Summary Box
Best Digital Piano Overall – Yamaha AvantGrand N1X
Best Value For Money Digital Piano – Korg G1 Air
Best Digital Piano For Beginners – Gear4Music DP-12
Best Beginner Digital Piano – Gear4Music DP-12
Best Intermediate Piano – Korg G1 Air
Best Advanced Digital Piano – Yamaha AvantGrand N1X
Are you ready to learn to play the piano but don’t want to spend too much money on a huge acoustic instrument?
Don’t have the space for a grand piano?
Don’t worry; with this list of 15 best keyboard pianos and digital pianos, you’ll be able to afford the instrument of your dreams AND fit it in your home!
So read on and discover which instrument is going to be right you.
Who Should Buy a Budget Digital Piano?
A budget digital piano is suitable for complete beginners to intermediate players. After that, we get into the realms of more expensive instruments for advanced intermediate players and upwards.
This list will cover all ranges, from the cheapest budget instruemtn to the best instrument on the market. And if you want more info, don’t forget to look at our Digital Piano Buyer’s Guide.
What Should I Look For in a Digital Piano?
Choosing a piano can be overwhelming, especially if you’re a beginner and it’s your first time searching for one.
The things you should look for in an electric piano are the quality of the sounds, the feel of the keyboard keys, its price, the features, and the space it takes.
So let’s see why each of these factors is important.
1. Piano Sounds
Sound quality is the primary thing you need to pay attention to. Ideally we want the instrument to produce a similar sound to an acoustic traditional piano. This way, you’ll feel like you’re playing on an authentic acoustic piano while spending less money.
An element that makes a big difference is the number and power of built-in speakers.
The last thing you should look for is to check if the instrument has a headphone output. This will allow you to practice at night or any time you want to without disturbing anyone.
2. Feel
An important thing to check when searching for the best digital piano is the feel of the keyboard. Acoustic pianos have a certain feel, and digital instruments try to replicate that.
Many digital pianos, especially cheaper ones, have only semi-weighted plastic keys. In all honesty, this isn’t great. You want to make sure they are fully-weighted keys, and ideally a synthetic ivory finish.
3. Budget
There are a lot of digital pianos that are affordable and still have the features and advantages of expensive ones; so you don’t have to spend thousands if you don’t want to.
Having said that, it’s best to remember that you normally get what you pay for…
4. Features
These instrument come with lots of different features, some of which are important, some of are not.
Just ask yourself if the piano you’re thinking about buying meets your needs.
Can you record demo songs? Is there a headphone output? Can you switch through different sounds when playing?
Is it important if there is a built-in metronome or bluetooth connectivity?
The answers to these questions will help you make a decision.
5. Space
The last thing you should look for in a digital piano is its size. Dimensions vary massively, so it shouldn’t be hard to find the size you want.
Measure up at home, and know what your maximum dimensions are!
The 15 Best Digital Pianos and Keyboards at a Glance
Gear4Music DP-12 – ONE
Best for Beginners
TedScore: 8.5/10
Features: Compact modern digital piano with two-track playback recording, 32 built-in voices, and different modes
Included Items: This piano can be ordered as a package with a matching stool
Colors and Dimensions:
- White, black, and oak
- 55″ x 14″ x 31″
Pros
- Compact and good-looking
- Included sustain pedal
- Has a USB port
- Four built-in speakers
- Built-in metronome
- Provide beautiful sounds
Cons
- No Bluetooth
Gear4Music GDP-500 TWO
Best Authentic Digital Grand Piano
TedScore: 7/10
Features: Digital grand piano with 1,200 voices, a fully adjustable tempo, and an 11-core digital processor
Included Items: You can order it with a stool
Colors and Dimensions:
- Ivory, black
- 58″ x 36″ x 37″
Pros
- Advanced digital sounds
- Bluetooth and USB connectivity
