Best Piano Brands to Buy in 2025 £1000-£5000
Most people don’t have £100k to spend on a new Steinway grand, so this article is aimed at the average buyer who wants a good quality reliable piano for domestic use without breaking the bank.
Yamaha Pianos
The obvious and easy choice is Yamaha. Good quality, sensible prices. If money is no object then you may end up with something like the Yamaha YUS5 upright piano for around £15,000.
For most people, the very best starting point is a reconditioned Yamaha U1. They are relied upon by music industry professionals all over the world, they have a great touch, a wonderful tone, and are built to last a lifetime. We usually have a good selection on our pianos for sale page.
The only reason not to buy a Yamaha U1 is if you can afford a bit more and buy a Yamaha U3 instead.
Kawai Pianos
Kawai are a very close 2nd best choice to Yamaha. Their quality and reputation is equal to Yamaha and they only lose out in terms of brand awareness. From my experience this has the affect of making Kawai pianos lose value more quickly than Yamaha pianos.
If you aren’t worried about depreciation then go ahead and try some Kawai K-300 or K-400 pianos. They won’t disappoint you!
Beyond Yamaha and Kawai
Beyond Yamaha and Kawai, you end up in a sea of other brands which can be quite confusing. It is often difficult to find out WHERE a piano was made, WHEN a piano was made, and IF that piano is good quality, good value, etc. Read on for some thoughts on what else is available.
The Big Names
There are of course Steinway, Bechstein, Bluthner, Bosendorfer but as those prices are way up in the clouds I won’t include them here as they are not what most pianists and musical families are looking for.
Old English Pianos
There are plenty of old English pianos around, made by manufacturers such as Kemble, Knight, Bentley, Zender, Rogers, Welmar, etc. They can be good but they are often terrible. None of them come close to a Yamaha U1 in my 20 years experience (if they did, I would stock them and sell them).
The big advantage, of course, is that these old English pianos can be picked up very cheaply from private sellers and are usually priced less than £2000 in piano shops. Proceed with caution and you can end up with a nice little old English piano that will service you well. Just be careful not to ignore the wonderful Yamaha U1 too easily.
Chinese Pianos with German Names
Bechendorfer, Steinbech, Steinbach, Bachstein, Beethzart, Bosenstein. If you see a very shiny piano with a fake-sounding German name then it’s more than likely Chinese or sometimes Korean.
Short answer: avoid them, they will let you down.
Chinese pianos typically have a brittle tone, creaking cabinet due to poor construction, stiff tuning pins which pianos tuners hate to tune, slow actions make them frustrating to play, etc. They do, however, look wonderful. Shiny on the outside, shiny on the inside. You might even find stickers inside them saying “Made with German Parts” or “Designed by Herr. Helmut Schmitt, Berlin”.
Conclusion
You should consider these 4 piano brands and models. None of these will let you down
- Yamaha U3
- Yamaha U1
- Kawai K-300
- Kawai K-400
I’ve written an article which goes further into making specific recommendations for various budgets at WhichPiano.co.uk