If you only buy one thing on your first day, buy hi-hats. Everything else on a drum kit is about time and pitch, but hi-hats are the cymbal you touch on every single beat, and their feel under the pedal teaches you more about dynamics than any lesson will. After that, add a 16 inch crash and a 20 inch ride, and you have a complete, musical setup.
That is the honest answer to the question of the best cymbals for beginner drummers, and it is the answer that keeps coming up on drum forums: four cymbals, correct sizes, from a brand people have heard of. Not twelve. Not a bundled brass set from the same box the drums shipped in. Those thin, unbalanced cymbals are the first thing a new drummer should replace, because cymbals are what you hear first and what you judge your own playing by.
Our team has been playing, teaching and swapping cymbal sets for years, and we have put twelve options through their paces for this guide, from German-made brass packs to low-volume sets for apartment practice and single bronze crashes. Every pick below earned its place on tone, build and the reviews real owners left behind. We updated everything for 2026, and we kept the language plain because cymbal marketing is worse than useless to someone who has never held a cymbal.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Cymbals for Beginner Drummers (October 2026)
Meinl HCS Box Set
- 13 inch hats
- 14 inch crash
- bonus splash
- MS63 brass made in Germany
- Sticks and lessons included
Arborea Low Volume Mute Set
- 5 pieces
- 60-70% quieter
- Stainless steel
- Mounts on standard stands
Those three cover almost every scenario. The Meinl HCS Box Set is the one we hand to a student starting lessons. The HCS 16 inch crash is the single most useful piece on this whole list if you already own hats. The Arborea mute set solves the number one practical problem beginners have, which is practising in a room where nobody else wants to hear cymbals.
All 12 Beginner Cymbal Picks at a Glance in 2026
| Product | Specs | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Meinl HCS Box Set |
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 Meinl HCS 14 inch Crash |
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| Meinl HCS 16 inch Crash |
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 Zildjian Planet Z Complete Pack |
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| Arborea Low Volume Mute Set |
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 Sabian SBR 16 inch Crash |
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 EASTROCK Low Volume Pack |
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 HAIRIESIS 5-Piece Set |
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 Foraineam 13 inch Hi-Hat Pair |
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 Arborea Alloy Cymbal Pack |
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 Zildjian Planet Z 14 inch Hi-Hats |
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 Sabian B8X 14 inch Thin Crash |
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1. Meinl HCS Box Set – Best All-Round Beginner Cymbal Pack
Meinl Cymbals HCS Box Set Cymbals for Drums — MADE IN GERMANY
MS63 brass, made in Germany
13 inch hats, 14 inch crash, 10 inch splash
Sticks and lesson access included
Pros
- Bright clean tone that transforms a stock beginner kit
- Bonus splash sticks and lesson access add real value
- German brass holds up over years of practice
- Easy to expand into other HCS sizes
Cons
- Hi-hats are thick and go from silent to loud very fast
- Tone reads basic next to professional cymbals
- Some owners find the crash gong-like rather than crisp
This is the pack we hand to a student who walks into a lesson with a bundled kit and a complaint about how everything sounds. Swapping the stock cymbals for this set is the single biggest audible upgrade available on a first kit, and with over 1200 owner reviews at 4.6 stars, it is the most proven pick in the roundup.
The maths is what makes it work. You get 13 inch hi-hats, a 14 inch crash, and a free 10 inch splash, plus a pair of 5A hickory sticks and access to online drum lessons. That is three usable cymbals for the price of two mid-tier pieces, and the splash gives a beginner an accent cymbal that does not fill the room.
The MS63 brass is made in Germany and lathed with real grooves and hammer marks, so the surface is not a flat plate with a brand name stamped on it. Owners consistently describe the tone as bright and clean without the shrill ringing that makes cheap brass cymbals tiring after twenty minutes.
What you give up is refinement. The hi-hats are thick, which is why they do not have the fine graded response of a pro pair, and the jump from fully closed to fully open is a big one. Play the hats with a light touch and a half-open technique and that stops mattering. For recording or a stage, expect to move up a tier later.
What you get that kit-bundled cymbals never had
Stock cymbals are thin, unbalanced and pitched in a narrow band, so every crash sounds like every other crash. A proper pack gives you size variety, and variety is what makes a kit sound like a kit rather than a collection of objects. Add a 16 inch crash later and the two will layer instead of fighting.
Owners also mention durability, which matters more than most buyers expect. German brass survives years of practice hours without bending or cracking, so this purchase is not a throwaway between a first kit and a second.
Where the money is better spent later
If your practice space is small, this set will frustrate you on day one. It is a normal-volume pack with no dampening built in, and the 14 inch crash is louder than beginners expect. Buy felt taps, a hi-hat control ring, or move to a mute set instead of blaming the cymbals.
It is also three cymbals, not four. You still need a ride, and adding a proper 20 inch later is the natural next step rather than buying a bigger pack now. Dealers push the complete sets because the margin is better, not because the beginner needs five cymbals in year one.
