The Best Hi-Hat Stand You Can Trust in 2024

Every drummer needs a hi-hat stand, and you cannot have a full drum kit without one. You need a good hi-hat stand that will keep your cymbals secure.

If you do not have a good hi-hat stand, you risk your cymbals experiencing an unwanted fall, or not sounding correct.

There is nothing worse than a bad sounding kit, and the cymbals are usually the easiest part to maintain and sound good. Your cymbals should sit in place, at an even angle.

Below, we will look at some of the best hi-hat stands you can buy, and the pros and cons of each.

What Are The Different Types of Hi-Hat Stands?

Traditional Stand

The Traditional Hi-Hat Stand is the most common and widely used type. It features three legs that provide stability and is known for its reliability and sturdiness. This type of stand is suitable for drummers who don’t require a lot of adjustments and customization. However, the positioning of the legs can sometimes interfere with the placement of other pedals and stands, especially in compact drum setups.

Two-Legged Stand

The Two-Legged Hi-Hat Stand is a popular alternative to the traditional three-legged design. With one less leg, this stand offers more room for positioning other equipment, making it ideal for drummers with multiple pedals or a double bass drum setup. Despite having only two legs, this stand is designed to maintain stability, with the legs often being angled outward to balance the weight.

Remote Hi-Hat Stand

Remote Hi-Hat Stands are designed for drummers seeking versatility in positioning their hi-hats. These stands use a cable to connect the foot pedal to the hi-hat cymbals, allowing drummers to place the cymbals in hard-to-reach areas of the drum kit. This is particularly useful for drummers using multiple hi-hats or those looking to incorporate unique setups and playing styles.

Cable Hi-Hat Stand

While similar to the Remote Hi-Hat Stand, the Cable Hi-Hat Stand is generally more compact and lightweight. It uses a cable system to allow flexibility in positioning, making it a favorite among drummers with intricate setups or limited space. This type of stand is ideal for achieving unconventional sounds and experimenting with different cymbal placements.

Best Hi-Hat Stands (Quick Summary)

Luvay Hi-Hat Stand

This hi-hat stand from Luvay is a three-legged stand, and it weighs only five pounds. This hi-hat stand is inexpensive, and it is the cheapest on our list.

There are so many great things about this hi-hat stand. First, for the price, it has a lot of features you may not expect.

It has double braced legs, along with large rubber feet, ensuring it stays stable. It is also foldable, with a trident design tripod.

The height is adjustable, with a three-layer metal plating coating, meaning it is extremely durable. It is lightweight, and you can set this hi-hat stand up anywhere, for any kit.

When you set up your cymbals onto this stand, there are some quality felt pads that protect your cymbal. This will ensure that your cymbals do not get damaged from being hit hard, and there is always padding there.

The double braced stand stays stable when you are playing the drums. We loved this, because there’s nothing worse than an unstable hi-hat stand.

The pedal on this stand is nice and firm, with great flexibility, which is why it is such a great option.

Pros

• We loved the ease of using this stand. It was easy to set up, and easy to use.
• We found the height adjusting ability to be great.
• The pedal was firm.

Cons

• You have to tighten it often.

DW Hi-Hat 2-Leg Cymbal Stand

This hi-hat stand was simple and completely effective. DW is one of the best drumware brands on the market, being one of the most expensive too, but for good reasons.

This stand is two legged, with hinged memory locks. They included these memory locks at tube joints, which help with precise height settings.

The lateral cymbal seat is great. It is the first in its design, and it allows instant access to adjust the angle of the bottom hi-hat cymbal. It will be stable, and it allows precise and great control over how your cymbals sit.

The pedal on this hi-hat stand is great, being firm and spongy at the same time. You have excellent control over the cymbals, and the pedal is supportive and small, meaning it does not get in the way and takes up a lot of floor room.

Pros

• This DW stand is one of the best quality stands, with a stable design.
• The clutch pedal is—and you can feel just how much control you have over it—it is not too sensitive, but you do not have to push down too hard, either.
• This hi-hat stand was sleek in appearance.

