If you love playing an acoustic piano, owning one can be quite expensive. In fact, most people don’t even have the space to accommodate it, since it’s tremendous.
But thanks to technology, manufacturers are now sampling sounds from the best acoustic pianos to come up with amazing consoles called digital pianos. They sound similar to a grand piano. And they have additional sounds such as electric piano sounds, metronomes, different grand piano sounds, songs and demos, and other functions.
Also, apart from being usable at home, digital pianos are still useful in gigging, since they are portable, and come fitted with the different functions available for stage usage.
Now, as you look forward to buying a digital piano, you have to consider several factors. One of them is your budget. And if you are a beginner or someone that wants something affordable, it’s good that you go for one that’s under 1000 dollars.
If you are that person looking for the best digital pianos under 1000, you have come to the right place. Today, we will review ten of them that we think you should consider the next time you are shopping.
Best Digital Piano Under 1000 Summary:
Top 10 Best Digital Piano Under 1000 Dollars 2022
1. Yamaha YDP144R Arius Series Digital Console Piano – Best For The Money
Yamaha has been in the business of creating incredible pianos from the beginning. The YDP144R is an excellent example of a digital piano you can have at home.
Everybody wants something aesthetic. And that’s what the YDP144R is all about. The digital piano comes with a rosewood cabinet, a three-pedal system, and a matching bench. Hence, it will change your living room’s look once it finds a spot in your home.
The digital piano comes with 88 keys, which have the graded hammer action. We also noticed that the matte finish on the keys not only contributes to the look but also prevents slipping on the wrong notes while playing.
With 88 keys, you’ll be sure to learn everything as a beginner with ease. And the sound from this piano is as realistic as playing the grand concert piano. Yamaha actually sampled sounds from the CFX concert grand piano.
And that’s not all. Yamaha has included a Virtual Resonance Modeling feature. What it does is emulate the feeling of a grand piano.
Besides that, the triple pedal system comes with a half-damper resonance, which increases or decreases the sustain level depending on how you press the pedal.
If you want to access more functions with a smart device, you can do so by connecting it to the piano. The YDP144R features a virtual app, which comes with different roles, including an extensive library of songs and piano lessons.
We believe that this piano is not just ideal for an elite player. Beginners, too, will enjoy using this instrument, and if you want to practice silently, you can insert a headphone in one of the two headphones ports available.
- Aesthetic
- Easy to use interface
- 88 keys with the graded hammer action
- Comes with a virtual app
- Sounds professional
- You can’t play the keyboard separately; hence, it’s not portable.
2. Casio PX-5S Privia Pro Digital Stage Piano – Best Buy
Casio is yet another competitive brand that you, as a pianist, needs to check. And at just under 1000 dollars, you can get an excellent digital piano such as the PX-5S Privia Pro.
One of the things that highlight this instrument is its portability. You can go with it anywhere since it comes with a sleek but compact design that fits into any space.
The keyboard features 88 weight keys, which Casio refers to as Tri-Sensor scaled hammer action II keyboard. Other than that, this keyboard has an extensive user interface than most of the consoles you’ll meet within this price range.
From it, you can access a metronome, effects, different electric piano sounds, organ, synth, strings, harpsichords, record playback option, pitch bend, and so many other functions.
The PX-5S is an ideal gift for any pianist who is starting since the sound on this piano is impressive. It is realistic, which means that the learner will be able to develop his or her skill well.
Apart from that, the piano comes with a USB MIDI function, which allows you to connect the keyboard with other devices, such as PCs and tablets. With the app, you can access lessons, songs, and many other functions.
Other than being usable at home, you can carry this keyboard to an event or performance. With the durability that comes with these keyboards and the sound that this keyboard comes with, you can be sure that you’ll use it for years, even when you advance your skill.
- Portable
- It’s a 256 polyphony
- Loud onboard speakers
- Usable in events as a workstation, still
- USB midi compatible
- You may have to buy a stand and a pedal separately.
3. YAMAHA P125 Digital Piano – Best Budget Buy
The Yamaha P125 digital piano is suitable for players who want an affordable digital piano and don’t want to compromise on sound.
