In these price ranges below for new digital pianos, based on hours of playing time with each one, the TOP 3 best models in the USA for the most realistic piano playing experience in each price category are as follows:
Top 3 Best Digital Pianos from $500 to $1000
1. Kawai ES120 – At just
$949 the Kawai piano company has recently come out with this 2024 portable digital piano that really impressed me when I recently played it, and is definitely worth the money in this price range. If you are looking for a portable digital piano with great sound, very impressive weighted & responsive piano key action good for all styles of music, and some useful interactive technology, then you should definitely consider this new model that recently came out.
Essentially this new ES120 model is based on the previous Kawai ES110, but the new model has been vastly upgraded and refined. If you are mainly looking for the best “piano playing experience” and
not as interested in
many bells & whistles like hundreds of sounds, auto-accompaniment, and many extra recording features, then the Kawai ES120 could be the perfect instrument for you. And…it really looks great too. Go to my review of the ES120 at the following link:
Kawai ES120 Review
2. Casio PX-S3100 – At just $879 internet discount price (stand & triple pedal optional) this newer portable digital piano makes the top 3 in this price range for many reasons. It is important to note that it is nearly tied with the #1 Kawai ES520, but the ES520, in our opinion, offers a more realistic piano playing experience, but that is at the expense of all the hundreds of cool things this Casio PX-S3100 can do.
The PX-S3100 offers the “biggest bang for the buck” with regard to combining a satisfying piano playing experience with a huge array of impressive and enjoyable musical “bells & whistles.” This digital piano can make you sound way better than you really are…and that’s always a good thing, musically speaking.
The PX-S3100 is also the only name brand “portable” digital piano that works on regular batteries so that you can play it
anywhere and has a smooth-top all digital touch surface with with embedded illuminated touch sensor buttons. It also has the new dual Bluetooth features including wireless audio and wireless MIDI connectivity. For more info on the PX-S3100 please click on the following link:
Casio PX-S3100 Review
3. Korg B2/B2SP – At just $499 & $649 with instant rebate included (B2SP includes proprietary furniture stand and triple pedal unit), this portable model by Korg is impressive for its lower price. It has an 88-key responsive weighted-key portable digital piano with an impressive dynamic stereo acoustic piano sound that gives you a very good piano playing experience out there in its price range.
Korg is a well known pro music products company from Japan and lots of musicians, schools, churches, studios, and recreational piano players use Korg digital pianos and other music products. If you need to be closer to $500 in price, then we highly recommend this model. Please read our review of this model at the following link: Korg B2 Review
Top 3 Best Digital Pianos from $1000 to $1500
1. Casio PX-870 – At $1199 internet discount price (slightly above $1000) the Casio PX-870 home digital piano in 2024 offers the “biggest bang for the buck” in terms of a more realistic piano playing experience in a furniture style cabinet for closer to $1000. We put it in this pr1ce category because we think it’s worth the “stretch” in this price category to go up to this $1199 price.
The PX-870 is equipped with 40 watts of stereo power going into four speakers along with built-in USB flash drive input for saving and loading songs. Casio has even developed a proprietary app for tablets so that a person can more easily and intuitively control the piano using the color touch screen of your iPad or Android tablet. Read my review of the Casio PX-870 at the following link and if you want one we can help you order it brand new for even less money than the Amazon/internet price with frees shipping, no tax as we do on all new digital pianos:
Casio PX-870 Review
2. Korg LP-380U – At $1349 regular discount price the LP-380U has a lot to offer and its great for people who also want to use an external iPad device for piano learning apps, instrument apps, drum rhythm apps, etc to enhance the piano playing and learning experience. With one of the best key actions around along with a powerful 44 watt internal piano sound system, this digital piano is impressive.
