Want To Take Up Learning Musical Instruments But Do Not Know Where To Begin? Try These Best Djembe Drum 2023

Melody has been an important source of entertainment for humans for a long time. This functions as a tool that can lift up your mood and ease your mind whenever you feel down in the dump. Just like the other musical instruments that have profound effects on the human soul, these Best Djembe Drum that we are going to discuss here are also seen as a spiritual symbol of West Africans.

Djembe Drum is one of the most worth-trying kind of musical instruments for beginners thanks to its versatile and wide application. Since hipster culture is now all the rage, the number of Best Djembe Drum manufactured grows rapidly day by day. In fact, this is a user-friendly instrument because you can produce a diverse range of pitches including the bass tone and slap just by using your own hand. 

In order to get to know which one is the Best Djembe Drum and pick the perfect one, keep on reading. 

Best Djembe Drum Comparison 2023

No	Name	Image	Details
1	X8 Celtic Labyrinth Djembe Drum with Bag		VIEW PRODUCT
2	Remo DJ-0016-05 Mondo Djembe Drum - Earth, 16"		VIEW PRODUCT
3	Hand-carved Djembe Drum From Africa - 13"x24" - Drum Circle Village		VIEW PRODUCT
4	lotmusic African Djembe Drum, Standard 8'' Blue Cloth Stitched Congo Drum, Professional Bongo Drum With Goatskin Drumhead		VIEW PRODUCT
5	Djembes Drum AKLOT African Drum Hand-Painted 9.5'' x 20'' Mahogany Goatskin Drumhead for Adults Starter Beginners		VIEW PRODUCT

** Below, you will find our detailed reviews of the Best Djembe Drum, but you can also click these following links to see current prices or read customer reviews on Amazon.

Top 19 Best Djembe Drum Reviews 2023

X8 Celtic Labyrinth Djembe Drum with Bag

This X8 Celtic Labyrinth Djembe Drum is considered as the Best Djembe Drum. The outside of this drum is made from solid, legally-harvested mahogany logwood that is lathe-turned for uniform thickness. Drum head is covered by unbleached goat skin while the inside are rough surface carvings. This Best Djembe Drum also comes with a 2-ring system and alpine nylon turning rope.

All of the features listed above of X8 Celtic Labyrinth Djembe Drum have great contributions to its perfect sound: crisp, loud and long-lasting. 

The manufacturer is really considerate since they have designed a fitted tote bag in order to allow users to bring the drum along with them at any time and at the same time create a great protection for their drum.. Most importantly, this tote bag plus a bamboo Pan flute and two egg shakers are given for free. 

Also, a DVD instruction comes along with each drum that will show you how to tune your drum as well as how to take care of the musical instruments and the basic rules. All in all, this is a perfect Djembe Drum for beginners as well as professionals. 

Remo DJ-0016-05 Mondo Djembe Drum – Earth

Even Though comes second in the Best Djembe Drum run, this Remo Mondo Djembe Drum have a lot of features that worth your consideration. With a simple but modern design, this one would be the Best Djembe Drum for intermediate players and up. 

The special thing about this drum is its shell is made from Acousticon composite material while its head is Remo’s signature. The head is designed to be weatherproof and warm in tone so that it is not easily worn out. Moreover, it is also key-tuned so users don’t have to worry about it becoming out of tune due to travel or season change.

This is considered as the Best Djembe Drum when it comes to the sound. It is loud, big but really bright and can be used as a soloist. 

Hand-carved Djembe Drum From Africa

This product is a hand-carved Djembe Drum that originates from Africa. Since it is made from wood and natural West Africa goat skin as well as manipulated by cultural artisans so it appears to be quite cultural and can represent its homeland, from the design to the sound. 

The thing that should be mentioned about this product is its portability. The 10″X20″ djembe is sized for use in grade and middle schools, which means that it is small enough to carry anywhere. Another strong point of this Africa-origin product is its Warm, full bass sound, strong open tones, and clean, crisp, high slaps – which can satisfy the most picky person.