We all know Yamaha and the kind of keyboards they manufacture. The P125 is an exceptional piano since its portable. On the other hand, it comes with a removable, optional stand, a triple pedal system, or a sustained pedal.
The keyboard comes with 88 keys, fully weighted with the graded hammer standard. Also, the user interface is quite elaborate. It features a metronome, a record function, and different piano and electric piano sounds.
Yamaha sampled the sounds from the grand concert piano to come up with the Yamaha P125. Luckily, this piano comes with different acoustic piano sounds, which are super realistic.
The P125 also has loudspeakers, but if you would like to play silently, you can do so by putting on headphones.
Other notable features include the split function and layering option.
Compared to other digital pianos in its price range, the P125 is portable. It’s also fun to play with regardless of your skill level.
On top of that, the piano has a USB MIDI function where you can connect your smart device or PC. With this option, you can access the free smart pianist app, which comes with different voices and numerous settings.
- Portable
- 88 weighted keys
- Sleek design
- Straightforward user interface
- Features various grand piano sounds
- Some users complain about the keyboard having flimsy keys.
4. Yamaha DGX660 Digital Piano
The Yamaha DGX660 is a popular digital piano amongst beginners and experts alike. Here’s why everyone likes this keyboard.
Even though DGX660 is an ideal instrument for beginners, this instrument is unique. The appearance is superb since it comes with 88 heavy weighted keys, inbuilt speakers, an excellent user interface, and an LCD screen, an assignable pedal, and a stand.
The stand is removable, which means you can carry the keyboard to a gig or performance with ease.
If you desire to play like the pros, then the DGX660 is a place to begin. We tested the sound on it and found out that it sounded exactly like a grand concert piano. The digital piano also has a piano room, where you can access different piano sounds.
Besides that, there are numerous voices for electric pianos, instruments, drum patterns, songs, playback options, and a metronome.
It’s also possible to connect the piano to a device via the USB MIDI.
What we know is that this keyboard is versatile. As in, you can connect it to a computer, a recording device, or a smart device. We also noticed that the keyboard allows the user to connect the keyboard with a microphone and other instruments.
Hence, with its price, you get a keyboard that offers you more than what most digital pianos have to offer.
- Heavy weighted keys
- It’s portable
- Comes with an optional stand
- You can connect a microphone to it
- Sounds realistic
- No triple pedal system provided
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5. Casio PX860 BK Privia Digital Home Piano
On the fifth position is the award-winning PX860. The digital piano is one that many pianists love, which is why we included it in this list.
Primarily, we have to applaud Casio for giving pianists a stylish piano. It’s small, compact, and doesn’t occupy much space in your home or music room.
The digital piano also comes with a vintage-style cabinet with a matching bench. Thus, it creates the impression that you are playing a grand piano. It also comes with a triple-pedal system, 88 key-keyboard with the Tri-Sensor hammer system, which Casio uses in most of their keyboards.
The digital piano also features a music stand, a key cover, and a reliable and easy-to-use user interface.
For pianists looking for a digital piano with an extra level of realism, the PX860 is what you should buy. Casio sampled sounds from a concert grand piano note by note.
The piano also has an added touch response function, which detects how the player presses each note in three sensitivity levels.
Besides this, the piano has 18 instrument tones, record function, split function, duet, inbuilt speakers, two headphone ports, and layering options.
If you want to access more sounds, you can use the USB port to connect the PX860 with your smart devices and computers. Note that the piano is compatible with all types of devices, regardless of whether it’s Mac or PC.
- Ideal piano for both beginners and experts
- Features different instrument tones – 18 to be specific
- Touch response for an enhanced performance
- Ebony and ivory feel on the keys to improve the experience and feel
- Comes with the Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer action
- May not be portable
- Doesn’t come with Wifi or Bluetooth connectivity
6. Studiologic Numa Compact 2X Piano
At first, we were a bit skeptical about including this piano in our list. But after numerous reviews and testing, this piano surprised us with what it can offer a player.
The first thing you’ll notice about this keyboard is that it’s slim. It does not occupy much space, which makes it a suitable instrument to carry from place to place and from one gig to another.
The piano features 88 semi-weighted keys, suitable for beginners, and an extensive but easy-to-use user interface. Each button has its function, and they all have LED lights to notify you when you switch on specific functions.