* Please be aware that the Korg company has a limited-time factory “instant rebate” of $350 on this LP-380U model which makes the final price at $999! So in reality this piano could also be in the $500 to $1000 price bracket at the moment. At this new lower price the LP-380Ul is an excellent buy for what you’re getting and could be in or tied with the #1 spot in that lower price range for a new furniture cabinet digital piano. Please read my review of this newer model at the following link for more info: Korg LP-380U Review
3. Kawai ES520 –
$1399 – This impressive pro quality model is a newer
portable digital piano that is
very impressive in this price range. If you want the flexibility of a lighter-weight portable cabinet at just 32 lbs, but with big power and stereo piano sound from a 40 watt stereo speaker system along with versatility, sound quality, and a more responsive key action of a higher end advanced digital piano, this could be the perfect instrument for you. After playing it many times, I definitely recommend this one. It is also available with an optional furniture stand and triple pedal unit which makes it look and perform more like a real acoustic piano. Check out my review of the ES520 at the following link:
Kawai ES520 Review
Top 3 Best Digital Pianos from $1500 to $2000
1. Korg G1B Air – At
$1999 discount price this Korg home cabinet model puts out a big, clear sound with great bass response going through 4 speakers, 4 separate amplifiers, and offering a huge 80 watts of power in a slim stylish cabinet. Everyone I have talked with who owns this new model says great things about it and especially like that it primarily focuses on a higher quality piano playing experience as opposed to offering lots of unnecessary “bells & whistles” that some other digital pianos tend to do.
Also, the Korg Music company makes these specific digital pianos in Japan using their own factories so you get more piano for your money and less of what you don’t want. I highly recommend this model for all that it offers in this price range, especially if your primary goal is to play piano and you’re wanting the “biggest bang for the buck” under $2000 in that way. It also has Bluetooth wireless audio streaming through its internal speaker system. Read my full review of this piano at the following link:
Korg G1B Air Review
2. Casio AP470 – At
$1699 internet discount price, the Casio AP-470 in 2024 is a “heavy hitter” in this price range for a furniture cabinet digital piano as compared to most of its competition. When you consider the upgraded cabinet design and construction along with big piano sound and responsive key action, this model is difficult to beat. Take a look at my full review of this piano at the following link:
Casio AP470 Review
3. Kawai KDP-120 – At
$1500 this model has an impressive key action and 40 watt , 2-speaker internal sound system. With good looks and design, great piano sound, impressive key action, and useful, but basic functionally at $1500 price range, the KDP120 is definitely a contender and is also offered in different cabinet colors. Check out my review of this model:
KDP120 Review
Top 3 Best Digital Pianos from $2000 to $2500
1A. Kawai ES920 – At
$2337 package price (including optional HM5 furniture stand stand and F302 triple pedal unit), the Kawai ES920 in 2024 is also classified as a “portable digital piano” and can be purchased at
$1899 internet price for the piano itself This is because the piano can come off the optional stand and easily be carried and taken somewhere else or played on a portable stand with a single pedal. So it has flexibility in that way. It is an impressive sounding and playing digital piano at a relatively low internet discount price for what you are actually getting. It is perfect for beginner level all the way up to advanced skill level. This model is impressive in almost every way and is much more powerful than its compact size would lead you to believe. Check out my review at the following link
Kawai ES920 Review
1B. Casio AP-S450 – At $2000 price this brand new 2024 furniture cabinet model is “tied” with the Kawai ES920. They are tied for the #1 slot because they both offer an impressive piano playing experience but differ in the ways they are designed, their key action, user interface panel, their cabinets, and many of their digital features. So it just depends what is more important to you in those ways when it comes to the music you want to play and how you want the piano to look.
The AP-S450 is built with with a proprietary hybrid wood/resin responsive key action that I like very much. This model comes in a very attractive contemporary cabinet available in 3 attractive cabinet colors and this piano that is relatively light-weight and compact. It has very convincing acoustic grand piano sounds derived from Steinway grand pianos as well as having excellent digital piano features along with a big array of very cool digital features and sounds.
Casio has also designed a proprietary controller app for iOS and Android tablets (and phones) called “Casio Music Space” that makes this new model even more amazing add even adds additional educational and fun features to your piano playing experience. I will have a detailed review of this new model up very soon…so stay tuned. In the meantime if you want to know more about the New Casio AP-S450 you can look on the Casio website or contact us direct and we can answer your questions.
