If you want the feel and sound of an acoustic piano in a modern, feature-rich format, Yamaha are the way to go. From graded hammer-action keyboards to Grand Expression Modelling, the technology included in Yamaha’s digital pianos is designed to offer comfortable, realistic playability and natural, clear, detailed audio.
Some are entry-level models, others are more premium, but they all have the stamp of Yamaha quality that has made the brand renowned for so long.
In this article, we take a look at the best Yamaha digital pianos on the market. We’ll discuss the pros and cons of each, who they’re suited to, and how to choose the right one for you.
In a hurry?
Here are our top three Yamaha digital pianos:
| Yamaha P145BT Digital Piano With Bluetooth | Graded Hammer Compact keyboard, Bluetooth audio, and 10 built-in voices. | Check the current price |
| Yamaha CLP 835 Digital Piano | GrandTouch S keyboard, Yamaha CFX & Bösendorfer piano voices, and Grand Expression Modelling technology. | Check the current price |
| Yamaha P225 Digital Piano | Graded Hammer Compact keyboard, Virtual Resonance Modelling Lite sound, and Bluetooth audio and USB MIDI connectivity. | Check the current price |
Why we’ve chosen these Yamaha digital pianos
Simply put, each of these pianos strongly reflects the qualities that Yamaha and modern digital piano technology are known for.
Some of the digital pianos featured here are the brand’s most popular models, while others are their latest releases that really show the pinnacle of Yamaha design. We’ve chosen compact models that are great for setting up in tight spaces or transporting from gig to gig, or lesson to lesson, and more extravagant models that work well as permanent instruments in a home or rehearsal space.
A range of key actions, piano sounds, and modes and features have been considered, so there’s really something for everyone, regardless of age or experience – whether you’re after an affordable beginner model like the P45 or you’ve got room in the budget for something more advanced, such as the YDP 105.
The best Yamaha digital pianos
1. Yamaha P145BT Digital Piano
Key features
- GHC keyboard with weighted acoustic-style action
- Built-in Bluetooth audio streaming
- Compact and lightweight for portability
Pros
- Acoustic-like feel in a smaller form
- Smart Pianist app compatibility for easier control
- Streamlined design with improved speaker system
Cons
- No split mode function
If you’re after a realistic piano feel without the bulk of an acoustic model, the Yamaha P145BT is ideal. As the successor to the popular Yamaha P45, it’s equipped with Yamaha’s new Graded Hammer Compact (GHC) keyboard, which provides a responsive, weighted key action that closely mirrors that of a traditional piano. This makes it ideal for developing your playing technique.
Built-in Bluetooth audio allows you to play backing tracks or stream your favourite music through the piano’s speakers, without the hassle of cables. And thanks to its compact design and 11.1kg weight, it’s easy to move or fit into smaller home setups.
The P145BT includes 10 built-in voices, giving you a useful range of sounds. The only limitation is that it doesn’t offer a split function, meaning you can’t use one sound in the bass and another in the treble. But if you weren’t planning to combine the voices, you’re not missing out!
To find out more about this piano, see our Yamaha P145BT review, or explore how it compares to the P45 in our Yamaha P45 vs. P145BT guide.
2. Yamaha CLP 835 Digital Piano
Key features
- GrandTouch S keyboard with textured keytops
- Yamaha CFX & Bösendorfer piano voices
- Grand Expression Modelling technology
Pros
- Realistic grand piano feel and touch
- Enhanced acoustic-style speaker placement
- Smart Pianist app integration
Cons
- Keys are synthetic rather than wooden
The CLP 835 digital piano gives you a refined grand piano feel in a smart, high-quality design. At its heart is the GrandTouch S keyboard, a weighted key action with textured keytops that supports expressive playing and delivers a realistic feel. It responds well to detailed dynamics, giving you nuanced control over tone and volume.
A major benefit of the CLP 835 is that it includes sounds sampled from Yamaha’s flagship CFX and Bösendorfer Imperial grand pianos, recreated with impressive detail. The speakers are carefully positioned to reflect sound as you’d hear it from an acoustic instrument. And if you’re playing quietly with headphones, binaural sampling helps preserve a natural sense of space.
Then there’s Grand Expression Modelling. This is Yamaha’s impressive technology that adds depth and acoustic realism to your performance by digitally recreating the way a grand piano responds to different playing techniques. It works alongside Virtual Resonance Modelling to reproduce the complex resonances heard throughout an acoustic piano.
Plus, with Bluetooth connectivity and the Smart Pianist app, you can play back songs and easily control the piano’s settings from your smart device. This can be especially useful when exploring new material.
The CLP 835 is ideal if you’re looking for an authentic piano experience without stepping up to concert-level price points.