We also loved the touch wheel organ and drawbars included on this keyboard.
When it comes to sound, this keyboard does not disappoint. The manufacturer gives you the option of either using the internal piano sounds or using external ones via the USB MIDI option.
After testing the piano sounds, we found out that they are superb and realistic. It gives you the feeling that you are playing a real acoustic piano.
Other than that, the piano comes with other instrument voices, including synths, organs, drum kits, guitars, basses, and many different voices. You can layer sounds, split them, and add other effects such as phrasing, reverb, and others.
The Studiologic Numa Compact 2X Piano is an instrument you can use to practice, record, jam, and perform. Besides having various piano sounds, you can also use it as a workstation on stage, bearing in mind that it comes with different voices.
- Lightweight
- Flexible
- Comes with numerous settings and voices
- The piano sound is realistic
- USB MIDI compatible
- Features 1GB of sound memory
- You’ll have to buy a stand and a pedal separately
- Also, some players may not like that its semi-weighted
7. Korg SP280BK 88-Key Digital Piano
If you have been playing piano for a while, you understand that KORG is a reputable company. The piano brand offers various keyboard models that you can use, and the SP280BK is an example of the kind of excellence the company provides.
The Korg SP280BK comes with a unique design and shape. It’s compact and lightweight, which makes it easy for you to carry it around.
It again features an easy to use interface, 88 keys with natural weighted hammer action, a foldable stand, and an optional two-pedal unit for soft and sostenuto. But with this option here, you get a half-damper pedal, which determines the kind of sustain you would like to hear while playing.
The SP280BK comes with 30 exciting sounds from the natural acoustic piano sounds and the electric pianos. Some of the instruments included are the organ, synth, harpsichord, electric piano, strings, and many more.
Note that you also have touch, brilliance, reverb, and chorus effects on the keys. The keyboard also gives you the option of using the internal sounds or external ones via the USB MIDI function.
After checking its design, the sound output, the SP280BK is easy to play and enjoyable for anyone to use. Beginners will also have an easy time learning songs with the keyboard since it features a transpose button on the control panel. It also comes with up to 100 songs for practice.
Overall, you can use this keyboard at home or even on stage comfortably.
- Many pianist love that its lightweight
- 88 keys with the natural weighted action
- Piano sounds are realistic
- Audible speakers
- USB MIDI compatible
- It’s stylish but looks flimsy.
8. Kawai ES110 Portable Digital Piano
Kawai ES110 is one of the most brilliant models you’ll meet in the market. It’s an ideal digital piano for both beginners and experts. And here’s why we liked it.
The keyboard features 88 weighted keys with the graded hammer action and a smooth texture provided by the matte finish on each key. It also features a simple, and straightforward to know, instrument panel, a pedal, and music rest. You will find the different piano sounds, electric piano, metronome, and other instrument voices for practice purposes.
The keyboard also has a Bluetooth setting, a virtual technician app, numerous demo songs, record function, and Alfred piano lessons for beginners.
You’ll need to buy a triple pedal unit, and a keyboard stand since it doesn’t come with this package.
We had to listen to the ES100 before we could include it in our list. The keyboard offers the player realistic sounds since it has up to eight piano sounds sampled from a grand concert. Also, the electric piano and other sounds were superb.
It is also important to note that the inbuilt speakers are loud enough. On the other hand, you can connect a headphone jack to the keyboard if you want to practice silently.
The ES110 is portable. You can carry it from one place to another and from gig to gig. If you would like it for home practices, the manufacturer provides a matching keyboard stand and a triple pedal unit, which stands separately.
- Ideal instrument for both beginners and pros
- Features graded hammer system for the 88 keys
- Comes with a pedal
- The grand concert voices are realistic and sound beautiful
- It doesn’t accompany a stand.
9. Yamaha YDP103 Arius Series Digital Console Piano
For those looking to have a similar experience to that of a Yamaha concert piano at an affordable price, you can buy the YDP103. It comes with numerous attributes that any player is going to love.
The YDP103 features an 88 key keyboard, which comes with a matte finish and the Graded hammer standard that most Yamaha keyboards have. We also noted that the matte finish ensures that the keys are not slippery even after playing for long or after sweating.
