The 10 Best Drum Thrones Reviewed by a Drummer [2023]

So you’re looking for a drum throne on which to express yourself comfortably on the drum set? Great, well you’ve come to the right place!

We have written the quintessential article on drum thrones (and for those of you who are wondering what a drum throne is – it is simply a stool you sit on when you play the drums or percussion).

Perhaps some of you would probably prefer to spend your money on a better drum set 9or some new drum sticks but hear me out – a perfect drum throne will change the way you play, forever! Comfort, quality, steadiness, durability, versatility and price are all important factors to look at when selecting a drum throne that is perfect for you.

Finding the best drum throne for your needs is crucial if you want to deliver an exceptional drum performance and feel good while you are doing it. You should feel like music royalty when you play your drums so let’s find the perfect throne for you. We’ve researched many, many drum thrones and after test driving them all, here is the cream of the crop.

Roc N Soc seats are often described as “the pinnacle of comfort and durability” by drummers worldwide and their renowned Nitro drum throne is no exception.

Its contoured ergonomic motorcycle seat design is beautifully handcrafted using only the best quality materials. This design is aimed at reducing back and leg fatigue during those long practice sessions.

It has a highly advanced pneumatic height adjustment mechanism allowing you to easily adjust the height from between 18” – 24”. This is by far the best hydraulic drum throne in the market. Once set to the desired height it will not move or bounce around.

The seat cushion is made up of multi-layer foam that increases support and comfort while you are playing. It has a free spinning seat that reduces spinal strain from body twisting, while the unique nitrogen gas shock absorber gives the throne a subtle bounce to reduce back fatigue.

This seat is fully customisable with an option for a backrest, which however, must be bought separately. Roc N Soc also allows you to customise the seat size as you can select how big or small you want the seat to be when you order.

To ensure that it lasts, the Nitro was built from heavy duty, high quality materials that also guarantee its stability and sturdiness thus keeping you firm and steady as you rock out.

Pros 

• Pneumatic height adjustment
• Comfortable
• Ergonomically designed to reduce fatigue
• Fully customisable

Cons

•  Heavy

Roc N Soc is the industry standard when it comes to drum thrones. Drummers love this seat and can’t seem to fault it. It is highly recommended that one gets the backrest as well throne in order to enhance its ergonomic capabilities.

Many drummers have hailed this as the best drum throne for back problems and highly recommend it if you are prone to discomfort when you play.

If you are particular about colours, this drum throne comes in various different colours which include grey, green, red, black, and blue.

Apart from being a little bit on the heavy side, the other possible downside that we can try to attribute to this drum throne is that it is not suitable for a drummer who is constantly travelling to different gigs in various locations. It’s quite heavy and breaking it down and setting it up over time may affect the hydraulic system negatively.

This seat is so adored by drummers that one might be tempted to say that this is the best drum throne ever created.

When it comes to high end drum thrones, this model is the Ferrari of drum thrones.

At first glance it may look like it is styled in the motorcycle seat design but in actual fact the design was taken from the seat model used for tractors.

The seat has dual form padding that provides superior stability and increased comfort. It is covered in black vinyl which makes it easy to clean. It also has optional extras like a backrest but those must be ordered separately.

There are rare occasions where you may get the backrest as part of the full package but for that you would have to keep your eyes peeled for special deals and offers out there.

The backrest is also compatible with their other Airlift™ thrones so if you have another different DW model you can use this backrest on it without having to buy a separate one for each stool.

This is definitely one of the best drum thrones with a backrest, if not the best. It also allows for fluid movement as it swivels effortlessly giving you more range and reducing the strain that may be placed on your back.

We definitely felt a huge difference when we sat in one and tried the swivel motion. It massively delivers on the comfort aspect.

Pros

• Hydraulic Height Adjustment
• Comfortable
• High Quality

Cons

• Vinyl material can get torn easily if you are not careful.

The price may scare you off but it’s worth every penny. If you are a serious drummer and you value comfort and sturdiness, then the airlift tractor is the way to go.

You will be able to focus on your drumming without thinking about your comfort. It puts your mind at ease so you can focus squarely on the important task in front of you.

It’s also very durable and you will likely never have to replace it for a long time thus saving you money in the long run. It was built to last and withstand anything you throw at it.

