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The 10 Best Digital Pianos With Weighted Keys

In Buyer's Guide , Guides for Pianists by Jake L Leave a Comment

Last updated on April 3rd, 2020 at 12:38 am

While most pianists would love to have an acoustic piano, it can be challenging to own one when you have to consider the monetary costs and the space commitment needed. Lucky for us, we don’t need to invest so much towards an acoustic piano as nowadays we have digital pianos, electronic alternatives that do an excellent job at producing a similar experience and sound while also having their own set of features.

Keep in mind that if you’re looking for an alternative to an acoustic piano, you’re going to want to make sure to look for a digital piano that’s equipped with weighted keys, assuring that you get the closest experience to the real thing as possible.

This can be tough as there are so many great options to choose from, but we’re here to help. We’ve put together a list of our recommendations for the 10 best digital pianos with weighted keys available in 2019.

1. Yamaha P-71 Weighted Digital Piano

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The first digital piano we’re going to recommend is the popular Yamaha P-71. It’s an awesome full-sized piano for the price that’s great for players of any skill level. It’s nice to see that Yamaha put a priority on having an authentic feel for its weighted keys. With fast key response and a sound that is warm and full from all of its 88 keys, the P71 can even compete with more expensive digital pianos in the market.

It has a nice slim and stylish design that doesn’t take up that much space at all. This piano is also lightweight, weighing only around 25lbs, making it easier to move around if needed.

To keep up with the authentic touch, the P-71’s weighted action keys have a heavier touch in the lower end while gradually getting lighter as you go towards the higher end. Its settings are simple to use as everything can be changed with a single button. You can also play in two piano modes, as well as two organ modes.

A fun feature that the P-71 has is its Dual Mode, which lets you combine two voices/sounds together while you play. With 10 different voices/sounds to choose from, you’ll have a lot of combinations to try out.  There’s also a 1/4 inch headphone jack in the back, allowing you to play without disturbing anyone.

The piano does come with a sustain pedal, however, it’s one of the small square pedals. These pedals are known to be cheap and tend to slide around when playing. Because of this, we would recommend you upgrade to a heavier pedal if possible.

The Deluxe Home Bundle

While you can order just the digital piano, we highly recommend you consider ordering the home deluxe bundle as it comes at a great price. You won’t find a more perfect keyboard stand for the P-71 than the L85 stand that comes with this bundle. The bench that comes with it is also a nice addition.

Overall, the Yamaha P-71 is an excellent digital piano that we highly recommend you check out. Do keep in mind that the P-71 is an Amazon exclusive model, however, it’s the same design as Yamaha’s P-45. So if you’re looking up any guides for your piano online, anything that refers to the P-45 will be information that applies to this model.

2. Casio Privia PX-160 Digital Piano

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The Casio Privia PX-160 is next to make it onto our list as being one of the most affordable digital pianos that are capable of emulating the authentic feel of an acoustic piano’s action, similar to the Yamaha P-71, the previous option we’ve discussed. We’re going to be talking about the bundle that this piano comes in, which is something you’re going to want to check out for its great value. Before we talk about the bundle, let’s discuss an important feature that makes this digital piano so great.

Weighted Keys with Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer Action

The Privia PX-160 feels and sounds just like a real piano. It’s full-sized, coming equipped with 88 keys, all weighted with a smooth ebony and ivory texture, providing an incredible feel.

Thanks to this texture, the keys have a nice grip to them. The low notes play heavier and higher notes play lighter, ensuring that the keyboard responds solidly and naturally.

To top it all off, these keys are equipped with Casio’s famous Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer Action II. Thanks to these three sensors, you can play the same note with quick succession without waiting for full key retraction. This feature is ideal for advanced players as it allows them to express themselves better with a responsiveness that is closer to a grand piano.

The Bundle

The reason why we highly recommend the full bundle is that it comes with everything you need at a very affordable price. You will find the CS-67 furniture stand is perfect for your piano and is accompanied by a nice furniture bench for ideal seating. The stand provides you with a realistic experience, as you won’t experience any wobbling from intense piano playing. This stand also comes with a sheet music rest that many pianists will find useful.