The manufacturer also provides a keyboard stand, a triple pedal unit, a key cover, a music stand, and a matching stand.
All these features look elegant and match effortlessly with your home’s décor.
One thing that you’ll love about this keyboard is the sound quality it provides the player. The keyboard stays in tune, and the piano sounds are quite realistic.
Yamaha also added modern technology known as Advance wave memory, which makes the natural piano sound more advanced by adding some stereo effect.
The keyboard also has inbuilt speakers, but if you want to practice silently, you can connect up to two headphones via the headphones jack.
The YDP103 is an ideal instrument for any beginner or expert. It’s easy to use, and if you would like to use external voices, you can connect your IOS devices via the USB MIDI ports. The app makes it easy to navigate through different settings.
- Comes with modern effects for the natural acoustic sounds
- Gives you access to external sounds
- GHS weighted action on the 88 keys
- The piano sounds are realistic
- Perfect piano for beginners and experts
- Not portable
- The USB midi is only compatible with IOS devices
10. Casio PX-770 BK Privia Digital Home Piano
On the final spot is the Casio PX-770 digital home piano. It’s yet another model that has been a favorite for most piano players around the world.
The PX-770 comes with an unmatched design that will change the way your music or living room looks. It comes with a sturdy cabinet, which has a dark brown finish, a music stand, a triple-pedal unit, and an 88 key keyboard with Tri-Sensor scaled hammer action.
Its design is slim, and you have to be sure that it does not occupy much space in your home.
With this keyboard, you can be sure that you’ll be getting the most out of the sound. Its inbuilt speakers have a powerful stereo amplification system that makes it audible even without external amplification.
The piano sounds are also superb. All of them give you the real feeling of playing an acoustic piano, and that’s what you’ll love about the keyboard.
Other features you’ll like include the dual, split, and the recording functions. Note that you can store up to ten recordings in the piano’s internal memory.
For players who would love to explore different piano sounds, apart from the inbuilt ones, you can connect your IOS or Windows devices via the USB MIDI option. You’ll be able to access songs, lessons, and different piano settings via the Chordana app.
- Slim design that doesn’t occupy much space
- 88-key weighted piano
- An easy-to-access user interface
- Recording function can store up to 10 songs
- Modern sounds added to the piano sounds makes the piano sound extra good
- Some users complain that the keyboard is a bit heavy
Best Digital Piano Under 1000 Dollars
Pianos and the search for the best digital pianos under $1000 could overwhelm you with the variety and the options. It is essential to keep a buying guide handy to know what are your best options available.
Understanding how a digital piano works:
Digital pianos are designed to reproduce the feel while playing and the sound of a natural or acoustic piano. While in an acoustic piano, hammers, strings, and keys are responsible for the sound played. On striking the key, the hammer strikes the respective string vibrating it and producing the sound.
Digital pianos, on the other hand, do not have hammers or strings. The keys are weighted only for the weighted feel of the acoustic piano. The sound in a digital piano is played by using samples.
Factors to consider when buying a digital piano under $1000
- Samples
A sample literally means a sample. It is a recording of an original sound. Samples commonly are also excerpts of other sounds. It is traditionally recorded at varied velocity levels, which mimic the natural response of the played keys.
The quality of the tone has a direct relation to the accuracy of the sound. A higher-quality results in more apparent and more accurate sound. While a beginner’s digital piano does sound similar to an acoustic piano, an advanced piano will almost be identical.
The more advanced the model, the better memory they have. With more memory comes samples of higher quality. This results in more velocity layers.
A digital piano doesn’t record an individual key. They record the forthcoming second and third notes as well. Hence, they then fill the gaps by stretching these samples.
- Physical Modeling
This is a technology used to recreate an acoustic piano from scratch. They use advanced techniques to recreate the physical behaviour of an acoustic piano. The technology makes multiple elements interact with each other to replicate an almost authentic sound.
All high end and advanced digital pianos use purely modelled sounds without any samples.
Types of Digital Piano
Digital Piano are of the following types:-
- Portable Type
This form of pianos is also called slab pianos. The USP of slab pianos is their design. They are movable and portable as they come without a base. A portable digital piano will have a full 88 hammer-action keyboard.
