Kawai ES60 88-key Digital Piano
Entry Pick
Kawai ES60 88-key Digital Piano
AU $529
Hammer Lite actionOnly 11 kg to liftDual + split modesLine out to an ampNo BluetoothStand, pedal extra
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Kawai ES120 Portable Digital Piano
Kawai
Kawai ES120 Portable Digital Piano
AU $849
Kawai grand soundBluetooth built in25 sounds in allStreams music inGood for giggingSlab, no cabinet
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Korg B2 Plus 88-Note Weighted Piano
KORG
Korg B2 Plus 88-Note Weighted Piano
AU $1,149
88 weighted keysFor Korg regularsNo specs listedAction not namedCheck both coloursNo Amazon AU rank
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Roland F107 Digital Piano
Most Premium
Roland F107 Digital Piano
AU $1,499
Console, no standPHA-4 graded keysFuller low notesNo cable for appsTop seller hereButtons, no screen
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Yamaha P-143B Portable Digital Piano
Yamaha
Yamaha P-143B Portable Digital Piano
AU $679.99
GHC graded keysSmart Pianist appSimple buttonsSlim, modern bodyBluetooth unlistedWeight not listed
Check price on Amazon

Prices from Amazon AU, updated daily. Swipe or use the arrows for more.

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links to amazon.com.au. If you buy through one of these links iFix may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It doesn't change which products we recommend. We focus on what actually lasts based on 16 years of repair-shop experience.

Quick summary5 picks

The key action matters more than the sound

Every digital piano in this band sounds good through its own speakers in a showroom, and that's why the sound is the wrong thing to shop on. What a student or a returning player lives with every day is the action, which is the mechanism under each key that makes it feel heavy at the bottom of the keyboard and lighter at the top, the way a real hammer action does. Get that wrong and the piano is pleasant for a month and frustrating for years.

All five picks here are weighted pianos with 88 full-size keys. Roland calls its action PHA-4 Standard, the Yamaha P-143 uses GHC (Graded Hammer Compact), the Kawai ES120 uses RHC (Responsive Hammer Compact) and the ES60 uses RHL (Responsive Hammer Lite). The Korg listing doesn't name its action. The compact versions are shallower so the piano can be slim and light, and they're a touch less even across the key than the full-depth actions on the console models. For a learner that difference is small, and I'd rather someone had a compact action they actually play than a full one they can't fit in the house.

What I'd avoid is anything sold as a weighted keyboard with 61 or 76 keys, or a semi-weighted board with springs under the keys. Those are fine for songwriting and synth parts, but a piano teacher will notice within a lesson, and the habits they build in your fingers don't carry over well to a real piano. Everything in this guide is a full 88.

A quick way to judge an action in a shop is to play one note softly over and over, then loudly, and listen for whether the volume follows your finger smoothly. A good action lets you play very quietly without notes dropping out. If you can't get to a shop, the actions named on these listings come from Roland, Yamaha and Kawai, and the Korg listing doesn't name its action, so try that one in a shop if you can.

Portable slab or furniture-style console

There are two shapes in this price band. The slab, like the Kawai ES60 and ES120 and the Yamaha P-143, is a keyboard in a long box that sits on a stand or a table and goes in the car if you need it to. The console style, like the Roland F107, has its own wooden-look cabinet, a fixed three-pedal unit and speakers built into the body, and it lives in one spot.

The slab is the smaller cheque up front, but the price on the listing usually isn't the price of a working piano. You'll need a stand, a proper sustain pedal rather than the little footswitch most slabs ship with, and a stool at the right height. By the time those are added, a slab and a console can end up closer in price than they look on the screen, and the console has a lid that keeps dust and drinks off the keys.

I'd buy a slab when space or portability really matters, or when the piano might go to lessons or gigs. I'd buy a console when it's the family piano that stays in the lounge room, because the fixed pedals and covered keys solve two of the faults I see most often. A slab on a wobbly X-stand also takes a knock every time someone bumps it, and that's hard on the jacks at the back.

