
I’ve compared each one according to its sound quality, features, versatility, and cost.
What are the Best Budget Snare Drums?
| Image | Recommended ProductsProduct | Features | Price |
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Best sounding snare
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Best metal snare
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Best versatile snare
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Best budget snare
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Best piccolo snare
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Best Cheap Snare Drum Reviews
Ludwig Supralite Snare Drum
Ludwig Supralite Snare Drum Review
The Ludwig Supralite Snare Drum is undoubtedly the best cheap snare drum that has ever been made. I grew up being told this by drum teachers, and I’ve learned that fact for myself as I’ve gained experience in my professional music career.
There just isn’t a better-sounding snare drum than this in the sub $250 price range. Ludwig snare drums with metal shells just seem to sound so much better than other options in this area.
The snare has a beaded steel shell, making it sound very punchy and biting. However, I love how the 6.5” depth gives it a lot more character. You can tune this snare drum low, and you’ll get a beautifully musical range of sounds that are thick and heavy.
You can tune it high, and you’ll get bright tones that are vibrant and exciting.
I’d confidently say that this snare drum can be used in professional settings, whereas most other cheap snare drums don’t have enough musical depth.
I’ve seen plenty of recording studios with Supralite snares lying around, which is the biggest reason that I’d recommend this to a gigging drummer who needs a new snare on a tight budget.
Just note that this snare drum is slightly pricier than all the other ones I’ve mentioned on this list. The price jump isn’t a lot, though, so it’s worth saving for! The Supralite has a budget-version reputation of the Black Beauty, which is arguably the best snare drum ever made.
Key Features:
- Beaded steel shell
- 2.3mm triple-flanged hoops
- Chrome-plated finish
Pros
- One of the best snare drums for professional gigging drummers to get on a budget
- Wide tuning range, giving you several different sound possibilities
- Great reputation in the music industry
Cons
- Priciest snare drum on this list, but not by much
Tama Metalworks Steel Snare Drum
Tama Metalworks Steel Snare Drum Review
This 14” x 5.5” Tama Metalworks Steel Snare Drum is one of the best-sellers from Tama’s Metalworks line of snares, and this is another impressive drum for its price.
With this being a steel snare drum, you may think that it’s quite similar to the Ludwig Supralite. However, there are a few differences that I’ve heard between them that have led me to suggest this as another excellent cheap snare option.
After playing this snare drum for a bit, the main feature I liked about it was its explosiveness. It’s a very powerful snare, and every stroke has major power and volume.
It’s a lot louder than all the wooden snare drums on this list, and I think that makes it a great option for heavier styles of music like punk, rock, and metal.
I know some punk shows can get a bit rough on stage as well, so it’s sometimes better to use a cheaper gigging snare like this over one that you spent a lot more on.
There are several different size options in the Metalworks line, but I think the 14” x 5.5” one is the most versatile.
In terms of price, it’s more affordable than the Supralite. It also has a black shell, which I know a lot of drummers prefer the look of.
Key Features:
- 1.2mm black steel shell
- Center reinforcement ridge
- Black hardware
Pros
- Fantastic snare drum option for drummers that play heavy musical styles
- Great build quality and smooth throw-off
- Reliable tuning stability
Cons
- Doesn’t sound great when tuned low
- Some drummers may not like the sound of a cheaper steel snare drum
Pearl Casey Cooper Signature Igniter Snare Drum
Pearl Casey Cooper Signature Igniter Snare Drum Review
Casey Cooper is a YouTube drumming sensation who I, and many other drummers, have been watching online for many years.
Casey designed the Igniter Snare in conjunction with Pearl to be a high-quality yet affordable snare that any drummer can buy without spending much at all.
It’s a hybrid snare, meaning the shell is a mixture of two woods. It’s a 6-ply poplar shell with a maple interior. The combination of these two woods leads to crisp sounds with a slightly warm touch.
Compared to other wooden snares that cost under $200, I found that the Pearl Casey Cooper Signature Igniter Snare Drum has the most versatile tuning range. It sounds just as good tuned low as it does high, opening the playing field for more drummers’ preferences.
However, I noticed that a few of the hardware pieces are noticeably cheap. It was mostly the tension rods and snare throw off. You’ll get the same kind of thing with most snares in this price range, so it’s not the biggest issue!
I should also mention that the snare drum has a wrap finish with a flame design. It looked a bit brighter in person than the pictures and videos that I saw online.
Overall, this is a fantastic snare drum, and I think it’s the best option available when you consider all the factors going into purchasing an inexpensive snare drum.
Key Features:
- Maple/poplar drum shell
- 1.6mm triple-flanged hoops
- Flame finish
Pros
- Excellent sound quality for the price
- The flame wrap finish looks fantastic
- Comes with a poster of Casey Cooper and a bunch of rudiments written out
Cons
- The tension rods and snare throw off feel a bit low-end
Mapex MPX Maple/Poplar Snare Drum
Mapex MPX Maple/Poplar Snare Drum Review
The Mapex MPX Maple/Poplar Snare Drum comes from an impressively large line of affordable snare drums from Mapex.
Like the Igniter snare, this drum has a hybrid shell, and I’d confidently say that it’s the most affordable hybrid shell snare drum on the market with a standard 14” x 5.5” size. This makes it a very strong and compelling option for drummers looking for good value for money.
When playing it, I was most impressed by the tonal balance you get when striking around the head. With cheaper snare drums, you often get a few inconsistencies, but this snare instantly puts those worries to rest.
I love how the Mapex brand uses the same hardware designs across all of their products. The SONIClear bearing edges on this snare are the same ones that you’ll find on a much higher-priced Mapex Armory snare, and it’s a big reason for the snare’s great performance.