- Amazing grand piano sound
- Triple sensor keybed for the best piano keyboard feel
- 270 built-in accompaniment styles
Cons
- No AC adaptor
Donner DEP-20 – THREE
Best for Learning
TedScore: 8/10
Features: Portable piano with dual speakers, weighted keys, and a headphone jack
Included Items: Power adapter, a pedal, manual
Colors and Dimensions:
- Dull black
- 52″ x 11″ x 7″
Pros
- Provides rich tones
- Support multiple devices
- Easily portable
- Weighted keyboard piano
- Professional single sustain pedal
- Music app available
Cons
No Bluetooth connection
Kawai CA99 – FOUR
Best for Professionals
TedScore: 9/10
Features: The piano has a multi-instrument sound engine, a metronome and an internal recorder
Included Items: A 30-day money-back guarantee and 3-year guarantee
Colors and Dimensions:
- Satin black, satin white, rosewood, polished ebony
- 57″ x 18.5″ x 39″
Pros
- A 5″ LCD screen
- Wooden keys
- Spatial headphone sound
- Triple sensor key action
- TwinDrive Spruce soundboard system
- PiaBookPlayer app
Cons
- A bit expensive
Kawai CN29 – FIVE
Best for Students
TedScore: 7/10
Features: Kawai CN29 offers built-in Lesson Function and amazing Superior Headphone Sound technology
Included Items: A 5-year European warranty
Colors and Dimensions:
- Satin black, satin white, rosewood
- 53″ x 16″ x 34″
Pros
- Virtual Technician app
- OLED display and weighted piano keyboard
- Bluetooth and MIDI integration
- Weighted keys
- Amazing sound quality
Cons
- The AC adaptor isn’t included
Korg G1 Air – SIX
Best Intermediate Piano
TedScore: 9/10
Features: Modern-sounding piano with 40 built-in piano songs providing detailed and clear sound
Included Items: AC adapter
Colors and Dimensions:
- White ash, black, brown
- 53″ x 15″ x 32″
Pros
- Suitable for beginners
- Slim design
- Bluetooth
- Integrated tempo control
- Two-track song recorder
- Progressively weighted keys
Cons
- Heavy piano keys
Roland DP-603 – SEVEN
Best for Home Use
TedScore: 8/10
Features: Roland DP603 has a Twin Piano mode perfect for two-player and a built-in metronome for precise timing
Included Items: Roland classical piano masterpieces, Roland piano arrange collection “Let’s Enjoy Piano”, a manual, power cord, stabilizer, AC adaptor, cord clamps, and headphone hook
Colors and Dimensions:
- Gloss black, black, and white
- 55″ x 12″ x 31″
Pros
- Stylish
- Easy to use
- SuperNATURAL Sound Engine
- Full range of tones
- Huge library
- Provides excellent sounds
Cons
- A bit heavy
Alesis Recital Pro – EIGHT
Best for Live Performances
TedScore: 8/10
Features: Alesis Recital Pro is a small keyboard piano with great sound quality and amazing internal speakers for live performances
Included Items: Manual, power cord, AC adaptor, damper pedal
Colors and Dimensions:
- Black and white
- 53″ x 15″ x 5″
Pros
- Portable
- Powerful onboard speakers
- Built-in Bluetooth
- Graphic LCD
- Great value recital pro stage piano
Cons
- None
Roland FP-30X – NINE
Best Lightweight Keyboard
TedScore: 9/10
Features: Lightweight with synthetic ivory feels keys, it can be upgraded with a three-pedal unit, and the KSC-70 stand
Included Items: Music rest, owner’s manual, damper pedal, power cord, and AC adapter
Colors and Dimensions:
- Black and white
- 51″ x 6″ x 11″
Pros
- USB and Bluetooth
- Lightweight design
- Easily portable
- SuperNATURAL sound engine
- Range of sound effects
- Accurate acoustic piano sound
Cons
- No lesson functions
Roland F701 – TEN
Best for Practicing
TedScore: 8/10
Features: Stylish minimalistic design with SuperNATURAL sound engine, external memory, and built-in Bluetooth
Included Items: Manual, leaflet on how to use this device safely, power cord, AC adaptor, stabilizer, and a headphone hook
Colors and Dimensions:
- Black, white, oak
- 54″ x 13.5″ x 36″
Pros
- Sleek and durable
- Built-in Bluetooth connectivity
- Built-in recorder
- Powerful sound engine
- User-friendly buttons
- Great sound
Cons
- Boxy speakers
Yamaha YDP-145 – ELEVEN
Best Budget Digital Piano
TedScore: 9/10
Features: An 88-key keyboard and a Stereophonic Optimizer that adjusts the space of the sound
Included Items: A music book with 50 classical music masterpieces, online member product registration, a PA-150 AC adaptor, and a manual
