Top 10 Best Digital Piano For Beginners In 2023 – Ultimate Reviews & Buying Guide

Many pianists buy digital pianos because they love the sound, look or feel of an acoustic piano, but either can’t afford the high cost of buying one or don’t have enough space for them.

Whichever the case, digital pianos are great alternatives to acoustic pianos.

There are a number of digital pianos out there with different features which make them suitable for different needs.

Consequently, this review will focus on finding the best digital piano for beginners.

So, let’s go…

Top 10 Best Digital Piano For Beginners On The Market Reviews 2023

1 Yamaha P45B Digital Piano

This is a great choice if you want to train your fingers to play on weighted keys. And comes with 88 standard keys and a realistic acoustic piano sound.

Let’s take a closer look at it.

As a beginner, this offers everything you need to get started. This includes a bench, stand, pedal, educational materials and even a headphone for private practice.

Now it’s time to play.

To get started, you can choose either the piano sound or any of the other included sounds.

You can also work with your teacher by using the keyboard’s split mode. On the split mode, your teacher can play on one end of the keyboard while you play at the other. Very convenient.

Practicing without a metronome can be counter-productive because timing is a critical element of great play. Yamaha understands this and added a metronome function to help you keep time as you run those scales.

In addition, you can also use the transpose feature to practice some difficult passages in easier keys before returning to the original key.

Here come the extras…

To get you started, this bundle includes Focus on Piano – a Complete Piano Book with CD and a FastTrack keyboard DVD. With these, you can start practicing effectively from the day your piano arrives.

Our rating: (4.2 / 5)

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2 Yamaha DGX230 76-Key Digital Piano

Can’t handle weighted keys? Don’t need 88 keys? Then consider the DGX230 from Yamaha. This is a 76-key digital piano that offers a lot of fun features. It is perfect for a beginner.

Here’s what you get…

If you’re looking for a wide range of sounds the DGX230 could be perfect for you. It has almost 500 good quality tones. You could play one tone a day for a whole year and still not exhaust the available choices.

Furthermore, you also get a total of 100 songs both in-built and in the included CD.

What do you do with the songs?

Because Yamaha’s educational suite breaks each song into 7 lessons, you have them in small bites that are less intimidating for a beginner. This provides an easy way to fast track your learning. By the time you have learned 100 songs perfectly no one will dare call you a beginner.

Now get this…

You also have a six-track recorder that allows you to record up to 6 tracks independently and then play them all back simultaneously. Therefore, you can easily record your practice exercises, song ideas, any inspirations that come to you and more. Play them back and either enjoy them or critique your own performance.

This piano does not have hammer weighted keys but has touch sensitive keys. This means the keys respond to the intensity of your play. That is to say that if you play it hard, it sounds loud and if you play it softly, the sound level drops by the same proportion.

This is a great beginner’s digital piano.

Our rating: (4.3 / 5)

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3 Korg B1SP 88 Weighted Key Digital Piano

Are you a serious piano student who cannot afford an acoustic piano? If so, check out the B1SP from Korg. This digital piano offers 88 fully weighted keys, the same as an acoustic piano.

Let’s look at this product in some detail…

If you miss or love the feel of sitting in front of an upright piano, then you’ll love the B1SP. It has 88 keys that are naturally weighted, to mimic the keys of the acoustic piano. And right at your feet, you’ll also find three pedals that complete the acoustic piano look and playability.

So how about its sound?

Each of the 8 sounds provided has been digitally sampled to present a close resemblance to the original sound. So when you play the piano, you will know you are playing the piano. More so, when you use the pedals you begin to achieve piano like expression levels as well.

You can enjoy the rich tone of all the sounds through the stereo speakers working with Yamaha’s MFB technology. You can also choose to connect a headphone to the output for some private practice time.

What comes with the package?

You get the B1SP digital piano and a furniture stand that offers an upright piano look. You also get three pedals, a piano bench, sheet stand, and an AC power adapter. To help with your learning, Korg also adds the Focus on Piano Learning Guide.