It is very similar to that of an acoustic piano. They have a high polyphony count, better samples and a more comprehensive range. Moreover, they are way cheaper than console pianos of a similar configuration.
- Console Piano
They are the closest to a traditional acoustic piano in terms of touch, sound, and look. The primary difference between portable and console pianos is their furniture-style cabinet and the 3 pedals, which give this digital piano an acoustic piano feel.
Pedals or stands are inbuilt with this piano. They are lightweight in comparison to an acoustic piano but are still heavier than the portable ones. While the most advanced digital pianos are more expensive than $1000, some good ones are still in the range.
- Upright Style
These pianos are sub-type. They are furnished with big and fancy cabinets. They boast of a highly nuanced wooden key hammer action, have a multi-speaker sound system, and boast intricate samples.
- Digital Grand Piano
The uncommon and extremely expensive type of digital piano gives a detailed and uncompromising player experience. The speaker system for these pianos are state of the art and the keys play deep and resonant sounds resembling that of an acoustic grand piano. Unfortunately, they are not commonly found under $1000 price range.
Functions and Features to look out for in a digital piano
- Metronome- A practice-oriented tool that facilitates a player to develop their rhythm and improve their time by giving a steady beat. A modern metronome converts clicking sounds to drum rhythms. The metronome adjusts the volume, tempo and beats per measure.
- Polyphony- It is defined as the number of beats that is produced by a digital piano at the same time. The polyphony of digital pianos ranges from 64 to 256 notes. While it is true that 88 keys can’t play all the sounds together, usage of stereo samples, sustain pedal, sound effects amongst others use notes from the polyphony. The digital pianos under $1000 give you at least 64 notes and more.
- Modes- Digital pianos not only have the standard mode but also other modes for playing two instruments together or for a four-hand play. The popular modes of a digital piano are:-
- Split mode- It divides the keyboard into two halves. One half plays the keyboard, the other any other instrument. This calls for one-hand play.
- Layer mode or dual-mode- In this mode, every keypress allows for different layers of sound to be played. The two layers have to be pre-decided.
- Twin piano or duet mode- This splits the keyboard into two exact halves with two identical pitch ranges. This is one of the best if you play with a tutor or someone else.
- MIDI Recording- This is how you record and playback performances without additional hardware. A multi-track recorder helps record multiple tracks separately and play together.
- Transpose and Fine-Tuning- Shifting the overall pitch and converting it into semitone steps is the work of transpose. It helps change the key without the player changing its fingering while working on the piano.
FAQs about Digital Pianos Under $1000
Which brand of piano is the best quality?
While all brands have unique features and are good for some of the other elements, in our personal opinion, we are loyal to Yamaha. They are affordable, have strict attention to detail, look perfect, and the sound is unparalleled and just like their acoustic models, these are uniquely faultless.
Do digital pianos need tuning?
Digital pianos play music from samplings or recorded sounds. They playback recorded samples from a tuned acoustic piano. Therefore, digital pianos do not need fine-tuning. They would need to be recalibrated to 440 Hz, though.
How long will a digital piano last?
The expected lifetime of a digital piano can range from 20- 50 years. The more advanced the digital piano, the most structurally secure it is built. The digital pianos resist wear and tear. They are also not affected by environmental factors like moisture and dust. Therefore, they are designed to last a really long time.
How much should I spend on a digital piano?
While it is true that digital pianos can come as low as $300 and go as high as $5000, there is no given amount that you must spend. It will depend on the features that you choose to have in your digital piano. But the range of $1000 is a sweet spot to get a balance of quality and budget.
Final Words
There you have it. All the above digital pianos are the best options when you are looking for anything below the $1000 mark.
Note that all the keyboards we highlighted above are 88 keys. You should go for such digital pianos, even as a beginner, to ensure that you’ll have an instrument that you’ll use even when you advance.
Another thing: When choosing your favorite piano, make sure to test it. Listen to the piano sounds provided in the console and ensure that they sound great and professional. Remember, you’ll need the piano sound most of the time, which is why you should test.
Finally, in our opinion, we think that the Casio PX-5S Privia Pro Digital Stage Piano is the best digital piano under 1000 since it provides everything you would want to see and feel from a digital piano.