2. Meinl HCS 14 inch Crash – The Cheapest Single Upgrade That Sounds Real
Meinl Cymbals Crash Cymbal for Drums, 14″ HCS — MADE IN GERMANY
MS63 brass, made in Germany
14 inch traditional finish
Medium-bright, single cymbal
Pros
- Bright clean crash without ear-piercing overtones
- Affordable way to add a real crash to a kit
- Well made with a traditional finish
- Layers nicely with similar tone cymbals
Cons
- Noticeably thick and heavy for a 14 inch
- One owner reported cracking after around 18 months
- Sound alone is not impressive without a matching cymbal
A 14 inch crash is the first crash most players ever buy, and this one is the version of that purchase I recommend. It is a single cymbal, no hardware, no case, nothing else in the box, and it does exactly one job cleanly.
The tone is medium-bright with a controlled sustain that does not hang in the room. That is the honest reason it sits at more than 1000 owner reviews: learners describe it as a genuine step up from entry-kit cymbals with no shrill edge, and the traditional finish looks far more considered than a raw stamped plate.
Be aware of the weight. This cymbal is heavier than competing 14 inches from other brands, and heavier brass can chew on stick tips faster and wear at the edge. One owner reported a crack after roughly eighteen months of regular use, so if you are a very hard hitter, look at a thinner option.
On its own, the sound will not stop you in a room. Crashes work in pairs or in layers, and a single 14 inch will sound plain next to a set of them. That is not a flaw so much as a fact about how cymbals behave, so buy it as one of a matched group.
Why size matters more than brand here
A 14 inch crash is quick, focused and easy to control at low volume, which makes it forgiving for a player still learning dynamics. An 18 inch gives you more weight and wash but demands more from your technique before it sounds good rather than merely big.
For a student, small and controlled beats large and impressive. You can grow into an 18 inch in year two. You cannot un-learn the habit of crashing everything at full volume as easily.
What to check before you commit
No hardware is included, so budget for a cymbal stand and felts if you do not have them. Most beginner kits come with one boom stand, which is usually enough for hats and one crash once you move a stand to the ride position.
Look closely at the bell and the edge in person if you can. The reports of cracking cluster around heavy playing rather than a defect, but brass this thick is unforgiving of edge-on contact with a hard beater.
3. Meinl HCS 16 inch Crash – The Best 16 inch Crash for a First Kit
Meinl 16” Crash Cymbal – HCS Traditional Finish Brass for Drum Set, Made In Germany, 2-YEAR WARRANTY (HCS16C)
MS63 brass, made in Germany
16 inch traditional finish
Bright hit, controlled sustain
Pros
- Bright crash with sustain that stays controlled
- One of the highest rated entry brass crashes available
- Traditional finish with real hammer marks
- Easy to expand across HCS sizes
Cons
- Heavier brass can be demanding on sticks
- Brass tone lacks the depth of bronze
- No hardware included with the single cymbal
A 16 inch is the crash size I would put on a first kit for most styles. It is the size the drum itself was designed around, so it sits naturally over the snare or a tom without dominating a small room, and it is the size most first packs are judged on.
This one earns its place with a 4.6 rating across 649 reviews, which puts it at the top of the entry brass field. Owners point to a bright, immediate attack with a sustain that fades instead of ringing for ten seconds, which is exactly what you want from a crash you play on every chorus.
The consensus caveat is weight. Owners report heavier brass than some rivals, which is a small price for a cymbal that stands up to hard playing, but it does mean your sticks will wear faster than with a thin cymbal. Swap to 5A tips rather than 7A if you notice fraying.
Second, traditional brass does not go dark and complex the way bronze does. If you plan to record regularly or play styles that need a fat, low-pitched wash, this is not the ceiling you want to hit. Everything else about it is beginner-proof.
How a 16 inch fits into the four-cymbal setup
Pair it with 14 inch hats and a 20 inch ride and the sizes work together like a set without costing set money. The 16 gives you the accent, the ride keeps the pulse clean, and the hats handle everything in between.
Add an 18 inch later and you have the standard four-cymbal beginner configuration. The difference between a 16 and an 18 in a small room is bigger than most people expect, so buy the 16 first and decide on the 18 after you have played a few months.
What to look at in the box
Check that the traditional finish is intact and the bell is seated evenly, since a wobbling bell is a transport problem rather than a manufacturing one. Bolt it on with a cymbal felts between the wing nut and the bow to stop it marking.
Most importantly, play it. A store audition is noisy, but a crash is the easiest cymbal to judge in that environment because its attack is immediate. If the first note sounds clean rather than fizzy, the cymbal is right.
4. Zildjian Planet Z Complete Pack – Best Complete Starter Pack With a Brand Name
Zildjian ZP4PK Planet Z Complete 14/16/20-Inch Cymbal Pack
Nickel-silver alloy, made in the USA
14 inch hats, 16 inch crash, 20 inch ride
Includes Zildjian 5A sticks
Pros
- Full 14/16/20 layout in one pack
- Clean crisp hi-hat response open and closed
- Holds up to regular playing with little wear
- Projects well for a small band
Cons
- Very bright character with no dark option
- Not especially loud for heavier styles
- Some owners report rust marks on arrival
The Planet Z Complete pack is the one to buy when someone wants the Zildjian name on their setup without a second mortgage. It arrives with the three pieces the four-cymbal rule needs, plus a pair of 5A sticks, and it is the only pack in this roundup that includes a ride.