2. Kawai CN201 – At $2299,
if you are looking for a more traditional furniture cabinet digital piano with impressive and responsive piano key action, stereo grand piano sound, and “grand feel” pedaling, then this new Kawai model will definitely not disappoint you! This home digital piano focuses mostly on the best piano playing experience in its price range. It looks very attractive and has some very cool features that are impressive. It’s a great instrument for beginners through more skilled players. Check out my review of the Kawai CN201 at the following link:
Kawai CN201 Review
3. Yamaha CLP-725 –At a low $2000 internet discount price, this entry level Yamaha “Clavinova” CLP-725 model offers the main stereo grand piano sounds of the higher priced CLP-735 as well as the same redesigned weighted and graded triple sensor piano key action in a simplified but attractive furniture cabinet version. With its internal speaker system providing 40 watts of total power going through 2 speakers and 2 amplifiers, the volume is more than adequate for average room sizes.
Yamaha also has a very intuitive interactive app for iPad called “Smart Pianist” which lets the user control the functionality of the piano from their iPad color touch screen as well as having a few additional interactive features. This model is not as good as the newer Kawai CN201, but definitely worth consideration. Check out my review at the following link:
Yamaha CLP-725 Review
Top 3 Best Digital Pianos from $2500 to $3000
1. Kawai CN301 – At $2999 this new model coming out soon offers a pretty big bang for the buck. With a 4-speaker 40 watt Kawai internal speaker system, OLED user display screen, a variety of recording and playback features, and a very attractive cabinet that comes in 3 color options, I recommend the Kawai CN301. over other brands and models is its fast playing responsive key action. It has a touch weight key action that is lighter and faster without being too firm or too light. When it comes to the right balance of piano playing realism combined with digital functions & features for about $3000, I would choose this one. I should have my review of this model up in the near future.
2. Roland HP704 – At
$2899 store discount price, the Roland HP704 is the 2nd piano in the Roland line of upgraded models selling above $2000 that incorporates their latest “hybrid” key action and newer physical modeling sound technology. This one is definitely worth looking at and offers a lot of things that many shoppers are looking for. Check out my review at the following link:
Roland HP704 Review
3. Yamaha CLP-735 – At $2899 internet price, the Clavinova CLP-735 is Yamaha’s most popular model in its Clavinova series home digital pianos. With beautiful piano tone, playable piano style key action, resonate pedaling sustain time, and some very cool digital features, the CLP-735 is the next model up from the Yamaha YDP-184 and it’s definitely worth the difference in price. Read my full review of this piano to learn more at the following link: Yamaha CLP-735 Review
Top 3 Best Digital Pianos from $3000 – $3500
1. Kawai CA401 – At $3099 – this newer model in the Kawai Concert series digital pianos is the first one to have longer extended keys along with 100% wood white keys for a more life-life piano playing experience. No other brand or model in this price range comes close to this model for key action authenticity and movement. It has a 4-speaker resonant stereo piano sound and responsive pedaling. In addition to that it has some impressive digital technology giving you many useful proprietary educational features along with a basic recording function. With its Bluetooth wireless capability, OLED user display screen, and a good array of other functions and features, this may be the perfect piano for you in this price range…and it looks great too. I have a review of this 2024 model coming soon.
2. Casio AP-750 – $3399 – This model is brand new for 2024 from the Casio digital piano division of Casio International. The new AP-750 has entirely brand new features including a new hybrid smooth playing piano key action, new upgraded stereo piano sound engine, new pedaling response, new digital features, new internal surround sound system, and a brand new elegant cabinet design. I have played this new model a few times already and it is impressive and competes head-on with the other top brands. I am working on a review for it right now and it should be up soon, so stay tuned. In the meantime if you have questions about those model then please let us know. Also, as with all top name digital piano brands and models, we can help you with even lower prices.