Colors and Dimensions
- Black, white, and rosewood
- 53″ x 17″ x 32″
Pros
- Affordable price
- Metronome
- Headphones output
- Natural sound
- Huge library
- Three months of Flowkey Premium
Cons
- Not so many sounds available
Yamaha P-125 – TWELVE
Best Keyboard Piano for Travelers
TedScore: 7/10
Features: Two-way speaker system and Pure CF Sound Engine producing the most authentic electric piano sound
Included Items: Footswitch, music rest, and AC adaptor
Colors and Dimensions:
- Black and white
- 52″ x 6.5″ x 12″
Pros
- Lightweight
- Easily portable
- Pure CF sound engine
- Accurate electric piano sounds
- Many digital functions
- Smart Pianist app
Cons
- Doesn’t have Bluetooth
Yamaha P-515 – THIRTEEN
Best Stage Modern Digital Piano
TedScore: 9/10
Features: Over 500 voices, powerful amplifiers, and natural wood keyboard
Included Items: A 3-year warranty
Colors and Dimensions:
- Black and white
- 52.5″ x 6″ x 15″
Pros
- Various digital perks
- Integrated Bluetooth
- LCD screen
- Portable
- Twisted flare bass ports
- Two-way speaker system
Cons
- Power supply not included
Yamaha CLP-745 – FOURTEEN
Best Versatile Digital Piano
TedScore: 8/10
Features: Genuine wooden keys, 303 lesson songs and external device connection
Included Items: Manual, PA-500, music book “50 classical music masterpieces”, member product registration
Colors and Dimensions:
- White ash, satin white, satin black, dark walnut, rosewood, polished ebony
- 57.5″ x 18″ x 36.6″
Pros
- Produces extraordinary piano sounds
- It can be used as a stage piano
- Easy sound adjustments
- Wooden white keys
- Sliding key cover
- Three pedals
Cons
- Heavy keys for beginners
Yamaha AvantGrand N1X – FIFTEEN
Best Advanced Digital Piano
TedScore: 10/10
Features: Hybrid piano for you to mix strong and warm tones with a 4-channel speaker system and authentic damper pedal response
Included Items: 15 Voice Demo Songs + 50 Classics and three months of Flowkey Premium
Colors and Dimensions:
- Polished Ebony
- 59″ x 18″ x 40″
Pros
- Hybrid digital piano
- A 4-channel speaker system
- Sustain pedal
- Wooden keys
- Sheet music and video content
- Smart Pianist app
Cons
- The most expensive professional digital piano
Types of Digital Pianos and Keyboards
Beginner Keyboards
If you’re just starting out learning to play the piano, you’ll be looking for a good beginner keyboard that can last you for the next couple of years, until you need to upgrade. So what do we recommend?
Best Beginner Keyboard
Getting Yamaha PSR E373 is a good choice if you plan to learn to play the piano. Besides its affordable price, this keyboard sounds just like a real piano, making practicing even more enjoyable.
It’s also super portable and lightweight, allowing you to carry it everywhere easily.
Portable Digital Pianos
Sometimes the most important factor in your purchasing decision os portability. If this is the case, what portable piano do we recommend?
Best Portable Digital Piano
If you travel often and want to take your piano with you, the Nord Piano 5 is the best portable option. Its compact design is perfect for travelling, especially if you carry it to your lessons. And it looks great on stage too!
You can purchase a Nord Piano 5 with 88 or 73 keys; although we always recommend the 88 key option. There is even a triple pedal that you can buy.
Console Digital Pianos
A console digital piano is the most ‘piano-like’ option; they can be pretty heavy and are not really portable in any way.
The pedals tend to be attached to the unit, and the stand is built in and part of the instrument. If you’re looking for a true piano experience without purchasing an acoustic, this’ll be the option for you.
Best Home Digital Piano Under 1,000
We love the Gear4Music DP-12. It’s one of the best console pianos for home use at a price under £/$1,000.
But don’t let the price fool you. The instrument has a compact and modern look, fully functional Bluetooth, and decent speakers.
Best Home Digital Piano Under 2,000
If you’re searching for a digital piano in the middle price range, Kawai CN29 is the best one. Thanks to the two headphone outputs, you can play it while wearing headphones and someone can listen to you at the same time on their headphones.
