some people, in this review and report I am mostly concentrating on digital pianos that focus more on the actual piano playing experience for authenticity and more organic realism as opposed to all the extra stuff that are on other models. However, there are a couple of pianos below which rank very high not only for offering a very good piano playing experience, but they also have many useful and enjoyable "bells & whistles" that I like very much, so they on this list too. This review is what I consider not only to be on the most popular instruments overall, but also how they rate for "the best bang for the buck" in every price range when it comes to a more authentic piano playing experience. The focus here is mostly on the furniture cabinet digital pianos, but there are a couple of portable models included here as well just because they do a better job in producing a great piano playing experience in their price rage than a competitive full furniture cabinet digital piano. In fact, if you want to keep the price very low towards the $500 range and a lightweight portable digital piano will fit your needs, definitely don't miss reading review about the brand new Casio PX-S1000 linked on this page. It is a new concept in low priced portable digital pianos and definitely worth your consideration if it fits your criteria. But if you want a full size furniture cabinet digital piano then there are some really good ones out right now that I highly recommend you consider.
- In these price ranges below for new digital pianos, in my opinion the TOP 3 best models in the USA for the most realistic piano playing experience in each price category at approx internet/store discount selling prices are as follows:
Top 3 Digital Pianos from $500 to $1000
2. Kawai ES110 - At $699 internet discount price, the Kawai ES110 is a portable digital piano which plays like a full furniture cabinet digital piano with regard to a more realistic piano playing experience. If you need a more furniture look for this model you can order optional furniture style legs and triple pedalbar assembly. Kawai has done an outstanding job in providing a big piano sound, expressive key action, and realistic pedal response in a lightweight cabinet that can go anywhere you want to take it. Find out more about this impressive model in my review at the following link: Kawai ES110 Review
3. Casio PX-S3000 - At just $849 internet discount price this brand new portable digital piano makes the top 3 in this price range because it's the only name brand new "portable" digital piano that also works on batteries so that you can play it anywhere and has a smooth top all-digital touch surface with no mounted analog buttons at all. Beyond that, it is the lightest and most compact digital piano in its class and offers full multi-track MIDI recording and playback with LCD digital display screen, hundreds of great tones and functions with natural sounding acoustic pianos, and a new fast action balanced and graded-weighted piano key action. The new internal proprietary stereo speaker system is very impressive with big sound, especially for this model's small size and weight. I will soon have a detailed review of this new model and I have also heard that Casio is just about sold out of their first in-coming shipment of the PXS3000 with all the pre-orders that have come in. Until my review comes out, for more info on this new model please click on the following link that takes you to the Casio web site to learn more about it.: Casio PX-S3000 info. *Also Casio just came out with a more basic version of this PXS model called the PX-S1000 at just $649 internet discount price. Using the same platform as the upgraded PX-S3000, this more basic version offers the same cabinet design, same key action, and same internal speaker system as the PX-S3000, but the PX-S3000 is definitely worth the $200 price difference in my option as it is highly upgraded over the PX-S1000. You can read my new full detailed review of the PX-S1000 at the following link: Casio PX-S1000 REVIEW
Top 3 Digital Pianos from $1000 to $1500
1. Korg C1 Air - At $1399 internet discount price the Korg C1 Air is a digital piano like no other in its price range. The piano sound, key action, and pedaling realism is surprisingly impressive for a slim contemporary cabinet that occupies a small footprint. In fact, if you close your eyes while listening to this piano you might just think your hearing a real full size acoustic baby grand grand. Check out my detailed review of this impressive model at the following link: Korg C1 Air Review2. Casio AP470 - At $1499 internet discount price, the 2018 Casio AP-470 is a "heavy hitter" in this price range as compared to most of its competition. When you consider the upgraded cabinet design and construction along with big piano sound and nice e 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 KDP110 - At $1199 internet price this new Kawai piano is the best one Kawai has ever produced in this lower price range. In fact this is their lowest priced home furniture cabinet digital piano and it competes head-on with the more famous brands like Yamaha & Roland. With 40 watts of stereo audio power putting out z fairly big sound and using sampled acoustic piano sounds, this model does offer a lot for the money. Read my complete review at the following link: Kawai KDP110 Review
*At $1499 internet price the Yamaha YDP-164 is definitely worth mentioning (comes in at #4 in this price range) as it replaces the prior model YDP-163 and has a much better acoustic piano sound, although I was not able to list this model in the Top 3 in this price range. It's still a good digital piano but the other models here beat it out in my opinion. Nevertheless, Yamaha is still an excellent choice and something you should consider.
*At $1499 internet price the Yamaha YDP-164 is definitely worth mentioning (comes in at #4 in this price range) as it replaces the prior model YDP-163 and has a much better acoustic piano sound, although I was not able to list this model in the Top 3 in this price range. It's still a good digital piano but the other models here beat it out in my opinion. Nevertheless, Yamaha is still an excellent choice and something you should consider.