3. Kawai MP11SE – At $3499 this top-of-the-line portable digital piano seems like it might be an unusual choice to put in this category, even at #3. If it were not for the fact that this model is portable and has no built-in speakers, I would have put it as #1 or 2 in this price range. This is because the MP11SE has the best, most authentic piano key action, piano sound, and piano pedaling in this price range but is lacking in cabinet and built-in speaker system. You would need to purchase a metal stand for this MP11SE model as well as external powered monitors/speakers to hear it. Otherwise you can use stereo headphones for private practice. ‘
Top 3 Best Digital Pianos from $3500 to $4000
1. Kawai CA501 – At $3999 internet discount price, this Kawai model is one of the most popular digital pianos in this price range because it offers a more realistic piano playing experience than most of the other brands and models due to its proprietary longer length wooden key action along with its spruce wood white keys that bass octave counter-weights for more realistic feel. It has an excellent 100 watt internal speaker system and has a more robust, more natural acoustic piano sound because of its new piano sound chip and power supply. Click on the following link to read my detailed review on the new CA501. Kawai CA501 Review
The new 2024 CA501 has been significantly upgraded over previous models with regard to the piano playing experience authenticity along with other added improvements and is definitely worth the difference.
2. Yamaha CLP-745 – At $3799 internet price this Yamaha Clavinova model is the first one to have actual wood (white) keys and a noticeably more responsive key action than the previous CLP-645 with a faster and more balanced key movement that will satisfy even more advanced piano players. This piano also has a much stronger, richer internal sound system with 200 watts of power along with offering Bluetooth audio wireless connectivity. This is my favorite Clavinova model in the Yamaha line of digital pianos and is definitely worth the money if you can be in this price range. Please read my complete review of this Yamaha piano at the following link: Yamaha CLP-745 Review.
3. Yamaha CSP-150 – Was $3799. This model has just been replaced by a new CSP model and the closeout price (while they last) of the CSP-150 is now $2699! At the prior price of $3799 this Yamaha digital piano was very popular and Yamaha sold many of them for that price. It is designed to be primarily operated by an iPad which would control the thousands of impressive features available in a proprietary app called Smart Pianist that Yamaha created for this model. The feature set and capabilities are too numerous to mention here to I would recommend you read my review of this model at the following link to lean more about this amazing instrument: Yamaha CSP-150 Review
Top 3 Best Digital Pianos from $4000 to $5500
1. Casio-Bechstein GP-310 – At
$4299 store discount price, the new Casio GP-310 is a unique digital piano, especially for the Casio company who is primarily known for lower priced digital pianos. The GP-310 (aka: Grand Hybrid) has actual long grand piano wooden keys made by the famous Bechstein Grand Piano company of Germany that are installed in a similar way to a real grand piano which are also much longer keys and play like real grand piano keys in terms of key weight and movement.
The GP-310 also has actual
moving “hammer” mechanisms for all 88 keys which bring an even more realistic experience to a person wanting to get closer to a real piano while enjoying the many benefits of a digital piano. This model comes in a matte black or matte white finish in a well designed cabinet. Check out my detailed review of the newer GP-310 for 2024 at the following link and find out why it is a very strong competitor against the other well known brands in this price range:
Casio GP-310 Grand Hybrid Review
2. Kawai CA701 – At $4899 internet discount price, this new 2024 model has Kawai’s proprietary color touch screen (android OS) to control the entire piano. This attractive built-in color screen is positioned all the way to the left of the keyboard which is definitely nice for most people who want an effective but minimalistic interface design. The CA701 dual engine stereo piano sound chip and 14″ extra long wood key action along with responsive pedaling in an attractive cabinet is very impressive.
If you are looking primarily for a very realistic “piano playing experienced” that you can get for between $4000 to $5000 internet discount price then this CA701 is one of my personal favorites in a well designed furniture style cabinet. You definitely need to take a look at this one before you make any buying decision. Go to the following link on this blog to read more about Kawai digital pianos:
Kawai Digital Pianos.