You can also record everything you’re playing. And of course, you have the standard MIDI jacks through which you’ll easily connect this piano to a computer (if you want to do techie things!).
Best Home Digital Piano Under 3,000
Roland DP603 is a great option if you’re looking to buy a stylish piano for just under £/$3,000. Equipped with all the essentials like Bluetooth, individually weighing keys, and a powerful sound engine, it is a perfect piano for your home.
And as a bonus, its classic look will effortlessly fit into any modern home.
Best Home Digital Piano – Regardless of Price
As far as high end digital pianos go, the Yamaha AvantGrand N1X is a solid digital piano on the more expensive price end, but considering everything it offers, its price is pretty understandable. We really do think this is the best digital piano, period.
The built-in speakers, sensor system, graded hammer action keys with a synthetic ivory feel, seriously high quality sounds, and pretty much everything else about this piano, make it a fabulous choice if you have the cash to buy this high end instrument!
What Is the Best Keyboard Piano Brand?
Yamaha is, in our opinion, the overall best keyboard piano brand, thanks to their versatile instruments, their build quality, and the amazing sound they produce.
They have invested so much money in research and development over the years, and that’s what makes Yamaha have the most realistic keyboards and powerful speakers on the market.
They’re also durable and very well made, so you really can’t go wrong by purchasing a keyboard piano from Yamaha.
The Best Budget Digital Piano for Beginners
If you’re a beginner and are eager to learn your favorite songs, the piano from Gear4Music, DP-12, is ideal for starting your musical journey. It’s easy to use, and the synthetic ivory keys will prevent your fingers from slipping, and overall it’s just a great, cheap option for any beginner.
How We Picked and Tested
Price
The price was the first thing we focused on when searching for the best keyboard and digital pianos. You might already know that pianos can be very expensive. So as our main goal, we wanted to find keyboard pianos and digital pianos at affordable prices but with high-quality features.
Size and weight
Another essential goal was finding different sizes of keyboard pianos and digital pianos, so everyone could find what suits their needs best. Most of the pianos mentioned in this article are lightweight and portable and can easily be placed in small homes.
We wanted to offer you practical instruments that are modern and stylish at the same time, so if you want to place them in a certain room in your house, they’ll enrich the interior, and they’ll easily fit into any style.
Whether you want a big and heavy or durable but lightweight instrument, you should be ablve to find an option in the list above.
Stage and home performance
When choosing the 15 best keyboard pianos and digital pianos, we wanted to make sure we had a variety of home use and stage performance instruments. So we have suggested a pretty good choice of instruments to cover both options.
Recording feature
An essential feature that every digital piano or keyboard piano should have is to be able to record sound.
The recording feature is essential and useful for beginners, as recording your playing and listening to back is a great way to improve quicker. We also thought about more experienced players, who can not only record their practice, but can also record demo songs.
Great sounds
Not every digital piano or keyboard piano sounds the same. And we also know it’s not the easiest thing to go out into a music store and try them all – so we thought we’d do it for you! And that was exactly how we selected the 15 pianos above.
Our goal was to choose powerful sound engines that provide better sounds than the other instruments in their price range. These ‘best value’ instruments should stand the test of time.
Overall features
The last thing we focused on were other bonus features or accessories.
Bluetooth connectivity, fully weighted keys, voices, a sturdy keyboard stand, and powerful speakers are just a few of the fun features we looked at.
What Keyboard Is Most Like a Piano?
If you want to buy a keyboard similar to a piano, the first element is to make sure it has 88 keys like an acoustic piano.
Next, you’ll want the keyboard to have hammer action keys to give that realistic feel. Grand pianos for instance can feel quite heavy to play, so avoid keyboards with semi weighted keys or touch sensitive keys; they simply won’t feel like a real piano.
Lastly, acoustic pianos of course don’t have any additional sounds. So don’t worry about extra features like organ sounds, string sounds, the ability to play songs and reverb effects. Just concentrate on the acoustic piano sounds the instrument can give you.
So what keyboard is most like a piano? The two we would recommend are the Alesis Recital Pro if you want something that is portable, and the Yamaha AvantGrand N1X if you’re happy to keep the instrument at home.
Tell me the difference between an acoustic piano and a digital piano
A digital piano is simply an alternative to the traditional acoustic piano, but still, there are some differences between these two instruments.
The digital piano has a variety of sounds and is rich with many features, such as rhythms and effects, while the acoustic has only its unique piano sound.
