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By Austin Palmer ⋅ Senior Research Analyst ⋅ Feb 2, 2024
Are your wrists experiencing pain? To find the best wrist rest, we researched and compared over 60 models before purchasing the top 9 to test head-to-head. We spent hundreds of hours typing and gaming at our computers to see how each keyboard and mouse rest stacked up against one another in overall comfort. Additionally, we evaluated the construction and craftsmanship of each model and dove deep into buyer reviews to see how these models stand the test of time. Keep reading to see which came out on top in our comprehensive assessment.
The top spot for the best overall combo in our review goes to the HandStands Beaded Keyboard & Mouse Wrist Rest Combo. The outside covering is made from a poly/cotton blend, and the inside is beaded, so it's not only comfortable, but it breathes well too. Cleaning is a cinch with a quick toss into a front-loading washer or a good old-fashioned hand wash. Since the keyboard rest doesn't have a rigid shape, it can adjust well to almost any keyboard or wrist shape.
We do have a few bones to pick, though. First, the keyboard rest doesn't stretch the full length of a standard keyboard, so if you use the number pad regularly, it's a little awkward. Additionally, we found the mouse rest slightly overstuffed, so getting our wrists in a comfy position wasn't the easiest. Using a lower profile mouse was also difficult. Even with these complaints, we still think the HandStands Combo is an excellent choice for most users. If finding a keyboard rest with coverage for the whole keyboard is a priority, an alternative worth looking at is the BRILA Mouse and Keyboard Wrist Rest. Memory foam and a breathable fabric highlight the extent of the Brila, making it a valid option if you find yourself using the full extent of your keyboard on a regular basis.
The Razer Ergonomic Wrist Rest earned very high ranks on our comfort scale, thanks to its angled profile. A plastic frame holds together the leatherette covering, serving as its bumper. This gives protection to prevent fraying against continuous bumps to the keyboard, bracelets, watches, etc.
The leatherette covering of the Razer isn't the most breathable. If you live in a hot climate, this may not be the most suitable option for you. Our wrists tended to stick to the pad. We believe incorporating a cooling gel into the fabric could lessen this discomfort. Furthermore, the padding is not particularly thick, and we could feel the hard plastic underneath. Despite its shortcomings, we still like this offering from Razer and recommend it. For a more breathable alternative, the Gimars Memory Foam Keyboard and Mouse Wrist Rest Set is worth considering. A lycra blend on the outside wicks moisture effectively while the foam padding helps provide adequate airflow for those in hotter climates.
Padding: Cool gel memory foam | Cover: Spandex blend
REASONS TO BUY
Anti-fray stitching
Cooling gel
Symmetrical
REASONS TO AVOID
Loose covering
Flat top
For those living in warmer climates, the HyperX Wrist Rest would be a great choice. When first placing your wrists on this model, it feels like the cool underside of your pillow that you flipped over in the middle of the night. It took much longer to heat up than any of the other models that we tested. We appreciated the symmetrical design that provided equal comfort for our palms/wrists. While there may not be a plastic bumper covering the seams of the fabric, it is wrapped around a stiff plank and stitched in on itself, which keeps it from fraying easily.
The covering is soft and comfortable but also very stretchy. When switching from the mouse to the keyboard or to and from the number pad, the fabric tends to bunch up, and resting our wrists on the folds would get uncomfortable. Over time, we suspect it may form creases and cause the covering to stretch and become even looser, potentially compounding the problem. The pad is wider and not angled, putting a little more pressure on our wrists than we would have liked. Considering everything, the HyperX Keyboard Rest is an exceptional keyboard rest for most folks.
Missing photo ID#452807~wrist rest - best for warm climates
4
Best Memory Foam Wrist Rest Set
Gimars Memory Foam Keyboard and Mouse Wrist Rest Set
The Gimars Memory Foam Keyboard and Mouse Wrist Rest Set is a solid option for a memory foam keyboard and mouse rest. The outer cover is constructed of a Lycra blend fabric that wicks away moisture and dries quickly. More importantly, the soft foam padding provides ample comfort and support. The rubber bottom grips most surfaces but isn't so sticky that you can't easily adjust it.