3. Coming soon –
Top 3 Best Digital Pianos from $5500 to $6500*
1. Casio GP-510 – At $6299 store discount price, this top of the line beautiful polished ebony Casio “Grand Hybrid” digital piano is for people who mainly want to focus on the piano playing experience. It is the best that Casio-Bechstein has to offer with a top of the line stereo piano sound chip, and 88 actual full length wood
grand piano style keys designed by the well known Bechstein piano company of Germany. There are also 88 individual “hammers” moving up and down similar to what a real grand piano does.
There is no other piano like this on the market for under $6500 in terms of the way the piano key action is designed and constructed along with the new Bechstein stereo grand piano sounds, Read my detailed review about this GP-510 with its new improved piano sound chip that has a rich resonate stereo grand piano sound going through an impressive internal speaker system. Go to the following link: Casio GP-510 Review
2. Kawai CA901 – At a store discount price of $6399 for the matte rosewood and matte black cabinet, and $7299 for the polished ebony cabinet, this new 2024 top-of-the-line CA901 model for the Kawai piano company competes head on with Yamaha, Roland, and Casio top-of-the-line digital pianos in a similar price range. The new and improved CA901 has longer 14″ all wood keys installed similar to a real acoustic piano, it has a 1/2 size wood soundboard in the back of the piano which, with the help of new Kawai pro audio transducer mics on the soundboard, helps the piano sound resonate better through its new cabinet.
Also included is new improved piano sound technology chip which produces a more realistic piano sound than before, and their proprietary color touch screen on the left side of the keyboard which helps the user navigate through the functions and features of the piano more easily and intuitively than in previous models. I have not completed my full review on this new model yet but it is coming soon. So in the meantime please take a look at this model on the Kawai website at the following link to learn more about this new model:
Kawai CA901 Review
3. Yamaha CLP-785 – At $6399 internet price for a matte black finish cabinet (polished ebony cabinet $6999), this is Yamaha’s top-of-the-line home digital piano. It has Yamaha’s best Clavinova wood key action with extended keys, a great looking cabinet, super huge internal sound system, and natural, clear, dynamic piano tone all controlled by an intuitive control panel and a proprietary tablet app by Yamaha called Smart Pianist.” Although not everyone can be in this higher price range, if you do have the budget for it then I recommend you consider this new model and read my detailed review of it.
The CLP-785 replaced the older discontinued CLP-685 and the two pianos are very similar with a few big notable exceptions and upgrades on the 785 including a much better, more balanced, and lighter playing key action, better piano sound, better speaker system and a few other important things. Please read my review of the new CLP-785 at the following link:
Yamaha CLP-785 review
Best “Digital Grand Piano Cabinet” $5000 to $7000
1. Yamaha CLP-765GP – At
$5999 this newer upgraded model is the largest of the 3 models in this price range. It is 45″ deep and looks great. The previous model was impressive and Yamaha sold lots of them but the new CLP-765GP has some very good upgrades in it including a better and more refined piano key action and grand piano sound. It looks beautiful, sounds great, and the features and functions are impressive. Learn more about it at the following link:
Yamaha CLP-765GP Review
2. Kawai DG30 – At
$6049 the all new Kawai DG30 digital “micro-grand” is a very cool new addition to the world of “grand” micro style digital pianos because it fits in a smaller space at just 34″ deep. It looks beautiful, plays great, has lots of cool useful functions and features, and for what it does and how it plays is actually pretty reasonable, in our opinion. Please read our detailed review at the following link of this 2024 model that recently came out:
Kawai DG30 Review
Good evening Tim … What a pleasure to read your relevant comments and deliver your experience in the field of digital piano … I live in France and many models are not marketed at home, I think KAWAI KDP 110 in particular. I wanted to ask you two or three questions, though. I have seen the brand DYNATONE, STEIMAYER, which sells pianos that they announce "high-end", such as the Steinmayer DP-380, or the DPR-3200 H from dynatone. In all fairness, these pianos are good bills, if I rely on the elements and other functions that compose them, such as heavy touch, polyphony, keys boix, etc, etc … I know that they are brands installed in China … But what I expect of you, are worth it to buy, because their price defy any competition compared to the tenors that are YAMAHA, KAWAI, etc …. Thank you the help you bring to novice pianists like me … Happy end of year party … Bruno
I would like to know if there were still samik ebony … and if so, how can I buy it and send it home in France..thanky..bruno
Where is Nord Piano?