This bundle also comes with the SP-33 Triple-Pedal system attached to the stand. You will find that this is much better than the plastic sustain pedals that come with most digital pianos as you won’t run into problems of it moving around while you play. It’s also much more durable in design.

There are also some extra things that come with this bundle such as instructional books and DVDs, a polishing cloth, and online lessons.

Overall, the Privia PX-160 is another great choice for any piano player. The bundle comes at a great price, including everything that is needed to start playing right out of the box.

3. The ONE Smart Piano (Best Digital Piano for Beginners)

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Probably one of the best digital pianos for beginner players who are still learning, the ONE Smart Piano makes it onto our list for its unique approach on teaching people how to play the piano. This digital piano really shows us how far we have come with technology and how it is even influencing how we can learn music.

Perfect For Learning Beginners

Combined with free mobile apps for iOS and Android, The ONE Smart Piano makes learning the piano more fun and easier for beginners, guiding players with light-up keys. These apps also come with over 100 free video lessons that are integrated with the lights, helping students learn everything from the basics to more advanced topics. Of course, more advanced players can have some fun as well by choosing from thousands of free sheet music and over 128 different instrument sounds.

For the younger students, learning the piano becomes even more fun with games that challenge players to score higher points by hitting the light-up keys in rhythm to match the music. It really brings me back to the days I use to play rhythm games such as Guitar Hero and Rock Band. Very nostalgic.

Light-Up Key Practice

Let’s get into more detail about the LED lights that are changing the way students learn. The lights are on the piano keys and work with the app. It lights up to show which keys to press and waits for you to hit the right notes before moving onto what’s next. These lights are super fun to play with and are very encouraging, something that will help beginner students continue to learn.

Hammer-Action Keys

While the Light-up keys are already game changers, we have to mention how much we liked the Hammer-Action design of these keys. This digital piano comes equipped with 88 weighted keys that are elegant in appearance. The Hammer-Action keyboard is excellent at replicating the feel and experience you would get from an acoustic piano.

Three Foot Pedals

Another feature we love is the three-foot pedals that come equipped with this piano. Like modern pianos, having three-foot pedals allows players to have a full range of control of the instrument’s sound as they play. Especially for beginner players, this is something they should start utilizing from the beginning of their piano journey.

Overall, the ONE Smart piano is an outstanding instrument that’s great for learning the piano. It really does make learning the piano fun while being high-quality in terms of features and sound. This digital piano is definitely worth checking out!

4. Casio Privia PX-870

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Casio makes it onto our list again with its Privia PX-870 Digital Piano, a pricer model than the Privia PX-160 that we discussed earlier. Coming in a full bundle that includes a furniture stand equipped with a sliding key cover and a bench. What really makes this particular model stand out from the rest is the features that come with it.

Tri-Sensor II Scaled Hammer Action Weighted Keys

This full-sized piano has 88 Tri-Sensor II Scaled Hammer Action piano keys that allow players to truly express more throughout their performance with no limitations. Like the previous Casio piano we’ve discussed, every key is equipped with three sensors that allow players to play the same note with quick succession. Definitely, the responsiveness that advanced players are expecting from a higher-quality digital piano like this one. You can also adjust the touch sensitivity and hammer response to suit any playing style.

Powerful Sound Projection 4-Speaker System (AiR Sound Source)

A feature that really makes this piano stand out is its powerful sound projection. Thanks to this 40-watt, 4-speaker system, this digital piano is capable of filling a room with rich, detailed sound. This design envelops the listeners and audience with sounds that emit from various places on the instrument.

There is also the option to use headphones with this piano for those moments where you don’t want to disturb anyone as you practice. You can connect two sets of headphones to this piano, great for listening partners and teacher/student situations.