Simply put, the digital piano is for people who like to have various choices and play with the sounds, and the acoustic piano is for those who enjoy the simple acoustic piano sound.
But remember that a digital piano can sound just like an acoustic piano; well, almost!
Is It Okay to Learn Piano on a Keyboard?
Yes, it’s okay to start learning piano on an electronic keyboard, so don’t worry. Find an instrument with full sized keys and basic sounds, and off you go.
At some point, you’ll want to upgrade to a digital keyboard, also known as a digital piano. Find a higher end digital instrument that has a great key action (a hammer action is preferable) and has its own sounds that have a beautiful rich tone.
How many keys should I get on my keyboard?
A typical piano has 88 keys, but the number of keys in a keyboard can vary. So, you can find 66, 72, and of course 88-key keyboards.
Our advise is always to get an 88 key instrument. Simple as that!
Tell Me the Difference Between a Keyboard and a Digital Piano?
The first difference you’ll notice is that a digital piano always has 88 keys, while a keyboard can have 66, 72, or 88.
Keyboards tend to focus of extra features, like additional sounds, synthezizer programming, and a variety of audio outputs. These are used quite often as stage pianos, and do a fantastic job for pro players.
Digital pianos have less features, but focus more on the experience of actually playing, with the key action being one of the most important elements. Most digital pianos have a hammer action, which is important for your piano lessons and learning well.
Tell Me the Difference Between a Synthesizer and a Keyboard?
There is no difference between a synthesizer and a keyboard. The term is interchangably used.
In the ‘old days’, a synthesizer used to have more effects like reverb, programming capabilities, and different instruments featured different ways to create new sounds and samples.
Today however, keyboards and synths tend to do the same thing.
The 15 Best Digital Pianos And Keyboard Pianos Summary
I know there are a lot of quality keyboards above, but try to focus on your core needs.
Do you need a portable instrument or a home console?
Do you need the build quality to be like a brick for touring purposes?
Do you want a beautiful piano that looks amazing in your home, or are features more important?
Are you an experienced pianist who is looking for the most realistic acoustic piano feel, or just a beginner who is looking for something more cost effective?
If you can answer these questions, you’ll be able to whittle down your choice to just a couple of instruments. And after reading a little more about them, hopefully you’ll be able to make the choice.
We hope this article has helped you out. And as always, if you need more advise, just drop us a comment below, and we will respond as fast as possible!
Good luck.
FAQ
Which brand piano keyboard is the best quality?
There are so many brands of electric pianos on the music market, making it very difficult to choose the instrument with the best quality. But still, Yamaha is considered the brand that makes the best piano keyboards.
The instruments from this Japanese company can be found worldwide, so it doesn’t matter where you live. The Yamaha electric pianos are especially popular, as they’re durable, high-quality, and provide extraordinary sound.
When buying from this brand, you’ll be faced with various piano keyboards suitable for beginners and experienced musicians. So you can easily find what fits your needs best. No matter what piano you choose from this brand, you’ll definitely get an immersive playing experience.
What keyboard is most like a piano?
Yamaha AvantGrand N1X is a professional electric piano with a keyboard that’s very similar to a piano. This hybrid digital piano has a full-sized keyboard with 88 keys, just like a real acoustic piano; and that’s not all. The white keys are made from acrylic resin, and the black ones are made from phenolic resin.
The keys on the Yamaha AvantGrand N1X keyboard are touch-sensitive, making it easy to adjust the touch sensitivity, making this keyboard provide you with the most piano-like experience.
What keyboard do most musicians use?
Knowing what type of keyboard most musicians use can help you determine what keyboard is considered to be among the best ones in the music world.
That keyboard is the Roland RD-2000, and the reasons for that are plenty. This is an excellent keyboard because it’s pretty light, which makes it very easily portable, hence why musicians love it. But even though this keyboard is lightweight, it’s made from aluminum, so it’s very durable.
Another reason why Roland RD-2000 is so widely used is that it has a stand. The stand for this keyboard is foldable and stable, allowing musicians to use it for stage performances effortlessly. So if you’re searching for a superior keyboard for stage performing, Ronald-2000 is a great choice.
Excerpt: If you’re searching for the best electric piano, read this article to discover the 15 best keyboard pianos and digital pianos and their amazing features.