Cons

• The hi-hat pedal can slip away after continuous use. We recommend maybe getting some rubber mats for it to stand on, or try not to use on hardwood floors.

DW Drum Workshop 9000 Series

The Drum Workshop 9000 is another stand from the DW brand. This one is the most expensive stand on our list, but it has some of the best ratings from pro drummers worldwide.

This stand allows a lot of customization, with the lowest playing height of this stand being 28”, and the highest being 43”.

This is almost a twenty-inch difference, but it is a minor detail that makes an enormous difference, as drummers can be tall and short.

The lateral design of this hi-hat stand allows great access to the bottom cymbal, and adjusting it to your preference. This stand also has a locking clutch, which is great for when you need that extra control.

This stand also has a double eccentric cam, and this increases the sensitivity of the footboard and pedal in relation to the cymbal movement. This means that you get a really responsive and fast feel, and you have impressive control over the cymbals in this stand.

Also, you have the adjustable locking tension feature. This feature means you can hold precise adjustments to the weight of the top cymbal, and you can create a really accurate and custom feel depending on what you want to play.

Other outstanding features on this stand include the plastic tube insulators, tilters, cymbal space adjusters, tilter locks, and heavy gauge tubing.

Pros

• This hi-hat stand has the most unbelievable control, and every single part of it is impressive, solid, and sensitive.
• We loved the spongy and solid pedal.
• The appearance is heavy-duty without being too big.

Cons

• Takes up more room than a two-leg stand

Mapex Armory Double Braced Hi-Hat

This Mapex double braced stand is a reliable and sturdy stand, offering some good customizable movement. The direct pull chain drive mechanism has a smooth and responsive feel to it.

You can adjust this hi-hat stand to the best of your ability and to your every need. The armory double braced swiveling legs are good as they allow you to change the position of your stand depending on how you want to use it.

The direct pull drive system of this hi-hat stand means you feel a lot of control over the cymbals. It is incredibly sensitive and flexible. We love the look of this hi-hat stand.

This stand is chrome black plated, which we found was really fashionable and eye-catching. This hi-hat stand weighs just over twelve pounds, and it is great.

As a brand, Mapex is one of the best, making some popular and quality drum kits, but also accessories and drumware. With this stand, there is an adjustable ball bearing, and you have 360 degree control.

You can move everything on this stand wherever you like, including the pedal. You can also raise the footboard up and down, and you can reposition this hi-hat stand wherever you want.

Pros

• This hi-hat is sturdy and secure, with quality built features. We loved the way they built this stand and its mechanical aspects.
• The 360 degree control was excellent.
• The flexibility you have with this stand in terms of the pedal and repositioning.

Cons

• Some parts don’t like to stay still

Yamaha Hi-Hat Stand

Yamaha is an excellent brand, and they produce some amazing electrical and technological hardware and a lot of instruments.

This advanced hi-hat is lightweight, weighing a tiny six pounds. It is durable, with channel-track aluminum bracing that holds the stand in place.

The stand has non-slip rubber feet that allow this stand to stay secure and sturdy. This Yamaha hi-hat stand also has a micro-wing nut design, increasing its durability.

This stand is incredibly simple in design, but this is exactly what makes it so good. It does not need to be over complicated, as it is light and well built.

This hi-hat stand weighs a quarter of the weight of other stands. It takes up half of the room because of its incredible and lightweight design.

This hi-hat stand is a significant change in how it shows you do not need a big stand to play the drum as hard as you want.

As long as it is well built, it is sturdy enough to be used in the same way you might use a heavier stand.

Pros

• It is lightweight and compact
• As a brand, Yamaha has an excellent reputation, making some good hardware.
• We loved the simple design.

Cons

• The top part of the stand is short.

Griffin Hi-Hat Cymbal Stand

This two-legged hi-hat stand is heavy duty, and it is a solid piece of quality hardware. The two-legged style of this stand will save your legroom.