I would like to know if there were still samik ebony … and if so, how can I buy it and send it home in France..thanky..bruno
Oh.
I must thank you – truly – for your reviews. You just helped me make an educated recommendation for a friend.
May I offer some constructive criticism? Your writing style, though pleasantly forthright and conversational, severely needs help in the brevity department. Run-on sentences and repetition abound in your posts, which is very fatiguing to the reader. Perhaps listen to your own pages using text-to-speech to see what I mean?
This comment as it's just for your reference; no need to post it. Heck, ignore it if you like! Brevity is a hard skill to master but will really help your blog. I owe you a debt for your reviews so I figured I'd reach out a helping hand as well.
Take care and keep up the great work.
Thanks for your comments…and what you say is mostly true. I write in a "stream of consciousness" style and I think and talk like that as well. Although I do put down a lot of detail and go much further than most people in explanations, it can be a bit overwhelming for some. At this point in my life I am too old and set in "thinking ways" to change…much. If you think that my content is too extensive and not to the point sometimes, you should see the unedited versions of my reviews! What you are reading in my reviews is actually edited not only in length, but also in sentence structure and content from what it first was when I initially wrote them. Your criticism is constructive but unfortunately (for good or bad) I will unlikely use it because then I would just be editing for days on end and I can only do so much of that as it would drive me crazy…and I am already a bit nutty to begin with:).
I would be interested in where the new Nord Grand ranks, too.
Hi,
Thanks a lot for this greta article.
How woudl you compare the piano action between the Kawai CA79 and Yamaha CLP 745 ?
Thanks a lot.
Will you be reviewing the Kauai CA99 soon? Thank you, JudgeT
Hi,
I'm interested in finding a digital piano with a baby grand-style cabinet. I'd like to keep it under $5K, but it seems like once you get past the Williams and Suzuki "PSOs" at Guitar Center, there isn't much out there until you get to the $5500 Yamaha and $7500 Kawai. I saw your article recommending the Samicks, but they seem hard to find. There's a Kurzweil KAG100 in the $3000 range, but I don't know much about it, and you seem to hate other recent Kurzweils. (I remember when the original Kurzweil synth came out and blew everyone away with its piano sound.)
Any advice?
Hi,
I've read at your website the article about the best digital pianos.
Can you please let me know if the Pearl River P200 is considered to be a good digital piano ?
Thanks
Dovik
Hi, thanks for your very thorough reviews. They're really helpful.
I've noticed that you've made no mention of the Yamaha P-series…in particular the P515 which apparently shares the same sound chip as the CLP735. I've seen it compared favourably against the ES920. Is there a reason that you haven't included it?
Thanks…
Chris
The Yamaha P-515 has the older and much stiffer NWX key action and that action is much heavier than what is found on most acoustic grand and upright pianos. Heavy key actions are not preferred by most people, especially when playing at a lighter, softer velocity. The new Clavinova 700 series have Yamaha's new and improved key actions and the key weight has been changed and upgraded to resolve the key weight issues with the NWX key action. When the new replacement of the P-515 comes out someday, it will likely have the new and improved key action and be a much better instrument. Since key action is the #1 most important part of any piano, that is why I did not include the P-515.
Hey Tim, I see the none of Roland LX serial is picked. Thus for the best digital piano, Roland's LX model's are lag behind because of the "non-smooth transition" in your another review? Do you have review on the action of different models and which is more close to the grand piano?
Thanks Tim, much appreciated.
Besides the look, is there any advantage to buy a grand vs a good upright digital piano? Is it possible to compare yamaha 765gp vs kawai ca79?
Great! Thank you very much.