As IDM shares many influences with mainstream genres of electronic music such as Techno and House, many of the hardware synthesizers, grooveboxes and drum machines popular in the 1980s and 1990s acid and rave culture have found their way into IDM as well. The Roland TB-303 and TR-606 are two of the most noteworthy pieces of equipment to fall under this category.

Music software has also given IDM musicians the tools to create a range of sounds not otherwise possible. The modular setup provided by Native Instruments Reaktor is perhaps most prominent, though countless other programs are used as well.

The table below shows gear used most by IDM musicians. Click the name of a piece of music equipment to read more about it.