Polyphony, sounds and the numbers on the box

Polyphony is the number of notes the piano can play at once before it starts dropping the oldest ones. It matters more than you'd think, because holding the sustain pedal through a fast passage stacks up notes quickly, and a layered sound can use two voices per note. None of the Amazon AU listings for these five state a polyphony figure, so check the maker's spec sheet before you buy if you play dense, pedal-heavy music.

The sound count is the number I'd care about least. Most people play the main grand piano sound ninety percent of the time, then an electric piano now and then, and maybe strings at Christmas. The ES120 lists its Shigeru Kawai SK-EX concert grand plus 24 other sounds, and the ES60 lists 17 built-in sounds in total, and that's plenty for a home piano.

What's worth paying for is the quality of that one main sound and how it changes as you play softer and harder. Roland's SuperNATURAL engine on the F107 models the way a real string decays and resonates, and in my experience that's what keeps a player sitting at the instrument for longer.

Weight is the other number that doesn't get printed on many listings, and it matters more for a slab than people think. A piano that one adult can carry to the car gets taken to lessons and gigs, and one that needs two people stays home. The ES60 listing gives its weight as 11.0 kg, and that's about as far as these five listings go on size, so check the maker's figures if it'll move often.

Speakers, headphones and the neighbours

The built-in speakers on a slab are small and usually face down or back, so where you put the piano changes how it sounds. Most home pianos end up against a wall, so try the position before you commit. Both Kawai slabs list a 20W speaker system, and the console pianos have more cabinet to work with, which mostly shows up in the low notes.

Digital pianos in this band have a headphone output, and that's the real reason a lot of families buy a digital piano at all. Practice at 10 pm doesn't wake anyone, and a learner playing the same bar forty times isn't a household event. Get a decent pair of wired over-ear headphones, because Bluetooth headphones add a delay you'll feel between pressing a key and hearing the note.

If you live in a unit, remember that headphones only fix the sound, not the thump. The keys still knock and the pedal still taps the floor, and that travels through timber floors and slabs more than people expect. A rug and a firm, well-placed stand help. If you want to record yourself playing, a line output or USB connection beats holding a phone up, and a good USB microphone covers the voice side.

Bluetooth, apps and what they're really for

Most of these pianos connect to an app over Bluetooth, and the apps do two different jobs. The first is control: Kawai's PianoRemote app lets you change sounds and settings from a phone instead of learning button combinations, and it pairs with both the ES60 (over a USB cable) and the ES120. That's useful on pianos with very few buttons, which is most of them.

The second job is lessons and play-along, where the piano sends MIDI to a learning app on a tablet. The Kawai listing names third-party learning apps and GarageBand, and the Roland F107 lists onboard Bluetooth as a headline feature. Bluetooth audio, where the piano's speakers play music from your phone, is handy for playing along to a track and it's on the ES120 and F107 according to their listings.

The Korg B2 Plus is the odd one here, because its Amazon AU listing is only a title, with nothing on apps, Bluetooth or MIDI. Treat those as unanswered until you've read Korg's spec page, and check that any app features you want work without an account or subscription before relying on them.

One more thing on apps: they come and go faster than pianos do. A piano bought today should still be in use in 2036, and there's no guarantee the app it pairs with will still be supported by then. That's why I'd always choose the piano on its keys and sound first, and treat the app as a bonus. The good news is that standard Bluetooth MIDI works with plenty of other apps, so you're rarely locked in.

Pedals, stands and the bits that don't come in the box

The sustain pedal is the most-used part of any piano after the keys, and it's where slab pianos cut corners. The small square footswitch included with most portables is on or off, and it slides around the floor. A proper piano-style pedal with a weighted base stays put, and a continuous one lets you half-pedal, which a teacher will ask for sooner or later.

Stands matter for the same reason. An X-stand is quick and folds away, but it flexes, and the piano can bounce when played hard. A matching furniture stand with a pedal board is steadier and keeps the pedal cable from getting kicked out of its socket. If you're comparing a slab against the F107, price the slab with a decent stand and pedal before you decide which is the better value.

Last, the power side. Slab pianos usually run from an external adapter, and those get stepped on, tangled and swapped for the wrong one. Keep the original with the piano and label it, because a generic adapter with the wrong polarity or a noisy output can damage the power circuit, and no-name power bricks are a fault I see across every kind of gear. Plug it into a surge-protected powerboard as well.