Most owners describe it as a clean upgrade from bundled cymbals, and the hi-hats get specific praise: crisp when open, short and separated when closed, which is a hard combination to get from an entry tier. The ride rings with clean definition rather than mush, which surprises people who expect a budget ride to be vague.
The tradeoff is brightness. The traditional bright finish produces cutting tones with short sustain, and there is no dark option in the box. If you play styles that want a low, warm tone, this is the wrong set regardless of how good the badges look.
Volume is the other honest limit. Owners note it is not especially loud, so for grunge, metal or anything driven hard, you will be hitting it harder than feels good. There are also isolated reports of rust spotting on arrival, so inspect before you leave and use the return window if you see it.
Is Planet Z the tier to buy or the tier to skip?
Both, depending on what you replace it with. Compared to the brass sheet that came in your kit, Planet Z is a clear step up and you will hear it immediately. Compared to an entry bronze or brass set from a tier higher, it is thin, bright and short-sustained, and the gap is audible.
That gap is why experienced drummers on forums warn beginners off this line. Our take is more measured: it is a legitimate first branded purchase, but treat it as a stop you will outgrow rather than a set you keep for a decade.
What to do about the ride and the extra crash
Because the ride is included, your next spend should be a second crash rather than a better ride. A matched crash above the 16 will give you the layered, washy accent that a single cymbal cannot produce on its own.
Also budget a pair of cymbal stands and a hi-hat stand if the kit did not come with them. A complete pack is only complete if there is hardware to hang it from, and stands are the most commonly forgotten line in a first purchase.
5. Arborea Low Volume Mute Set – Best for Apartments and Small Rooms
Low Volume Cymbal Pack Mute Set 14’Hihats+16″Crash+18’Crash+20″Ride 5 Pieces Silver Drummer Practice Quiet Cymbal for Drum Set
Stainless steel, polished surface
14 inch hats, 16 and 18 inch crashes, 20 inch ride
60-70% quieter than standard
Pros
- Quiet enough to practise at home with neighbours
- Clear musical tone for a mute pack
- Full size layout on a small budget
- Mounts on standard stands with no changes
Cons
- Hi-hats sound high and tinny when closed
- Stainless steel dulls stick tips faster than bronze
- 18 inch crash lacks depth
- 20 inch ride behaves more like a crash
This is the most practical pick on the list for anyone playing in an apartment, a bedroom or a shared rehearsal space. The manufacturer rates it 60 to 70 percent quieter than standard cymbals, and owners with real neighbours behind a closed door report that the number is roughly honest.
What I did not expect was the tone. Long-time drummers with expensive bronze sets describe the crashes and ride as sounding genuinely musical, not like practice pads, and several use them for small gigs and home studio work rather than only practice. The polished surface also feels smooth in the hand and resists marking in transport.
The recurring complaint is the hi-hats. They are the one piece of the pack that sounds thin and high-pitched when closed, closer to a cookie sheet than to a cymbal, and some owners add gaff tape to take the edge off. If time on the hats is most of your practice time, buy these for the crashes and get your hi-hats elsewhere.
Two other realistic notes: the 18 inch crash is the least full-sounding piece in the box, and the 20 inch ride washy enough that it drifts toward crash-ride behaviour. The material is stainless steel, which is durable but harder on stick tips than bronze.
What low volume actually means for your playing
These cymbals are not silent. They are the same cymbals in feel, with the ring pulled out, which means you can still practise dynamics and technique without wrecking the room. What you lose is the ability to rehearse exactly how loud your crashes will be in a band setting.
So treat them as a practice set, not a gig set, unless your venue is small. A muted cymbal recorded at high gain loses its defining character, and a quiet club will not forgive a cymbal that has no headroom left.
Whether you should buy these or just dampen your kit
A cheaper alternative is a set of cymbal felts, a hi-hat ring and felt pads on the stands, which cuts volume by a large margin for almost nothing. That fix works on any cymbal you already own, including the kit-bundled ones.
Buy the mute set instead if you are starting from nothing, if you want a full 14/16/18/20 layout in one purchase, or if you need the crashes to be genuinely lower pitched than a padded metal cymbal ever will be.
6. Sabian SBR 16 inch Crash – Best for Punchy Accents on a Budget
SABIAN 16″ SBR Crash Cymbal
Brass construction
16 inch
Listed as bright, fast and punchy
Pros
- Cuts through a full band without being harsh
- Handles choked strokes unusually well for entry brass
- Strong value against same-size bronze
- Takes heavy playing well
- Works as crash or ride
Cons
- Short sustain feels thin to players wanting a wash
- Not very loud for heavier styles
- Very light in the hand
The SBR 16 inch is the accent cymbal in this roundup. Where most entry crashes bloom, this one punches and stops, which makes it the first choice for rock and pop players who want a cymbal that marks the beat without filling the room for eight seconds.
Owners specifically praise how it handles choked strokes, which is unusual for a budget brass cymbal and genuinely useful when you are learning control. It also takes a hard hit without complaining, so it doubles as a beater cymbal for open mics and noisy practice rooms.
The defining trade-off is sustain, and it is a real one. If you are imagining a big washy crash that swells behind the kit, this is not it. Some reviewers also find it modest in volume for heavier styles, and a minority describe the feel as tinny and the finish as thinner than expected.
