Don’t overlook Elektron’s budget electronic music instruments

August 15, 2026 Terrence O’Brien

The Elektron Model:Cycles and Model:Samples grooveboxes on a shelf in front of books, a cassette player, and other random nonseense.
They’re far more powerful and fun than their bargain price suggests. | Photo: Terrence O’Brien / The Verge

When I'm asked what to buy if you want to get into making electronic music, I often recommend Elektron's budget-minded Model:Samples and Model:Cycles grooveboxes. They don't grab headlines the way Teenage Engineering's gear or the Telepathic Instruments Orchid do, and even compared to the company's higher-end and more niche musical offerings like the Digitakt, Octatrack, or Tonverk, they're often overlooked. But as my collection has grown to include fancier and far more expensive instruments, I still find myself coming back to the Model series.

Those looking to get their first groovebox are often drawn to more familiar brand names like Korg …

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