What is The Best Portable Digital Piano for Schools?

Keyboards are a mainstay of classrooms the world over. But with so many brands and models to choose from, how can you find the best portable digital piano for your school?

You might have concerns about cost and affordability, particularly if you are looking for instruments for whole-class learning. 

You might be worried about the quality of the instruments. After all, you want your digital piano to last.

You might need to prioritise portability, with space at a premium in some classrooms. 

At pBone Music, we know all about making portable instruments. Our pInstruments are popular in schools partly because of their lightweight design and ability to stand up to repeated use from children. 

We understand that teachers worry about bulky instruments taking up valuable space and causing clutter. This is why instruments like the pBone turn a bulky brass trombone into a portable version that can easily be stored away when not used.

So, let’s look at ten of the most popular portable digital pianos available on Amazon. With our experience in music for education, we can fill you in on the pros and cons, so that you can buy confidently. Whether you are looking for a piano packed with features or a keyboard that folds into a school bag, we will help you find the best option.

All prices are accurate as of the 3rd of June 2024. 

Yamaha P-145 Digital Piano

This full-size, 88-key digital grand piano from Yamaha is an excellent option for the classroom environment. The authentic, hammer-action keys give an acoustic piano a realistic feel, making it the ideal stepping stone for beginners. While the design is slim, the Yamaha P-145 still weighs 12.3kg. This makes lifting and moving the keyboard trickier than other models on our list. At £369, it is also one of the more expensive models, making it a pricey option for whole-class learning, but a good option for pupils progressing to a superior instrument.

Pros:

• Authentic feel of a digital piano

• Premium brand and excellent build quality

• Pedal included

• Headphone socket for quiet practice, plus USB to host

Cons:

• At 12.3kg it is still reasonably heavy

• 10 piano sounds and limited connectivity 

• Expensive

You can find the Yamaha P-145 on Amazon for £388.99.

Korg Liano Portable Digital Piano

Korg has packed its classic piano sound into a slim, lightweight, portable piano with the Korg Liano. The semi-weighted keys lack the authenticity of an acoustic piano but make for an easy action for beginners. It also has a battery-powered option to make this a portable instrument. Weighing 6.2kg, it’s easier to transport than other premium models, although, at £328, this makes it one of the pricier options from Amazon. This could make it a significant outlay for a class of thirty pupils. 

Pros:

• Lightweight and slim design 

• Battery option for more portability 

• Dampner pedal included

• USB connectivity, speakers, and headphone socket

Cons

• Semi-weighted keys

• Eight sounds

• Expensive

You can buy the Korg Liano Portable Digital Piano on Amazon for £335.99.

MUSTAR Digital Piano

MUSTAR is a newcomer to the musical instrument scene, launching in 2019. This 88-key digital piano certainly doesn’t lack features and connectivity. It boasts 128 sounds and 128 rhythm patterns for practice and even offers Bluetooth streaming. As this is a relatively new and untried brand, there are questions about the quality, and it’s certainly on the heavier side. But at £199.99, it might be worth taking a chance on!   

Pros:

• Lots of sound and connectivity options

• Cheaper than premium models

• Ships with a carry-case and sustain pedal

Cons:

• Question marks over build and sound quality

• Semi-weighted keys 

• Weighs 12kg

• Bulky design

The MUSTAR Digital Piano can be yours from Amazon for £169.99.

Roland Fp-30X Digital Piano

This portable digital piano from Roland is a prestige model for schools or educators with deep pockets. It packs a host of features into its slim profile, including 88 fully-weighted keys, connectivity options including Bluetooth, and a dampener pedal. These professional features mean that the Roland Fp-30X is heavy in both weight and price: it weighs 14kg and costs £549. This puts it in a more professional category, but for schools requiring a single keyboard, it could be a great choice.

Pros:

• Professional sounds from a big-name brand

• Stacked with sounds and connectivity options

• Quality build and realistic feel of a piano

• Bluetooth streaming allows for enhanced practising options

Cons:

• At 14kg, it is not particularly portable

• Very expensive 

• Arguably more of a professional piano than a classroom model

You can purchase the Roland Fp-30X on Amazon for £515.

Carry-on 88 Key White Portable Folding Digital Piano

The Carry-on by amplification experts Blackstar is an educational partner of pBone Music. That doesn’t mean that we’re going to recommend this keyboard above any others, but it is a digital piano we can tell you a lot about. What makes the Carry-on different to the other options is the unique folding design. This makes for an incredibly lightweight and smaller instrument, weighing just 1.6kg and able to fit in the included tote bag. Children can take their Carry-on from the classroom to practise at home! There are 128 sounds, a sustain pedal is included, and the rechargeable USB battery makes the Carry-on truly portable. This 88-key model is available for £88.99, with a 49-key model available for £69.99.

Pros:

• The folding, lightweight design makes it great for whole-class teaching

• Affordable from a trusted brand

• USB and MIDI connectivity

• A rechargeable battery adds to the portability

• Accessories are included along with a metronome, multiple sounds, drum beats, and built-in speakers/headphone jack.

Cons:

• Keys are not velocity-sensitive (although there is a premium model)

• Some may prefer a traditional, larger digital piano design

The Carry-on 88 Key White Portable Folding Digital Piano is available from Amazon for £75.58.