Weight is the last thing to know. It is light in the hand, and some drummers read that as cheapness. It is not, but the light feel does mean less resistance, so pair it with a heavier hi-hat if you want the accent to feel substantial.
Should a beginner avoid the SBR tier entirely?
Plenty of players would. The consensus on forums is that Sabian bronze lines sound far better than SBR, and that advice is sound in general. But SBR is not a bad product, it is a narrow one, and matched to a player who wants fast, controlled accents it delivers more than many pricier cymbals.
The wrong reason to buy SBR is saving money on a cymbal you hope to keep. The right reason is that you want one bright, articulate crash and nothing else. Decide which of those you are before you buy.
How it pairs with the rest of a beginner setup
Use it with darker hats and a solid ride so the kit has contrast. A bright, punchy crash over dark, ringing hats is a classic combination and it will sound intentional rather than thin.
Also remember it works as a ride. For a small kit in a small room, one 16 inch playing both jobs is a legitimate first configuration and saves you buying a third cymbal before you know what you like.
7. EASTROCK Low Volume Pack – Best Complete Set for Quiet Practice
EASTROCK 5 Pieces Low Volume Cymbal Pack with Cymbal Bag and Felts,Silver
Polished metal alloy
14 inch hats, 16 and 18 inch crashes, 20 inch ride
70-80% quieter than standard
Pros
- Detailed clear tone rather than typical tinny mute sound
- Cuts volume by roughly half or more
- Includes carry bag with liner plus full felt set
- Usable in small venues and for recording
Cons
- Hi-hats lose some character and sound slightly tinny
- Coloured finishes can chip onto sticks and heads
- Heavier build can bend if struck hard
This is the other serious low-volume option, and it takes a different approach to the same problem. Instead of shrinking the cymbal, the faces are perforated, and the holes let the sound escape while keeping the cymbal physically normal under the stick.
That design is why the tone sounds clearer and more detailed than most practice cymbals. The manufacturer rates it 70 to 80 percent quieter, and the extra reduction over a conventional mute set is what makes it usable in a genuinely small room rather than just quieter.
Owners with expensive Zildjian and Paiste sets describe the pack as surprisingly musical and use it for jazz, blues, small church rooms and studio sessions, not just practice. The included carry bag with a removable liner and a full felt set get singled out as good value in their own right, and the whole pack has a two-year warranty.
The hi-hats are again the weak point, sounding slightly tinny and losing some character. Be aware that the coloured finish can chip and transfer paint onto sticks and heads, and that the heavier build can bend if you hit it dead-on with a hard beater.
How this compares with the other mute set
Choose on volume and on tone preference. If you need the quietest option available, the perforated design wins and it wins clearly. If you want the cymbals to sound as close to normal cymbals as possible, the conventional polished mute set is closer to the real thing.
Both cover the same 14/16/18/20 layout, so this is a decision about sound character rather than about what fits on your stands. Whichever you pick, buy the included felts or equivalent before first use.
When a low-volume cymbal is the wrong answer
If you are preparing for a band, a low-volume set is a practice tool, not an instrument choice. The character is reduced by design, and a venue with a decent PA will not reproduce what you hear at home, so you will arrive unprepared.
Also reconsider if your household problem is volume through walls rather than through air. A mute cymbal reduces what escapes into the room, but a low-frequency kick drum leak travels much further, and drums will be the bigger complaint in most cases.
8. HAIRIESIS 5-Piece Set – Best Budget Set for Metal and Rock
HAIRIESIS Cymbal Exquisite Alloy Cymbal Set 14″/16″/18″/20″ 5 Pieces Drum Cymbal Drum Practice Cymbals
Cold-forged thickened alloy
14 inch hats, 16 and 18 inch crashes, 20 inch ride
Copper-plated polished finish
Pros
- Bright ringing tone with strong harmonic content
- Crashes choke tightly and the ride has a sweet bell
- No bends or dents reported under hard playing
- Sounds better than entry packs from bigger brands
Cons
- Hi-hats too bright and odd when played alone
- Top and bottom hats are the same weight
- Sustain long enough that some players tape it
This is the loudest, brightest set in the roundup, and for metal, punk or anything driven hard that is the point. The tone has real harmonic content on top of the fundamental, which is what makes a cymbal cut through a distorted guitar mix instead of getting buried.
Owners like the bell on the 20 inch ride, which they describe as large and sweet, and they like that the crashes choke cleanly. Durability is a genuine strength, with no bends or dents reported despite heavy playing, and several buyers note it sounds better than entry packs from established brands at the same money.
The hi-hats are the recurring problem and the rating of 4.2 reflects it. They are too bright, several owners replaced them immediately, and the top and bottom are the same weight, which means you do not get a proper pairing and the pedal will feel odd under any technique that relies on the classic weight difference.
Sustain is also long. Players who want more control add tape or gel to the edges. The 30-day warranty is the shortest here, so factor that into the risk on an unfamiliar brand, and set expectations on tone, which is nowhere near true bronze.
Who this set suits and who it does not
It suits a player who wants presence, volume and edge more than subtlety, and who will replace the hi-hats anyway. A heavy-handed beginner in a loud practice space will get a lot out of this set for very little money.
It does not suit anyone chasing refined tone, anyone playing in a shared room, or anyone who cares about long-term resale. Unbranded sets hold value poorly, so plan on replacing pieces rather than passing them on.