Top 3 Digital Pianos from $1500 to $2000
2. Korg G1 Air - At $1749 internet discount price this home cabinet model puts out a big, clear sound with great bass response in a slim stylish cabinet. Everyone I have talked with who owns this new model says great things about it and especially likes 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 manufactures their 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. Read my full review of this piano at the following link: Korg G1 Air Review
3. Casio AP-650 - At $1899 internet discount price this Casio model has the look, sound, and functions closer to other new digital pianos that are twice the price. You can play this model as a full big sounding piano or utilize the many educational functions to enhance the piano learning and playing experience. By the way, in my opinion this is the best piano of the bunch between $1000 to $3000 as far as offering the most "bells & whistles" in terms of digital functions & features. So if you are interested in a digital piano that does a ton of cool things, but still plays like a nice piano, then this model would definitely satisfy your needs. Go to my complete piano review of the Casio AP-650 at the following link to learn more: Casio AP-650 Review
Top 3 Digital Pianos from $2000 to $2500
2. Yamaha Arius YDP-184 - At $2199 internet discount price, this is the 1st Yamaha digital piano I have listed on this page so far, but it will not be the last. Up until now I have not been a big fan of most of the Yamaha digital pianos under $2000. However, this new model really has surprisingly great sound for the Arius series, playable, durable key action, and sophisticated digital features in a very nice furniture cabinet. Go to the following link to read my thorough review of this new model: Yamaha YDP-184 Review
3. Roland HP702 - Unlike many of the other digital pianos on this list, Roland does not publish its discount prices on-line so you would need to go to an actual piano store that sells Roland pianos to get a price that you could buy it at there. However, based on my experience with this model, the average discount selling price in Roland piano stores across the country is approx $1999 plus local tax. The HP702 is the 1st model in the Roland HP line of home digital pianos. With just 28 watts of total internal power going through just two smaller speakers, this piano is definitely on the low end of a bigger fuller sound with most of the other digital pianos in this price range being at a minimum of 60 watts total power going through 2, 4, or 6 speakers. However, given that the piano sound chip is really quite sophisticated on this model and the key action and pedaling moves and responds well, I do recommend the HP702 in this price range. I have played this model a number of times and do like it. Roland HP702 Review
* The Korg "GrandStage." A newer portable stage piano/orchestra instrument has recently come out by the Korg piano company at just $2199 internet discount price. This portable "monstrous sounding" instrument covers all the bases when it comes to offering hundreds of HD super studio quality stereo instrumental sounds, stereo orchestral sounds, big band & jazz instruments, classical instruments, stereo acoustic grand pianos, vintage electric stereo pianos, the best pipe, jazz, & pop organ sounds, synths, full ambient tones, a myriad of guitars, and so much more. This model is built to play & instantly get impressive pro quality sounds with a super simple user control panel that anyone from 5 years old to 95 years old can operate and sound great the first time you play it. I mention this instrument here because it is not only in this price range but it easily competes with some of these other digital pianos up to the $4000 range. It's main limitation that some people will object to is that it's a portable "stage-type piano with no built-in speakers. You have to connect it to external monitors or speakers and you would also need to put in on a metal style stand as opposed to having a furniture style stand like most of these other digital pianos have here. But if you don't object to some of these "limitations" then this model is worth checking out by reading my review at the following link: Korg Grandstage Review
* The Korg "GrandStage." A newer portable stage piano/orchestra instrument has recently come out by the Korg piano company at just $2199 internet discount price. This portable "monstrous sounding" instrument covers all the bases when it comes to offering hundreds of HD super studio quality stereo instrumental sounds, stereo orchestral sounds, big band & jazz instruments, classical instruments, stereo acoustic grand pianos, vintage electric stereo pianos, the best pipe, jazz, & pop organ sounds, synths, full ambient tones, a myriad of guitars, and so much more. This model is built to play & instantly get impressive pro quality sounds with a super simple user control panel that anyone from 5 years old to 95 years old can operate and sound great the first time you play it. I mention this instrument here because it is not only in this price range but it easily competes with some of these other digital pianos up to the $4000 range. It's main limitation that some people will object to is that it's a portable "stage-type piano with no built-in speakers. You have to connect it to external monitors or speakers and you would also need to put in on a metal style stand as opposed to having a furniture style stand like most of these other digital pianos have here. But if you don't object to some of these "limitations" then this model is worth checking out by reading my review at the following link: Korg Grandstage Review
Top 3 Digital Pianos from $2500 to $3000
2. Kawai MP11SE - At just $2799 internet price, this portable "home stage style" digital piano model from Kawai is like playing a real acoustic grand piano in terms of key action movement, piano sound realism, and pedaling response. For people who want the most realistic possible piano playing experience under $3000 for a digital piano and don't mind that the MP11SE is in a portable style cabinet occupying a small footprint in the room, and needing to be played through external monitors, then the musical result of all that would be that you would essentially have something that even a pro pianist would enjoy playing because of how naturally organic the piano playing experience would be, especially in this price range. Please read my detailed review of this impressive digital piano at the following link: Kawai MP11SE Review
3. Roland HP704 - At approx $2999 approx store discount price, the new 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
Top 3 Digital Pianos from $3000 - $3500