This will give you more flexibility in your drum kit. The two legs of this hi-hat stand straight up the shaft, so you can use it without the foot pedal.

This stand also has a spring tension adjustor. You can adjust how hard the pedal is to push with the adjustment knob. The spring tension can turn left or right, with increased tension or decreased tension.

The actual build of this stand is super strong, with chrome coated hardware.

This shiny, eleven pound hi-hat stand will serve you well, and take a beating. It is perfect for those who play heavy genres of music, as well as those who stick to softer genres.

The base pipe is 28 mm wide, with 18″ long double-braced legs that are 7 mm thick.

This stand is deluxe, with a large clutch mount for your cymbals. This hi-hat stand also had deluxe upgraded features, something that comes with its inexpensive price that a lot of others may not.

This includes a cymbal clutch, antislip foot pad, dual floor spikes, a metal toe stop, solid pedal frame, and a slip proof memory lock.

Pros

• The features of this hi-hat stand were extensive, and we really loved how smooth it was to use.
• The large clutch pedal was refreshing.
• Thick and supportive base.

Cons

• The legs are a lot smaller than they appear

Gibraltar Heavy Weight Hi-Hat Stand

This Gibraltar heavyweight double braced hi-hat stand is a good choice for a solid drum stand. Gibraltar is a good brand with an excellent reputation for the drums.

This stand has a hinged height adjustment and a solid cast frame. This stand also has a moveable leg base, which is ideal for needing to customize the position of your stands and kit.

This hi-hat stand is priced pretty average, and it weighs just ten pounds. It is a solidly made piece of drum hardware, with a nice chrome finish, too.

You can see craftsmanship and excellent quality. It also has a swivel base, with a strong springy feel to the clutch pedal, which is ideal for getting the most out of your cymbals.

Pros

• This hi-hat stand had a precise, fluid feel, and it had a lot of potential to customize and adjust based on your preferences.
• Simple design
• Heavyweight and solid design

Cons

• Has the potential to slip

Ddrum Pro Hi-Hat Cymbal Stand

This Ddrum is a solid and reliable choice. It is designed for those who are on a budget but do not want to sacrifice quality.

This stand has advanced heavy-duty features that are typically found in higher quality and more expensive drumware.

This hi-hat stand is smooth, with fluid action and stability. It is stable, with some sturdy double braced legs, too. It has a good height range of six inches, allowing you to adjust the height to suit you even more.

The quality of this hi-hat stand is great, and the clutch pedal is firm and spongy. This allows you to have the best control over the cymbals.

Pros

• This hi-hat stand was sturdy and reliable, and we liked the inexpensive price, too.

Cons

• Cymbal cup is made of plastic

Pearl RH2050 Eliminator: Redline Dual-Leg Remote Pro Hi-Hat Stand

The Pearl RH2050 Eliminator: Redline is a dual-leg remote hi-hat stand designed for professional drummers seeking flexibility, stability, and precision. It incorporates Pearl’s patented features like the PosiLink Twin Cam drive system and the interchangeable cam system, allowing drummers to customize the pedal response to their playing style.

Pros:

• Versatility and Positioning:
  • The remote cable system allows for versatile positioning of the hi-hat cymbals, enabling drummers to optimize their setup and accommodate additional equipment.
• Stability and Balance:
  • The dual-leg design provides excellent stability and balance, ensuring that the stand remains firmly in place during performances.
• Customizable Pedal Response:
  • The interchangeable cam system and PosiLink Twin Cam drive system allow drummers to adjust the pedal response, catering to individual playing preferences.
• Precision and Control:
  • The stand offers high precision and control, allowing for nuanced and expressive hi-hat playing.
• Durable Construction:
  • Built with high-quality materials, the RH2050 is designed to withstand the rigors of regular gigging and touring.