How to make an unbranded set last
Play in a soft case, never a gig bag with a stiff back, and keep felt off the edges. Wash with warm water and a drop of dish soap after playing, dry fully, and store flat and separated so nothing touches the edge.
Avoid striking the cymbal dead centre with a hard beater, and rotate which cymbal you lean on. These cymbals are tough, not indestructible, and most reported damage in any brand comes from transport and contact rather than playing.
9. Foraineam 13 inch Hi-Hat Pair – Best Budget Bronze Hi-Hats
Foraineam 13″ Hi Hat Cymbals Pair
Bronze construction
13 inch pair
Lacquered gold finish
Pros
- Low-cost route to a real bronze hi-hat pair
- Sharp focused full-bodied tone across styles
- Integrates easily into an existing setup
- Decent value for bronze at this level
Cons
- Thinner and less refined than branded bronze
- Some owners need to break them in first
- Tone is not consistent across every piece sold
- No hardware included
Bronze is the word that matters here. Most sub-brand entry cymbals are brass, which is why they sound thin and harsh. A genuine bronze pair at this money gives you a different material and a noticeably different response under the stick.
The tone is described as sharp, focused and full-bodied, and owners like that it slots into an existing kit without needing anything else. For a student on a very tight budget who wants to start with bronze rather than brass, this is the most direct route I have found.
Be realistic about the ceiling. Owners report that bronze at this level is thinner and less refined than anything from Zildjian, Sabian, Meinl or Paiste, and that some pieces need breaking in before the tone settles. The rating spread shows real variation between pieces, so inspect the pair you receive.
It is also 13 inch, not 14. That is smaller than the size most beginners are told to buy, and while 13 inch hats are more compact and open easily, a 14 inch is more standard and easier to resell later.
Should a beginner start with 13 inch or 14 inch hats?
Start with 14 inch unless your kit is very small or your teacher recommends otherwise. Fourteen is the standard, it is what packs include, and it gives you a firmer, more defined closed sound that keeps time more clearly at beginner tempo.
Thirteen inch hats are a legitimate choice and they have their own character, more air and more open-chick when you lift them. But the size you learn on is the size you keep, and 14 is the size most beginners end up with.
What matters most about a first hi-hat pair
Weight matching between the top and bottom cymbal matters more than most spec sheets suggest. A matched pair responds evenly; a mismatched pair chokes unevenly and feels strange in a way beginners blame on their footwork.
After that, feel. A good pair closes cleanly with a light touch and opens smoothly rather than in one sudden jump. That is the standard the Foraineam pair meets adequately, and the standard a branded pair meets properly.
10. Arborea Alloy Cymbal Pack – Best Budget Set for a Full Size Layout
Arborea Cymbal Pack Alloy Cymbals Drum Cymbal Set 14″/16″/18″/20″ Plus Free Cymbal Bag 5 Pieces Cymbals for Drum Set
Thickened stainless steel, polished
14 inch hats, 16 and 18 inch crashes, 20 inch ride
Free cymbal bag included
Pros
- Responsive musical crashes that project well
- Complete 14/16/18/20 layout plus carry bag
- Durable enough for practice and casual gigs
- Solid sound for a strict budget
Cons
- Hi-hats and ride are thin and wash out like crashes
- Top and bottom hats are the same weight
- Tone can read cheap and metallic
This pack exists for one reason: getting a full four-size layout onto a starter kit at the lowest cost of anything here, with a carry bag thrown in. If the number is the deciding factor, the layout on paper is exactly what a beginner setup calls for.
The crashes are the surprise. Owners describe them as unusually responsive for the price, with a punch that projects well in a small room, and the thickened stainless steel is rated to take stronger knocks than it usually gets. Casual players are broadly positive about the whole package.
Experienced drummers are much blunter. Their read is that this is effectively five thin, mislabelled brass crash cymbals, because the hi-hats and the ride do not behave like hi-hats and rides at all. The 20 inch in particular washes out immediately and functions as another crash.
Add to that identical top and bottom hat weights, a thin overall feel, short sustain, and reports of metal cracking under heavy-handed playing, plus a few complaints that what arrived did not match the description. Treat this as a temporary full set, not a keeper.
Is a full layout worth the compromises?
Only if you actually need the fourth cymbal now. A setup with 14 inch hats, one crash and one ride covers every beginner lesson and every first gig, and the fourth cymbal only becomes necessary when you start wanting layered accents.
If you do not need it, the smart move is to buy fewer cymbals and spend the difference on better ones. Two good cymbals beat five thin ones every time, and beginners are almost always told this by teachers and rarely listen.
How to make the most of a thin set
Play the crashes and treat the ride as an oversized crash, which is what it is. Sideswipe rather than hitting edge-on if you play hard, since thin metal cracks most easily that way.
Consider the low-volume packs on this list instead if quiet practice is part of the plan. They cover the same size range with a materially better result for the money, and the hi-hats are the single clearest difference between them.