3. Yamaha P225 Digital Piano
Key features
- Graded Hammer Compact keyboard
- Virtual Resonance Modelling Lite sound
- Bluetooth audio and USB MIDI connectivity
Pros
- Compact and lightweight for easy transport
- Authentic grand piano-style sound and feel
- Smart Pianist app and Flowkey integration
Cons
- Pedal unit sold separately
The Yamaha P225 combines high-quality sound, portability, and playability in a slim, lightweight frame. Its GHC keyboard feels comfortable and natural to play, mirroring the key response, consistency, and dynamic range of its acoustic counterparts.
Yamaha’s flagship CFX concert grand is brought to life using Virtual Resonance Modelling Lite, which helps recreate the natural tonal changes you’d expect from an acoustic instrument. Paired with carefully positioned speakers and a Sound Boost function, the piano samples offer a clear, full-bodied sound across all registers.
It’s well-suited to a range of environments, from home to rehearsal spaces, with built-in Bluetooth audio streaming, USB MIDI/audio, and support for the Smart Pianist app. You can even record directly to your device using Yamaha’s Rec’n’Share app.
4. Yamaha CP88 Digital Stage Piano
Key features
- Natural Wood Graded Hammer (NW-GH3) key action
- Yamaha CFX and S700 piano voices
- Direct physical control interface
Pros
- Realistic wooden-key feel
- Intuitive performance-friendly layout
- Durable and portable aluminium design
Cons
- No built-in speakers
If you’re a performing pianist and want a realistic piano feel alongside practical controls, the Yamaha CP88 is great. Its fully weighted Natural Wood Graded Hammer (NW-GH) keyboard uses wooden keys with synthetic ebony and ivory keytops, giving you a substantial, responsive action.
This is an easy-to-use stage piano with a direct, one-to-one control layout. Its Piano, Electric Piano, and Sub sections can be split or layered, with dedicated effects that are easy to adjust during a performance. There’s also a strong selection of sounds, including samples of Yamaha CFX and S700 grands, as well as the Bösendorfer Imperial.
And as it’s a stage piano, it’s built for reliable performances. Its robust aluminium body is designed to cope with regular use, while its relatively lightweight, streamlined design makes it easy to transport between rehearsals, recording sessions, and gigs.
5. Yamaha YDP 145 Digital Piano
Key features
- Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) keyboard action
- Yamaha CFX concert grand piano sound engine
- Virtual Resonance Modelling Lite for authentic tone
Pros
- Realistic acoustic piano feel and response
- Stereophonic Optimiser improves headphone experience
- Built-in lesson songs and Flowkey Premium included
Cons
- No Bluetooth functionality
If you’re after a traditional feel in a modern instrument, the Yamaha YDP 145 is designed to deliver just that. With its 88-key graded hammer-action keyboard, the weight of each key mimics that of an acoustic grand – heavier in the bass and lighter in the treble. Matte keytops provide extra grip during longer practice sessions and add that extra touch of premium design.
The YDP 145 uses samples from Yamaha’s flagship CFX concert grand. These are rich and expressive, enhanced by Virtual Resonance Modelling Lite and a built-in tone escapement system, both designed to simulate how sound moves through a real piano cabinet.
It’s a great option for learners, with support for the Smart Pianist app and three months of Flowkey Premium included.
6. Yamaha CSP 295 Digital Piano
Key features
- Authentic GrandTouch action
- Yamaha CFX and Bösendorfer Imperial sampling
- Smart Pianist app and Stream Lights learning system
Pros
- Exceptionally detailed grand piano sound and response
- Powerful three-way speaker system with a spruce cone
- Extensive selection of voices and accompaniment styles
Cons
- Smart device required for many features
The Yamaha CSP 295 combines an authentic piano experience with features that make playing accessible to the whole family. Its GrandTouch keyboard uses wooden keys, counterweights, and individually graded hammers to recreate the balanced response of a grand piano, allowing for detailed and expressive control.
Yamaha have carefully sampled every key of its flagship CFX and the Bösendorfer Imperial concert grands, capturing the individual character of both instruments. Virtual Resonance Modelling then recreates the way the strings and soundboard interact as you play. It even reproduces subtle mechanical details, including the sound of the dampers lifting, adding the small bumps and knocks heard throughout an acoustic.
The three-way speaker system uses pulp from the same spruce used for Yamaha’s CFX soundboards, giving notes a more natural attack. Carefully positioned speakers and bidirectional horns also help faithfully recreate the spacious sound of a grand piano.
With the Smart Pianist app, you can select sounds, adjust settings, and access songs and sheet music. Stream Lights show which keys to play next, while adjustable tempos and separate-hand practice modes make learning approachable for both beginners and more experienced players.
