88-key weighted keyboards are a popular choice for pianists who want to replicate the feel of an acoustic piano while enjoying the versatility and convenience of a digital instrument. These keyboards have 88 keys, the same number as a traditional piano, and the keys are weighted to mimic the feel of pressing down on a real piano key. This makes them an excellent choice for anyone who wants to practice piano at home or perform in a live setting.
When looking for the best 88-key weighted keyboard, remember a few things. First, consider the level of your playing. If you’re a beginner, you may not need all the bells and whistles of a professional-grade keyboard. However, if you’re an experienced pianist, you’ll want a keyboard that can keep up with your playing style and provide the necessary features to enhance your performance.
Another factor to consider is the quality of the sound. A good 88-key weighted keyboard should have a realistic sound that replicates the tone of an acoustic piano. Additionally, the keyboard should have a variety of voices and effects to allow for versatility in your playing.
Table of Contents
- Best 88-Key Weighted Keyboards
- Yamaha P71B 88-Key Weighted Digital Piano
- Donner DEP-20 Beginner Digital Piano 88 Key Full Size Weighted Keyboard
- Alesis Recital 88-Key Digital Piano Keyboard
- Finger Dance Folding Piano Electric Piano Keyboard
- Kmise 88 Key Weighted Keyboard Piano
- Finger Dance 88 Key Keyboard Digital Piano
- The ONE Smart Stage Piano Keyboard Pro
- Buying Guide
- Final Thoughts on Buying an 88-Key Weighted Keyboard
At our publication, we spent countless hours researching and testing various 88-key weighted keyboards to identify the best options on the market. We considered key action, sound quality, features, and overall value to provide a comprehensive guide to the top keyboards.
Best 88-Key Weighted Keyboards
For pianists, having the right keyboard can make all the difference in their music. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the best 88-key weighted keyboards on the market. These keyboards provide a traditional piano’s feel and sound while offering modern features and capabilities. Whether you’re a beginner or a professional, our top picks will meet your needs and take your playing to the next level. So, without further ado, here are our top recommendations for the best 88-key weighted keyboards.
Yamaha P71B 88-Key Weighted Digital Piano
We highly recommend the Yamaha P71B 88-Key Weighted Digital Piano for anyone purchasing a high-quality digital piano that provides a realistic playing experience.
Pros
- The fully-weighted keys simulate the feel of an acoustic piano, providing a quality playing experience.
- The 10 different voices, including digitally sampled tones from real Yamaha acoustic grand pianos, provide a wide range of options for creating music.
- The slim and stylish design with a depth of fewer than 12 inches makes it easy to fit into any space in your home.
Cons
- It doesn’t have MIDI, but USB support will do the job.
- The built-in speakers don’t have as much sound as expected, so external speakers may be necessary.
- It may be a bit heavy for some users, weighing 25 pounds.
The Yamaha P71B is an Amazon-exclusive model designed to be the perfect home digital piano for rehearsing, learning, and creating. It comes with a proper USB port, a sustain jack, and a headphone jack, making it easy to connect to other music software and integrate keyboard sounds with other instruments. We found the keyboard sounds to be excellent and the weighted keys to be responsive and realistic. The dual mode lets you combine two voices, like piano and strings, for an inspiring new playing experience. Overall, we were very pleased with the Yamaha P71B and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a high-quality digital piano.
Donner DEP-20 Beginner Digital Piano 88 Key Full Size Weighted Keyboard
If you’re looking for an affordable, full-sized, weighted keyboard to learn and practice on, the Donner DEP-20 is a solid choice.
Pros
- The 88 full-sized keys with hammer action and adjustable touch response allow you to adjust your desired playing style.
- The 238 types of tone and 128-note max polyphony vividly present the voices of different instruments, arousing your keen to learn music.
- The double keyboard mode provides a dual-tone mode for combining two voices, like piano and drum, inspiring you to make a new creation.
Cons
- The sound quality isn’t as good as higher-end digital pianos, but it’s still great for the price.
- The assembly instructions could be clearer, but it’s still easy to assemble.
- The sustain and triangle pedals are flimsy, but they do the job.
The Donner DEP-20 is great for beginners who want a full-sized, weighted keyboard to learn and practice without breaking the bank. The multi-media settings, control panel, and dual-tone mode make it versatile for music arrangement and ensemble playing. While it may not have the sound quality of higher-end digital pianos, it’s still a great value for the price.
Overall, we recommend the Donner DEP-20 for anyone who wants a high-quality, affordable digital piano for learning and practicing at home.
Alesis Recital 88-Key Digital Piano Keyboard
We highly recommend the Alesis Recital 88-Key Digital Piano Keyboard for both beginners and pros alike. It offers a premium feel and sound at an affordable price.