11. Zildjian Planet Z 14 inch Hi-Hats – Best First Branded Hi-Hat Upgrade
Zildjian Planet Z 14″ Hi Hat Cymbals Pair
Bronze construction
14 inch pair
Made in the USA
Pros
- Crisp open sound with a short separated closed response
- Substantial weight that feels durable
- Clearly improves on cracked kit-bundled hats
- Easy to install and neatly finished
Cons
- Slightly darker and less bright than buyers expect
- Finish colour is more brassy than the photos suggest
- Not a substitute for a refined bronze pair
Hi-hats are the cymbal beginners should spend the most thought on, and this is the pick when the deciding factor is a brand you can trust to make a decent pair at an entry price without going to the bronze flagships.
Owners describe the response precisely: clean and crisp when open, short and separated when closed. That separation is what lets a beginner hear their own timekeeping, and it is the main upgrade over the cracked or tin-can hats that ship with entry kits.
The weight is a real positive. This is a substantial pair that feels durable rather than flimsy, and owners report it withstanding hard playing, which matters when a student is still learning how hard to hit things.
Two honest caveats. The tone is a little darker and less bright than buyers expect from a Zildjian name, and the actual finish reads as more brassy and darker than the product images suggest. It is also not refined bronze, and a few owners already plan to upgrade again later, which is fine but should be a conscious choice.
Is this a good first Zildjian or a stopgap?
It is a genuinely good first branded purchase. The jump from bundled sheet metal to a crisp, weighted Zildjian pair is large, and the 2-year warranty means a defect is covered rather than absorbed by you.
It is not an endpoint. The honest tier ladder in this brand family runs through bronze lines before you reach the top of the range, so expect this pair to be the first of two hi-hat purchases rather than the last.
How to set them up properly from day one
Lift one hat while the other is seated and check the clearance at the bell. Too tight and it chokes, too loose and it clatters, and beginners often blame the cymbals for what is a stand-height problem.
Balance the hi-hat stand so it sits level, and use the pull-claw to bring the top cymbal to a shallow angle. A correctly set entry pair will sound noticeably better than a badly set premium pair, and this adjustment takes two minutes.
12. Sabian B8X 14 inch Thin Crash – Best for Quiet Jazz and Low-Volume Work
SABIAN 14″ B8X Thin Crash Cymbal
Bronze alloy
14 inch thin crash
Bright, fast decay
Pros
- Crisp clean tone with a very fast attack and decay
- Plays quietly
- so it works as a jazz crash
- Light in the hand and responsive to soft playing
- Doubles as a splash given the fast sustain
Cons
- Sustain is shorter than a real crash
- Turns gong-like if hit harder than a jazz volume
- Bronze can be harder on sticks than brass
This is the one cymbal in the roundup that is explicitly a first bronze purchase, and for a player working in a small room it solves a problem no other pick here can. It is quiet at a jazz volume because it is thin by design, not because a mute was added to it.
Owners recommend it specifically to beginners as a first bronze cymbal, and the reasoning is sound: the tight, bright response and low playing volume mean you can practise dynamics honestly without filling the room. Light in the hand, it responds to a feather touch rather than demanding a hard hit.
The compromise is sustain. Decay is fast, and buyers who expected a full crash found it better suited to splash duties, which is the main reason the average sits below five stars. Hit it harder than a typical jazz volume and it turns gong-like, which is the one thing a thin crash cannot hide.
Bronze is also harder on sticks than brass, so keep an eye on your tips if you play this cymbal a lot. A 2-year Sabian warranty covers defects for the life of the product line, which is more reassurance than most picks here offer.
When a thin crash beats a full crash
Use it when you need an accent that punctuates rather than washes. Bebop and jazz phrasing, bossa patterns, ballad intros and any quiet room all favour a cymbal that disappears quickly after the note.
Also use it as a second crash. Layering a 14 inch thin under a larger crash gives you a fast sparkle on top of a long wash, which is a texture you cannot get from one cymbal at any price.
Is bronze worth it on a first cymbal?
For tone, yes, and it is the standard that separates real cymbals from sheet metal. Bronze gives complex overtones, a wide dynamic range and a bell that projects without the cymbal needing to be hit hard.
The trade-off is money and stick wear. Bronze cymbals cost more and mark tips faster, so if your only priority is surviving a year of lessons, brass is the cheaper path. If you want sound quality to improve rather than just get louder, this is where the difference shows up first.
What Cymbals Does a Beginner Actually Need?
A beginner needs four cymbals: 14 inch hi-hats, a 16 inch crash, a 20 inch ride, and an 18 inch crash added when you want layered accents. That is the whole shopping list. Buy the hi-hats first, because you play them on every beat, and add the crash next, because a kit without a crash has no voice.
14 inch hi-hats. The most important cymbal on the kit. Weight-matched, crisp when closed, clean when open. This is where your dynamics live.
16 inch crash. Your accent voice. Small enough to control in a small room, large enough to cut through a band.
20 inch ride. The pulse cymbal. Twenty inches is the standard beginner size and the easiest to play consistently.
18 inch crash. Optional, and the last thing to buy. Add it when you want two crashes to layer instead of one.
Everything else is optional. China cymbals, splashes, FX stacks, effects pairs and eight-way stacks are fun, and none of them are on the critical path to playing well. Most beginners who buy the full catalogue end up with a cluttered kit and one cymbal they actually use.
The one exception is volume. If you are practising somewhere noise is a problem, a low-volume pack covers the same four roles and is a better first purchase than four normal-volume cymbals you are not allowed to hit.
B8 vs B12 vs B20: Which Alloy Should You Buy?
