We found the best concertinas on the market using the following criteria: style, number of buttons, tone, volume, range, materials, durability, portability, warranty, and ease of use. We narrowed down our search by focusing on English and Ango-style concertinas for beginners, eliminating the rest that didn’t fit into such categories.
Our top pick was Trinity College’s AP-2230 English concertina. It is a fully chromatic musical instrument with 30 buttons in a three-octave range. Beginners can use it to learn how to play a concertina without having to purchase a more advanced one as their skills progress. Offering a good range of sound, even professional musicians will enjoy playing a variety of folk music styles with this instrument. Keep on reading to learn more about our favorite concertinas. If you are interested in other instruments, check out our review of the best music instruments.
Top 3 Best Concertinas
#1 Trinity College AP-2230 English-Style Concertina
Award: TOP PICK
WHY WE LIKE IT: Trinity College’s AP-2230 is the best English concertina on the market. It has 30 buttons in a three-octave range with notes alternating between two hands, making it indispensable for fast-paced folk and classical tunes.
- Best English concertinas
- Padded, adjustable thumb straps
- 30 buttons in three octave range
- Buttons might stick
- Might be a little big for some
- Some reports about tuning issues
The English-style AP-2230 concertina by Trinity College is a handcrafted, authentic reproduction of the 19th century instrument. It has a unisonoric system, which means the push and pull of the bellows produce the same note when you press any key. It has 30 buttons within a three-octave range, making it a versatile concertina that fits many styles of folk and classical music, especially in the hands of a virtuoso. As it offers a greater variety of sound than the rest of the concertinas on the list, you can continue using it as you progress further in skill.
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Both sides of the instrument have padded, adjustable thumb straps as well as metal hand stops. These features make it comfortable for musicians of any skill level. It has black fabric bellows with eight folds that enable you to play it smoothly, and an air-release button that lets you close the instrument without any noise. It also has laminated wooden end plates with a light brown walnut finish. Measuring 8.7”x7.9”x7.1” and weighing 3.55 lbs., it isn’t the lightest or most compact model in the market. However, its plush-lined zipper gig bag allows convenient storage and transport. With its fabric handle and adjustable carrying straps, you can take it on the road without any hassle. You may also like the best singing bowl set.
#2 Hohner D40 Concertina
Award: HONORABLE MENTION
WHY WE LIKE IT: The lightweight Hohner D40 Anglo-style concertina is the best for beginners. It has 20 buttons and 40 reeds with a beautiful tone, giving budding musicians a great sound range without making the instrument too complicated to learn.
- Best for beginners
- 20 buttons, 40 reeds
- 90-day manufacturer’s warranty
- Buttons might stick in the housing
- Hand straps aren’t adjustable
- Not a full chromatic scale
The Hohner D40 is the best concertina we’ve reviewed so far that fits beginners. It comes with 20 buttons and 40 reeds, playing in the key of C major and G major. It offers you a great range of sound without making it too complicated to learn. Like our top pick, it comes with an air-release button that allows you to close the instrument quietly. It also has a convenient padded carrying case for easier storage or transport.
As this is an Anglo style concertina, unlike Trinity College’s AP-2230, it comes with full hand straps. While they are comfortable and convenient, allowing musicians to carry the instrument with ease, the hand straps might not fit smaller hands. There are other factors that make it less ideal for professional musicians. For instance, it needs careful handling as the buttons tend to stick to the housing. On the bright side, if you detect any issues with the instrument within 90 days of receiving the product, it should be covered by the warranty. It measures 14”x14”x14” inches and weighs 3.4 lbs., making it bigger but slightly lighter than our top pick. You may also like the best wood blocks. And for recorded music, try the best record players and turntables.
#3 Ammoon Anglo Style Concertina
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Award: Best Budget
WHY WE LIKE IT: The Ammoon concertina accordion is the best Anglo concertina we’ve reviewed. It has 20 buttons and 40 reeds in a 2.5 octave range, giving beginners and budding musicians great variety without the hefty price tag.