It’s light enough to move around which should be music to the ears of the traveling musician. It does only come in one colour so you may be put off if style is a deal-breaker for you. Despite that fact we have to admit that it certainly looks great in black and feels good to the touch.

When it comes to high end luxurious drum thrones, Pork Pie Percussion is the brand to beat. They are known for their high quality and distinct designs that make them stand out from the crowd.

Their motorcycle drum throne offers the ultimate level of comfort and you can tell that great care has been taken in constructing this stool. The seat is ultra-padded and handmade in the United States.

The motorcycle design was specifically chosen to reduce the fatigue associated with long hours of drumming.

For height adjustment, Pork Pie has chosen to go with a spindle mechanism that is easy to use but not as convenient as a pneumatic mechanism. This design choice was made to increase the strength and durability of the stool and you can feel it when you handle it.

Pros

• Comfortable
• Caters to heavier people

Cons

• No pneumatic height adjustment

Drummers come in all shapes and sizes and this drum throne acknowledges that. It caters for all drummers no matter their weight. If you are looking for something that is strong, sturdy, and up to the task of holding all your weight comfortably, the Pork Pie is definitely worth giving a try.

Pork Pie plays a bit on the adventurous side when it comes to colours and seat materials used for this model. You can get one in a range of different colours and even various animal prints like zebra or cheetah if you are daring.

It’s a bit pricey but worth the investment. The majority of people, including ourselves, who have had the pleasure of using this stool have found it to be one of the most comfortable drum thrones ever created.

The Rockville RDS30 drum throne has a lightweight design and features shock absorbing rubber feet to guarantee its sturdiness and durability. It can be folded with ease and carried around to anywhere you may need it.

The stool has a simple round classic design with thick padding to ensure comfort as you play for hours. It’s perfect for the travelling drummer as it is lightweight and easy to move around. This stool can be easily adjusted to suit your own height.

When it comes to swivel capabilities it requires certain screws to be loosened in order to give it that swivel action and this may affect its stability. And so it may take a bit of tinkering with to figure out the perfect swivel position for your needs.

Pros 

• Compact and lightweight
• Foldable
• Shock absorbing feet

Cons 

• Not suitable for advanced players
• Does not swivel as easily as other thrones

This drum throne is suitable and highly recommended for the drummer who doesn’t have a lot of space in their practice room or apartment and probably doesn’t play their drums a lot.

When you are not playing your drums, the stool folds easily and can be stored away somewhere until you need it. If space is a luxury and you travel a lot with your drums then this is the stool you need. If you require a lot of swivelling action when you play then this seat may not be the one for you.

Although it may look awkward at first, Gibraltar’s motorcycle seat styled drum throne was designed with comfort in mind.

This model tries to offer the comfort of a high-end drum throne at a lower price point. It has a direct in-height adjustment mechanism in the form of a sliding tube height adjustment with a memory lock allowing you to adjust the height between 18 and 24 inches. The seat cover is made from high quality vinyl and has excellent stitching.

It has great swivel action but only to a certain extent. The higher you raise it when adjusting, the less swivel you get.

This drum throne most definitely exceeded our expectations as it gave us so much and all at an affordable price. Using a motorcycle seat drum throne is an experience that one takes time to adjust to but this is a great entry level model to try when you use one for the first time.

Pros

• The affordable price
• Perfect for beginners
• Durable
• Adjustable

Cons

• Motorcycle seat design may not suit certain players’ tastes
• Not accommodating to heavier drummers.

Value for money is the first thing that comes to mind when we think of this seat. This is one of the best drum thrones for the money. It was built to last and you can tell when you handle it and sit on it.

Most beginners’ drum thrones are simple round designs but with the Gibraltar you get an ergonomic motorcycle seat design often found on pricier stools. Bear in mind that the motorcycle seat style may not be suited for everyone.

At the end of the day we would recommend this throne to those drummers who are accustomed to the motorcycle seat and its feel and those who want to give this design a try for the first time.

Every drummer knows how important it is to have a steady stool that won’t move during performances and this seat excels in its steadiness and sturdiness. Its feet are made out of high-quality rubber ensuring that you stay in place while you rock away.

It is multifunctional in the sense that it can also be used to play other instruments such as the keyboard and the guitar. We were able to set it up quite easily and quickly. We would however, have loved a bit more padding for increased comfort.