Djembe African Drum Bongo Congo

This African Djembe Drum is famous for its beautiful appearance . It comes in 3 different sizes and 3 different colours so it allows customers to have a wide range of choice. On the outsize, it is covered by numerous colorful aztec patterns and tribal prints, which are able to immediately catch your attention from miles away. 

Just like the other products, this drum has goatskin drumhead. That is the reason why it is duable, high ductility and having a wide fantastic tonal range, from a piercing slap tone to a deep resounding bass. Moreover, it is also well-designed for children beginners since it is light and small. In addition, this Djembe Drum has four-button lock rope sounds to keep its classic sounds with a warm tone.The ropes are also responsible for enabling the drum to hold its pitch for a long time before re-tuning.

Hand-Painted Bongo Congo Djembe Drum

Another product comes from Bongo Congo and is also covered with aztec pattern. It is made from genuine goatskin, which makes it sounds sharper and louder as well as fewer overtones in the slap, compared with other Best Djembe Drum. 

This masterpiece is made in the hand of skilled artisans and the low-stretch rope is tested several times by professional drummers so that is the reason why it is easier for tuning. 

In addition, the manufacturer offers customers 45 days satisfaction and quality warranty, allowing users to have the best buying experience than ever.

Remo Djembe

If you are a minimalist, you just can not miss this Best Djembe Drum from Remo. Its design is so simple with full black outlook and a logo on it. 

This product has a traditional shape with wide and flat drumhead as well as sturdy cylindrical body allowing it to stand straight while playing. It also gives listeners high-quality sound with deep lows and clear highs. Beyond that, it is made from natural material so that it is durable and long-lasting.

Remo Mondo™ Fiberskyn Djembe Drumhead

Unlike the other Best Djembe Drum, this one is a total difference. It has a flat round shape with a small size that is convenient for using and storing. You can easily take it along anywhere and it won’t take a lot of your space. 

It is also made with reputable materials that avoid diverse effects of humidity and temperature change. In addition, this one is designed to fit most of the Djembes and Ashiko Drum so it is a nice deal if you want to replace your old drumhead with this new one. 

Meinl Djembe with Mahogany Wood

Another Best Djembe Drum that is made from natural wood and hand-crafted beautifully and meticulously. Since the drumhead is made from selected goat leather, it is capable of delivering an high-quality sound with distinctive tunes – lows are deep while the highs are plump and clear.

In addition, the surface of the drumhead is quite well-designed that it is perfect to move your hands around easily and create beautiful rhythm.

Latin Percussion LP961AP

If you are too tired to look for another new Best Djembe Drum – which sometimes does not live up to your expectation, try this drumhead instead. 

This Latin Percussion only weighs 227 grams, making it easy to carry and replace. Moreover, it could easily be compatible with any Djembe and still create excellent and distinctive tunes. And unlike other drumheads which are usually diversely affected by weather, this one has good moisture resistance so you don’t have to worry about its endurance.

Meinl ADJ7-XL Fire Rhythm

This is the Best Djembe Drum for advanced adult players and it comes from a prestigious brand. It has an aesthetic outlook with the shell is made from solid mahogany wood while the face is covered by goat skin. 

All of this material gives the product such a strong and sonorous sound. Compared to Djembe Drums that are designed exclusively for beginners, this one weighs 16 lbs – not too heavy for adult professionals. 

Heartwood Project

If you want to look for an artistic gift for a friend who has a strong passion for West African culture, this one is the Best Djembe Drum for that purpose.

Even Though it is shipped from Africa to US, its quality is still guaranteed since it has been already inspected and fine-tuned. The shell is made from solid hardwood and drumhead is covered by West African goat, creating a heavenly sound. It is also user-friendly so it is quite suitable for beginners and intermediates. 

Meinl Black River

This is a special Djembe Drum when it comes to the name, appearance with a perfect size for travelling thanks to its lightweight. 