All this makes the Korg B1SP a superb choice for piano students who need something as close to an acoustic piano as possible.

Our rating: (4.1 / 5)

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4 Yamaha P45 88-Key Weighted Action Digital Piano

The P45 is a no-frills 88 key hammer weighted digital piano from Yamaha. You get the feel of piano keys without all the furniture stands and extra accessories.

We already know the keys are hammer weighted like acoustic piano keys. In addition to this, it adds a realistic acoustic piano sound along with some other sounds. The keys are also matt finished to reduce cases of your fingers slipping.

To add some tonal and expression options to the mix, you can combine tones with the dual mode. Choose string and piano to enjoy the attack of the piano tone plus the flowing sound of strings. This opens up a whole new world of sonic possibilities.

It gets even better…

You can easily connect this digital piano to a computer or other devices via its USB port. This feature is particularly useful as it can help you connect to additional instructional resources. Conversely, you can simply use it as a midi controller for your studio.

Yamaha presents this as its most affordable digital piano; suitable for beginners. There you have it; a digital piano that gives you the feel and sound of an acoustic piano on a budget.

Our rating: (4.5 / 5)

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5 Casio Privia PX160BK 88-Key Full-Size Digital Piano

From its realistic feel to its authentic sound and other features, the Casio Privia PX160BK digital piano is well worth investigating…

Apart from the excellent piano sound, you also get other variations. These additional sounds also give you the option of playing two sounds at the same time. This can yield many interesting new sounds, further increasing your sound palette.

Additionally, you can split the keyboard into two halves so you can play two different sounds on each end. Another variation of this allows both you and your teacher to play simultaneously on each end of the keyboard. These can be very helpful when learning.

Now it gets more interesting…

Wanna hear how your performance sounds? You can record two tracks of your performance and play them back simultaneously. This is a good way to self-critic. Listening back to what and how you played a piece is vital to improvement.

This is a great beginner digital piano with some excellent additional features.

Our rating: (4.2 / 5)

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6 Yamaha PSREW300AD 76-Key Portable Keyboard

While we may not exactly call this a digital piano, it sure can function as one. This keyboard is ideal for the beginner who doesn’t want hammer weighted keys nor 88 of them. It’s also great for a beginner who wants a lot more options.

Here’s what we mean…

For starters, whereas most digital pianos have less than 20 included sounds, this has 574. This does not include the option to merge sounds to create interesting new ones. Imagine how much fun you can have with all those sounds?

How will this keyboard help with learning?

It has some really cool features that will make your learning interesting and easy.

To start off with, it comes with the Yamaha Education Suite. With this, you can slowly and easily learn all the included songs or others on midi files.

There is also a feature called the Touch Tutor. In this mode, you will learn dynamics as the velocity at which you strike will be measured. And since dynamic control is a critical part of playing the piano, this addition is a huge plus.

The touch sensitiveness of the keys makes the dynamic training possible. While the keys are not hammer weighted, they are sensitive to touch. This makes them perfect for learning how to control your fingering for great dynamic effects.

In addition to all these, you can increase the capabilities of the keyboard by connecting it to a computer or other device. It could become part of a production suite or be used to extend your learning resource.

Our rating: (3.8 / 5)

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7 Casio LK-190 61-Key Portable Keyboard

Not everyone needs a high-end digital piano. Therefore, this keyboard from Casio is for anyone looking for simple functionality and affordability. Making it an ideal starter piano for any child who is just venturing into keyboard playing.

The first thing you will notice about this keyboard is that it is not the same size as a standard digital piano, having only 61 keys which are not hammer weighted. This is actually the smallest keyboard we are reviewing here.

So what’s good about it?

This Casio keyboard has some cool features which we will now look at. You get 400 tones with this keyboard. That’s surely more sounds than you will likely ever need.

Apart from the tones, it comes with 100 styles or rhythms. These come in handy whenever you need some accompaniment to enhance your pieces.