We also have to mention PX-870’s award-winning AiR Sound Source that includes a new four-layer stereo grand piano that comes alive with realistic damper resonance. It simulates the entire body of the instrument, not just the strings. This piano also features a variety of 19 instrument tones, with the ability to layer and split them as needed.

Overall, this digital piano feels and sounds authentic enough that there would be a brief moment of thinking it was the real thing. With an all-around amazing sound and great features, this model is definitely worth the price.

5. Yamaha Arius YDP-144

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Coming from Yamaha’s premium series, the Arius YDP-144 Traditional Console Digital Piano makes it onto our list for its ability to recreate the power and tone of their flagship CFX concert grand piano. While this is a pricer option, it definitely is an affordable premium digital piano that’s perfect for students, hobbyists, and advanced players.

This piano does come in a bundle that includes a nice furniture stand equipped with three pedals for control, a bench, and even a set of headphones.

An Authentic, Expressive Piano Experience

The YDP-144 provides the piano player and the listeners with a similar experience that you would get from a Yamaha CFX concert grand piano. While the sound is as realistic as it can get in replicating their flagship, the Graded Hammer Standard keyboard makes the keys feel authentic to the touch. A unique feature to Yamaha pianos, the Stereophonic Optimizer lets players enjoy the natural acoustic sound of this piano, even when wearing headphones.

This digital piano offers sparkling highs and a powerful resonant bass that is newly sampled for the YDP-144. It’s capable of maintaining a rich and balanced sound at any volume level. This is thanks to the built-in Intelligent Acoustic Control (IAC) that adjusts the balance of bass and treble automatically.

Graded Hammer 3 (GH3) Keyboard

This digital piano is a full-sized piano that comes equipped with 88 weighted synthetic ivory and ebony keys. Thanks to the GH3 keyboard, it’s possible for YDP-144 to reproduce the touch of an acoustic piano. The lower register will have a heavier feel while having a lighter touch when playing in the upper octaves.

The GH3 also features a three-sensor configuration that accurately senses and interprets the behavior of the keyboard. This provides that grand piano-styled response and feel, allowing for rapid note repetition. Because of this feature, more advanced players will have more expressive control in how they play.

Overall, the Yamaha Arius YDP-144 is an amazing digital piano that provides players with a full authentic piano experience without breaking the bank.

6. Roland RD-2000 (On-Stage/Studio Piano)

The RD-2000 from Roland is a premium digital piano that’s perfect for professional musicians who perform on stage and for those who record in the studio. It’s a definite game changer when it comes to stage pianos, coming with features that outshine the rest of its competition.

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On Stage Powerhouse

The RD-2000 is a performance powerhouse, coming equipped with two independent sound engines, premium action, and advanced controller features. Roland definitely designed this piano for the stage as it has an intuitive interface that’s easy to navigate during live performances.

The eight knobs and nine sliders provide players with instant control for sounds, effects, and more. Another cool feature is that the knobs feature LED indicators for more precise adjustments. This digital piano has eight assignable zones that allow you to map sounds to different key ranges. They can also create a combination of sounds with up to eight layers.

To top this all off, the new Scene function allows you to save up to 100 different snapshots (settings) of the entire keyboard setup. You can recall to them with the touch of a button while performing.

All of these amazing features, and more, in a digital piano that weighs right under 50lbs. This makes it much easier to travel with and set up for different gigs and live performances.

V-Piano Technology

What we absolutely love about the RD-2000 is its amazing acoustic piano sounds. This is all powered by Roland’s latest piano technologies and long-running V-Piano research. This piano comes equipped with the V-Piano engine, the same engine found in their flagship model. The Acoustic sound is very natural and responsive, producing a detailed tone with full polyphony.

If you’re looking for a trustworthy piano that will bring a professional acoustic sound onto the stage, you can’t go wrong with the Roland RD-2000. It is going to be the most expensive option on our list, however, if you have the money and are serious with your music, it’ll be worth it. This digital piano is one of our favorite options for musicians who perform often.