I also discovered that this snare drum allows you to do more fine-tuning than any other snare on this list, and it’s thanks to the 10-lug design. All the other snares have eight lugs or fewer, so there’s more of a margin for error.
The only downside is that I don’t think this snare drum sounds too good when tuned very low. The tones are very loose, almost sounding hollow with every stroke. You’ll get the best performance when playing with mid and high tunings.
Key Features:
- 7.2mm maple/poplar shell
- SONIClear bearing edges
- 10-lug design
Pros
- Incredible value-for-money with all things considered
- Multiple size options within the MPX snare drum line
- Two finish options, with the Natural Wood option looking amazing
Cons
- Doesn’t sound too great when tuned very low
Mapex MPX Steel Piccolo Snare Drum
Mapex MPX Steel Piccolo Snare Drum Review
Our final option for this list is the 14” x 3.5” Mapex MPX Steel Piccolo Snare Drum. It’s another steel snare drum, but the shallow depth makes it sound vastly different compared to every other snare that we’ve checked out.
A piccolo snare drum is a lot smaller and higher-pitched than a regular one, and that’s exactly what you get here.
The thing about snare drums is that they tend to sound better when tuned higher, and the high tunings on this particular sound very close to what you get from higher-end piccolo snares, in my opinion.
With such a unique sound, it may not be the best option to use as a main snare drum. I’d recommend using it as a side snare to have extra effective tones to use in certain parts of songs.
I’d even recommend this snare drum to experienced drummers who use high-end gear. It has such a great range of dynamics that it will sound right at home in a professional drum set setup.
The snare comes with a Remo UX drum head, which I don’t think is the best thing for it. I recommend getting a much better batter head to really bring out the best tones from the shell.
Key Features:
- 1mm steel shell
- 1.3mm triple-flanged hoops
- Cast Piccolo throw off
Pros
- One of the most affordable piccolo snare drums on the market with a 14” diameter
- High-pitched sounds that are vibrant and cracking
- Great option to use as a secondary snare in a setup
Cons
- Not as versatile as a snare drum with standard dimensions
Budget Snare Drum Buyer’s Guide
One of my biggest recommendations for buying a cheaper snare drum would be to get one from a notable brand.
There are plenty of unknown brands selling snares under $100, but those tend to sound really bad, and they have terrible durability.
If you get a snare drum from a brand like Tama, Ludwig, Mapex, Yamaha, or Pearl, you’re guaranteed a good product.
Here are a few other things to check out as well.
Features to Look Out for in Cheap Snare Drum
Shell Material
The main thing to look at when picking a snare drum is whether it has a wooden or metal shell. Those two shell types produce wildly different tones, and you may prefer one sound over the other.
Regarding wooden snare drums, most cheap ones have poplar or hardwood shells. However, there are a few that have maple or hybrid maple/poplar shells, and I strongly suggest going for one of those. They sound much better and more musical than straightforward poplar snare drums.
All metal snare drums with inexpensive price tags have steel shells, as steel is the cheapest material to use for snare drum shells. Something like a brass snare would be a lot pricier, as a brass shell is hardware to make.
Steel snares sound quite hollow compared to other types of metal snare drums, but they offer more bite and ferocity than wooden snare drums. They’re also much louder.
Your choice between a wooden or metal shell should depend on what sound you’re going for. I’d recommend getting a wooden shell if you want versatility and a wider tuning range.
Many drummers prefer the crisp attack that steel snare drums offer.
Size
The size of a snare drum will also affect how it performs, and you get snare drums in various shapes and sizes.
In fact, all the snare drums that I mentioned above have a few different size options, so you’ll need to carefully think about which size you want.
The two size measurements are diameter and depth. The standard diameter for a snare drum is 14”, and that’s what all the snares listed above have.
Depth is a more subjective measurement to think about. The deeper a snare drum shell is, the lower the resonant tone will be. The snare will also resonate more, as you’ll get more vibrations coming from the shell.
I’d recommend getting a deeper snare if you like lower tunings. If you want your snare to be tight and crisp to better hear ghost notes, then a shallower depth may work better.
Drumheads
The final thing to mention is drumheads. Unfortunately, all cheap snare drums come with very poor drumheads. They work decently, but they don’t do a good job of bringing out the best tones and responses from the snare drum.
That’s why I recommend purchasing a new drumhead from Remo, Evans, or Aquarian at the same time that you buy the snare. You’ll get much better sound quality, the head will be easier to tune, and it will last a bit longer than the stock drumhead.
You only need to worry about getting a new batter head. Most resonant heads are decent, depending on your settings with the tuning.
If you really want to do everything to make the snare drum sound as good as possible, you could replace the wires with some higher-end ones.
Cheap Snare Drum FAQs
Why Are Some Snare Drums Cheaper Than Others?
The materials and design process determine how much a snare drum will be sold for. Cheaper snare drums use inexpensive metal and wood types, and they don’t offer many high-end shell design features such as die cast hoops.
This leads them to sound worse than higher-end snare drums. However, you can still make them sound good with decent heads and great tuning.
What’s the Best Brand for Cheap Snare Drums?
Mapex and Tama are the two brands that offer the most snare drums that cost under $200. Mapex has the MPX snare line, and Tama has the Metalworks snare line. You’re spoiled for choice when looking at those two brands.
What’s the Benefit of Owning a Cheap Snare Drum?
As a drummer, owning multiple snare drums will equip you for various situations. The biggest benefit of getting a budget snare drum is that you don’t lose too much money on it.
But there are other benefits such as not having to worry about it as much as a high-end snare or lending it to a friend without it playing too much on your mind.