This product is made of one piece mahogany wood and the whole body is covered by hand carved ridges, which depicts the picture of ripples in the river. And that is also the reason why it is named River. Its weight is only 4lbs which allows you to take it anywhere with you without any doubts.  

Deep Carved Djembe Elephant

The most special thing about this Djembe Drum is how it was made. It is created from one piece mahogany and is dried and oiled over and over again for 20 times. Another thing that should be mentioned is the pattern and color outside. It gives you a strong sense of culture and sophistication and boho vibes.

It also comes with a handle so that means you have more rope for tuning.  

Hand Carved Ivory Coast

Unlike those meticulous-designed Djembe Drum, the simple single-colored ones are still able to give you another experience like this Hand Carved Ivory Coast. 

It is covered by brown and yellow color with neat design, which is a perfect representative for the coast where it comes from. In addition, since its design is solid and symmetrical, it sounds beyond expectations of such experts. So that is why it is made for professional grade Djembe.

Remo Mondo Infinity

The first time seeing this, a lot of people would have mistaken its skin is made of a raw animal. However it is not true since the skilled artisans just try to create a natural look for this Djembe Drum. In fact, it is made of red wood grain and it is amazing for players who love minimalism. 

Also, this drum is a perfect accompaniment to a solo Djembe thanks to its strong, loud deep bass.

Remo Kids Percussion Rain Forest

You will immediately know that this is the Best Djembe Drum for kids. With its small size and easy portability, it is really not a big deal to carry it along with a strap included. The drum skin, which is Remo’s signature, is something that has great duration if it is well-cared. 

Since this is exclusively designed for kids, it will be unbelievably light so it is suitable for travelling or becomes your back-up drum. However, the drawback that should be considered is the skin – which easily becomes slack, rendering the sound become duller.

Toca Origins

Another Djembe Drum for kids or adults under 5’. Toca is the brand that has long been famous for its reasonable percussion. The thing that worth mentioning about this product is it uses only plantation grown wood, which appears to be environmentally-friendly. In addition, inside this one piece mahogany instrument are grooves, allowing it to remove all the overtones.

Meinl Percussion Artisan Djembe

This is not just a simple Best Djembe Drum, it can be used as beautiful decorative for your house thanks to its fascinating outlook with all the deep carvings on the body. Since it comes in XXL size, it appears to be designed for adults and experienced djembe folas.

It also delivers such pristine sound quality and consistency with a diverse tone range. It is quite pricey for a Djembe Drum, however,  you are allowed to pay by 12 monthly instalments with interest-free.

B.N.D. TOP Djembe Drum 

If you have a tight budget but still want to give Djembe Drum a try, this is a highly-recommended one since it is especially affordable. 

It is made from raw goatskin which is attached traditionally by woven nylon rope. Unlike most of Djembe Drum, usually hand-carved, this one is not fully handmade because you can witness that it has been turned on a lathe, creating a shiny and glossy appearance. However, when it comes to the sound, B.N.D. TOP does not receive many positive comments from users. A lot of them said that the bass tone is muddy while the slap tones do not pop clearly. Moreover, it is pretty hard to tune this Djembe Drum. 

How to choose the Best Djembe Drum

It is easy for intermediates or experienced players to find their perfect Best Djembe Drum. But What if you are just a starter and still have no idea which Djembe Drum to pick after the list of 19 Best Djembe Drum above? 

Browsing through our buying guideline for more information.

Skin

The first and foremost factor that should be considered is the skin of Djembe Drums. It is the skin, shell and stretched rope that determine the sound quality of a Djembe Drum. Different types of skin give different sound effects of each product. The best drum heads are usually made from Guinea, Mali, or Senegal goatskin. However, depending on the taste, each person has their own judgment about sound. Some prefer clear and highs while others are more into deep bass. So if you are on the richer sound’s side, choose Traditional goatskin heads. If you are a big fan of brighter sounds that are distinctive when played along with other musical instruments, choose synthetic heads. 