How long a digital piano lasts, and what wears

A good digital piano should give ten years or more of daily practice, and when one does come into the shop it's rarely the electronics that go first. The usual fault is in the keybed: a key that plays too loud, too soft, twice, or not at all. Underneath each key are rubber contact strips with small carbon pads that close two switches as the key goes down, and the timing between them tells the piano how hard you played.

Dust, crumbs and especially spilled drinks get into those strips, and that's when velocity goes erratic. A sweet drink is the worst, because the sugar dries sticky and corrodes the contact board under it. If anything goes into the keys, unplug the piano straight away and don't keep playing to see if it dries out. The same advice as for liquid damage on a phone or laptop applies: power off, dry, and get it checked.

Here on the coast, humidity and salt air add slow corrosion to contacts and jacks, so a piano in a closed-up beach house suffers more than one in an inland lounge room. A cover when it's not in use, and a lid on a console, keeps most of that off. Headphone jacks and pedal sockets wear from being plugged in and out, and they're usually a straightforward part to replace.

The other wear item is the sustain pedal itself. The basic footswitch kind uses a small internal switch that eventually gets intermittent, which shows up as notes sustaining when they shouldn't. A good pedal unit uses a more solid sensor and lasts much longer. On consoles the pedal board's cable runs inside the cabinet, so it's protected, and on slabs it's the cable lying on the floor that tends to fail first.

Before you buy: what to check on arrival

When the piano arrives, check the model on the box and the back panel matches the listing, and that it's the colour you ordered. Then plug it in and play every key, one by one, softly and then hard, from the bottom note to the top. You're listening for any key that's much louder or quieter than its neighbours, any key that sticks, and any key that clicks or knocks differently.

Try the sustain pedal while holding a chord and make sure it catches and releases cleanly. Put headphones in and confirm the speakers mute and both sides of the headphones work. If there's Bluetooth, pair it once with the app before the return window starts ticking, so you know it works with your phone or tablet.

If something's off, the Amazon AU return window is the easiest fix, and every pick here is sold and shipped by Amazon AU. If a fault turns up later, a sticky or double-triggering key is usually fixable by cleaning or replacing a contact strip, and you can bring it to the Erina workshop for a look before you decide whether it's worth repairing.

The 5 picks, $529 to $1,499

Prices are Amazon AU at time of writing (5 November 2026) and move week to week. Ranks are Amazon AU category sales ranks, checked the same day.

Roland F107 compact home digital piano with 88 weighted keys and slim cabinet
The pick for most homes

Roland F107 Digital Piano with PHA-4 Standard Keys and Bluetooth

ASIN B0B6D4YRBK • $1,499 • Ships from Amazon AU

This is the piano I'd put in most family lounge rooms, and at the time of writing it's the seventh best-selling piano on Amazon AU, which is a better rank than any other pick here. The F107 is a compact console with its own cabinet, so it doesn't need a separate stand, and Roland says the slim design is based on the F701, which won a red dot design award in 2021. It uses the 88-note PHA-4 Standard keyboard, the same graded hammer action Roland puts in its higher pianos, and the SuperNATURAL piano sound engine. It's sold and shipped by Amazon AU, which makes returns and warranty claims simpler. At $1,499 it costs more than a slab, but the price includes the furniture.

The interface is simple, with a few buttons rather than a screen, which suits a learner who just wants to sit down and play the piano sound. Bluetooth is built in according to the listing, so it works with learning apps on a tablet and with Roland's own control app for the deeper settings. Because it's a console, the speakers have a proper cabinet to sit in, and that usually shows up as fuller low notes than you'll get from a slab on a stand. The keys also sit at a fixed height, which takes a guess out of setting up a stool. It's slim enough to go against a wall in a hallway or a smaller lounge room without taking over.

From a repair point of view I like the console shape. The pedal cable can't be kicked out, the power is internal so there's no adapter to lose, and a lid over the keys keeps out dust and drinks, which are the two things behind most keybed faults I see. The PHA-4 action is a common Roland part with a long track record, so a sticky key later in life is a known fix rather than a mystery. I'd still keep it away from a sunny window and an air conditioner outlet.

