Best Digital Piano under 500 Euros: Instruments for Beginners

Concert grand piano sound in the living room – a digital piano for beginners ideally also fulfills this dream. With a digital piano under 500 euros you should not look for the most extensive set of features but rather focus on keyboard and piano sound.

Of course, you cannot expect miracles from a digital piano under 500 euros, but you also want to spare yourself from unpleasant surprises. The good news: Even with a small budget you can definitely purchase good instruments. So, what can you expect from an electric piano under 500 euros and what models are recommended?

A digital piano for under 500 Euro – what can you expect?

Hardware is the No.1 cost factor! Exactly this is the challenge when producing a digital piano for under 500 euros. There is little leeway for features such as the case and playback system. And as a buyer, you should certainly not skimp on the key elements of keyboard and sound. In the following sections we will look at which features you should pay special attention to when buying a digital piano under 500 euros.

Electric piano for beginners comparison

Also check out our electric piano tests on Youtube. As shown in this video test of Korg B2 and Thomann DP-28 Plus it’s important to compare electric pianos with each other. Both are available for less than 400 euros.

The price of design

Let’s not forget that a digital piano is also a piece of furniture that in many cases gets its place in the living room. At least this is true for those looking for a home piano with a classic design.

Based on the acoustic piano, home pianos consist of a base with built-in pedals, as well as a body, which contains all electronics in addition to the keyboard, controls, speakers and music holder. Regardless of the price range, you can expect the case of a digital piano not only to look good, but also to be well manufactured, ensuring that the instrument stands firmly.

In general, the case of electric pianos under 500 Euros is quite small. If you attach great importance to the exterior of a home piano, you should look into the price range above this limit. Models starting at about 700 Euros look more valuable. But there are also very good portable pianos available in this price range above 500 euros – more about this in the guide article stage piano under 1000 euros.

A recommendation here is the Thomann DP-32. As a small digital piano in home piano design, it convinces not only in terms of workmanship and low pricing. The keyboard and sound are also very decent for the price of just above 500 euros.

Cost factor piano sound

Playing the piano is fun with good piano sound! Quite a few models in the price range below 500 euros offer features such as hundreds of sounds next to effects and auto accompaniment. Skepticism is definitely in order here. Especially in this price range, where every additional feature costs more money, you should look, listen, and compare carefully. The best piano sounds at this price point are available from instruments of brand manufacturers.

Cost factor keyboard

Beginners in particular should not underestimate this aspect, as with a good keyboard you can make great music – which brings joy while playing, and in turn is motivating. An 88-note keyboard with graded hammer action should hence be available if you want to learn how to play. While this is standard for a digital piano under 500 euros, the quality differences in playing performance can be quite significant. The keyboards of most home piano models in this price range are rather smooth. This can definitely suit beginners, but there are instruments with better quality – see recommendations …

Key noises in electric pianos below 500 euros

Many beginners find this phenomenon irritating, if not annoying: Noise seems to be generated inside the case when playing. This is caused by the keyboard and the associated hammer mechanism. However, such key noises can hardly be avoided: Moving weights on the keys are supposed to simulate the hammer stroke of a piano. This is almost impossible without noise development.

Especially when playing with the speakers at low volume, these unpleasant side noises can become predominant. In contrast to the sound of the speakers, the mechanical noises cannot be controlled using volume controls – they always remain the same.

You shouldn’t set your expectations too high in the price range below 500 Euros. Here, the focus is rather on low manufacturing costs and low weight, as this ensures the two most important features of an electric piano up to 500 euros: Expressive piano sound and good playing experience.

Cost factor playback system

We should not expect miracles from speaker systems in the 500 euro class. The playback systems are stereo by design and cannot really deliver big sound, especially with about 10 watts per speaker (or even less). Due to the compact design of these instruments, large speakers, which would be necessary to reproduce the bass range, cannot be installed here.

Nevertheless, the sound is absolutely sufficient for practicing and playing at regular volume. To get a fuller sound, you can also play the sound of the digital piano through external speakers via audio outputs (if available). Most digital pianos in this price range sound much better over headphones than over the built-in speakers.

A digital piano under 500 Euros often also skimp on audio outputs. Thus, if you want to connect the instrument to a keyboard amplifier or a PA for example, you will have to use the headphone jack. To do so you need a stereo jack to two mono jack adapter.

Want to save money – and still get good quality? Buy a portable piano!