The thickness of the skin is another factor that has a great contribution to sound quality. Medium thick to thick skins will provide you better tones with less fluctuations. On the other hand, even though it is easier for beginners to play,  Djembes with thinner skins do not have as great a duration as the thicker ones.

Shell

The second factor that affects sound quality of a Djembe Drum is the Shell. Most traditional Djembe Drums are now made of solid mahogany wood. Artisans will later use that one piece wood to shape it into the drum and smoothen all the sharp edges. Djembe Drum that uses natural materials usually produce pristine sound quality with clear highs and deep lows, compared to synthetic counterparts. However, natural woods will make Djembe Drums become heavy, hard to carry when it comes to travelling. All in all, everything has its drawbacks so it depends on your needs. 

Rope

Rope is responsible for the tuning in a Djembe Drum. It has to be stretched to the point that it helps to create the precise tone. That is the reason why we need to use high-quality rope that does not get affected by the weather. High-quality ropes enable the Djembe Drum to stay in tune for such a long time before re-tuning. Moreover, after so many times of stretching over and over, durable ropes will remain unslacked. If you are looking for a Djembe Drum that is affordable, use one with Nylon rope. This is a common material for ropes, but they tend to be flat, thin, and weak and easily stretchy. Otherwise, choose djembes with premium nylon or polyester. 

Size

Size is also a key element in order to create the Best Djembe Drum. Not only does it affect the tone, but also affects its usage. It is believed that the bigger one djembe drum gets, the wider its range would fluctuate. If you are an experienced player, you can control the drum and create distinctive sound by using a large-sized drum. However, a large Djembe Drum is quite bulky to carry along so it does not mean that the larger, the better. It depends on your body, also.

Affordability

Financial status is something that should be carefully considered when you make a buying decision. There are plenty of choices of Djembes that come in a wide range of prices, which allows you to easily find one that is suitable for your financial condition and needs. If you are looking for a Djembe Drum for your children or for beginners, feel free to choose the cheap one. There are numerous affordable products with high quality sound out there in the market. 

Sound

The Best Djembe Drum  should have a loud, pristine, and expressive sound to cut through the racket and the sound of other instruments. It also means that Best Djembes Drum needs to have a sound that is able to pop up over the background noise. A quality djembe should, therefore, have at least three very distinctive and easy to isolate sounds. The wrong shape of the drum’s bowl, the wrong material chosen can be the reason to create such a tone-deaf Djembe. 

Most Frequently-Asked Question

1. Which one is the most suitable Djembe Drum for you?

It depends on your preferences and your needs. Some want to buy a small one because of its easy portability; some want to buy a colorful, aesthetic one in order to create a decoration for their house; some want to get a meticulous one to satisfy their musical experience and some want to get a suitable one for a skilled player.

So there are 2 things that you should think carefully before making a buying decision. The first one, you have to identify the purpose of purchasing this instrument: decoration, travelling,…etc. The second one, identifying your level: beginners, intermediates or professionals.

If you are a newbie and are about to take up this musical instrument, choosing a low-priced one is enough. On the other hand, if you are already an expert, you can actually go for a decent one.

2. How big should my drum be?

Your Djembe Drum should be compatible with your body size. Too big or too small will cause some problems while playing and you just can not show all of your talent with the djembe that is not meant for you.

In order to help you find the perfect Djembe Drum , we have summarized from numerous sources of information to create this chart. 

Age & Height	Use this Djembe
Kids aged 4-7, height under 4’	8”-10”
Kids aged 8-10, height 5’0” – 5’5”	11”
Adult 5’6” – 5’8”, kids aged 10-16	12”
Adult 5’8”-6’	13”
Adult 6’-6’2”	14”
Adult over 6’2”	15”-16”
Average Dimensions
Height	55-65cm (22-25 inches)
Weight – Full size wood djembe	20-26lbs (9-12kg)
Weight-Fiberglass Djembes	9-18 lbs (4-8kg)

Base on this chart, we bet you can find a Djembe Drum that suits you.