2. Kawai CA58 - At approx $3099 store discount price for matte black finish cabinet, this piano is one of Kawai's most popular digital pianos because it offers a more realistic piano playing experience than most of the other brands and models in this price range, has a better speaker system than the lower price pianos (so the sound is richer & fuller) and has a more robust, more natural piano sound. My review on this model should be up soon. In the meantime go to the Kawai web site at the following link to learn more about this model: Kawai CA58 Review
3. Yamaha CSP-150 - At $3499 internet price, this new model is like no other digital piano under $4000 because most of its functions and features are controlled by an app that was created by the Yamaha and Apple companies so that a person can use their iPad or Android tablet and control the entire piano and all that it does by their color touch screen tablet. You just download the free Yamaha "Smart Pianist" app from the app store and then start doing things with your digital piano that you never thought possible and in a way that is much easier and more intuitive than anything that has ever been offered by any digital piano company before. You should definitely read about this new and exclusive Yamaha CSP150 model on my full review at the following link: Yamaha CSP-150 Review
Top 3 Digital Pianos from $3500 to $4000
2. Casio GP310 Grnad Hybrid - At approx $3999 store discount price the brand new Casio GP310, this is a unique digital piano, especially for the Casio company who is primarily known for much lower priced digital pianos. The GP310 has actual grand piano wooden keys that are installed in a similar way to a real grand piano and also are longer keys more like real grand pianos. 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. Check out my detailed review of the previous model GP300 which is identical to the new GP310 except for new piano sound chip upgrades and better speaker system at the following link and find out why it is was popular and why the new replacement model GP-310 will be even better: Casio GP300 Grand Hybrid Review
3. Samick SG120 Micro Grand - At approx $3900 (plus tax) store discount selling price, this model is somewhat of an unusual digital piano to put into this Top 3 list, but it actually does fit here because it's a higher quality digital piano with a very responsive, fast action piano keyboard along with good stereo piano tone with lots of cool digital features all housed in a beautiful micro-grand polished ebony piano cabinet. The Samick piano company is based in South Korea (think Samsung) and has designed and produced upright & grand acoustic pianos, digital grand & upright style pianos for well over 50 years. I would recommend you read my full review of the SG120 micro-grand digital piano at the following link to find out more. You may be very impressed: Samick SG120 Review
Top 3 Digital Pianos from $4000 to $5000
2. Casio GP510 - At $5999 store discount price, this top of the line polished ebony Grand Hybrid digital piano replaces the prior GP500 and is just coming out on the market. It is the best that Casio has to offer with a top of the line stereo piano sound chip, 88 actual wood grand piano keys, and 88 individual hammers moving up and down like a real grand piano does. There is no other piano like this on the market for under $6000 in terms of the way the piano key action is design and contructed. Read more about the previous model GP500 which is identical to the new GP-510 except that the GP-510 has a new improved piano sound chip and better internal speaker system. This very impressive instrument at my following review: Casio GP500 Review
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| Dexibell H7 polished ebony |
3. *Dexibell VIVO from Italy - Although the following brand is not listed in the top 3 digital pianos between $4000-$5000, in my opinion it should also be seriously considered with its VIVO H7 model because it is very impressive and I have played it many times. It is a newer brand developed and made entirely in Italy by expert craftsman and designers for the last few years and now in the US for the last 3 years. Based on owner experiences and sales so far, as well as my own personal playing experience with this model, I would definitely recommend you consider the Dexibell VIVO H7 home digital piano using proprietary state-of-the-art technology that easily rivals the finest top name brands out there. Plus, it's in a unique, but elegant in its custom home furniture cabinet available in 6 different colors/finishes that will make you feel as if you have a Ferrari sports car in your living room! Check out my review of this new digital piano...it is definitely worth your consideration especially at its very reasonable store discount price: Dexibell H7 Review
Top 3 Digital Pianos from $5000 to $6000
2. Kawai CA98 - At a store discount price of $5399 for the basic matte rosewood cabinet, $5499 for the matte black cabinet, and $6199 for the polished ebony cabinet, this new top-of-the-line model for the Kawai piano company competes head on with Yamaha and Roland top-of-the-line digital pianos in similar price range. The CA98 has longer 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 transducer mics on the soundboard, helps the piano sound resonate better through the cabinet, a new improved piano sound technology chip which produces a more realistic piano sound than before, and a new smaller color touch screen on the left side of the keyboard which helps the user navigate through some of the functions and features of the piano more easily and intuitively than in previous models. Although I have played this new piano many times, I have not completed my full review on it yet. 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 CA98 Info
3. Roland LX708 - The Roland LX708 is a new model for Roland and currently the best upright style home digital piano that Roland produces. It has new digital sound technology, improved key action, and a new piano sound chip along with an upgraded polished ebony cabinet (polished white is optional for a bit more money) with a much more powerful internal sound system that makes it sound like big with lots of bass. The discount store price is about $5999 for the matte charcoal black finish and about $1,000 more for a polished ebony finish, and another $300 more for a polished white finish, plus local tax. This model is not available in the US for purchase on the internet as it is only available in local pianos stores. Please read my review of this model at the following link: Roland LX708 Review. Also, Roland LX706, LX705, HP704, HP702, GP607, and GP609 is in the same review.