- Best budget
- 20 buttons, 40 reeds
- Adjustable hand straps
- Buttons have a long push
- Buttons might stick
- Some reports about tuning issues
The Ammoon Anglo-style concertina has 20 buttons and 40 keys within a 2.5 octave range, similar to Hohner Accordion’s D40. It has a clear, loud sound with a beautiful tone. As it isn’t a chromatic instrument, it’s mainly great for playing in keys of C, G, and Em. Its range might be limited compared to our top pick, but the instrument itself is easier for beginners to learn. Its buttons do require more effort to push, which means this concertina isn’t suited for fast-paced dance music. Ammoon offers this concertina in bright colors, ideal for musicians who want to show more personality with their instrument.
Both sides of the instrument have adjustable hand straps, allowing you to hold it tightly while playing. Measuring 8.8”x8.6”x6.9” inches and weighing 3.64 lbs., it’s slightly bigger and heavier than our top pick. Nevertheless, it is still travel-friendly as it comes with a lightweight nylon case with adjustable straps. The Ammoon Anglo-style concertina is also a great introductory instrument that won’t break the bank, great for those who want to try out the concertina but aren’t fully committed to playing it in the distant future. Whether you play the best xylophones, or the best chimes, your instrument should be quality.
How We Decided
In our search for the best concertinas, we scoured the web and found nearly a dozen instruments to review.
We narrowed down our selection by focusing on English and Anglo concertinas, which are the most commonly accessible styles in the market. If you want to learn about your new instrument with recorded music, take a look at the best turntable to start.
We then chose concertina models that aren’t too complicated for beginners to play with but still offered more advanced musicians a great range of sound, ideally with keys within the 20 to 30 range. Our favorites produce clear, loud sounds in beautiful tones.
Given that the average concertina requires quite an investment, we carefully selected instruments made with durable, long-lasting materials, offering incredible value. Extra points were given to models that came with good warranties.
Ease of use was important in our selection as well. We selected instruments that musicians can play comfortably. We therefore favored models with padded and adjustable thumb straps or hand straps. We made sure the instruments had air-release buttons, so you can close the instrument without producing a very loud, horror-esque bang.
We also chose concertinas that musicians can conveniently take on the road, so bonus points were given to concertinas that came in convenient carrying cases.
Feel free to check out our Top Picks and other popular options on Amazon.com.
Best Concertinas Buyer’s Guide
The Most Important Factors to Consider
There are a few factors that you need to keep in mind before purchasing your concertina.
- Style
Concertinas come in different styles: English, Anglo, and Duet. Select the concertina with the fingering system you are looking for. Only Anglo-style concertinas play different notes on the push and pull of the bellows. English concertinas are fully chromatic, with buttons arranged in a rectangular shape. While the less common duet concertinas are the most versatile, they are also the hardest to play. You should choose a concertina based on the kind of music you want to play. - Number of keys
Different concertina models have a varying number of buttons. Some have at least 20 buttons, while others have as many as 48 buttons. You should choose a concertina that suits the kind of music you want to play and matches your skill level. Budget-friendly versions often have buttons that stick to the housing. This tends to frustrate beginners, causing them to lose interest in learning the instrument. Consider investing in better quality concertinas to avoid this predicament. - Reeds
Concertina reeds can either be made of brass or steel. The former has a softer tone than the latter, but it also needs more frequent tunings. A concertina with steel reeds, on the other hand, is longer-lasting so you won’t have to tune it as frequently as a brass reed concertina. It can even produce sound faster. However, steel tends to be more expensive than brass. Unless you have a soft singing voice and a limited budget, you should choose steel reeds. - Bellows
It goes without saying that the bellows must be large enough to play smoothly. An English concertina should have at least five folds, while an Anglo concertina should have six as it requires more air. Traditionally concertinas have leather bellows consisting of leather, linen and card parts. However, modern concertinas use a variety of different materials (mostly synthetic). Make sure you research the specific concertina you’re interested in to find out the durability and properties of the materials used. - End plates
Depending on the material of a concertina’s end plates, it can add to the instrument’s brightness and volume. Metal is a common material used. Concertinas with flat metal end plates are faster and louder. However, they can be more expensive than wooded ended alternatives. - Hand/thumb straps
English concertinas usually have straps that fit both thumbs, while Anglo concertinas have straps that cover both hands. These make the instruments easier to play with and handle. Ideally, you should pick ones with padded, adjustable straps so you can make sure you have a good grip on the instrument, and it doesn’t slip off as you’re playing your favorite tunes. - Case
Whether you’re a professional musician or a novice, you should choose a concertina with a convenient carrying case. This protects your instrument while making it easier for you to carry it around to gigs or lessons.