Pros 

• Multifunctional. Can be used to play on a keyboard or other instruments
• Affordable
• Does not require assembly
• Lightweight

Cons

• Height can only be adjusted by adjusting the legs
• It is not suitable for travelling
• Not the best quality

The best part about this seat is the price and the fact that you can use it as soon as you get it.

To be honest, the price is really the main reason why the Universal gets a spot on our list. This is another stool that is perfect if you are looking to save money but keep in mind that it does not have any fancy features and is a bit of a hassle when it comes to height adjustment.

It is most suited for someone who plays their drums in one location and never has to move around with them. We found it to be just adequate and capable of meeting our basic needs. It’s not the best but it certainly gets the job done

The Percussion Plus 300T is the leading model in the kids drum thrones division and has been designed to perfectly suit junior drummers’ needs as it takes into account that children are still growing and will require the seat to be adjusted for height a few times. It is largely used with smaller 3-piece and 4-piece junior drum sets. The height can be easily adjusted to fit the one that is comfortable for any child and is perfect for use by anyone under five feet tall. To ensure stability, safety and steady support, the feet are non-slip. It has a very quick and easy setup so even a child can put it together if need be.

Pros

•  No-slip height adjustment
•  Very affordable

Cons 

• Not made for adults

This is the most inexpensive solution for a child who is just starting out and getting used to their drum set. Its specific attention to and attempt to cater mainly for younger drummers makes this the best kid drum stool on the market. The market for child drum thrones is very niche so this model gets away with quite a bit since competition is so sparse.

We would have shown it more love if it had been designed in such a way that it could also cater for tall adults without compromising on its structural integrity. Parents will know that kids can sometimes be fickle and drop hobbies really quickly so in the event that they wake up one day and decide to start drumming you don’t have to blow your budget on something they will never use again.

You’ll save your money with this model but still get the value and the relative sturdiness of a larger drum throne but at a fraction of the cost.

This is DW’s second appearance on our list and we have come to expect quality products from them. The PDP is the more affordable, budget version of our #2 choice but it has been styled in the simple round shaped design that many drummers are accustomed to.

The seat is covered with vinyl and it only comes in one colour – black. It has sturdy double-braced legs with large rubber feet that increase sturdiness and stability. The height of this seat can be adjusted with the help of a carriage bolt although it is not as easy as one would want it to be. When we tried it we couldn’t help but notice that it doesn’t swivel which is probably the oddest thing we came across in our research.

Pros

• Lightweight
• Comfortable and ergonomic
• Affordable
• Durable

Cons

• Not easy to adjust the height
• Does not swivel

This was designed as an entry level drum throne that is perfect for beginners and intermediate players who are still getting used to the drums and just need adequate comfort at an affordable price.

Although many may sing its praises its biggest let-down is that it does not swivel. We are not sure what the designers were thinking when they excluded such an important feature. We came across a few drummers, who through their own ingenuity made some minor adjustments to the screws to give them a little bit of swivel. We, however, do not recommend that you do the same thing.

As you learn and develop your technique as a drummer, you would need to replace this stool in a few years or even sooner to get one that swivels and allows greater movement. Hopefully in the future DW releases a version of this model that swivels as it has so much potential to be great.

Let’s say you want to get into drumming but your budget is tight and you need everything on the cheap side. Well then the Spectrum is what you are looking for.

This is the best cheap drum throne you can find and is quite popular due to its low-end price.

The spectrum has a simple round seat design with just enough padding to pass the minimum requirements for comfort. It also has a swivel movement and can be height adjusted to reach a maximum height of 22 inches.

Its double brace design has a maximum capacity of 250lbs so it can hold a fully grown adult quite easily. It does not require any assembly, so setting it up is quick and easy. It has non-skid rubberised feet to give it that sturdy feeling you need.

Pros 

• Affordable
• Non-skid rubberised feet

Cons 

• Low quality material is used
• Not the most comfortable

This is another drum throne is great for beginners and intermediate drummers. This seat is most likely not for all serious professional drummers.

The upside of getting this stool is that Spectrum strives on excellent customer service and they always ensure their customer’s satisfaction. Should you have any problems with your spectrum drum throne they will rush to address any issues that you may be experiencing.