Honest caveats: The listing doesn't state polyphony, speaker power or weight, so check Roland's spec sheet if any of those matter to you. It's a fixed piece of furniture, so it won't travel to lessons or gigs. The cabinet finish in the photos may not match your room, so check the colour options on the listing before ordering.

Best for: A family piano that stays in the lounge room and needs to feel right for lessons.

Type: Compact console digital piano • Keys: 88-note PHA-4 Standard • Sound engine: SuperNATURAL Piano • Connectivity: Bluetooth • Stand: Built-in cabinet • Sold by: Amazon AU • Price: $1,499 at time of writing • Rank: #7 in Pianos (Amazon AU)

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Kawai ES60 88-key Digital Piano
Best first piano

Kawai ES60 88-Key Digital Piano, Black

ASIN B0DP1HLNZB • $529 • Ships from Amazon AU

If you want a proper weighted piano for the smallest outlay in this guide, this is the one I'd start with. At $529 the ES60 is sold and shipped by Amazon AU and sits at number 16 in the Digital Pianos category at the time of writing, a better rank than the dearer ES120 below. Inside is Kawai's Responsive Hammer Lite keyboard, which the listing describes as a fully weighted 88-key action. For a beginner that's the right kind of action. That's a lot of piano for the money.

The listing gives 17 built-in sounds with dual and split playing modes, and a 20W on-board speaker system that suits a bedroom or a lounge room. There's a front headphone connector for late practice, and dedicated stereo line out jacks at the back, which matter if the piano ever plugs into an amplifier or a recording interface. A USB-MIDI port covers a computer or a phone. Kawai's PianoRemote app works with it over a USB cable rather than Bluetooth, and Bluetooth isn't listed at all. The body is portable and weighs 11.0 kg, which one adult can carry to the car.

The thing to budget for is everything around it. Like most small portables it needs a stand, a better sustain pedal and a stool at the right height, and those add up. The faults I see on small portables are the power adapter getting lost or swapped for the wrong one and the pedal socket wearing loose from being yanked. Keep the adapter labelled and run the pedal cable where feet won't catch it. There's no lid on this style of piano, so a simple cloth cover over the keys when it's not in use keeps dust and crumbs off the contact strips underneath.

Honest caveats: The listing doesn't state polyphony, the included pedal type or the power supply type, so check Kawai's spec page. The action is named Responsive Hammer Lite, and the ES120 further down has Kawai's Responsive Hammer Compact, so if touch matters most to you, play both before deciding. Stand, pedal and stool are extra.

Best for: A first weighted piano for a learner, where space and spend both need to stay small.

Type: Portable digital piano • Keys: 88-key fully weighted, Responsive Hammer Lite • Sounds: 17 built-in, dual and split modes • Speakers: 20W • Connectivity: USB-MIDI, headphone out, L/R line out • App: Kawai PianoRemote (USB cable) • Weight: 11.0 kg • Sold by: Amazon AU • Price: $529 at time of writing • Rank: #16 in Digital Pianos (Amazon AU)

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Kawai ES120 black portable digital piano with 88 weighted keys
Best feel for the money

Kawai ES120 88-Key Weighted Portable Digital Piano, Black

ASIN B0BMZ4PZHP • $849 • Ships from Amazon AU

Kawai is the one big piano maker that also builds a lot of acoustic pianos, and in my experience it shows in the main sound. The ES120 uses the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX concert grand sample, which the listing calls the premier piano of Japan, plus 24 other sounds. The action is Kawai's Responsive Hammer Compact, a fully weighted 88-key mechanism built to keep the piano slim. At $849 it's sold and shipped by Amazon AU and ranks 33rd in Digital Pianos at the time of writing. It's $320 more than the ES60, and the listing gives it the SK-EX concert grand sample and the Compact action, which is where the extra money goes.

