Ergonomic Keyboards and Mice: How to Choose

Most people choosing an ergonomic keyboard and mouse for the first time should start with the Logitech Wave Keys and Lift Combo. It pairs a compact wave-shaped keyboard that keeps its number pad with a vertical mouse, on one receiver, so you can try both ideas with one purchase. If you want a clearer split, buy the Logitech ERGO K860 and choose your own mouse.

We have not tested these products. Every product figure comes from the maker's spec pages, linked under Sources. For five keyboards compared side by side, see our best ergonomic keyboards guide.

The short version

• Easiest first step: the Logitech Wave Keys and Lift Combo, a compact wave keyboard and a vertical mouse in one box.
• Keyboard: decide how far from a normal keyboard you want to go: a gentle wave, a curved split in one piece or two separate halves. Then check tilt, the wrist rest and whether you need a number pad.
• Mouse: decide between a standard, vertical or trackball design, then match the maker's hand-size guidance and your handedness.
• Measure the desk: a full-size curved keyboard plus a mouse takes more width than most people expect.
• Buy where returns are easy: there is no single best design, and only your own hands can tell you which shape you like.

What "ergonomic" means for a keyboard and mouse

"Ergonomic" is a marketing label, not a standard. In practice it describes a shape: keys that are angled, curved or split, a mouse that stands on its side, or a trackball that moves the pointing job to your thumb. Adjustability is the other half: tilt legs, tenting, hinges and rests you can add or remove.

No design suits everyone. The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) says there is "no universally agreed on 'best' keyboard design" and suggests trying different models. That is the most useful buying advice in this guide: if you can, buy from a shop with a simple returns policy.

Plan the desk before you buy

An ergonomic keyboard usually takes more room than the one it replaces, so measure first.

• Width. The K860 is about 18 inches wide; the Wave Keys is 14.8 inches long. CCOHS gives a regular keyboard as about 18 inches and a short one as about 14 inches. Add the width of your mouse and some room to move it.
• Depth. Built-in wrist rests make a keyboard deeper. If you use a keyboard tray, check it is deep enough for the rest and wide enough for the mouse too.
• Laptops. A separate keyboard and mouse let you put the laptop on a stand or connect a monitor. Our laptop guide for working from home covers the laptop side, and our home-office monitor guide covers the screen.
• Chair and desk height. If the rest of the desk needs work, our guide to office chairs for a home office covers the adjustments to look for.

How to choose an ergonomic keyboard

Size and the number pad

A number pad makes a keyboard noticeably wider. If you enter numbers all day, a compact keyboard that keeps its number pad, like the Wave Keys, is a middle route. If you don't, a tenkeyless keyboard is shorter still and lets the mouse sit closer. Left-handed users can also look for a separate number pad that sits on the left.

Split, curved and wave designs

• Wave, one piece. The rows rise and fall in a gentle curve. The Logitech Wave Keys is the example here, and it is the smallest change from a flat keyboard.
• Curved split, one piece. The keys are split down the middle and the frame curves upward, as on the ERGO K860. It looks unusual but needs no setup.
• Fully split. Two separate halves you place yourself, like the Kinesis Freestyle2 Blue in our keyboards guide. The most adjustable option, with the most to set up.
• Tented. The middle is raised so the two halves slope down to the sides. Some keyboards build it in; others offer it as an add-on kit.

Whichever you choose, expect a few days of typos while you get used to a new layout.

Tilt and wrist rests

Most keyboards have feet at the back that raise the rear edge. Negative tilt does the opposite and raises the front. The ERGO K860's legs set it at 0°, -4° or -7°; the Wave Keys only tilts the conventional way, at +4°.

On both Logitech keyboards in this guide the palm rest is permanently attached. That suits most people, since there is nothing to line up, but if you already have a rest you like, or want one you can wash or replace, look for a keyboard without one built in.

Key feel

Key feel is personal and impossible to judge from a spec sheet, which is one more reason to buy where returns are easy. If you want mechanical switches on an ergonomic shape, our keyboards guide includes the Kinesis mWave.

Wireless and batteries

Check how a keyboard connects (Bluetooth, a USB receiver or both), how many devices it pairs with, and whether it uses replaceable batteries or a rechargeable one. One detail catches people out with Logitech: the K860 uses the older Unifying receiver and the Wave Keys and Lift use Logi Bolt. The two types don't mix, so a K860 and a Lift need two receivers, or Bluetooth.

How to choose an ergonomic mouse

Standard, vertical or trackball

• Standard. A conventional mouse shape, usually symmetrical, in many sizes.
• Vertical. The mouse stands on its side so you hold it with your palm facing inward, as in a handshake. You still move the whole mouse. The Logitech Lift sits at 57°.
• Trackball. The body stays still and you move a ball with your thumb or fingers. It needs much less desk space, because only the ball moves. The Logitech MX Ergo S is a thumb trackball.

Our vertical mouse vs trackball comparison goes into the difference in more detail.

Fit and hand size

Makers say which hand sizes a mouse suits, and it is worth taking seriously. Logitech makes the Lift for small to medium hands and the MX Ergo S for medium to large ones. Handedness matters just as much: the Lift has a separate left-handed model, while the MX Ergo S is right-handed only.

Buttons and speed

Both Logitech mice have programmable buttons in the free Logi Options+ app. The MX Ergo S adds a precision button that slows the cursor while you hold it, handy for small, careful movements. The Lift's sensor goes up to 4000 DPI, so you can set a fast cursor that crosses a large screen with little movement.

Ergonomic keyboard and mouse combos

A combo saves you from matching two devices and gives you one receiver for both. The trade-off is choice: the mouse that comes in the box may not be the right size for your hand.

The Logitech Wave Keys and Lift Combo pairs the compact Wave Keys with the Lift vertical mouse. Both connect through Bluetooth Low Energy or the included Logi Bolt receiver, switch between three devices and work with Windows and macOS. Neither is backlit, and the Lift is sized for small to medium hands.

If the combo doesn't suit you, buy each half separately. The ERGO K860 works with any mouse, so you can pair it with the Lift, the MX Ergo S or the mouse you already own.

Our four picks compared

All four are Logitech. These are the models whose specifications and US sellers we could confirm, so compare other brands too. Our best ergonomic keyboards guide adds Kinesis and Kensington keyboards, including a fully split one and a mechanical one.

Which setup is right for you

• You want one easy first step: the Wave Keys and Lift Combo.
• You want a clear split and a number pad: the ERGO K860, with your own choice of mouse.
• You want a vertical mouse: the Lift, if your hand is small to medium (or its left-handed model).
• You are short of desk space or want the mouse to stay put: the MX Ergo S, if you are right-handed with a medium to large hand.
• You have a small desk: a shorter keyboard leaves room for the mouse.
• You are not sure yet: change the keyboard first and keep your mouse, or the reverse. Changing one thing at a time makes it easier to tell what you like.

How we chose

We have not tested these products. We picked one example of each main design (a combo, a full-size curved keyboard, a vertical mouse and a trackball) from makers that publish clear specifications, and checked that at least one US retailer or the maker's own store sells the exact model. We looked most closely at hand-size guidance, tilt and hinge adjustment, whether the rest is fixed, and connections and batteries.

Related guides

• Best Ergonomic Keyboards for Long Workdays: five keyboards compared.
• Vertical Mouse vs Trackball
• Logitech MX Keys S vs MX Mechanical
• Best Office Chairs for a Home Office