7. Yamaha YDP S56 Digital Piano
Key features
- GrandTouch-E weighted keyboard with textured keytops
- Yamaha CFX sound engine with VRM Lite
- Bluetooth audio and Smart Pianist integration
Pros
- Responsive touch supports fast repetition
- Diffuser speaker system distributes sound evenly
- Slim cabinet suits smaller living spaces
Cons
- Limited selection of voices
The Yamaha YDP S56 is ideal if you want an authentic piano experience but don’t have room for a full-sized cabinet. Its GrandTouch-E keyboard is weighted, so the lower notes feel heavier than those higher up, just like on an acoustic piano. It also responds well to repeated notes and faster passages, giving you the control needed as your playing develops.
The sound comes from Yamaha’s flagship CFX concert grand. It’s warm and controlled when you play softly, but has plenty of depth when you add more power. VRM Lite recreates the natural resonance between the strings and body of an acoustic piano, while the diffuser speaker system spreads the sound evenly around the room. Intelligent Acoustic Control also keeps everything clear when you need to practise at a lower volume.
And if quiet practice is important, the Stereophonic Optimiser gives the sound a more spacious feel through headphones. You can also stream backing tracks using Bluetooth audio or connect to the Smart Pianist app to adjust settings and record your playing. With its reduced-depth cabinet and folding key cover, the YDP S56 is a great option for bedrooms, studies, and smaller living spaces.
Why choose a Yamaha piano?
Whether you’re a complete beginner or a well-established musician, you’ll have heard of Yamaha pianos, and for good reason. Since manufacturing their first piano in 1900, the brand have become known for their high-quality, beautifully made instruments, with something for all ability levels and budgets.
This refined build quality endows the pianos with one of Yamaha’s most appealing selling points: their longevity. They’re designed to last. When you buy a Yamaha digital piano, you can expect it to hold up and perform well through a significant part of your playing journey.
Yamaha are one of the most pioneering piano brands, introducing technology that has really set the standard for digital pianos. For example, there’s Advanced Wave Memory (AWM) sampling, which takes premium recorded audio samples (captured at different dynamics) and applies digital filters to make the sound as clear and authentic as possible.
Another innovative technology is Virtual Resonance Modelling. This simulates the resonances you get from the strings and soundboard of an acoustic piano, adding to the digital instrument’s realism in a very nuanced way. Technology like this is why millions of pianists choose Yamaha for their instrument.
Playability-wise, the brand have developed a range of key actions that mirror the response of an acoustic piano’s keys. Whether it’s the Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) used on entry-level instruments like the P45 or the GrandTouch S keyboard featured on models like the CLP 825, you’ll find varying levels of responsive keys, all designed to be comfortable, enjoyable, and expressive to play.
Even if you feel you’ve found your forever instrument, there may come a time when you want to upgrade to a more advanced model or simply try something new. Fortunately, Yamaha instruments tend to retain their value well.
How to select the best Yamaha digital piano for you
To choose the best Yamaha digital piano for you, start by identifying your playing level. This will give you a clearer idea of the kind of features you need. Next, decide what your budget is, as this will help ensure you get the most value for your money.
If you’re looking for the experience of an acoustic piano in a digital format, you’ll want to look at key action, piano samples, and speaker quality. You should also consider how big you want the piano to be. Do you want the full 88 keys? Or is space limited?
On the other hand, if you’re looking to experiment with different sounds or use the instrument to compose on, you might want to look for a good range of voices, not just a high-quality piano tone.
You might also be planning to record with the piano, in which case, make sure to choose one with ample connectivity options, so you can link it to an audio interface or recording software.
Are you learning to play? If you’re a beginner, it can be helpful to have some interactive features and tutorial apps to work with. Duo Mode is particularly useful as it allows two players (say, you and your teacher) to play the piano side by side, each with the same octave. Bluetooth connectivity is also something to consider if you want to link to an app, such as Flowkey or Smart Pianist, wirelessly.
FAQs
What is the best entry-level Yamaha digital piano?
One of the best entry-level Yamaha digital pianos is the P145BT. It boasts the brand’s Graded Hammer Compact (GHC) keyboard for realistic key action and response and a range of voices to keep things interesting. The P225 is another great option that suits beginners and accommodates advancing technique.
Should a beginner use 61 or 88 keys?
Beginners are generally recommended to use 88 keys. A full-size 88-key keyboard provides the complete range found on a traditional piano, making it easier to transition as skills grow. While 61 keys can be sufficient early on, you may want to expand to 88 keys over time.
Is the Yamaha P145BT better than the P45?
Neither the P145BT nor the P45 is “better” than the other. It really depends on what type of digital piano you are looking for. The Yamaha P145BT has an improved sound engine and a more compact design, whereas the P45 is more straightforward to use and is a popular model amongst beginner players.
Final thoughts
There are many different options for you if you’re in the market for your first piano or upgrading to a new one. Hopefully, this list of the best Yamaha digital pianos has helped you find the right option from the esteemed brand!
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