For a beginner, buy the highest alloy you can comfortably afford within a known brand. B20 cast bronze gives complex overtones, a projecting bell and the widest dynamic range. B8 brass is brighter, thinner, cheaper and more focused, which suits beginners who want control over volume. B12 sits between the two, offering more body than B8 without the cost of B20.
B20 is the alloy behind most professional cymbals and it is the reason a bronze cymbal sounds different from a brass one at the same price. The copper and tin content produces overtones that layer as the cymbal rings, so the sound develops instead of simply decaying. You hear that complexity as depth, and it is why bronze holds up in a band mix where thin brass disappears.
B8 brass is the pragmatic choice. It responds fast, has a short decay and is easy to play quietly, and that is genuinely useful while you are still learning how much force a cymbal needs. Its weakness is that thin brass loses its character as soon as you hit it hard, so it can feel one-dimensional at volume.
B12 is the compromise most beginners never need. It has more body and warmth than B8 and costs less than B20, which makes it sensible when you want something more substantial without a second mortgage. In practice, the difference between B12 and either neighbour is smaller than the difference between a known brand and an unknown one.
Here is the rule we give students. Brand first, then alloy. A B20 from a recognised maker will beat a B8 from nobody every time, and a beginner’s ear cannot tell a subtle alloy difference nearly as reliably as it can tell a good cymbal from bad.
Brand Tier Equivalency: Which Beginner Line Matches Which?
Sabian and Zildjian are the two most common first choices, and they are closer than their marketing suggests. At the beginner tier they sit in roughly the same place, and the honest answer to which is better is: whichever gives you the tone you like, because the differences are smaller than the difference between tiers.
The useful comparison is not brand against brand, it is tier against tier, because those do differ a lot. This mapping is the one experienced players use when they talk about entry cymbals, and it holds up across most of the range.
The entry tier pairs Sabian B8 and B8X with Zildjian S series. These are the cymbals a beginner should be aiming at. Below them sit lines that are technically named by a major brand but function as budget products, and above them the bronze lines such as Sabian AA and Zildjian A and K represent a real jump in alloy and construction.
On the other side of the big four, Paiste PST and Meinl HCS occupy the same beginner rung, which is why forum consensus regularly names all four as the sensible first brands. It is also why you will rarely see a strong disagreement between them on tone at this level, because nobody at this tier is playing much above their station.
So if a beginner pack is offered with a mix of brands, that is not a red flag at the entry tier. What is a red flag is a pack that includes a free bonus cymbal, because a bonus cymbal is rarely one you need, and a duplicate size just clutters the setup.
Cymbal Packs vs Buying Singles: What Should a Beginner Do?
Buy singles if you already know the sizes you want, and buy a pack if you do not. That is the short version, and it is the advice that appears most often in forum discussions about first cymbal purchases, usually for a straightforward reason: packs are cheaper per cymbal and singles are cheaper per mistake.
The mistake being avoided is the pack that includes a cymbal you will never play. The most common example is a bonus cymbal duplicating a size you already have, or a 16 inch crash when a 14 would have suited your kit and your room better. You paid for it, it will sit on a stand, and it will muddy your sound.
There is a second pack problem. Packs force a set tone on you, and a set tone is somebody’s idea of a good cymbal, not yours. Once you know you prefer dark and dry or bright and washy, buying singles lets you build a kit that matches your playing instead of a compromise.
The best compromise is a hybrid, and it is what I recommend most often. Buy a branded pack that covers hats, crash and ride, then add singles in the sizes you have decided you want. That gets pack pricing on the essentials and your own taste on the fourth cymbal.
Cymbals to Avoid on a First Purchase
Avoid unbundled unbranded brass sheets, mismatched hi-hat pairs with different top and bottom weights, and any pack whose main selling point is a free bonus cymbal. These are the three patterns that show up again and again in complaints about beginner kits, and each of them is fixable before you pay rather than after.
Brass sheets are the original problem. Thin, unbalanced and pitched in a narrow band, they make good drumming sound bad, which is demoralising at exactly the stage where motivation is fragile. A branded pack at a similar price is a different instrument entirely.
Mismatched hi-hats are harder to spot and easier to regret. If the top and bottom cymbal are the same weight, the pedal will never feel right and you will spend months thinking your technique is broken. Check the pair by eye and by feel, and buy a matched pair.
Now the honest part. Two lines in this roundup sit in families that get a lot of criticism, and we are still recommending them. Zildjian Planet Z and Sabian SBR are both entry lines that sit below where we would send an experienced player, and compared to the bronze lines they are thin and bright.
What changes our view is context. If your alternative is bundled brass, Planet Z is a large improvement, and SBR is a legitimate bright accent cymbal rather than a mistake. They are not where you end up, and we say so plainly in each section, but they are not the disaster their reputation implies. Just buy them deliberately, not by accident.
Low-Volume Cymbals for Apartments and Small Practice Rooms
Low-volume cymbals are the most useful thing nobody tells beginners about. If you live with other people, or share a building, or practise in a room where a full-volume crash is a social problem, a mute set does not replace your cymbals so much as make practice possible.
They fall into two designs. The first shrinks the cymbal itself so there is less metal to ring, which keeps the tone closest to a real cymbal. The second perforates the face so sound escapes through holes, which reduces volume further and often produces a slightly more detailed tone as a result.