7. Kawai CE220 Digital Home Piano

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Kawai, a company often compared to Yamaha since both are founded in Japan, was always known to make high-quality pianos. While there are already so many great options to choose from, Kawai has risen to the challenge with their CE220 model. This digital piano comes very close to sounding and feeling like the real thing. Interestingly, the CE220 has wooden keys instead of plastic. This is a game changer when it comes to digital pianos, however, we’ll get more into that later.

Sound and Tone

The first thing we’ll talk about is its sound and tone. Overall, the sound that comes from this digital piano is very close to the real thing. Its lower registers have a nice depth to its tone, without being overly “bassy,” resonating nicely and smoothly. The middle registers produce a warm tone that surrounds its listeners, filling the space the music occupies. As you get into the higher register, you will find that tone rings clearly, not being drowned out by reverb.

Of course, this is a digital piano so the sound won’t resonate as naturally as an acoustic piano. However, with a good pair of headphones, you can get an even richer and convincing sound from this piano.

With the CE22o, the tone is unified throughout the entire range. You can also add some versatility with the layer function, selecting from a variety of accompanying sounds to layer with your piano.

The Feel of this Digital Piano

First off, the Ce220 digital piano utilizes wooden keys instead of plastic giving the keys more grip instead of a slick feel, which can help improve your accuracy as you play. They are, however, stiffer than other pianos. This can be difficult for younger players and might take some time to get used to.

While all of the keys are weighted, you will notice that the weighing changes gradually as you go up the scale. It does so in a subtle way and adds more to the authentic feel. The action on this piano is close to what you would find in a baby grand. You will find that the touch response on this model is very sensitive, however, there are features that allow you to adjust this.

The CE220 offers a feature that allows players to adjust their own touch sensitivity to their personal playing strength. That’s actually what we love about this piano. This piano has a range of features that allow you to adjust touch, feel, and sound. This gives the user full control, allowing them to establish the instrument to their exact needs and specifications.

We also have to mention the CE220’s increased 192-note polyphony. This ensures that even more demanding pieces are playable on this piano. Players will have more freedom of expression with fewer limitations.

The overall feel of this piano is exceptionally realistic, especially if you’ve ever played one of Kawai’s acoustic models.

Nothing on this piano feels cheap at all. The quality in both the sound and feel make this a viable option for many. It is a heavier digital piano that will most likely be set to stay at home. With its beautiful sounds, realistic feel, and variety of features, you’ll find the price tag is well worth it.

8. Roland F-140R

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The F-140R-CB digital piano from Roland makes it onto our list, but unlike the previous on-stage model from this company we talked about, this is more built for the modern life musician. It has a contemporary, compact design that occupies less space. This is ideal for smaller apartments and living areas.

Compact with an Authentic Experience

With this digital piano, you can bring the experience of an authentic acoustic piano back to your home, even if space is limited. The tone that is produced from this piano is expressive and realistic. Its built-in-stereo speakers do a great job at projecting a rich and full sound. You can also hook up your headphones straight into the piano and experience a 3D Ambience effect that completely immerses you in your performance in a more private matter.

Just like most Roland pianos, the F-140R’s produces rich, bright tones that are enjoyable to listen to. Do keep in mind that this piano’s tone does have a tendency to sound slightly more metallic if you play the keys harder. There are 11 built-in piano tones that you can cycle through and an option to adjust the brilliance within 21 different levels. In total, this piano has 316 built-in sounds available to choose from, something fun to play around with.

This piano also does a good job at allowing notes to sustain and resonate longer, resulting in a fuller and richer piano sound.

The Design and Build

The 88 hammer action keys feel great and very realistic with an ivory feel to its texture. This model’s keyboard is called PHA-4 Standard, which is Roland’s most affordable keyboard. However, it is one of the best keyboards in its price range. To put this more into perspective, only Kawai digital pianos might have a slight edge on the F-140R in terms of the keyboard’s feel. It also comes equipped with a three-pedal system, similar to what you would find in an acoustic piano. The pedals are made of metal, which looks and feels realistic.