Top "Digital Grand Piano Cabinet Style" Digital Pianos under $5000
2- Samick SG500 regular mini grand - Of the top name brands out there who make grand piano style digital pianos, only Samick has a regular mini-grand size digital piano in this price range. Learn more about this piano at the following link: Samick SG500 Review
Top "Digital Grand Piano Cabinet Style" Digital Pianos from $5000 to $6000
2. Roland GP607 - This 3' deep impressive digital small mini-grand sells at discount in Roland dealer stores at approx $6000 (plus local tax). I do recommend it and you can learn more about this model from my detailed review at the following link: Roland GP607 Review
Top "Digital Grand Piano Cabinet Style" Digital Pianos from $6000 to $15000
2. Roland GP609 - This 5' deep digital piano is in a full size baby grand cabinet and is a new model and sells at discount price at Roland digital pianos stores for approx $11,000. The cabinet is beautiful and it is 2nd only to the Yamaha AvantGrand as far as what it offers for an impressive piano playing experience. The Roland GP609 does not offer an actual grand piano key action. The keys have a bit of wood in them but that is the only part of the piano that can be called a "hybrid." The Yamaha N3X is actually a real "hybrid" because of its Yamaha acoustic grand action which is derived directly from a real Yamaha acoustic grand piano. The Roland GP609, however, still offers more than enough for many grand piano shoppers in terms of a very satisfying grand piano playing experience give how expressive the piano is and how it sounds through its beautifully designed internal speaker system going through it's elegant baby grand piano cabinet. I have played the GP609 many time and in reality it is no different than its small 3' deep brother the Roland GP607 with the exception of the larger upgraded baby grand cabinet and the much more robust and impressive grand piano internal speaker system. Although I have played this new model many times I have done done a specific review on it. However, as I mentioned, in terms of its key action, technology, and playability, it is identical to the smaller Roland GP607 and I have done a review on that model. Go to the following link to learn more about this model: Roland GP609 Review
3. Yamaha CLP-695GP - At $7499 internet selling price for polished ebony finish (polished white is more money), this 4' digital regular mini-grand size is Yamaha's largest home digital grand piano shaped instrument in the Clavinova series. It is essentially a CLP685 vertical piano in a baby grand shape. It comes in a beautifully designed cabinet, sounds great, and plays very nicely with impressive sound and features. This one is definitely worth looking at so check out my detailed review at the following link to learn ,more about it: Yamaha CLP-695GP Review
4. Yamaha CVP-809GP - At $15,999 internet/store discount price, this top-of-the-line Clavinova 4'1" deep smaller mini-grand digital piano is actually my favorite model in this entire group because it offers a super awesome piano playing experience along with all kinds of very cool interactive educational & fun technology...and I am into technology in a big way, as long as the piano playing experience on that model is a good one.This model puts out a huge, full, resonate piano tone with a surprising amount of bass frequency so you really feel like you are playing a grand piano. As a grand piano shaped instrument where you want to primarily focus on getting the most realistic piano playing experience but also have many "bells & whistles," the Yamaha AvantGrand CVP-809GP is absolutely outstanding. I have not completed my review of the new CVP-809GP on this blog yet and it has not actually come into US piano stores yet as it is brand new. However, certain Yamaha stores are taking "pre-orders" on this model because they will be very difficult to get for many months ahead since this model will be extremely popular and Yamaha always has a limited supply of them. In the meantime take a look at our "other" digital piano review site called "digitalpianoreview expert.com" and we have a review of this new CVP-809GP along with all the other Clavinova pianos and you can learn more about all of them over there as well. Yamaha Clavinova CVP-809GP Review
* Whatever you decide that you might like, please let me know and contact me before you purchase anything anywhere because I can give you personal advice and help you save even more money on any of these digital pianos!