Kawai
ES120
$949
Kawai ES120: a clear digital piano review for practice and comparison
9.0 Beginner 9.1 Night Practice 6.0 Portability 6.8 Touch Reality 7.9 Value
88 12 kg
Kawai ES60 Review
Kawai ES60: a clear digital piano review for practice and comparison
88 Keys 11 kg Responsive Hammer Beginner
Scores
Where to Buy
MSRP
$499
Retail prices change, so check current pricing at retailers.
These buttons open retailer search results and may include affiliate tracking where available. Stock and listing status can change without notice.
How These Scores Were Calculated
Beginner
4.3| Factor | This Piano | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Base Score | — | 0.5 |
| Lesson Function | No | +0 |
| App Connectivity | Yes | +1.8 |
| Bluetooth MIDI | No | +0 |
| Recording | No | +0 |
| Practice Basics (Metronome / Transpose / Layer-Split) | Yes | +0.6 |
| Stand Included | No | +0 |
| Damper Pedal Included | Yes | +0.4 |
| Preset Songs | 15 | +0.8 |
| Sound Variety | 17 sounds | +0.2 |
Night Practice
5.1| Factor | This Piano | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Base Score | — | 1.0 |
| Headphone Jacks | 1 | +1.3 |
| Headphone Type | 6.3mm | +0.9 |
| Headphone Optimization | No | +0 |
| Bluetooth Audio | No | +0 |
| Line Out | Yes | +0.4 |
| Speaker Mute with Headphones | Yes | +0.7 |
| Key Action Quietness | Responsive Hammer | +0.8 |
Portability
6.0| Factor | This Piano | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Base Score | — | 5.0 |
| Weight | 11 kg | +1 |
| Width | 1295 mm | +0 |
| Battery | No | +0 |
| Foldable | No | +0 |
| Key Count | 88 keys | +0 |
Touch Reality
6.2| Factor | This Piano | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Key Action Quality | Responsive Hammer (grade 5) | +3 |
| Key Count | 88 keys | +1.5 |
| Polyphony | 192 notes | +1.2 |
| Sound Modeling | Harmonic Imaging | +0.5 |
| Key Surface | matte | +0 |
Kawai ES60 review verdict
This Kawai ES60 review reads the published specifications from a comparison-first point of view: touch, sound, practice fit, value, and limits.
Kawai ES60 is best read as a portable digital piano for beginners and returning players. This review looks at weighted-key feel, sound, practice features, value, and realistic comparison points instead of treating the spec sheet as advertising copy.
Pros
- • Key count: 88 keys, a clear basis for digital piano comparison.
- • Touch: weighted hammer action, so the review stays focused on practice feel.
- • Quiet practice: Headphone practice support.
- • Connectivity: USB MIDI and app support.
- • Use case: Its best fit is home practice and stage use.
Cons
- • Main limit: the need for a furniture-style living-room instrument.
- • Stand cost and compatibility are separate checks.
- • Nearby current models may offer a better match for some players.
Kawai ES60 is a portable digital piano that makes most sense when its strengths are matched to the right practice situation. The useful points are 88 keys, weighted hammer action, 192-note polyphony, 20W speakers, and a weight of 11 kg. In a digital piano review, those details matter more than broad claims about being the best digital piano overall. For home practice and stage use, this model can be a sensible candidate if the layout and feature set match the way the instrument will actually be used. It is still worth comparing as a current buying candidate. The fairest comparison is with models in the same price and use class, where touch, speakers, headphone practice, and connectivity can be judged side by side.
Kawai ES60 evaluation points
Kawai ES60 key action and touch
Kawai ES60 uses a weighted hammer action. For a digital piano with weighted keys, the important question is not only whether the keys are heavy, but whether they help steady daily practice. The matte key surface is a useful comfort detail. The specification lists 192-note polyphony; that is enough for ordinary pieces, while more layered playing or heavy pedal use benefits from a higher number. This makes the key action a practical comparison point rather than a decorative specification.
Who the Kawai ES60 is for
Kawai ES60 is most relevant for beginners and returning players. The main use case is home practice and stage use. Strengths: portability and easy placement. Limits: the need for a furniture-style living-room instrument. Buyers comparing digital pianos should also check the stand, pedal, headphone jack, app support, and local availability before deciding.
Kawai ES60 sound and speakers
Kawai ES60 offers 17 sounds and 20W speakers. That is the sound side of the review: enough variety for practice, but the real experience depends on speaker power, headphone use, and the room where it will be played. The headphone output supports quiet practice. For lessons, apps, or recording workflows, the useful connectivity is USB MIDI and app support.
What to know before buying the Kawai ES60
Before buying Kawai ES60, compare it with nearby alternatives on touch, sound, portability, and value. A stand may need to be budgeted separately. A damper pedal is included, though some players may still want a fuller pedal unit. It is still worth comparing as a current buying candidate. For searchers looking for a Kawai ES60 review, the practical conclusion is to treat it as one candidate in a digital piano comparison, not as a universal answer for every player.
