The 10 Best 88-Key Electric Pianos

If your child’s burgeoning interest in music is constrained by your budget, the Alesis Recital may be for you. Though a professional would have a lot to critique in this model, it produces a relatively clean sound and provides a solid foundation to learn the fundamentals.

What makes the Korg B1SP so enticing is its simplicity. There are no bells and whistles here. Rather, it's designed to maximize the musician's experience, both tonally, with its rich samples and full-range speakers, and ergonomically, with its weighted hammer-action keys.

The Yamaha P71 is the ideal model for a young pupil just beginning on his or her musical journey. At this price point, you strike a solid compromise between cost and quality, which is reflected in its modest, uncolored sound and the simple navigability of its interface.

The Kawai ES110 features 19 instrument voices to choose from, including 8 different piano tones, all of which offer incredibly sophisticated, true-to-life upright and baby grand reproductions. Despite its tonal excellence, though, its touch response is less than smooth.

The Yamaha DGX-660’s proprietary Graded Hammer System helps develop proper technique by replicating the tactile sensation of playing an acoustic model, providing heavier touch resistance in the lower registers and a lighter response at the high end.

Unlike some of its bulkier competitors, the Roland Supernatural FP30 is light enough to transport from the rehearsal studio to the stage and then back home. Its sound engine is among the best in class, producing harmonic vibrance that approximates high-end acoustic models.

The Yamaha YDP-143’s proprietary Pure-CF sound engine generates lush reproductions of meticulously sampled concert-grand tonalities. In terms of dynamic expressivity, it easily claims a spot in the upper echelon of high-end models, even among more expensive options.

The Casio Privia PX-870’s proprietary Acoustic and Intelligent Resonator works in conjunction with its internal 20 + 20-watt amplifier to create vivid, expansive sound that can be projected like a grand piano by using the model's innovative Lid Simulator.

As far as stage models are concerned, the Yamaha CP300 is the cream of the crop. It's touted by professionals in all genres for its authentic concert-grand tone. Traveling musicians will appreciate that its built-in speakers are loud enough to use as monitors at gigs, too.

Yamaha has packed all the best features of electronic instrumentation into the YDP-181, including 128-note polyphony, headphone compatibility, and a USB-to-device port. The result is a masterfully crafted model that can hold its own against its analog competitors.