Casio Privia PX-S1100 review

Full review

Casio's PX-S1100 is the piano for people who thought they did not have room for one. At just over 23 cm deep and around 10 cm tall it is barely bigger than an ironing board folded flat, and at 11.2 kg one adult can carry it easily. It will even run on six AA batteries, which is unusual for a full 88-key weighted instrument.

The Smart Scaled Hammer Action is weighted and graded, so bass keys feel heavier than treble keys as they do on an acoustic piano. It is perfectly good for beginners, but because the slim body leaves little room for long key levers, it is harder to play evenly at the back of the keys, near the black notes. Players coming from a real upright will notice this more than newcomers.

The grand piano tone is bright and clear, and 192-note polyphony is enough for most beginner and intermediate repertoire. The 8 W per side speakers are fine for practice, though they lose body when pushed. Headphones solve that.

Casio's European listing includes the WU-BT10 wireless adapter, which adds Bluetooth audio and MIDI. Check the box contents with your retailer, as bundles differ. Like other portables, it ships with a simple footswitch; the CS-68 stand and SP-34 three-pedal unit make it a proper home instrument.