The main drawback of the Gimars Memory Foam Set is the seams lack protection. The covering is only glued down to the foam, which leaves it at high risk of peeling. Furthermore, the fabric tends to collect dust and debris. The keyboard rest isn't completely symmetrical; there is a slight cutout where the logo is printed. This cutout yields uneven comfort and support for your hands. Flaws aside, the Gimars Memory Foam Set is a comfortable set of pads at a terrific price. If you don't mind sacrificing memory foam comfort for a more durable constructed leather keyboard rest, the Castle Bailey Leather Keyboard Wrist Rest is made with heavy-duty stitching meant to withstand extended use.
Missing photo ID#452782~best memory foam wrist rest set
The Kensington ErgoSoft Mouse Wrist Rest is our top pick for a firm mouse rest. Its gel-cushioned padding keeps its shape over time, giving you continued support. The leatherette-like covering is easy to wipe clean and dries out quickly. Not to mention, the underside is a non-skid rubber that keeps the mouse rest in place while typing away or simply browsing the web.
During testing, we discovered this model is comfortable with a standard or low-profile mouse but didn't work as well with vertical or oversized mice. The leatherette-like covering is soft and comfortable to the touch, but it doesn't breathe well and gets sweaty quite quickly. Moreover, this model doesn't offer top-notch seam protection. The covering is glued to a hard rubber bottom — which has a leg up when compared to a cover glued to foam — but still has the potential to get nicked and start peeling away. Regardless of these minor shortcomings, we comfortably used the Kensington ErgoSoft day after day and highly recommend it for anyone searching for a firm mouse rest. If you do own a larger-sized mouse the HandStands Beaded Keyboard & Mouse Wrist Rest Combo is worth taking another look at even just for the mouse rest. Its larger profile makes it ideal for oversized mouse users and its material construction also makes it quite breathable.
Missing photo ID#452776~wrist rest - great firm mouse rest
If you're searching for a wrist rest that feels like a hard surface but is raised to relieve a sharp angle, then we recommend the Castle Bailey Leather Keyboard Wrist Rest. The company uses recycled material for its packaging. This model has a rectangular and symmetrical design offering equal comfort to each wrist. The leather covering is folded and stitched into place, virtually removing any risks of peeling or fraying.
Unfortunately, the Castle Bailey does have some drawbacks. It is on the expensive side for a wrist rest, potentially costing much more than other contenders. At around four inches, this wrist rest is on the wider side and can be a literal pain for people with small hands. This model features a leather covering that, while technically breathable, gets sweaty rather quickly. Still, we recommend the Castle Bailey for anyone who desires an extra firm keyboard rest. If you'd like to avoid the expensive price tag another option we like for its space-saving configuration is the Fellowes Memory Foam Wrist Rest.
The Castle Bailey keyboard rest has a durable leather covering.
The BRILA Mouse and Keyboard Wrist Rest is another excellent option for a foam-padded set. It has comfortable memory foam padding with "massage holes" — though we aren't exactly sure of their purpose. The fabric is relatively breathable and comfortable to rest your hands on. Both pieces have a rubberized bottom to help keep them in place and can easily be cleaned with a little bit of soap and water.
We did find some flaws with this model. We didn't feel the build quality was on the same level as some of the competition. The mouse rest covering didn't meet the rubber bottom, exposing the foam inside, and there isn't any seam protection. The cover is glued onto the foam and the rubber bottom, leaving the keyboard and mouse rest open to start peeling or fraying. The BRILA Mouse and Keyboard Rest Set isn't the best but is a decent option if you find it on sale.
If BRILA starts sliding around you can refresh its grippy polyurethane bottom by wiping it off with a little bit of water.
The Fellowes Memory Foam Wrist Rest uses a narrow design and is an excellent option for folks with limited or crowded desk space. This model also features a sticky backing that grips most surfaces and is easy to clean with a damp cloth — the outer covering is just as easy to wipe down and get rid of dust. The narrow profile and breathable fabric also help keep your wrists cool.
Regrettably, it has a crescent shape that makes the portion for the right wrist stick out a bit more than the left side. It is tough to find a comfortable position while still being able to reach all the necessary keys. The fabric covering and rubbery bottom are glued to the foam, leaving them susceptible to peeling and fraying. This model is a little on the long side, sticking out on either side of our standard full-sized keyboard. Overall, the Fellowes is a decent keyboard rest if you are looking to save space.
