The 8 Best Ergonomic Keyboards
Special Honors
The Keyboardio The Keyboardio is incredibly good looking, due not only to its wooden body but also its built-in RGB lighting. Some users don't prefer its small space button, but once you get used to it, this is one of the classiest and most well-made models around. keyboardio.io
The Ultimate Hacking Keyboard The name says it all; this device is highly touted by coders and other computing professionals who spend hours a day at their computer for fun as well as pleasure. It's pretty costly, but it's also highly customizable, and made with the utmost attention to quality. ultimatehackingkeyboard.com
ErgoDox EZ It's hard to say enough about this small and remarkably high-performing keyboard. It offers a split layout, is fully programmable, and gives you more options for ergonomic adjustment than pretty much anything else out there. It's a truly impressive piece of equipment and if you're concerned about wrist health, you should definitely give it a look. ergodox-ez.com
Editor's Notes
December 17, 2020:
We decided to remove our recommendations for a couple seemingly promising options, the Perixx Periduo 606 and Kinesis Freestyle2 Blue, because as good as they could have been, too many users had long-term reliability issues for us to be confident in the products.
Of the remaining options, the Kinesis Freestyle2 Original and Kinesis Freestyle Edge are especially popular, as is the Microsoft Sculpt. The Logitech Ergo K860 is a good one for anyone already using a wireless mouse, and comes with the build quality expected from the peripheral giant.
December 17, 2019:
Ergonomic keyboards are a bit of a strange breed. The typing experience on a standard keyboard can be less than comfortable, and many modern ergonomic keyboards aren't necessarily all that comfortable for everyone. So you'll see a lot of split keyboards making their way into this category. Chief among them is the Kinesis Freestyle Edge, an incredibly well-made devices with all the features that you'd expect from a high-end peripheral meant to satisfy demanding gamers. The Kinesis Freestyle2 Original is its older and less-expensive version, and the Kinesis Freestyle2 Blue its wireless relative. They're all pretty reliable and can accommodate many different body types. The Mistel MD770 is another high-quality split model, and its manufacturer actually has somewhat of a cult following from mechanical keyboard enthusiasts (who are an extremely discerning bunch, I might add).
If you prefer a more traditional, fixed design, the Logitech Wireless Wave is a decent place to start looking. It's relatively inexpensive and comes with a mouse, but it has an attached keypad, which tends to push the mouse hand into a less-than-ideal position. The Microsoft Sculpt has no such issue, and despite its age is a great option for most users. Plus, it actually looks great sitting on a nice desk. If you travel a lot, check out the iClever BK06, one of the few mobile options that's built with an ergonomic angle. The Perixx Periduo 606, meanwhile, is one of the newest releases, and promises to be one of the best available. Not only is it manufactured to exacting standards, it's impressively well priced.
If you're looking for something non-traditional built to maximize comfort, the Kinesis Advantage2 may be worth a look. It's remarkably unconventional but many ergonomics enthusiasts insist that it's the best out there. Even more extreme, the SafeType V902 basically doesn't look anything like a normal keyboard, and has a truly massive learning curve, but there are users out there who will really appreciate its split vertical design.
And keep in mind that the keyboard isn't the only thing that can help save your wrists, back, and shoulders. A good adjustable desk, standing desk converter, and vertical mouse can all contribute to joint health in the long term.
The Woes Of Long Term Typing
The anatomy of the human hand and wrist was not designed for hours of repetitive minute motions, such as those involved with typing for hours on end, day in and day out.
The use of the computer and keyboard has dramatically increased the speed at which a person can accomplish almost any task, including writing, researching, accounting, and so much more. And of course that's to say nothing of the myriad activities that didn't even exist before the computer, such as programming, computer game play, and many types of graphic design work, to name but a few.
However, with the many benefits of modern hardware and the software with which we interact using our keyboards, mice, and joysticks come a host of issues, as well. The anatomy of the human hand and wrist was not designed for hours of repetitive minute motions, such as those involved with typing for hours on end, day in and day out. Far too many writers, programmers, gamers, and other regular computer users can attest to this physiological reality.