It's also the best-connected slab here. The listing names integrated Bluetooth for the PianoRemote control app, third-party learning apps and DAWs such as GarageBand, and the same Bluetooth can stream music from your phone through the piano's speakers to play along with. Those speakers are listed at 20W, which is plenty for a lounge room. There's a stereo line output, which matters if the piano ever plugs into a PA, an amplifier or a recording interface. Kawai also mentions Spatial Headphone Sound for practice in headphones, which tries to make the sound come from in front of you rather than inside your head. That's nicer for long practice sessions. It's a well-equipped piano.

As a slab it shares the usual weak points: it needs a stand and a better pedal, and the sockets at the back take a beating if it's moved around a lot. The line outputs and headphone jacks are the parts I'd expect to wear first on a piano that goes to gigs. Keep the cables plugged in where possible, use a padded bag for travel, and it should give years of service. I'd also keep a cover over the keys at home, since a slab has no lid, and a padded bag rather than a soft sleeve if it travels in a car boot, because a knock on the end cheek can crack the case around the jacks.

Honest caveats: The listing doesn't state polyphony, the pedal that's included or the power supply type, so check Kawai's spec page. Like any compact action, it's shallower than a full-depth console keybed. A stand, pedal unit and stool are extra, so price them in before comparing it with a console.

Best for: A player who cares most about the main piano sound and wants Bluetooth and line outputs in a slab.

Type: Portable slab digital piano • Keys: 88-key Responsive Hammer Compact • Main sound: Shigeru Kawai SK-EX concert grand • Sounds: 25 total • Speakers: 20W • Connectivity: Bluetooth MIDI and audio, L/R line out • Sold by: Amazon AU • Price: $849 at time of writing • Rank: #33 in Digital Pianos (Amazon AU)

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Korg B2 Plus 88-Note Weighted Piano
Korg alternative

Korg B2 Plus 88-Note Weighted Digital Piano, Black

ASIN B0FDPGR3LX • $1,149 • Ships from Amazon AU

This is the thinnest listing in the guide, and I'd rather say so up front. The Amazon AU page for the black B2 Plus is a title, KORG B2 PLUS 88 NOTE WEIGHTED DIGITAL PIANO BLACK, with no feature list under it. What it does confirm is an 88-note weighted keyboard, a price of $1,149 and an Amazon AU seller, and Amazon AU doesn't publish a sales rank for it. A white version with the same listing title shows $729 at the time of writing with low stock, so check both before you order.

That makes this a pick for someone who already knows the B2 range, or who wants a Korg to compare against the Kawai and Roland pianos above. It sits between the ES120 and the Roland F107 on price, and I'd treat Korg's own spec page as the real source for the action, the sounds, the polyphony and the connections. In a shop, use the soft-then-loud note test from earlier in this guide before you commit.

The care advice is the same as for any digital piano. Keep the original power adapter labelled and with the piano, put a cover over the keys when it's not in use so dust and crumbs stay off the contact strips, and run the pedal cable where feet won't catch it.

Honest caveats: The listing doesn't state the action name, polyphony, sound count, connections, speaker power, weight, the pedal, or whether it's a slab or a console, so check Korg's spec page. It has no Amazon AU sales rank. The white version is listed for $420 less, which makes the black one look dear, so work out which colour you want before you pay. Stand, pedal and stool may be extra.

Best for: A buyer who already knows Korg's B2 range and wants a weighted 88-note piano from a different maker.

Type: Digital piano (shape not stated on the listing) • Keys: 88-note weighted • Sold by: Amazon AU • Price: $1,149 (black) at time of writing • Rank: Not published by Amazon AU (checked 5 November 2026)

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Yamaha P-143B Portable Digital Piano
Yamaha pick

Yamaha P-143B Portable Digital Piano with GHC Keys

ASIN B0H6MSBCL3 • $679.99 • Ships from Amazon AU

This is the Yamaha in the guide, and the one to look at if you want Yamaha's graded hammer keys for less than the Kawai ES120. At $680 it's sold and shipped by Amazon AU and ranks 27th in Digital Pianos at the time of writing, and on price it sits between the Kawai ES60 and the ES120. It has 88 keys with Yamaha's GHC (Graded Hammer Compact) action, which the listing says gives the same weighted, acoustic-piano feel as the GHS keys in earlier P Series models. Yamaha describes the body as much shorter and thinner than its predecessor and the most compact in the P Series, so it suits a smaller room.