Cons:

• Price:
  • The RH2050 is on the higher end of the price spectrum, which might make it less accessible for beginner or intermediate drummers.
• Complexity:
  • The stand comes with a variety of adjustable features, which might be overwhelming for some users and require time to set up and fine-tune.
• Weight:
  • Despite the dual-leg design, the stand is relatively heavy, which might be a consideration for drummers who need to transport their gear frequently.

Gretsch Drums Lightweight G3 Hi-Hat Stand

The Gretsch Drums Lightweight G3 Hi-Hat Stand is a part of Gretsch’s G3 hardware series, designed for drummers who prioritize portability without compromising on functionality. The G3 series incorporates essential features that meet the demands of the modern drummer while maintaining a lightweight design for easy transport.

Pros:

• Lightweight Design:
  • As the name suggests, this hi-hat stand is notably lightweight, making it an excellent choice for gigging musicians and those who need a portable option.
• Affordability:
  • The G3 Hi-Hat Stand is priced competitively, making it accessible for drummers on a budget or those looking for good value for money.
• Sturdy Construction:
  • Despite its lightweight design, the stand boasts sturdy construction, ensuring reliability during performances.
• Smooth Action:
  • Drummers have noted the stand’s smooth pedal action, which allows for expressive and dynamic playing.
• Adjustable Tension:
  • The adjustable tension settings enable drummers to modify the pedal resistance according to their playing style.

Cons:

• Limited Advanced Features:
  • The G3 Hi-Hat Stand may lack some of the advanced features and customization options found in higher-end models.
• Stability Concerns:
  • While generally stable, the lightweight nature of the stand might pose stability concerns for aggressive players or those using larger cymbals.

Hi-Hat Stand Buyer’s Guide

What is a good weight for a hi-hat stand?

The weight of your hi-hat stand is one of the most important parts of investing in a stand. If you play harder genres, you may need to consider a heavier stand.

If you stick to softer music, buy a lightweight stand. Your best stand weight depends on how much you are transporting your kit.

If you are in a band on the go, invest in a more lightweight stand rather than a heavy solid one. This will mean you will not be carrying around extra metal.

Most hi-hat stands, whatever size, can handle a solid amount of weight. If your cymbals are heavier than normal, it may be time to invest in a sturdier cymbal stand.

How does the swivel help a hi-hat stand?

A swivel is necessary for all cymbal stands, including hi-hat stands. It is impossible to adjust the angle without allowing the stand to swivel. This is especially important if you want to add extra pedals to your hi-hat stand.

Most two- or three-legged stands can swivel, but flat base stands cannot. Think about what kind of music you play, and if you want to add more pedals to your stand.

Cost tips for your new hi-hat stand

You should tailor your choices to your budget, otherwise there is no point. Start by identifying your budget, and coming up with some of the best stands within this budget.

You should think about what you are expecting from your hi-hat, and try not to spend more than you need to. Each stand comes with a different price and features. The differences between $150 and $500 will be incredibly different.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is A Two-Legged Or Three-Legged Stand Better?

Either works, but a three-legged stand is probably more sturdy and reliable. A two-legged stand works well, but three legs will be even more stable, but it will take up more room.

How Do You Assemble A Hi-Hat Stand?

Loosen the T bolt and fold out the legs. Set the legs into the position you want, and make sure the pedal anchor isn’t touching the floor.

Unscrew the clutch wing nut and remove the clutch from the rod. Turn your lower cymbal upside down and place it on the felt washer on the rod.

Replace the lower washer, so it rests on the upside down cymbal. Screw back the hi-hat clutch wing nut until it is tight. Then adjust them to your liking, but do not force the felts together.

Replace the clutch on the rod and lower the cymbal, so it rests on the lower cymbal. Here’s a visual guide to give you a better idea:

What Is A Clutch On A Hi-Hat Stand?

A clutch is needed for a hi-hat stand to keep the cymbals apart and to control them with your foot. When you use the foot pedal of the stand, the cymbals come together, and when you let go, they pull apart.

This clutch controls the way you use the hi-hat, and you can open and close your pedals.