If you've decided to invest in a piano but find the traditional type expensive and bulky, don't fret. A digital piano is a perfect solution, coming at a lower price range and with a smaller build. As such, it can perfectly fit in your home while taking up minimum space.
With the hundreds of options available, finding the right fit can feel like sitting for a test you've not studied for. So, to make it easier, we've scoured the market for the most suitable ones and made a list of the 10 best digital pianos for a beginner under $1000.
So, without further ado, let's look at the best options for you and the factors that should guide which one you select.
Contents
1. Casio PX-870
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The Casio PX-870 is the best digital piano under $1000 on our list. It offers a realistic playing experience, a stylish cabinet, an enhanced sound, and an exceptional sound projection system.
The PX-870 comes with 88 full-size keys, and a tri-sensor scaled Hammer Action Keyboard. The hammer action system on the keyboard features triple sensor detection technology, allowing you to repeat the notes faster with greater expressiveness.
The PX-870 features keys with ivory and ebony tops, whose texture offers a delightful feel. The key surfaces can absorb moisture from your fingers, which can reduce slipping and improve your control.
The PX-870 is an upgrade to the PX-860 model, featuring a multi-dimensional Morphing AiR Sound Source, which provides an enhanced 4-layer piano tone. As such, the PX-870 has one of the most realistic sounds a digital piano can produce.
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Cons
2. YAMAHA YDP-144
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Yamaha is popular for its budget-friendly digital pianos. The YDP-144 is the next on our list and comes with a classic cabinet and 3 piano-style pedals. It is heavier and deeper than the other options in this review.
This 88-key digital piano is touch-sensitive and uses the GHS (Graded Hammer Standard) action. The GHS offers a realistic feel, with the upper range keys having a lighter touch while the lower range keys feature a heavier touch.
Since the GHS action is relatively short, the pivot length of the Yamaha YDP-144 is also shorter. This makes it more challenging to play further up the keys since they get heavier towards the upper sections.
Nevertheless, with the Intelligent Acoustic Control and Stereophonic Optimizer, the YDP is one of the best digital pianos under $1000.
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Cons
3. Casio PX-770
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The PX-770 and the PX-870 have a lot in common, but the former lacks several features, which is why it comes at a lower price.
The two models share the same sound engine, in-built tones, and key action, which means they offer a similar playing experience.
The PX-770 comes without an audio recorder but still has a satisfying 4-layer piano sound and an excellent keyboard for practicing your piano playing.
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4. Yamaha P-125 Digital Piano
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The Yamaha P125 came as an upgrade to the P-115 model offering more features and better sounds. With a hammer system, the P-125 provides the keyboard with a realistic feel alongside its improved speaker system. The speaker's face both upwards and downwards to give a thicker stereo grand piano sound.
The CF engine in the P-125 provides a detailed frequency response like that of a true acoustic piano. The split keyboard feature allows you to use each hand to play different sounds on the right and left sides of the keyboard.
You can also plug this piano into computers using a USB to record or play virtual instruments and MIDI devices.
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Cons
5. Yamaha P-45
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The P-45 is a weighted action digital piano with a basic design but still produces excellent sound. If you want to avoid too many buttons and extra settings, this sleek, slim digital piano is the best choice for you.
Its size and design make it ideal for a small apartment since it doesn't require too much space. Its lightweight makes it easy to move it around without a lot of effort.
The weighted keys provide an authentic piano feel for the player. Plus, the touch is different for the high-end and low-end notes, much like an acoustic piano.
Pros
Cons
6. Casio Privia PX-160
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If you value your piano's aesthetic, you'll love the Casio Privia PX-160 digital piano. Not only does it come in classic black, but it also comes in a shining in its champagne-gold shade that looks awesome. It has a slim design making it compact enough for a small space while also making it easy to move around.
This electric piano features 18 different instrument sounds and excellent built-in speakers at a relatively affordable price. If you want to compose music or record, you can connect the PX-160 digital piano to a computer using the MIDI function.
Casio provides a 3-year warranty for this product, which means they'll take care of any fallibility this digital piano might come with.
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Cons
7. Yamaha YDP 103 Arius Series Digital Console Piano
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Another incredible product on our list is the YDP-104 Arius Series. The grand hammer standard keyboard on this digital piano is a remarkable feature to get for less than $1000. Your experience while playing the YDP-104 will be incredibly realistic, especially because of the variation of the action keys.