Two details on the listing matter for a learner. The controls are physical buttons rather than a touch panel, and Yamaha says it kept only the most-used sounds, including electric piano, pipe organ, harpsichord and strings. The speakers sit on the back and are angled, Yamaha says, to copy the sound reflected from an acoustic piano's soundboard and lid, so it should still sound balanced when it's set up against a wall.

Yamaha's Smart Pianist app can run the settings from a phone or tablet, so there's no need to hunt through the manual, though the listing doesn't say whether it connects by cable or Bluetooth. It also mentions an optional soft case for taking it to lessons or gigs. The faults I see on any digital piano start under the keys, so keep drinks away from them, and if something does spill, unplug the piano straight away rather than playing on to see if it dries.

Honest caveats: The listing doesn't state the sound count, polyphony, speaker power, pedal, dimensions or weight, and it doesn't say whether a stand or sustain pedal comes in the box, so confirm those on Yamaha's spec page before you order. Bluetooth isn't listed. Like any slab it has no lid, so a cloth cover over the keys when it's not in use keeps dust and crumbs off the contact strips.

Best for: A learner in a smaller room who wants Yamaha's graded hammer keys in a slim slab.

Type: Portable digital piano • Keys: 88-key GHC (Graded Hammer Compact) • Controls: Physical buttons • App: Smart Pianist • Sold by: Amazon AU • Price: $680 at time of writing • Rank: #27 in Digital Pianos (Amazon AU)

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Side-by-side comparison

ProductPriceBest for
Kawai ES60 88-key Digital Piano~$529A first weighted piano for a learner on a small budget
Kawai ES120 Portable Digital Piano~$849Main piano sound, Bluetooth and line outputs in a slab
Korg B2 Plus 88-Note Weighted Piano~$1,149Comparing a Korg (read its spec page first)
Roland F107 Digital Piano~$1,499A family piano that stays in the lounge room
Yamaha P-143B Portable Digital Piano~$679.99Yamaha graded hammer keys in a slim, button-operated slab

What we see fail in the workshop: digital pianos

Digital pianos are long-lived, and when one comes into the shop it's nearly always for one of three faults. Two of them are mechanical and caused by how the piano is used, and one is about power. All three are easier to prevent than to repair, and none of them need any special skills to avoid. Here's what to watch for over the life of the piano.

Keys that play too loud, twice or not at all

Each key presses down on a rubber strip with carbon contacts, and the piano measures the time between two contacts closing to work out how hard you played. When dust, crumbs or a spill get between the carbon and the board, that timing goes wrong. The result is a key that suddenly plays at full volume from a gentle touch, double-triggers, or goes silent. Cleaning the strip and the board usually fixes it, and replacing a worn strip is a common job. Sweet drinks are the worst case because the residue is sticky and corrosive, so unplug the piano straight away if anything spills.

Worn headphone jacks and pedal sockets

The headphone jack and the pedal socket get plugged and unplugged far more often than anything else on a piano, and on slabs they're often pulled at an angle when the piano is moved or someone trips on a cable. The socket's contacts loosen, and you start hearing crackle, one-sided sound, or a sustain pedal that works backwards or cuts in and out. A fresh socket is usually a small part and a short repair. To make them last, leave cables plugged in where possible, run them where feet won't catch them, and use an adapter extension rather than a heavy plug hanging off the jack.

Power adapters and power circuits

Portable pianos that run from an external adapter tend to lose it, and the replacement is often a generic one grabbed from a drawer. If the voltage, polarity or current rating is wrong, it can damage the power circuit inside, and a generic adapter with a noisy output can make the piano hum or reset. Lightning and grid surges also come in through the power lead. Keep the original adapter labelled and with the piano, and if it's lost, buy the maker's part or a matched replacement. A surge-protected powerboard is a small spend against a power circuit failure.

Decision tree: which one should you actually buy?