This piano utilizes a 3-sensor key detection system that allows it to detect even the subtleties of your performance. This ensures a more accurate sound even when playing thrills and fast passages.

Features

The F-140R offers a lot of great features. You have the option to switch to Dual and Split modes that allow players to use two different sounds at the same time. Also, there is a Twin Piano mode, which is great for piano duets as it divides the piano in half, with each section having its own middle C.

This piano also comes equipped with a 1-track MIDI recorder, allowing you to record your performances/practice sessions.

Overall, the F-140R digital piano from Roland is amazing, especially for its price. It has so much to offer in such a nice compact design. We highly recommend it to players of any level, especially if space is limited at home.

9. Korg B1SP

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We want to finish off our list with more affordable digital piano options. The Korg B1SP compact digital piano is designed for both beginner and advanced players. For its price range, it does a relatively good job at producing a realistic sound.

Sound

Elaborating on what we mentioned earlier, the Korg B1SP is capable of producing a natural sound, close to what you would get from an acoustic piano. The built-in speakers are surprisingly good for an entry-level piano. Korg implemented Motional Feedback (MFB) technology, allowing the speakers to accurately reproduce low frequencies by controlling the movement of the speaker cone. The volume isn’t too loud on its maximum setting, but it’s still capable of filling a small to medium sized room with sound.

Natural Feel

The Korg B1SP features an 88-key Natural Weighted Action keyboard that utilizes real hammers to recreate the feel and response that you would find in an acoustic piano. This piano also features a graded hammer action across its keyboard. Keys are heavier on the low-end and gets lighter as you approach higher octaves. This piano is also equipped with 120-note polyphony, while not as much as more premium pianos that are on this list, is still capable of handling more demanding songs.

Unlike many of the other options we’ve discussed, the keys don’t have an ivory and ebony textured surface. This means that there is less finger grip that would prevent fingers from slipping when they become moist.

Again, this is an affordable entry-level digital piano. While features are limited, the price it comes at is a great value to consider.

10. Alesis Recital (Beginner Option)

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The Alesis Recital Beginner Digital Piano makes it onto our list for being the most affordable option we would recommend. This digital piano is excellent for younger beginner players at the start of their piano journey. A great option for parents who are looking to save money on their first piano purchase. It comes loaded with 5 voices to choose from which include Acoustic Piano, Electric Piano, Organ, Synth, and Bass. You can even combine any of the two voices at once with the Layer Mode feature.

This is a great piano to start learning on, as it is fully-sized with 88 semi-weighted keys that help provide more of a natural experience. Recital has made it possible for you to adjust the touch response to adapt to your personal needs. The Piano also comes equipped with a fully adjustable metronome, a helpful tool for any player when they are working on their rhythm and timing.

It’s also easy to travel with, weighing at around 15lbs. You don’t even have to bring your power source as this digital piano can be powered by 6 D Cell batteries.

Keep In Mind (Volume)

There are a few things to keep in mind if you decide on purchasing this piano. Some people have run into issues with the volume, however, this piano has 5 different volume levels. By default, this piano’s factory settings are not set at the loudest. You’re going to have to get to the advanced functions mode to set the piano to your desired volume level.

Our main gripe with this particular piano was its difficulty in accessing these settings and features. It can be complicated, especially for younger players to customize their piano to their liking due to the combination of piano keys you need to hit just to access these settings. There are a ton of great features, but make sure to hold onto the manual if you need something to refer back to when trying to access and utilize them.

Overall, the Alesis Recital digital piano is still a very good option for younger beginner players. It’s an excellent entry level piano that’s packed with a lot of great features, all for an even greater price.

Final Thoughts

Well, there you have it, our list of the 10 best digital pianos with weighted keys available in 2019. We’ve discussed a wide variety of different digital pianos, all offering their own unique sounds, set of features, and experiences. Digital pianos have come a long way and have become viable options for many piano players. We hope this list has helped you in finding your next digital piano. Remember to keep practicing and have fun learning.

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