The Fellowes keyboard rest is a little longer than a standard full-size keyboard.
The Kensington Duo Gel Keyboard Wrist Rest is super easy to clean. Its plastic covering and base can quickly be wiped dry after washing, eliminating any lengthy drying times. On a clean surface, this model grips tightly, keeping it firmly in place. The big gel pockets are comfortable to rest on as well as a lot of fun to squish, poke, and pinch.
The all-plastic body of the Kensington Duo Gel comes with a significant downside — it gets sweaty, despite the built-in ventilation channel. The vent channel itself causes some issues as well. The big gel pads on the ends are higher up than the center — where the vent channel is — which makes typing uncomfortable and a little awkward. The gel pads are also much wider than the vent channel area, making it difficult to find a good position for your wrists while typing. The gel filling of the Kensington Duo Gel is comfortable, but it's hard to look past the unbalanced comfort between wrists. For those who need breathability in warm climates the HyperX Wrist Rest is an excellent alternative. An integrated cooling gel helps this keyboard rest stay cool and comfortable even during the hottest of days.
The Kensington Duo Gel has an odd shape.
Credit: Austin Palmer
Why You Should Trust Us
Our review process starts with thorough research into the market, where we compared dozens of products before settling on 9 products to purchase for head-to-head testing. We spent many hours laying our wrists on the line to provide a comprehensive, side-by-side comparison of these products. We thoroughly examined the design and construction quality of each wrist rest and used each of the keyboard and mouse rests for up to 12 hours a day to compare their overall comfort.
Taking the lead in this review is Austin Palmer. He has over two decades of experience using and building computers. In 2009, Austin was diagnosed with a repetitive strain injury (RSI) in his wrists. Ever since then, he has been a big supporter and advocate of ergonomic practices. He brings a critical and empathic eye — or wrists — when it comes to evaluating keyboard and mouse rests.
This model has a rectangular design and is comfortable even using the number pad.
Proper use of a keyboard and mouse rest is very important.
This PU bottom is easy to wipe clean with a little bit of water and a rag.
Analysis and Test Results
We divided our testing into two main focal points — Comfort and Craftsmanship — each composed of different side-by-side tests. We used our keen eye and expansive general knowledge to evaluate the composition and construction of each keyboard and mouse rest. We typed, browsed, and gamed extensively with each model to assess their level of comfort (the keyboard and mouse rests were rated separately).
Keyboard Rest Comfort
Being comfortable and supportive are the most important things a keyboard rest can do. To ensure we collected a good set of data, we rallied the help of family, friends, and co-workers to assist in judging these products. When it comes to comfort, we believe that padding and shape are crucial, followed by the material used as the covering.
The HandStands and Razer earned the highest scores of the entire group. The majority of our testers scored these rests equally, with the HandStands pulling slightly ahead due to its breathable plush fabric and bead filling. The Razer isn't very breathable with its leatherette covering and all-plastic body, but overall this wasn't too much of an issue. Giving the HandStands another slight advantage over the Razer is its bead filling. You can move the beads around and tie off an end with a rubber band to customize your level of comfort. This technique works best if you don't use the number pad often. Both of these models use a symmetrical layout, ensuring equal comfort.
You can use a rubber band to adjust your comfort level with the Handstands keyboard rest.
Credit: Austin Palmer
Following the top models are the HyperX and Gimars. Overall, our judges were happy with these models, but some negative aspects didn't go unnoticed. While both models have a soft foam cushion, the HyperX stays cooler longer with gel-infused foam. Our smaller-handed testers felt the HyperX was slightly too wide, feeling a bit of discomfort on their tendons. Most of our testers weren't fond of how loose the covering was, despite it being plush. It tended to bunch up with repeated movement from the mouse, or number pad, back to a typing position. The Gimars' fabric is glued to the foam and is an odd asymmetrical shape with a curved cutout where you rest your right hand. Most judges felt annoyed at the differing wrist comfort and felt the manufacturer should have picked one width and stuck with it. This model was also on the short side, making it awkward to use the number pad.
The fabric on the HyperX keyboard rest tends to bunch up with a lot of movement.