  • Buying a family piano that stays in the lounge room? → The Roland F107 at $1,499 is the pick, with a built-in cabinet, PHA-4 keys and Bluetooth.
  • Want a proper weighted first piano and need to keep it small? → The Kawai ES60 at $529, with a stand and a better pedal added.
  • Care most about the main piano sound in a portable? → The Kawai ES120 at $849, with the SK-EX grand sound, Bluetooth and line outputs.
  • Want a different maker's weighted 88-note piano to compare? → The Korg B2 Plus at $1,149 in black, but read Korg's spec page first because the Amazon AU listing gives almost no detail.
  • Want a Yamaha in a slim, portable body? → The Yamaha P-143 at $680, with GHC graded hammer keys and simple button controls.
  • Keys sticking, playing too loud or the pedal cutting out? → Bring it to our Erina workshop and we'll check the contact strips, sockets and power side and tell you what it needs before you spend anything.

Frequently asked questions

How many keys does a beginner digital piano need?

I'd go straight to 88 full-size weighted keys, even for a beginner. Most learning material and almost all teachers assume the full range, and a weighted action builds the finger strength and control that carries over to a real piano. Keyboards with 61 or 76 keys are fine for songwriting or synth work, but a learner tends to outgrow them within a year or two and then has to buy again. Every piano in this guide is a full 88-key graded hammer action, so any of them will see a student through years of lessons.

Is a portable or a console digital piano better?

It depends on two things: whether the piano ever needs to move, and how much you'll spend on extras. A portable slab is lighter and can go in a car, but it needs a stand, a proper pedal and a stool, and those add up. A console like the Roland F107 includes the cabinet and fixed pedals, keeps dust off the keys with a lid and has fuller speakers. For a family piano that stays put, I'd usually lean console. For lessons, gigs or tight spaces, a slab makes more sense.

What is polyphony and how much do I need?

Polyphony is how many notes the piano can sound at once before it starts cutting off the oldest ones. Holding the sustain pedal through a fast passage, or playing a layered sound, uses up notes quickly, so more is better for advanced music. For a beginner or intermediate player, any current model from Roland, Yamaha, Kawai or Korg in this band is usually fine. The Amazon AU listings for these five don't state polyphony, so check the maker's spec sheet if you play dense, pedal-heavy pieces and want to compare them on that number.

Can I use Bluetooth headphones with a digital piano?

You can on some models, but I wouldn't. Bluetooth audio adds a short delay between pressing a key and hearing the note, and on a piano you feel that straight away, especially in fast passages. Wired over-ear headphones plugged into the headphone output are the better choice and don't need charging. Bluetooth on these pianos is mostly for MIDI to learning apps and for streaming music from your phone through the piano's speakers, which both work well. Keep a wired pair with the piano for practice and save Bluetooth for the apps.

What do I do if I spill a drink on my digital piano?

Unplug it straight away, don't keep playing, and don't try to dry it with a hair dryer. Wipe off what you can, tilt the piano gently so liquid isn't pooling on the keys, and let it sit unplugged. Liquid gets under the keys onto the rubber contact strips and the circuit board, and sweet drinks leave a sticky residue that corrodes the contacts over days or weeks. Even if it seems to work again once dry, it's worth having the keybed opened and cleaned before the corrosion spreads. Early cleaning is a much smaller job than replacing a contact board.

Should I buy the Kawai ES60 or the ES120?

The ES60 is the less costly one at $529. Its listing gives a fully weighted 88-key Responsive Hammer Lite keyboard, 17 built-in sounds, a 20W speaker system, USB-MIDI, PianoRemote app support over a USB cable and a weight of 11.0 kg. The ES120 is $849, and its listing gives the Responsive Hammer Compact action, the SK-EX concert grand sample plus 24 other sounds, integrated Bluetooth and a 20W speaker system. If you want Bluetooth, or the keys and main piano sound matter most, the ES120 is the one to stretch to. If the budget is tight and the piano is for a beginner, the ES60 does the job. Prices move week to week, so compare them on the day you order.

Related buying guides

Piano key sticking, double-triggering or going quiet?

Most digital pianos that come into the shop have dirty or corroded key contact strips, a worn headphone or pedal socket, or a power fault from the wrong adapter, and all three are often fixable for far less than a new piano. Bring it into our Erina workshop and we'll find the fault and tell you what it needs before you spend anything.

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