3. Should I buy a Djembe Drum online?

You definitely can. However, we suggest you to make buying decision through prestigious market or dealer for some reasons:

• It offers you wide range of choices, in terms of price, shape, material, size,…etc
• Some brands offer you safety warranty 
• There are plenty of comments that you can consider before buying

So, why not?

4. Which is the right way to preserve a Djembe Drum?

No matter how durable your Djembe Drum is, it will be affected by weather and time. In order to keep it in its best condition as long as possible, there are a few points that you should remember.

Some people believe that if you put oil or cream on the drumhead, the skin in that position will get smooth and easier to use. This is a WRONG perception. Never put products of all kinds on the head since most of them are made of thin material, like goat skin. Any emollient may weaken the fibers that have already been stretched to create sound. 

Moreover, avoid storing your Djembe Drum in a closed place on a hot day because weather and humidity can always affect the drum, from the skin, the shell to the rope. Try to keep it in a cool and dry place instead. If you have to use it in a humid place like a basement studio or near the ocean, use a good dehumidifier to protect your drum.

Oil and cream are not perfect for the drumhead. However, you can use oil to rub around the shell  to keep it supple. This method is also able to improve the tone and increase the shell’s longevity. 

For the rope, sometimes you need to give it a break by de-tune it to reduce the tension. This will help your rope last longer. 

Last but not least, you should remove all of your jewelries before playing djembe drums since metal and the sharp edges from these jewelries can cause damage to your drum and leave scratches on the drumheads as well as the body.

5. Things that I should not do to keep my Djembe Drums’ shelf life?

The first thing is you should not sit or lean or place anything on the drumhead since it has been put under a lot of pressure while being played. 

In addition, you should not leave it standing straight all the time. Instead, put the Djembe Drum inside a fitted tote bag and then lie it down when you do not use it. This somehow helps to reduce the tension on the drum too.

The most important thing is, if you put your Drum in the back of your car in order to take it along on your ride, remember to place it in a certain spot to avoid collision while riding on rough roads. 

6. Which one is the right way to play Djembe Drum?

There are 3 principles that you must follow:

1 / Must make the sound that you want to make

2 / Don’t hurt your hand

3/ Just follow your heart and do freestyle

The most important factor that should be considered when playing Djembe Drum is you need to know how to use your hand properly. Use your hand to slap in the center of the drum’s face as the picture below.

When hitting, you should see your drum face like a very hot piece of metal, your hand hitting it must lift immediately. Don’t allow your hand to linger at all, but pop as soon as you hit the drum.If you want to know more about how to play these Best Djembe Drum, watch this video from professionals:

OUR PICKS: THE BEST DJEMBE DRUM

I believe that X8 Celtic Labyrinth Djembe Drum with Bag will satisfy the most picky person, from beginners to advanced players. It has such a spiritual outlook which can represent its origin. Moreover, thanks to its legally-harvested material which appears to be environmentally-friendly, and its alpine tuning rope, it is capable of delivering such crisp, strong and sonorous high-quality sound effects.  It also comes in average size, which suits a wide range of body types and you do not have to worry about taking this along with you while travelling since it í pretty light, compared to other Djembes that are designed for professional use. 

No	Name	Image	Details
1	X8 Celtic Labyrinth Djembe Drum with Bag		VIEW PRODUCT
2	Remo DJ-0016-05 Mondo Djembe Drum - Earth, 16"		VIEW PRODUCT
3	Hand-carved Djembe Drum From Africa - 13"x24" - Drum Circle Village		VIEW PRODUCT
4	lotmusic African Djembe Drum, Standard 8'' Blue Cloth Stitched Congo Drum, Professional Bongo Drum With Goatskin Drumhead		VIEW PRODUCT
5	Djembes Drum AKLOT African Drum Hand-Painted 9.5'' x 20'' Mahogany Goatskin Drumhead for Adults Starter Beginners		VIEW PRODUCT

In addition, with all of the attached utilities such as tote bags, egg shakers, instruction DVD, bamboo flute – which are all free gifts, this Best Djembe Drums is such a temptation that can not be resisted.