Expect a small penalty at the hi-hats. That is the consistent finding across owner reviews of every low-volume pack we looked at. The crashes and rides tend to be fine, sometimes genuinely good, but the hats come across thin and high-pitched when closed, and some players add tape to take the edge off.
Before you buy a mute set, try the cheap fix. Felts on the stands, a hi-hat control ring and soft sticks will cut the volume dramatically on cymbals you already own, and they take a few minutes to fit. If that solves the problem, you have saved the money and kept real cymbals.
Also weigh the drums. A mute cymbal reduces airborne sound, but low frequencies carry through walls and floors far better than highs, so neighbours usually notice the kick and the floor tom before the cymbals. Practice pads and a rug under the hi-hat solve more of the problem than most beginners expect.
Cymbal Care: Five Steps That Make Your First Set Last
Clean your cymbals after every session. Warm water, a drop of dish soap, a soft cloth, and dry them fully before they go back on a stand. This single habit prevents the vast majority of the grime, stick-marking and dulling that makes cymbals look and sound tired.
Protect the edges, because that is where damage starts. Use a cymbal bag with a padded back rather than a flat gig bag, keep your sticks from resting against the rims when the kit is packed, and never carry cymbals loose in a car footwell.
Use felts and check them. A felt that has worn smooth lets the wing nut cut into the bow, which dents the bell and ruins the profile. Replace felts the moment they look flattened, and check the stand height while you are there.
Let new cymbals play in before you judge them. The first few sessions are the loudest and harshest, and tone opens up as the surface settles. Give a new pair a full week of practice before you decide it is wrong.
Control ringing with tape or gel, not with force. If a cymbal is too loud, put a small strip on it rather than playing it softer, because playing softer is what stops you developing volume control in the first place.
Frequently Asked Questions
What cymbals should a drummer have?
A working drummer needs four core cymbals: 14 inch hi-hats for time, a 16 inch or 18 inch crash for accents, a 20 inch or 21 inch ride for the pulse, and often a splash or china for colour. Beginners should buy in that order and start with the hi-hats, because they are the cymbal played on every beat and they teach dynamics better than anything else on the kit.
What should a beginner drummer buy first?
Buy hi-hats first, then a 16 inch crash, then a 20 inch ride. That three-piece core covers every beginner lesson and a first gig. Avoid a large pack with six cymbals, because most beginners end up with cymbals they never play. If noise is an issue where you practise, start with a low-volume pack that covers the same sizes.
Which is better, B8 or B20 cymbals?
B20 cast bronze sounds more complex and projects better because it develops layered overtones, so it is the better long-term choice for tone. B8 brass is cheaper, thinner and more focused, which makes it easier to play quietly while you are still learning. Choose brand before alloy: a B20 from a known maker beats a B8 from an unknown one every time.
Is Sabian or Zildjian better for beginners?
Both are excellent first brands and the difference is smaller than most marketing suggests. Compare tiers rather than brands: Sabian B8 and B8X sit with the Zildjian S series as the beginner tier, with Paiste PST and Meinl HCS alongside them. Pick the tone you like and stick with one brand, since matching hats and crashes from the same family sounds better than mixing.
What are the big 4 cymbal companies?
The four major cymbal makers are Zildjian, Sabian, Meinl and Paiste. Zildjian offers the widest range from entry to pro. Sabian builds most of its cymbals in Canada. Meinl is a German maker known for brass alloy and its Byzance line. Paiste is Swiss and known for its PST series and innovations in alloy development.
How do I know which cymbals to buy?
Decide three things in order: the sizes, which is 14 inch hats, a 16 inch crash and a 20 inch ride; the tone, whether you want bright and cutting or dark and washy; and the volume, whether you need a low-volume set for a shared space. Then match those to a known brand at the tier above its entry line, where the real quality step is.
What is the best cymbal pack for beginners?
The best pack is the one that gives you 14 inch hi-hats, a 16 inch crash and a 20 inch ride from a known brand, and nothing you will not use. Packs that add a fifth bonus cymbal are worse packs for beginners, because the extra piece is usually a duplicate you will never play. Skip any pack whose selling point is how many cymbals are in the box.
The Verdict: Start Small and Upgrade One Piece at a Time
If you are choosing one thing from this roundup for the best cymbals for beginners, take the Meinl HCS Box Set. It is the strongest combination of owner rating and volume of real feedback here, it covers hi-hats and a crash in one purchase, and it comes with sticks and lesson access. If your space is small, take the Arborea low-volume mute set instead and solve the volume problem before it solves itself.
Then buy one crash and one ride in the size you lack, and stop. A year of playing on good hats, one good crash and one good ride will teach you more than any six-cymbal pack, and you will know by then exactly which sound you want to spend on next.
The upgrade path that works for most beginners runs in three steps. Year one is a branded starter set covering hats, crash and ride. Year two is a single second crash in a matched tone, which is the moment a kit starts to sound like a band kit. Year three is a proper bronze ride, and by then most players are ready for the alloy upgrade that the first two years were teaching them to hear.
Keep the drums in a bag with a padded back, keep the cymbals clean, and go play. The gear stops mattering about six months in, which is exactly as it should be. Last reviewed and updated for 2026.