Check out how the Casio LK-190 makes learning fun…

There are 60 in-built songs that come with this keyboard. Using the leading lights feature, learning these songs is easy because it lights up the keys you should play, making it very easy to identify and follow.

Finally, if you love DJing or music production, you will love the Dance Music Mode. This allows you to remix or create dance music very quickly.

You can have a whole lot of fun with this portable keyboard from Casio.

Our rating: (4.4 / 5)

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8 Alesis Recital | 88-Key Beginner Digital Piano

Some learners can’t handle the effort required to play hammer weighted keys. Rather than simply going for soft keys, semi-weighted keys provide a compromise. And that’s what the Alesis Recital uses.

This allows you to strengthen your fingers, prior to upgrading to hammer weighted keys in the future, if you so choose. Combining the 88 keys with the semi-weighted response is actually perfect for most learners.

Now to its other features…

The Alesis Recital comes with five carefully sampled sounds which, of course, includes a piano sound. You can further expand this by combining sounds to create new ones. You also have the option of tweaking an existing sound with the included effects to create a different sound.

As a beginner digital piano, it offers some features that aid learning. First, it has a metronome that will help you keep time while practicing. It also has a Lesson Mode that allows a student and the teacher to play together at the same time, at different ends of the keyboard.

Here’s a BONUS!

With your order, you will get a 3-month premium subscription to Skoove. Here you can get unlimited learning resources which are updated monthly. Talk about great value.

Our rating: (4 / 5)

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9 Yamaha NP12 61-Key Lightweight Portable Keyboard

If you are looking for portability combined with functionality, this is one keyboard worth looking at. This is the great keyboard to introduce a young player to the joys of playing, with its 61 touch sensitive keys without hammer weighted response – perfect.

Young pianists will love this and here’s why…

Apart from its regular keyboard features, it is designed to work with a number of free Yamaha apps.

Given how much young people love apps these days, it’s sure to be a hit. Connect it to your iOS device and operate your keyboard’s controls from that device.

You can also use it with any or all of these free Yamaha apps: Digital Piano Controller, Sound Controller, My Music Recorder, Visual Performer, Piano Diary, Metronome, and NoteStar.

This significantly expands the capabilities of the keyboard and your access to extensive training resources.

For the keyboard itself, it is compactly designed and lightweight, making it easy to carry, even by a young player.

The fact that it can be powered by 6 AA batteries makes it even more versatile. You are not restricted to any one space as you can take it with you anywhere.

How about its tone?

Good thing you asked. It offers some lovely tones including an amazing grand piano tone. The keys are soft but touch sensitive, allowing for dynamic play. Its 64-note polyphony is plenty for the beginner.

Finally, to fully assess your progress or performance, you can record each performance for playback.

This sure is a small but capable beginner keyboard.

Our rating: (4.2 / 5)

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10 Casio CTK-2550 61 Key Portable Keyboard

This is another offering from Casio for the beginner. According to Casio, this keyboard was designed for those looking for fun ways of exploring their musical creativity. It sure does sound inviting.

Let’s take a peek at its features…

First, this is a relatively small keyboard with just 61 keys. Making it small when compared to the 88 key models. That said, the keys are standard sized keys.

You get an amazing 400 tones with this keyboard. This offers tones that cover almost every genre of music. In addition, you also get about 150 rhythm styles to groove to. Offering superb opportunities to explore your creativity.

Its integration with a number of apps makes it the perfect keyboard for learning. With an app like Chordana you will easily learn how to play practically any song. You just need to find and download the song’s midi file and you are good to go.

It also offers the option of using the learning light feature which lights up the notes, showing you which to play. You have different learning options to choose from.

Since it can be powered with batteries, you can take your fun practice with you anywhere.

Our rating: (4.3 / 5)

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Best Digital Piano for Beginners Buying Guide

At the beginning of this review, we looked at the reason why many people go for digital pianos. The primary reasons are a lack of funds to purchase an acoustic piano, or a lack of adequate space.

In choosing a digital piano, one of the most important things to consider is the level of the player. This is because digital pianos have different features that will suit players of different levels.

