What Is The Best Piano Or Keyboard To Buy For A Beginner?

When searching for beginner pianos there are literally thousands of models of pianos and keyboards that will appear.

Some of these are ridiculously expensive and will have far too much functionality to make them useful (and not a little overwhelming!) for a beginner. Conversely, there are plenty of very affordable keyboards that are just not worth bothering with if you are serious about your child (or yourself) making any meaningful progress.

Personally, if you think that there is any real likelihood of you sticking with music then it is worth getting a piano or keyboard that will make a decent sound, not repulse you every time you look at it and that the action and keybed feels natural… this last point is a taste thing and some people actually prefer how a keyboard action feels to a piano action. Having a more realistic piano action allows more dynamic control and for the player to be able to play more sensitively - in short, it makes it more of an instrument!

1 - Yamaha P145

This is a great all-rounder for a beginner. It sounds good, feels good under the fingers, it’s affordable and, as with most Yamaha products, it’s dependable - you can drop it down the stairs and it will still sound good!

2 - Aunty Siobhan’s old piano

There are nearly always a huge number of pianos being given away for free or almost free and all you have to do is collect them. You can find these deals on Freecycle, Facebook marketplace, eBay, Gumtree or Vinted and whilst some of these pianos will have seen better times you can find some real gems. A friend of mine got a piano worth £15,000 that a family were keen to get rid of for the space for a steal of £300 removal fee… it looks and sounds great and their kids will get a real joy from playing it.

3 - Roland FP10

One of my first keyboards was a Roland and I’ve always had a soft spot for them. This is quite a similar product to the Yamaha P145 so definitely worth checking out as well!

4 - Kawai ES120 Digital Stage Piano

This is a little bit more expensive but the improved action and feel is pretty amazing at this price point. Kawai are a very solid Japanese instrument maker and worth having a look at if you have the budget.

5 - Casio CT-S1-76

This is a 76 key Portable Keyboard which is a bit more affordable than the previous options but still a decent keyboard. If you don’t want to invest loads then this is a good option but it would definitely need to be upgraded later down the line if you or your children stuck with learning to play the piano! 

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Explore More from Nick Pike

Nick Pike is a London-based composer, pianist, saxophonist, producer, and educator with over 15 years of professional experience. His music blends neoclassical piano with jazz, funk, and contemporary influences, drawing comparisons to Ludovico Einaudi, Yiruma, and Ólafur Arnalds. Alongside original compositions, Nick offers music services including scoring for film, TV, and advertising, piano and saxophone recording, arranging for strings and horns, and professional mixing and production.

Music & Albums – Original releases from solo piano to orchestral scores.

Services – Composition, recording, arranging, and production for artists, media, and brands.

Contact – Get in touch for lessons, commissions, or collaborations.