If you want the inside scoop on 2025’s best in boutique and indie-built pedals then read on!
Welcome Back!
By my count this is the 5th time we’ve done guitar pedal review rankings in the site’s history. As has been the recent trend, this list is devoid of big box brands and singularly focused on smaller and independent builders as we continue to work to highlight underappreciated gear! 2025 was a different year in other ways, such as my significantly reduced pedal review workload over at Ultimate-Guitar where I serve as tech editor. That is likely to continue into 2026 as I plan to turn my review effort attention more singularly towards this website. We already have some awesome pedal demos and reviews lined up for next year, but for now it’s time to look back and reflect.
Below you will find my final rankings for the 16 pedals I reviewed this year, coming from 11 different builders. Ranging from $90 – $250, I tried to diversify this year’s cohort as much as possible with modulation, synth/filter pedals, glitchy fuzzes, spring reverb, and fuzz in lieu of just more boutique overdrive clones. We also have a list featuring builders from the UK, Canada, and Poland, as well as my native USA in an effort to continue to highlight the worldwide guitar pedal culture.
And to all the folks who are subscribed, clicking my affiliate links, or interacting with my articles or posts online, thank you! None of this would be possible without you folks keeping the lights on for me, especially during this very difficult 2025 where the algorithm continued to bury smaller outlets and gear sales were suppressed. I hope you will all tag along for 2026 as I have a lot of big ideas and plans in motion.
| Pedal | Cost (USD, may change) | Summary | Review & Shopping Link |
| #1 – Radio Wave Effects Nervous Energy Fuzz | $185 | Versatile fuzz-stortion with unique controls | My favorite from 2025 |
| #2- Summer School Effects Spring Break Reverb | $199 | Spring reverb with delay on reverb trail | Another brilliant combo pedal from SSE |
| #3 – Eavesdropper Dr. Square Distortion | $150 | Square wave distortion with whacky oscillations | Unique DeArmond distortion |
| #4 – Summer School Electronics Middle School Chorus | $199.99 | Gigging-friendly chorus/vibrato pedal | Going on my live board |
| #5 – Fuzz Imp Amity Dual Drive | $169.99 | Fender and Marshall-flavored dirt in one | Also going on my live board |
| #6 – Tulpa FX Bunyip Phaser | $225 | Simple phaser circuit with four modes | Set phasers to London Calling |
| #7 – NOKILL Pedal Co. Borzoi Glitch Fuzz | $150 | Noisey, synthy, fuzzy fun | First of many NOKILL noisemakers to review |
| #8 – Fuzz Imp Machina II Fuzz | $249.99 | So many combinations of fuzz and oscillation options | So much fuzz |
| #9 – Radio Wave Effects Dalliter Fuzz | $125 | Solid USA-made Fuzz Face circuit | Bigger box fuzz |
| #10 – Drunk Beaver Pedals XR MM-1 Distortion | $90 | 3-band EQ on Polish Marshall Shredmaster clone | Poland should be proud |
| #11 – Eddie Rifkind Shots Fired! Filter | $150 | Synthy filter pedal for noisemakers | Great pedal but aesthetic choice was questionable |
| #12 – Drunk Beaver Pedals XR Series OD-1 Drive | $90 | Great value Polish SD-1 drive | Poland should still be proud |
| #13 – Drunk Beaver Pedals XR Series SF-1 Fuzz | $90 | Great value Polish modified Big Muff | Seriously, keep making these XR pedals Drunk Beaver! |
| #14 – Glowfly Pedals Glitchwave 567 Filter | $100 | Capable of super fun synth/oscillation sounds | Nice to have another UK pedal in the review rankings |
| #15 – Sleep Champion Devices Horse Cult Drive | $169 | Simple, effective, amp-like overdrive | The new enclosures for these look great – eh? |
| #16 – Sparkbox FX Green Bastard Drive | $100 | TS808/Maxon-inspired drive pedal with Trailer Park Boys art | “Decenttttttt” – Bubbles |
Unlike in years past, I did not use a consistent guitar for all of my 2025 demos! While I hope to get back to having someone sponsor all of 2026’s demos as we did in 2023 and 2024, it was fun to mix and match different guitars with different pedals. Here are some of my favorite demos from the year!
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