The Top 5 Best Piano Benches With Storage
Often overlooked as a key part of piano playing, the piano bench is a crucial piece of equipment that can greatly affect a pianist’s comfort and playing.
If you don’t have the proper bench for yourself, or you sit on it incorrectly, you can develop long-lasting bad habits that will hurt your playing and in extreme cases, your health!
In this guide, we’ll cover the best way to properly sit on a piano bench for comfortable playing, as well as the best piano benches based on adjustability, portability, height, and more.
How To Sit Properly At A Piano Bench
When you are learning how to sit on a piano bench correctly, the first thing you need to do is set the bench’s height (if it is adjustable). The way to know if you have found the proper height is to lay your hands on the keyboard while seated and if your elbows are slightly more elevated than your wrists, you have found it.
This diagram above from Yamaha shows other details to be mindful of. It is absolutely key that you sit forward on the seat, near the edge, and keep your back straight while your shoulders remain relaxed.
This can seem like too many things to be aware of while also focused on actually playing the piano, but once you are sitting at the instrument and find your own comfortable way to sit within these parameters, you will be surprised how natural it feels.
What To Look For When Buying A Piano Bench
There are several key factors to take into account when purchasing a piano bench.
Storage
The first one is storage. This guide will only be covering benches that have storage space, an area beneath the bench’s cushion. Different benches will have different storage sizes. Thus, it is important to consider how much storage you will need in your bench.
Adjustability
Another feature to be aware of are piano benches where the seat height can be adjusted. This is crucial, as we know regarding posture and playing habits, and the more adjustable a bench is, the more it’ll help your playing and comfort.
Other Key Factors
Other things to consider are the amount and type of padding used on the cushion, and not to be overlooked, that the color and style of the bench matches that of the piano it will be paired with. Also, the bench’s weight will affect how portable it is as well. If you plan on traveling a lot with your bench, you will of course want a lighter one.
The Top 5 Best Piano Benches With Storage
1. Roland RPB-400-BK Piano Bench
With a name as ingrained in the keyboard business as Roland, it is no surprise that they have some excellent piano benches. The RPB-400-BK is an excellent bench known for its thick and firm cushion that is shockingly comfortable. It also has two knobs on the sides for easy height adjustments and storage beneath the seat. It is not particularly cheap, but the product’s quality is worth the price.
| Color: | Black |
| Adjustable: | Yes, via knobs on the side |
| Storage: | Yes, beneath the cushion |
| Dimensions: | 21.65 in. x 18.9 in. x 13.9 in. (549.91 mm x 480.06 mm x 353.06 mm) |
| Weight: | 22.05 lb. (10.002 kg) |
2. MU PU Leather Adjustable Piano Bench With Storage
This MU PU Piano Bench is awesome. It’s comfortable and as you can see in the image, its height can be greatly adjusted. It also has a comfortable, faux leather cushion with the necessary storage beneath. This is a great bench to consider purchasing, and it is also significantly cheaper than the previous Roland bench on this list.
| Color: | Black |
| Adjustable: | Yes, via knobs on the side |
| Storage: | Yes, beneath the cushion |
| Dimensions: | 21.7 in. x 18.9 in. x 13 in. (549.91 mm x 480.06 mm x 353.06 mm) |
| Weight: | 22.9 lb. (10.4 kg) |
3. AW Brown Leather Adjustable Piano Bench With Storage
This wood and leather bench from AW is as strong as it is beautiful. The brown leather looks fantastic, and the sturdy wood frame can support up to 551 pounds. It is easy to adjust its height with knobs on the sides and of course has adequate storage beneath the seat.
Its color may limit it, given that most pianos are black, but there are plenty of pianos with a wood finish that this would look great with. It also is cheaper than the last option we covered as well.
| Color: | Brown |
| Adjustable: | Yes, via knobs on the side |
| Storage: | Yes, beneath the cushion |
| Dimensions: | 21.7 in. x 18.9 in. x 13 in. (549.91 mm x 480.06 mm x 353.06 mm) |
| Weight: | 22.9 lb. (10.4 kg) |
4. Roland RPB-D500PE Adjustable Duet Piano Bench
Returning to Roland, we have the RPB-D500PE. It is a duet bench, meaning it is wider and stronger than normal benches to accommodate two people. Due to the increased size and materials, it is the most expensive bench on this list so far. That said, with the durability, adjustability, and storage, this is an incredible bench that will suit any piano.
| Color: | Brown |
| Adjustable: | Yes, via knobs on the side |
| Storage: | Yes, beneath the cushion |
| Dimensions: | 29.53 in. x 19.29 in. x 13.19 in. (750.06 mm x 489.97 mm x 335.02 mm) |
| Weight: | 28.6 lb. (12.97 kg) |
5. On-Stage KB8902B Flip-Top Piano Bench
Here we have something a bit different than the others with the On-Stage KB8902B. Like the others, it has an area for storage beneath the seat. However, this bench does not allow for height adjustments.
This can be a negative, as adjustability is an excellent feature, but the absence of that allows for the bench to be much lighter, and thus more portable. It is also on the cheaper side of the spectrum, which is great given the quality of the bench. Consider purchasing this bench and you will not be disappointed!
| Color: | Brown |
| Adjustable: | No |
| Storage: | Yes, beneath the cushion |
| Dimensions: | 22 in. x 19 in. x 13 in. (558.8 mm x 482.6 mm x 330.2 mm) |
| Weight: | 14.33 lb. (6.5 kg) |
Which Piano Bench Is Best For You?
These piano benches are all so similar that it isn’t the easiest decision to ultimately decide on what to get. The main things you need to weigh is firstly how much you are willing to spend. The higher the cost, the more well-made the bench will be, especially with a brand like Roland.
Secondly, you need to consider the features that are important to you. Would you prefer a bench that is light, portable and fixed in height, or would you rather one that is heavier, but can be adjusted. Other aspects like color and cushion material matter as well.
If you take into account your own needs as a pianist and combine that with the information in this guide, you will have the perfect bench for your piano in no time!