Pros
- Customizable touch response to suit your preferred playing style
- Powerful built-in speakers that deliver crystal-clear, room-filling sound
- Powerful educational features including Skoove 3-month premium subscription and 60 free virtual lessons from Melodics
Cons
- Some users may prefer fully weighted keys
- Some users may prefer more built-in voices
- Some users may prefer a sustain pedal included in the package
The Alesis Recital 88-Key Digital Piano Keyboard is a great choice for those looking for a full-featured digital piano at an affordable price. The adjustable touch response allows you to customize the feel of the keys to your liking, while the built-in speakers deliver powerful and clear sound. The educational features, including a 3-month Skoove premium subscription and 60 free virtual lessons from Melodics, make it a great option for those looking to learn or improve their piano playing skills.
While some users may prefer fully weighted keys, the semi-weighted keys on the Alesis Recital still provide a premium feel. Additionally, some users may prefer more built-in voices, as the Recital only offers 5. Finally, while the keyboard does include a ¼” sustain pedal input, a sustain pedal is not included in the package.
Overall, the Alesis Recital 88-Key Digital Piano Keyboard is a great choice for those looking for a high-quality digital piano at an affordable price. Its customizable touch response, powerful built-in speakers, and educational features make it a great option for both beginners and pros alike.
Finger Dance Folding Piano Electric Piano Keyboard
This is a great choice if you’re looking for a portable piano keyboard that is perfect for beginners and music lovers. It’s innovative, easy to use, and has many features that make it a great investment for anyone looking to learn how to play the piano.
Pros
- The folding design makes it easy to carry and transport so that you can play anywhere.
- The touch-sensitive keys allow you to easily let emotion into every note and every piece of music.
- The built-in wireless Bluetooth lets you connect your devices with some Piano teaching applications to make you happy in piano learning and practice.
Cons
- The music sheet stand that comes with it is very poor.
- You can’t use earbuds.
- The velocity van could use some improvement.
This portable piano keyboard includes 128 tones, 128 rhythms, and 21 demos. It also includes record, playback, sustain, transpose, metronome, drum kit, dual voice, teaching mode functions, and so on for daily practice. With a built-in rechargeable Lithium Battery, the electric piano can play for up to 8-12 hrs after 4-5 hrs fully charged through a power bank, computer USB, or power strip.
The Finger Dance Folding Piano Electric Piano Keyboard is an ideal gift for all ages and a great choice for holidays, birthdays, Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Year, etc.
Overall, we highly recommend the Finger Dance Folding Piano Electric Piano Keyboard for anyone looking for a portable piano keyboard perfect for beginners and music lovers. With its innovative design, easy-to-use features, and range of functions, this keyboard is a great investment for anyone learning how to play the piano.
Kmise 88 Key Weighted Keyboard Piano
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly digital piano that delivers a realistic playing experience, the Kmise 88 Key Weighted Keyboard Piano is a great option.
Pros
- The full weighted key, heavy hammer action 88 keys piano 100% restores the touch of the grand piano, making it highly recommended by professional pianists.
- The Kmise keyboard piano can be externally powered by DC 9V/2A or a built-in 1800MAH lithium battery for up to 6 hours, making it great for stage digital pianos.
- The piano has 129 preset timbres, 128 rhythms, 60 demo songs, a built-in rhythm function, metronome and chord function, Bluetooth wireless connection, and MIDI input/output jacks that can be connected and interact with MIDI music equipment, making it a powerful educational tool.
Cons
- The Bluetooth function for MIDI doesn’t work properly.
- It’s difficult to use without instructions or beginner song ideas.
- The volume with headphones is extremely quiet.
The Kmise 88 Key Weighted Keyboard Piano is a great option for beginners and intermediate players who want a digital piano that feels and sounds like an acoustic piano. The fully weighted keys and heavy hammer action create a realistic playing experience, and the piano’s educational features and MIDI function make it a versatile tool for learning and creativity. However, MIDI’s lack of clear instructions and poor Bluetooth function may frustrate some users.
Overall, we recommend the Kmise 88 Key Weighted Keyboard Piano for anyone looking for an affordable digital piano that delivers a realistic playing experience and powerful educational features.
Finger Dance 88 Key Keyboard Digital Piano
We highly recommend the Finger Dance 88 Key Keyboard Digital Piano for beginners and experienced players looking for an affordable option that mimics the feel of a real piano.
Pros
- The full-size 88 weight-sensitive keys with upgrade imitation wood texture keyboard is a perfect match for the finger strength changes, restoring the true piano’s finger strength, making it more stable and feel better.
- The double speakers provide excellent sound quality, and the keyboard can also function as an audio player when connected to your phone or iPad.