It’s definitely worth trying them out, especially if you are new to the drumming world. This will help you save on your start-up costs. This is another drum throne on our list that does what it needs to do and nothing more.

One word describes this drum throne and that word is “simplicity.”

This throne is made from heavy duty material and has a double braced, multi-layered padded seat for comfort. An impressive feature of this throne is its durability, with drummers who have tried it even professing to have used it for quite a few years without ever having any big problems.

It may be cheap, but it lasts for quite a while which is a testament to its strength despite the fact that the company did not use the highest quality of materials to make it.

Pros

• Affordable
• Durable

Cons

• Not really suitable for heavier adults
• Heavy
• Low quality materials used

This stool is mostly suited to children but some adults who are on the lighter side will find a use for it too. If you are a casual drummer, then this is probably the stool for you. It is part of the low budget range and it will be very friendly on your pocket if you are looking for something affordable. However, keep in mind that you in most cases get what you pay for. It only comes in black and the design is as simple as you can get. It is not as glamorous as the other stools in our list but it will get the job done.

When it comes to comfortable, ergonomic drum thrones our top 3 models mentioned in this article take the biscuit. To reduce that leg and back fatigue experienced by drummers during long jam sessions, designers opted to style the thrones according to the designs of motorcycle and tractor seats as this has been scientifically proven to eliminate any uncomfortable fatigue or strain that the drummer may experience from long hours of playing.

You should not feel any pain or discomfort while you are doing what you love and the designers of these drum thrones want to make sure that you never have to.

The type of padding used on a drum throne is also another important feature when it comes to comfort. Some stools, like the Nitro make you feel like you are sitting on a cloud (I’m sure you can imagine how very comfy that is), whilst others, granted they are cheap, feel like they are stuffed with the same foam used on bus seats.

Another aspect to look at when dealing with comfort is a drum throne’s swivel capabilities. They are also important and should be taken into consideration because swivel gives you freedom of movement and enables you to easily adjust your position to reach your drums easily without putting any strain on your back through jerking motions. One should be able to perform those twisting motions effortlessly and the perfect drum throne is one that makes it possible to do so.

When it comes to price, our top picks range from high-end luxury to low end cheapest of the cheap. If you are going to be into drumming for the long run, we definitely recommend any of our top 3 models.

Don’t be afraid to spend money for good quality. Over time they prove to be a wise investment. Consider the amount of hours you’ll spend playing over the years and the “cost per use” this comes with.

For those who casually drum or just want to dabble in it as a hobby but do not want to invest too much money into it, our lower priced picks such as the Cannon and the Spectrum are perfect choices to purchase when you are just entering into the world of drumming.

Apart from making the drumming experience more pleasurable another great thing about drum thrones is that they can be versatile and be used when playing guitars, keyboards, and a whole lot of other instruments.

There are a few multi-talented musicians out there who would love to transition from one instrument to the next without having to change or compromise their sitting comfort. Some of the drum thrones, especially our top 3, are perfect for such individuals. It’s like killing two birds with one stone. You get to use the drum throne on more than one instrument although you only paid one price. That’s a sweet deal if ever you saw one.

Overall, buying a drum throne should be a personal decision in which you examine your overarching needs and wants as a drummer, as well as the level you are currently at in your drumming career. You should also look at the level you are aiming to reach and what it takes to get there. Every little aspect matters. Regardless of your budget, there are plenty of great options across the price spectrum from which to choose from. All in all, searching for the best drum throne is largely down to your personal preferences.

When it is time to make the purchase make sure that you look at the reviews, watch the unboxing and how-to videos and read other people’s comments about what you want in order to get valuable insight into the benefits and setbacks you may encounter with each drum throne.

More importantly and wherever possible try and go to the store where you can touch the drum throne, sit on it and get a feeling of whether it is what you are looking for or not. We would highly recommend physically testing out your drum throne before making that purchase. This way, you save time and money by getting the right one for your needs.

Don’t be afraid to reach out to fellow drummers to get tips and their opinions on the various options out there.

The comfort, balance, durability, steadiness and support from the perfect drum throne can elevate your drumming capabilities to new heights you never could have imagined – and isn’t that what every drummer wants? Take your time, do the research, consider your budget wisely and you will find the perfect drum throne that is made just for you.