Demo Video
Source:
Better Music Watch on YouTube ↗
Specifications
| Keys | 88 |
| Key Action | Responsive Hammer |
| Polyphony | 192 notes |
| Sounds | 17 |
| Weight | 11 kg |
| Speakers | 20W (×2) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Key Surface | Matte |
| Sound Modeling | Harmonic Imaging |
| Headphone Jacks | 1 |
| Headphone Type | 6.3mm |
| Headphone Optimization | No |
| USB MIDI | Yes |
| Line Out | Yes |
| Lesson Function | No |
| App Connectivity | Yes |
| Recording | No |
| Metronome | Yes |
| Transpose | Yes |
| Layer / Split | Yes |
| Preset Songs | 15 |
| Battery | No |
| Foldable | No |
| Dimensions (W×D×H) | 1295×260×150 mm |
| Stand Included | No |
| Pedal Included | Yes |
Spec terms are explained in the glossary. Glossary →
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Recommended Accessories
🪑
Stand
Stand not included (sold separately)
A sturdy X-stand or furniture-style stand is essential if one isn't included.
🎧
Headphones
Closed-back headphones with good bass response make practice sessions more enjoyable.
🎹
Sustain Pedal
The included pedal is usually basic. A half-damper pedal upgrade is worthwhile for expressive playing.
💺
Bench
An adjustable-height bench helps maintain proper posture during long practice sessions.
Where to Buy
MSRP
$499
Retail prices change, so check current pricing at retailers.
These buttons open retailer search results and may include affiliate tracking where available. Stock and listing status can change without notice.
How It Compares
ES60 vs PE-88
The ES60 scores higher in piano-like touch. The PE-88 costs $149 less. Choose the ES60 if piano-like touch matters most.
Artesia PE-88 →ES60 vs P-145BT
The ES60 scores higher in beginner support, portability, piano-like touch and value for money. The ES60 costs $51 less. Choose the ES60 if beginner-friendly features matters most.
Yamaha P-145BT →ES60 vs CDP-S110
The ES60 scores higher in quiet practice, portability and value for money. Choose the ES60 if quiet practice matters most.
Casio CDP-S110 →Head-to-head comparisons
Spec-by-spec pages pitting this model against the alternatives it is most often weighed up with.
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Read more →What reviewers say online
A synthesis of recurring points from price-comparison sites, Amazon reviews, music-store staff videos and forum threads. Not a star-rating average — we read across multiple reviews and pulled out the points that came up repeatedly.
The Kawai ES60 is the entry-level portable in the current ES series, bringing together an 88-key weighted keybed and SK-EX-derived piano tone in a light 11 kg body. In specialist reviews and retailer feedback, the focus is on praise for a piano tone with texture for this price, easy handling, and the inclusion of line outputs, while reviewers note that the lack of Bluetooth, recording and an external input leaves something to be desired.
Praised most often
-
Kawai-like piano tone beyond its price
On the voices derived from the Harmonic Imaging engine and the SK-EX concert grand, the focus is on praise that "it has a core and lets you hear the detail even in this class." Voices noting that the sound has high texture for a low price range stand out.
-
A light and quiet weighted keybed
The keybed is on the lighter side with moderate cushioning at the bottom, and is rated as easy to play. The fact that the key noise is quiet is also noted as favorable for an entry model.
-
Easy to place thanks to its 11 kg lightness
Because the unit is light and compact, many say it is easy to place in a studio flat, a student's room or even on a desk. It is also rated as suited to small-scale transport.
-
Stereo line output, unusual on an entry model
It has independent left/right 6.3 mm line outputs and can connect to external speakers or a PA, which is valued as a feature often omitted on entry models.
Common cautions and criticisms
-
No Bluetooth, no recording
By specification it has no Bluetooth, and there is no built-in recording function either. Phone integration assumes a wired connection.
-
No audio input
There is no input jack to route the sound of external gear into the ES60's speakers or headphones, and reviewers note that playing along to backing tracks calls for a workaround.
-
The chassis is not as rigid as on higher models
Some say the build feels somewhat lighter than on the higher ES120. That said, it is rated as in keeping with the price and not unduly flimsy.
-
Practice-support features are simple
For stage use, reviewers note that the dedicated controls and memory functions are on the sparse side. It is a simple setup focused on practice.
By source
-
Specialist review sites (PianoDreamers, etc.)
Specialist sites such as PianoDreamers rate the piano tone and touch as upper-class for this price range while frankly framing the omission of Bluetooth and recording.
-
Retailer reviews (Sweetwater, etc.)
Retailer reviews focus on practical assessments of the balance of sound, touch and build as a first instrument, and the easy handling that comes from its lightness.
Net take
On balance, the ES60 is a model positioned as the lower-priced ES in Kawai's current lineup, with a piano tone beyond its price range, lightness and a quiet keybed as the central plus points. If Bluetooth, built-in recording or a higher keybed matter to you, the higher ES120 has the edge, but the ES60 fits the basics of 88 keys, Kawai piano tone and a line output into a restrained price. For those looking for a current Kawai entry model rather than an old used one, it is a model easy to include as a first-instrument candidate.
We do not compute a numeric star average. The points below are recurring themes we identified by reading across multiple reviews.
Sources & transparency
This page is written by the operator, who has run the piano-learning site Piano Juku since 2017, based on published manufacturer specifications. We are not a retailer or tied to any maker — every model is compared by the same criteria. About the operator
- Last verified
- Data referenced from
- Manufacturer official ×2 Authorized retailer
How the 5-axis scores are calculated
We do not aggregate user reviews or star ratings (see methodology for why).
Spot a mistake or have a question about what's on this page? Let us know and we'll review it.
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