Since we are looking at the best digital piano for beginners, we’ll only look at the factors that beginners need to consider.

These include playability, portability, tone options, connectivity options, ease of use, accessories, and continuity.

Playability

Regarding this, we will be looking primarily at the type of keys the digital piano has. It could have weighted keys, semi-weighted keys or even just touch sensitive keys. Which type will be suitable will depend on the goals of the player.

A beginner who wants to be an acoustic pianist has to practice on keys similar to the keys of a piano. This means going for a fully hammer weighted digital piano. However, a beginner who wants to play synthesizers will find a semi-weighted model more suitable.

Portability

While this may not be too much of a concern for some, it may be for others. A beginner needs to be able to play as often as possible. A very portable digital piano will make it easier for this to happen.

Another aspect of portability is the type of power it uses. Some digital pianos can be powered by batteries. These types of digital pianos offer additional portability so you can take them anywhere.

If you are constantly on the move and do not have a permanent place you can practice for extended periods, this could be an important consideration.

Tone Options and Quality

Most people who get digital pianos mainly play the piano sound. However, having other tones offers more options. With more tone options, you can experiment more and widen your abilities.

The quality of the tones may be more important to some players than the quantity. Most intermediate to professional level players will place more premium on the quality of the tone.

Once again we are back to the issue of the beginner’s end goal. This will determine a lot.

Connectivity Options

The ability to connect your digital piano to external devices may be of great benefit. As a beginner, there are apps that can enhance your learning experience. They are only of use if you can connect to them.

That’s not all.

The ability to connect your digital piano to a computer can open you up to the wonderful world of music production.

It’s best to go for a digital piano that offers a lot of connectivity options. You may not need them today, but you probably will in the near future.

Ease of Use

The ability to easily access the functions of your digital piano is obviously very important. It’s very distracting to have to reach for the manual every time you need to access a function.

Therefore, look closely at the controls and be sure they are simple and straightforward to use.

Some keyboards offer the ability to connect to iOS and other devices for smoother control.

Accessories

Your digital piano requires some accessories. Things like stands, pedals, and benches can improve your playing experience. Additionally, they can also have a profound effect on your learning process.

Learning to play the piano without pedals deprives you of some fundamental skills. Without these skills, your piano playing will lack many expressive components.

You will save some both time and money when these accessories are bundled with your purchase.

Continuity

What does this mean?

As you learn, you will get more proficient. You, therefore, do not want to get a digital piano today and need to upgrade it in a few months. This again has to do with your goals.

If you are getting a digital piano just for the fun of learning, you may be comfortable with any choice. If, however, you have professional intentions, you may want to look for one that will last a while.

Let’s break it down.

Let’s assume you are aspiring to be a pianist and you get a 61 key, semi-weighted digital piano. As a learner, this may offer you enough challenge.

However, as you get more proficient, you will find the range limiting. You will also find that the keys don’t feel like piano keys.

If your goals are to be an acoustic pianist then it’s far better to start off with a digital piano with 88 fully hammer weighted keys.

This may prove very challenging at first. However, as you keep at it, it will get easier and will still remain suitable for your increased proficiency.

The points above do not represent all the factors you will need to consider before getting a digital piano for a beginner. However, they can help you properly determine what type of digital piano will suit any particular beginner.

Conclusion

After carefully looking at the strengths and weakness of the 10 products we reviewed, we reached a conclusion. While each of these products are fantastic, three stood out. Since we are looking at digital pianos, we had to consider at how well each of them performs as an alternative to the acoustic piano.

We also looked at what each offered in terms of continuity. That is, how relevant will these features be as the beginner grows into intermediate and even professional level? So which pianos came out on top?

These three pianos made it on to our final list: the Yamaha P45B Digital Piano, the Korg B1SP Digital Piano and the Casio Privia PX160BK Digital Piano.

However, among these three, the Korg B1SP Digital Piano stood out on all our consideration factors.

We, therefore, declare the Korg B1SP Digital Piano our winner for the best digital piano for beginners.