This full-size 88-key digital piano offers ten presets, allowing you to try out advanced material of up to seven octaves in your piano playing. However, the 64 polyphony tones of this model don't provide a lot of depth, making the sound quality relatively lower.
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Cons
8. Yamaha DGX-660
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The Yamaha DGX-660 is a great digital piano to get if you want to double playing the piano with your singing. It features a display for your sheet music and lyrics to make it easy for you to play while focusing on the song's words. Using a USB, you can connect this electric piano to a computer, and it also comes with a microphone input.
The accompaniment helper on this product allows you to play a chord while being accompanied in the style of your choosing. With over 200 styles available, this digital piano even suggests styles that can suit your song if you so choose.
The audio recorder on the Yamaha DGX-660, which you can connect to your computer, can also save your music to a USB port stick. This digital piano is available in black or white options.
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Cons
9. Roland FP-30
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The Roland FP-30 is an excellent choice for a player with a limited budget and space. With its light and portable build, it is easy to move this home digital piano around your apartment. It features an 88-note PHA-4 Standard keyboard and an authentic piano touch for unlimited expression.
This digital piano also has powerful stereo speakers and an amplifier, which deliver exceptional sound. The headphones output combines with the quiet keyboard action to let you play any time without drawing too much attention.
The built-in Bluetooth wireless connectivity in this digital piano lets you work with popular smartphone apps like Sheet Music Direct. Overall, this is a high-quality and affordable digital piano.
Pros
Cons
10. Kawai ES110 Digital Piano
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Kawai is another reputable company known for its excellent digital pianos. The lightweight build of the E110 makes it convenient to carry it to concerts or practice.
The tone that this digital piano is similar to Kawai's EX concert grand piano. This combines with the harmonic imaging and resonance-based functions to make the ES110 the best stage piano under $1000.
As such, the sound this piano produces will be like that you get from playing an acoustic piano. It features 19 sounds, 8 of which are derived from acoustic pianos. Its 88 weighted keys give an authentic feel, while the X-shaped music stand is easy to take on stage.
Pros
Cons
Factors to Consider When Buying a Digital Piano Under $1000
1. Types of Digital Pianos
Digital pianos aim to replicate acoustic grand piano sounds as much as possible. However, there are different types you can buy depending on your needs and preference. Let's look at them in detail.
- Portables
These are also known as 'slab pianos' and are the most popular digital piano type. The biggest advantage they offer is their carriable design. This makes them easy to move around and store when you aren't using them. Since they don't come with a base, you might want to buy one separately.
- Consoles
Console types are the closest to acoustic pianos in terms of sound, touch, and appearance. They differ from the portable types since they have furniture-style cabinets and three petals that resemble an acoustic piano. As such, there's no need to buy an additional stand or pedals with a digital console piano.
- Digital Stage Piano
This type of piano is built with live performance in mind. They are compact, which makes them suitable for use on a stage or in a studio. They feature numerous controls for shaping the sound to get the exact tone you need.
2. Keyboard Action
Keyboard actions can take one of the following forms; non-weighted, semi-weighted, grand hammer, and fully-weighted. However, the semi-weighted and weighted are the ones you'll most likely encounter in electric pianos.
- Non-weighted
These are mostly found in organs, synthesizers, and entry-level keyboards that don't aim to replicate the acoustic piano sound.
- Semi-weighted
While this action feels non-weighted, it offers more resistance and control. They commonly appear in synth workstations and some stage pianos. They have blocked-end that look like typical piano keys.
- Fully-weighted
Also known as hammer action keys, these are designed to mirror the feel and touch of acoustic pianos. This is the only key action type that facilitates the development of finger strength and proper technique.
- Graded hammer standard
The grand hammer standard is as close as you can get to playing grand pianos in electronic form.
3. Polyphony
Polyphony refers to the number of notes that electronic pianos can produce simultaneously. If you're focusing on chords without playing anything complex, you don't have to prioritize polyphony. However, if your playing complex melodies, a high polyphony is necessary to reduce note dropouts.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the best digital piano for under 1000 dollars?
The overall best model is the Casio PX-870, which is excellent in quality and yet affordable.
2. What is the most realistic digital piano?
The YAMAHA YDP-144 produces the most natural acoustic-like piano sounds among electric pianos.
3. Which digital piano is better, Kawai or Yamaha?
It comes down to personal preference since they are both excellent manufacturers. Yamaha is known for its rich, bright, clear sound, while Kawai is generally has a warmer tone, often preferred by classical pianists.