The most common issues associated with protracted typing and mouse clicking are Repetitive Strain Injuries, often referred to in their abbreviated form as RSIs. Just as a Major League pitcher can damage his shoulder after throwing too many fastballs in too many games, so too can you damage your fingers and wrists by too much use of hardware.
One of the most common specific maladies caused by extensive computer usage is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. The Carpal Tunnel is a narrow passageway in the base of the palm formed among the ligaments and bones therein. Through the tunnel runs the median nerve, a nerve that connects the forearm to the palm and to every finger except the pinky. Extended pressure, such as that caused by a wrist resting on a desk or keyboard, can cause the carpal tunnel to compress, which therefore puts pressure on the nerve.
The symptoms can be as mild as a faint tingling in the hands and wrist or as acute as a painful burning sensation accompanied by a lack of full fine motor control of the hands. Advanced Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can even make it hard for the fingers to properly perceive certain sensations, such as hot and cold.
While all people are at risk of developing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome under the right circumstances, women are more likely than men to be afflicted with the condition. Treatment for advanced cases can involve everything from pain management and physical therapy in hopes the condition mends itself to surgical intervention. The best move, though, is to avoid this and any other RSI in the first place by practicing proper posture, correct hand positioning, and by using hardware designed with ergonomics in mind.
Why An Ergonomic Keyboard Makes Sense
Ergonomic keyboards come in many shapes and sizes, which should come as no surprise to the thoughtful consumer, as hands and wrists come in all shapes and sizes, too, and what is comfortable for one might not be so for another. All ergonomic computer hardware shares the same underlying design inspiration, however, and that is to help a user maximize their working (or playing) efficiency while minimizing the amount of strain put on their bodies.
By easily allowing this overworked joint area to remain stabilized and straight, an ergonomic keyboard reduces pressure on the median nerve.
A good ergonomic keyboard makes it easy for you to reduce the pressure put on the base of your palm and your wrist, the very spot of that Carpal Tunnel discussed above. By easily allowing this overworked joint area to remain stabilized and straight, an ergonomic keyboard reduces pressure on the median nerve.
Ergonomic keyboards also reduce the side to side shifting of the hands caused by most standard keyboards, which can further reduce wrist strain, as well as easing the pressure put on the refined but tiny muscles and tendons in your fingers themselves.
There is an irony at play with most typing that an ergonomic keyboard helps to overcome. The irony is that the less your hands move, the less strain they suffer, unless in fact your hands, wrists, and arms are remaining largely immobile while your fingers are doing the moving, straining to reach keys. By placing more keycaps in easy reach of a still, supported hand, ergonomic keyboards rectify this dilemma.
Be prepared for an awkward period of adapting to an ergonomic keyboard, as their use initially feels highly unusual -- know that with patience, these units will come to feel not only comfortable, but natural.
Choosing The Right Ergonomic Keyboard
When choosing an ergonomic keyboard, first assess the current condition of your own body. If you already suffer from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, tendonitis, or any other type of Receptive Stress Injury, the time to buy an ergonomic keyboard has ling since arrived, and you should consider top of the line models that can almost entirely curtail hand movement. You owe it to your future health to invest in a piece of hardware that will preclude any further damage and that will help allow your body to start healing itself.
If you are considering an ergonomic keyboard more as a preventive measure, hoping to prevent future damage and to make your day to day computer use more comfortable and potentially more efficient, you have multiple designs at your disposal, including models that look and feel almost like standard keyboards. Of key importance is making sure your wrists and hands are properly supported and not bent when you are using your keyboard.
As for other considerations, go ahead and look into ergonomic keyboards that are backlit for convenient use at night or in low light conditions, and don't be afraid to indulge yourself with a dramatically colored or patterned keyboard. Your computer and its hardware are often a veritable extension of your self, and should reflect your style and personality.