The 10 Best 88-Key Electric Pianos
This wiki has been updated 8 times since it was first published in July of 2018. Whether you're looking to learn classical pieces, memorize some Billy Joel songs to show off at family gatherings, master the boogie-woogie style, or venture down any other musical route you might fancy, these 88-key electric pianos give you the option to do so. We've ranked them here by their sound quality, polyphonic expression, ease of assembly, and instrument modeling capabilities. When users buy our independently chosen editorial selections, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki. If you'd like to contribute your own research to the Wiki, please get started by reviewing this introductory video.
1. Yamaha Airus Series 184R
2. Roland Digital F-140R
3. Yamaha YDP-181
Editor's Notes
October 02, 2019:
We said goodbye to a pair of models from our previous ranking: The Kawai ES110 and the Alesis Recital. In the case of the Kawai, there were concerns around the weighted action of the keys being somewhat heavier and less realistic than you'd expect from a model of its price, and its sound quality left a lot to be desired. The audio issue was limited to its speakers, however, as plugging it into a piano amp made a big difference, but you should be able to use any of these on their own. For the Alesis, there were multiple reports of a problem with the device's volume controls, either that they stopped working altogether or that the maximum volume it was capable of would fade over time.
In their places we added some very fine options, including the Yamaha Arius Series 184R, which takes the tremendous performance of our previous number one pick and adds a dozen voices as well as nearly twice the polyphony to its expression. We also added the Roland F-140R at number two, which comes in a stunning white finish and features a 3-D ambiance effect in its headphone amp, so you'll feel like you're in a concert hall when practicing to yourself.
In selecting these and organizing the remaining models from our last list, we prioritized sound quality, key responsiveness, and size, with a particular eye out for build quality. A balance between portability and other features often tipped away from portability due to the various sacrifices that it entails, but certain stage models, such as they Yamaha CP300, are exceptions to the rule.
4. Yamaha CP300
5. Casio PX-870
6. Yamaha YDP-143
7. Yamaha DGX-660B
8. Korg Digital B1SP
9. Roland FP-30
10. Yamaha Digital P71
Daniel Imperiale holds a bachelor’s degree in writing, and proudly fled his graduate program in poetry to pursue a quiet life at a remote Alaskan fishery. After returning to the contiguous states, he took up a position as an editor and photographer of the prestigious geek culture magazine “Unwinnable” before turning his attention to the field of health and wellness. In recent years, he has worked extensively in film and music production, making him something of a know-it-all when it comes to camera equipment, musical instruments, recording devices, and other audio-visual hardware. Daniel’s recent obsessions include horology (making him a pro when it comes to all things timekeeping) and Uranium mining and enrichment (which hasn’t proven useful just yet).