You can check out this independent video review from musical dealers PMT:

Donner DEP-10 88 Key Digital Piano Keyboard

If you are looking for a digital piano with semi-weighted keys, this model from Donner could be the one for your class. The Donner DEP-10 has many features, including built-in speakers and recording features. Pupils can also combine sounds with the dual-tone mode. These features make for a large and heavy piano weighing 11.5kg and lacking the battery-free options of other models. At £271, it might not be suitable for a whole-class package but is a fine alternative to an expensive acoustic piano. As a bonus, it includes a sustain pedal and sheet music stand.

Pros:

• Realistic, semi-weighted keys for an authentic feel

• 30 demo songs and and metronome 

• Built-in speakers and connectivity for MP3 and MIDI

• Sustain pedal and sheet music stand are included in the package

Cons:

• Large and heavy makes it less portable for classroom use

• Expensive

• Semi-weighted keys may not be suitable for younger learners

The Donner DEP-10 88 Key Digital Piano Keyboard can be purchased at Amazon for £295.79. 

Alesis Melody 61 Key Keyboard Piano

One way to combat classroom clutter when choosing your digital piano is to look for keyboards that do not offer the full 88 keys of a traditional piano. This Alesis keyboard has 61 keys, plenty for younger players, and saving space in the school. It has 300 voices and 300 rhythms, along with a metronome for keeping pupils in perfect time. It also ships with a range of accessories, including a stand, stool, microphone, and headphones. It is also relatively lightweight at 4kg, and this 61-key model costs £99.99. At this price point, there are concerns over reliability and build quality. But it could be a fun, affordable option for a music class.

Pros:

• Affordable and lightweight

• Included accessories offer good value for money

• Lots of sounds and fun features for kids

Cons:

• Question marks over build quality

• Not a full-size keyboard

The Alesis Melody 61 Key Keyboard Piano is yours from Amazon for £99.99.

Eastar EP-10 Beginner Foldable Digital Piano

The second folding digital piano offers a fresh take on the folding design. Unlike the accordion fold of the Carry-on, the Eastar takes the look of a typical digital keyboard and folds it in half. This makes for less portability but offers a good space-saving solution. The Eastar EP-10 has a battery-powered option and comes loaded with a range of sounds and rhythms, along with a music stand, sustain pedal, and carry case. Eastar is a less-established brand than others on our list, but this option for £169.99 may be worth a try for some educators. 

Pros:

• Folding design can save space

• Lightweight at 3.63kg

• Battery-powered and comes with a case

Cons:

• Less-established than other brands

• Portable but still has a large footprint for smaller classrooms

• Relatively expensive for whole-class learning

Head to Amazon to pick up the Eastar EP-10 Beginner Foldable Digital Piano for £129.99.

RockJam 61 Key Keyboard Piano Kit

Much like the Alesis Melody 61, this model from RockJam packs a lot of features and extras to a 61-key digital piano. This package includes a keyboard stand, music stand, piano stool, and headphones. The keyboard itself can be battery-powered and has a wide range of sounds and rhythms. RockJam specialises in beginner instruments on a budget, although at 9.5kg, this keyboard lacks the portability and range of features seen from the other models on our list. At £119.99, it is affordable for the classroom, and other models are available in their keyboard range.

Pros:

• Affordable 

• Includes accessories such as a stand and stool

• Battery-powered 

Cons:

• Not a full-size, 88-key digital piano

• Given its size, it still weighs 9.5kg

• Fewer sounds and features than competitors 

The RockJam 61 Key Keyboard Piano Kit is available from Amazon for £114.54.

Casio CDP-S110BKC5 Fully Weighted Hammer Action Digital Piano

Like Yamaha, Roland, and Korg, Casio is synonymous with digital pianos. The Casio CDP-S110BKC5 is designed similarly to other premium keyboards, with full-weighted keys for a realistic playing experience. It also has the benefit of a corded operation and battery power, allowing pupils to take their piano on the go. The weighted keys and robust build make the Casio heavier than many other portable pianos on our list, weighing in at 10.5kg. There is also a hefty price tag to match: the Casio CDP-S110BKC5 costs £279. 

Pros:

• Fully weighted, hammer action keys

• Battery-powered option from a major brand

• Music-stand and sustain pedal included

Cons:

• Expensive for the classroom

• Heavy for a portable model

• Sounds are high quality yet only ten are available

The Casio CDP-S110BKC5 Fully Weighted Hammer Action Digital Piano can be purchased from Amazon for £299.

The best digital piano for your school will come down to your priorities.

For many, getting the most value for money will be crucial. This is where budget options such as those by RockJam, Carry-on, and Alesis are prized. Portability and instruments that can be taken from one class to another mean that lighter instruments, such as the Korg Liano, might suit your needs best. If you are looking to save space, then keyboards with a smaller footprint like the Carry-on could be just the thing for your classroom.

The best option will also depend on how you are going to teach piano in class. If you are delivering lessons 1-to-1 in the same classroom, a portable but premium option with weighted keys would work wonders. If you scale this up to whole-class learning, however, thirty professional keyboards will take up space and eat up your budget. 

If you are considering instruments for your classroom, you can fill out our scoping form.

In just a few minutes, you can fill us in on your needs and how we can support you and your school, music hub, or educational organisation. 

• If price is your prime concern, find out how much you should spend in our digital piano cost blog. 
• Looking for other mini-musical instruments for the classroom? Check out our top ten list of the best portable instruments.