Best Hydraulic Piano Benches In 2024

Piano benches are often not thought about when you first decide on buying an acoustic piano or a digital piano. There’s a wide variety of different styles ranging from cheaper to expensive.

Hydraulic piano benches are nice for those who are professionals or for those who are beginners. The main thing I personally enjoy about them as that you don’t have to manually turn the knobs on the side of a bench or underneath the bench to adjust them.

If you’re a piano teacher and you teach younger kids, these are perfect as they really can add height fast.

In simplified words, they make it easier for you as a pianist, especially if you share a bench with siblings or friends.

I don’t believe that hydraulic piano benches are a gimmick and I think they have a good purpose if you can afford one. With this being said, the purpose of this article is to break down options from inexpensive to the highest quality.

So, what is important when looking for the right bench?

What To Look For In A Good Hydraulic Bench For Pianists

Hydraulics: My fear with these types of benches is always that they’re not going to be strong and durable enough. Sometimes benches are delivered and the hydraulics aren’t lined up properly, this is a nightmare and you’re better off returning and reordering a new model.

Durability: It’s important to know that your investment isn’t going to just work properly for a couple of months and then stop working. All of these options are durable options I picked out.

Height: The height that your bench can reach can be important if you’re using it with kids. Having proper technique while sitting down can instill good habits early on.

Comfort: If you’re someone who struggles with back pain, comfort will be extremely important. With this being said, comfort, in general, is important. Sitting on uncomfortable benches is not fun for anyone.

Best Hydraulic Piano Benches

Each bench below is an option that I personally picked out myself from my own use and my own research. I have the opinion that piano benches are one of the most important piano accessories you can purchase.

On-Stage KB9503B

The On-Stage KB9503B is a pleasant surprise to me. This hydraulic piano bench easily adjusts from 17-22 inches and it does so smoothly.

You might have heard of On-Stage before as they make a ton of different equipment, including keyboard stands.

Your biggest fear with hydraulics is that it’s not going to function properly and it’s going to be a waste of money.

The KB9503B isn’t the cheapest option, however, it’s also not the most expensive for what you’re getting.

This glossy black bench matches most pianos and digital pianos extremely well.

The KB9503B actually has a decent amount of weight to it, but I view this is as a relatively good thing. Most quality benches are going to way a little bit more due to the materials used. Generally speaking, lighter benches aren’t as durable as heavier ones.

Overall

I believe the KB9503B is a great bench that works exactly how you would expect it to. You can easily adjust the height and it has remained durable for myself.

As far as the overall weight limits, I have talked to a few different musicians who weigh well over 220 lbs and they haven’t had problems with it yet.

Stagg PBH 780 BKP VBK 

The Stagg PBH 780 BKP is a hydraulic bench that is a little bit more expensive, but very solid. I’ve used this a few times at a friend’s house and it checks off the durability box nicely.

The top of this product is actually made of nice velvet material, rather than a pleather top that most use. This bench also adjusts higher than most other benches as it can go from 18.3 inches to 23.2 inches.

As far as weight goes, the 780 BKP weighs about 20 lbs and it also feels like it’s made of quality materials.

One thing to note in the above picture is that it has two levers that both work.

As far as life-span goes, this should have a very long life. All of this is dependent on how you treat it and the weight of the individuals playing it daily.

Overall

This option is nice, but it is quite expensive. If you’re not a fan of leather and or fake leather, this is a great alternative as it has a different top.

Stagg PBH 740 – Budget Pick

The Stagg PBH 740 is my budget pick for hydraulic benches. This one looks a little bit different than your classic piano bench. One thing to note is that this is not a piano bench with storage.

The hydraulics on this are pretty reliable and the base is pretty heavy and durable as well.

I’m personally a big fan of mixing black and brown together, so I really like the overall aesthetic of the PBH 740. I could picture this in a dining room type setting and also in the studio as well.

Overall

Overall, this is my budget pick as it is the cheapest hydraulic option that I would recommend. If you’re looking to save a little bit and spend elsewhere, this is a great option that should do what you need it to do.

Conclusion

When it comes to deciding on the best piano bench with hydraulics, it shouldn’t be too difficult. Since there aren’t really a ton of great options available, a majority will come down to the price.

Something to keep in mind with all benches and musical equipment is that you the musician can greatly extend the life of their products.

To do this, you just have to be delicate with your products. If you’re not, especially with these types of benches. The hydraulics and pieces can break if you’re not careful.

What are your favorite types of benches that you use when playing? Let me know if I left out any great options below!