Alesis offer plenty of electronic drum kits to suit different budgets. Two of their most popular options are the Surge Mesh and Nitro Mesh kits which offer tonnes of features and great value for money, but which should you buy?
I’ll be directly comparing these two Alesis electronic drum kits and highlighting all the differences and similarities to help you decide.
Alesis Surge vs Nitro
The Alesis Surge Mesh electronic drum kit is more expensive compared to the Nitro Mesh kit and has several notable upgrades including a larger snare pad, kick pad and dual-zone toms. Both kits have the same number of drums and cymbals and the same drum module features.
| Alesis Nitro Mesh Kit | Alesis Surge Mesh Kit |
| 8” snare pad | 10” snare pad |
| Dual-zone snare pad | Dual-zone toms and snare pad |
| Smaller kick pad | Larger kick pad |
| Crash with choke (ride does not have choke) | Crash and ride with choke |
| Aluminium frame | Chrome frame |
Check out these Amazon links to the products to check the current prices:
Alesis Nitro Mesh Kit
Alesis Surge Mesh Kit
Images link to Amazon
Mesh Drum Pads
There are two notable differences between these kits here:
- Snare Head Size
- Number of Zones
The Alesis Nitro Mesh kit has an 8″ snare pad, 8″ tom pads. The Alesis Surge Mesh kit has a larger 10″ snare pad compared to the Nitro but the same size 8″ tom pads.
The Alesis Nitro Mesh kit has a dual-zone snare pad and single-zone tom pads whereas the Alesis Surge kit has dual-zone snare and tom pads.
Kick Pad
The size of the kick pad on the Alesis Surge is larger compared to that of the Alesis Nitro. Although technically you can play with a double bass drum pedal on either, it is much more practical on the Alesis Surge and the Nitro isn’t large enough for it in my opinion.
On the Nitro you get a rubber bass drum pad whereas on the Surge you get a mesh bass drum pad which sounds quieter by comparison.
Cymbals
The only difference in terms of the cymbals is that the Surge Mesh has ride and crash pads with choke whereas only the crash pad has choke on the Nitro Mesh.
Both the Nitro and the Surge only have single-zone cymbal pads which means the tone is the same regardless of whether the cymbal is kit in the centre or on the edge. However they do still react to how hard they are kit.
All three cymbals on both kits are 10″.
Drum Rack
The Alesis Nitro has an aluminium rack whereas the Surge has a more premium looking chrome rack. You can also adjust the Surge’s rack higher in comparison to the Nitro, making it a more suitable option for taller players.
In terms of build quality, both kits have a 4-point design which feels sturdy and well-made racks so you shouldn’t have any issues with durability.
Alesis Nitro Mesh Kit
Alesis Surge Mesh Kit
Images link to Amazon
Price Comparison
The Alesis Surge Mesh Kit is more expensive compared to the Nitro Mesh Kit.
In the USA, the Alesis Nitro Mesh kit costs approximately $450, whereas the Surge Mesh kit costs approximately $600. In the UK, the Alesis Nitro Mesh kit costs roughly £400 on average whereas the Surge Mesh kit costs only around £490.
You can also get an expanded version of the Alesis Nitro Mesh which is a 10-piece kit. This kit has an extra crash cymbal and tom pad. The Alesis Nitro Mesh Expanded kit costs roughly $570 in the USA and £490 in the UK making it a similar price to the Surge Mesh kit so it’s definitely worth considering.
Still not sure which Alesis kit to choose? Check out my comparison between the Alesis Nitro Mesh and Turbo Mesh.
Similarities
Although the Surge offers some notable upgrades over the Nitro, they do share many of the same features. Here’s a quick rundown of the main similarities:
- Three 10″ cymbals (crash, ride and hi-hat)
- Same number of drum pads (3 x toms, snare and kick)
- Although the drum modules have different names, they have the same features and sound the same. Here’s a rundown of the specification.
Drum Module
- 40 ready-to-play kits
- 385 drum and percussion sounds
- 60 built-in play-along tracks
- Sequencer
- Metronome
- Performance recorder
- CD/ MP3 aux input
- USB/ MIDI connection for virtual instruments and recording software
- Stereo line output
- Headphone input
Which Electronic Drum Kit is the Best?
Although the Surge offers some upgraded features, I feel like the Nitro is the best option for most players particularly those who are first getting into drumming. The Nitro offers better value for money and is pretty similar in terms of specs compared to the Surge.
However, the Surge is the better option if you are a more advanced drummer who wants to use a double bass drum pedal and will benefit more from the dual-zone tom pads.
Check out these Amazon links to the products to check the current prices:
Still not sure which Alesis kit to choose? Check out my comparison between the Alesis Nitro Mesh and Turbo Mesh.