Portable pianos are small digital pianos in stage piano format and thus designed as transportable instruments. However, they are intended for home use and have built-in speakers. Some models even come with a stand, while others require an additional stand as an accessory – be sure to take a look at bundle offers in online stores.

Important to know for beginners: Some portable pianos are already very inexpensive (starting at around 300 euros). If you forgo a home piano design, you can concentrate even more on the essential features, as keyboard and piano sound benefit from the reduced case.

Top 5: Digital piano under 500 euros

The selection contains only portable pianos. In some cases, the price is above 500 Euros, as long as the purchase of a stand and pedal unit is included from the start. The prices are also constantly changing at most online retailers, so that some instruments are temporarily slightly above and sometimes slightly below the 500 euro limit.

1. Roland FP-10: best keyboard

Like the larger FP-30x model, the FP-10 benefits from the good playing characteristics of the PHA-4 standard keyboard. Here you get  well-balanced graded hammer action and Ivory feel for just under 500 Euros. The piano sound is also impressive considering the price range.

The Roland FP-10 is extremely compact and easily transported. While this is an advantage for those with limited space, it is also the reason behind the rather small speaker system, from which you should not expect too much. However, those who mainly play with headphones will enjoy a balanced piano sound that can also convince in dynamics.

2. Thomann DP-28 Plus – top price-performance

Many good piano sounds and well playable hammer action at a low weight – a lightweight portable piano with a chic design and a free piano app via Bluetooth MIDI. With the DP-28 Plus you also get a balanced speaker sound and can optionally add a stand.

For absolute beginners, it is worth paying attention to bundle offers . This way, you get everything you need to start off with, including a piano stool and headphones.

3. Korg B2 – with USB audio/MIDI integration

A small sound selection and slim equipment puts the focus on keyboard and sound. The USB audio/MIDI integration is a very practical feature. This makes it possible to integrate a computer, tablet or smartphone into the audio system of the Korg B2 via USB. Optimal for online lessons or for playing popular music apps such as Korg Module Pro, Korg Gadget or Korg iM1.

4. Casio CDP-S110 – best keyboard under 400 euro

A weighted hammer action keyboard even with Ivory Feel surface is available for a small price here. It offers the best keyboard among electric pianos under 400 euros, which also makes the CDP-S110 a hot tip for anyone looking for a cheap MIDI controller with piano keys.

This keyboard is not only available on the Casio CDP-S110, but also on the other two models of the Casio Compact series: CDP-S160 SET and CDP-S360. Both models are interesting for those looking for more features. The CDP-S160, which only comes in a bundle, can be called one of the most affordable home pianos including stand and 3-pedal.

5. Yamaha P-145 – successor of the top seller P-45

The Yamaha P-45 has been the top seller digital piano under 500 euros. The new model P-145 comes with a new acoustic piano sound and a USB audio/MIDI feature that supports an easy integration of mobile devices. Although the new “Graded Hammer Compact” keyboard lacks playing comfort due to Ivory Touch, you still get a solid beginner’s electric piano with a good keyboard and nice piano sound.

Buying tip: Digital pianos around 500 euros

Although these next digital piano models are priced above 500 euros, they offer remarkable features with a comparable equipment profile. It would be a shame not to mention them in this context. For those who would like to invest a little more, these instruments already have more to offer than the models significantly below 500 Euros.

Casio PX-S1100

The PX-S1100 already gets a lot of attention due to its modern and noble high-gloss design. It is probably the most compact and lightest entry-level piano around, but this small piano should definitely be tried.

GEWA PP-3

Quality hammer action, expressive Steinway Grand piano sound, many modern features like favorite presets (programmable) and a good speaker system – the GEWA PP-3  is an absolute recommendation – be sure to check out the set offer including the stand!

Roland FP-30X

The Roland FP-30X was newly released in early 2021 and is now priced under 600 euros. It has the keyboard of the FP-10, but at its price point also offers many modern features. Our tip: definitely test it!

Kawai ES-120

As the smallest ES model, the ES-120 provides an affordable entry into the Kawai ES series. As a lightweight portable piano with a weight of just 12kg, it is ideal for home and mobile use. The keyboard works accurately and precisely thanks to a 3-sensor system.

Digital piano under 1000 euro

If you are looking for digital piano recommendations between 500 and 1000 Euro, consider these buyer’s guides on PIANOO.com.

Digital pianos under 1000 Euro – play the piano at a reasonable price
Stage pianos under 1000 Euro: Not only for the stage!
The Best Beginner Digital Pianos – Video Test Series

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