- The 88-key weighted keyboard supports MIDI and Bluetooth, allowing you to connect your devices like your phone, PC, or tablet with some piano-teaching applications such as Simple Piano or other online music lessons to make you happy in piano learning and practice.
Cons
- The sound quality is not the greatest, but it is still an excellent option for beginners or young players.
- The keyboard lacks features but still includes 128 tones, 28 rhythms, 21 demos, and several functions like record, playback, sustain, transpose, metronome, drum kit, dual voice, teaching mode, etc.
- It may not feel exactly like a real piano, but it is close enough to be a great affordable option for those looking to learn or practice their skills.
The Finger Dance 88 Key Keyboard Digital Piano is an ideal gift for all ages, an innovative keyboard piano for beginners, adults, kids, and music lovers. It is also a good choice for festivals such as holidays, birthdays, Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Year, and Children’s Day. With a built-in rechargeable Lithium Battery, the electric piano can play for up to 8-12 hrs after 4-5 hrs fully charged through a power bank, computer USB, or power strip. Overall, the Finger Dance 88 Key Keyboard Digital Piano is an excellent option for anyone looking for a reliable and affordable keyboard piano.
The ONE Smart Stage Piano Keyboard Pro
We highly recommend The ONE Smart Stage Piano Keyboard Pro for anyone looking for a beginner-friendly digital piano that can grow with the performer.
Pros
- The built-in 88 colorful LED lights are perfect for beginners who want to learn to play the piano quickly and easily.
- The weighted 88 keys with scaled hammer mechanics give you a pleasant and authentic playing experience, making it perfect for seasoned players.
- The sound of the electronic keyboard comes from acoustic sampling and stereo sampling techniques, and the Hi-Fi speakers deliver ultra-realistic sound with an authentic playing experience.
Cons
- The instrument is relatively heavy, weighing in at 35.2 lbs.
- The free songs are limited in the free app.
- The piano has no interface.
The ONE Smart Stage Piano Keyboard Pro is a full-featured digital piano perfect for beginners and seasoned players. With its light-up 88 keys, a beginner musician can start playing music in minutes. The built-in LED lights guide you through playing your favorite songs, and the app offers thousands of sheet music, instructional videos, and games to help you learn and grow as a musician.
The weighted keys give you a pleasant and authentic playing experience, and the sound of the electronic keyboard comes from acoustic sampling and stereo sampling techniques. With Hi-Fi speakers that deliver ultra-realistic sound and an authentic playing experience, this piano is perfect for anyone who wants to learn how to play or improve their skills.
The ONE Smart Stage Piano Keyboard Pro is also highly configurable, with 619 tones, 45 folk sounds, 11 drum kits, and 256 GM2 sounds. You can connect your iOS or Android device to the keyboard via the included cable, and the piano supports external MIDI software and is compatible with third-party music apps.
Buying Guide
When choosing the best 88-key weighted keyboard, several factors must be considered. We’ve assembled a buying guide to help you make an informed decision.
Weighted Keys
One of the most important features to look for in an 88-key weighted keyboard is the quality of the weighted keys. The keys should feel like an acoustic piano, with a heavier touch in the lower registers and a lighter touch in the higher registers. Look for keyboards with hammer action keys, which mimic the feel of hammers striking strings in a real piano.
Polyphony
Polyphony refers to the number of notes that can be played simultaneously. For an 88-key keyboard, we recommend a minimum of 64-note polyphony. This will allow you to play complex pieces without any notes dropping out or cutting off prematurely.
Sounds and Voices
Most 88-key weighted keyboards come with various sounds and voices, including pianos, organs, strings, and more. Consider the types of sounds you will use most frequently, and ensure the keyboard has high-quality samples of those sounds.
Connectivity
Consider the connectivity options of the keyboard. Does it have MIDI inputs and outputs? USB connectivity? These features allow you to connect the keyboard to a computer or other devices for recording or live performance.
Size and Weight
Finally, consider the size and weight of the keyboard. An 88-key weighted keyboard is a large instrument that can be difficult to move around. Ensure the keyboard is the right size and easily transported if necessary.
| Feature | Recommended Minimum |
|---|---|
| Weighted Keys | Hammer Action |
| Polyphony | 64-note |
| Sounds and Voices | High-quality samples of frequently used sounds |
| Connectivity | MIDI inputs and outputs, USB connectivity |
| Size and Weight | Appropriate for your needs and easy to transport |
Final Thoughts on Buying an 88-Key Weighted Keyboard
In conclusion, buying an 88-Key Weighted Keyboard is a great choice for any musician looking to upgrade their piano game. Its weighted keys allow for greater control and precision when playing.
It also has additional features, such as built-in speakers and MIDI functionality, making it even more versatile. For those who want the best in quality, performance, and convenience, the 88-Key Weighted Keyboard is an excellent investment.
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