Credit: Austin Palmer
Lastly, we have the BRILA, Castle Bailey, Fellowes, and Kensington Duo Gel Keyboard Rest, making up the least favorites for this metric. Each model provides a unique flavor of comfort, ranging from soft to extra firm. On the softer side, we have the BRILA and Fellowes. The majority of testers didn't like the higher profile and crescent shape of the Fellowes. Additionally, we didn't find this model comfortable with low-profile keyboards. The BRILA has a similar crescent shape but is much wider. Most judges felt this keyboard rest worked well with different keyboard types — both low-profile and standard. A few of our testers noted a slight hump when resting on the BRILA, but others didn't seem to notice. Both of these models have breathable fabrics and stay relatively cool. More testers preferred the jersey material of the Fellowes over the spandex blend of the BRILA.
The Castle Bailey is the firmest keyboard rest we tested. While a few judges thought this was too firm, most complaints were that it was too wide. It wasn't easy to use with a standard keyboard but seemed to work ok with a low-profile keyboard since your hands are positioned at a different angle. It has a leather covering that we found to get rather sweaty at times. The Kensington Duo Gel, on the other hand, isn't very breathable with its plastic outer shell. Most of the judges didn't find the non-traditional design, which resembles a yin-yang, very comfortable. The ends are noticeably higher and wider than the middle section.
The Kensington Duo Gel is a lot of fun to play with.
Credit: Austin Palmer
Mouse Rest Comfort
Taking the top spot overall, the Gimars is our favorite when it comes to mouse rest comfort, with the majority of our judges praising this model. Its soft padding gently cradles and supports your palm and wrist. It has the same breathable, comfortable Lycra blend fabric as its keyboard counterpart. This model worked well with all types of mice and hand sizes.
The Gimars mouse rest was our overall favorite.
Credit: Austin Palmer
Following the Gimars, the HandStands and Kensington ErgoSoft both received high marks from our panel of judges. Most judges agreed that the HandStands was super comfortable, but not the most versatile when it came to mouse choice (even the best wireless mice). It feels overfilled and favors large or vertical mice. The Kensington ErgoSoft, on the other hand, doesn't work well with vertical mice and is better matched with a lower profile mouse. The HandStands mouse rest has the same composition as its keyboard rest — both being very breathable. The Kensington ErgoSoft's fabric isn't as breathable, but the gel padding stays relatively cool.
Bringing up the back of the pack, we have the BRILA. We wouldn't go as far as to say this model is uncomfortable — it is more or less basic without a "WOW" factor like the rest of the group. The wrist-shaped groove in the middle creates small humps on either side. Our larger-handed judges felt some relief from this groove but thought that the humps pushed up too much on their palms. Our smaller-handed testers didn't feel quite the same comfort with the wrist channel. Their hands were not large enough to sit on the humps.
The Kensington ErgoSoft works well with low profile mice.
Credit: Austin Palmer
Craftsmanship
For our next round of tests, we closely scrutinized each model to evaluate each wrist rest's craftsmanship and construction. Of all the models tested, we feel the Razer Keyboard Rest, the Castle Bailey Keyboard Rest, and the HandStands Combo will stand up the best to the tests of time. The Razer's covering is encased in a plastic frame, helping protect the edges from fraying or peeling. Its leatherette covering isn't as durable as the genuine leather of the Castle Bailey but seems suitable for normal use. The Castle Bailey's leather covering is folded in on itself and stitched to a durable leather base. The HandStands Combo pieces, on the other hand, aren't attached to a base, and the seams are hidden inside themselves, like a throw pillow.
The mouse rest in the BRILA set arrived already separating from the base.
A trio of close runners-up in this category — the HyperX Keyboard Rest, the Kensington Duo Gel Keyboard Rest, and the Kensington ErgoSoft Mouse Rest — all received solid scores from our judges. The HyperX got bumped down a tier due to its covering but redeemed itself with its outstanding seam protection. The cover is loose and likely to stretch over time. Both Kensington models have solid covers and good seam protection. The Kensington ErgoSoft fabric is glued to a thick piece of rubber, giving it an edge over the lower tier models, but not quite as good as the — what appears to be — seamless Kensington Duo Gel. What keeps the Kensington models from the upper tier is that they are gel-filled. If they get punctured, then you're out of luck.
The BRILA Rest Set, Fellowes Keyboard Rest, and Gimars Rest Set give us the most cause for concern. This trio uses durable fabric covers but doesn't provide adequate seam protection. The covers on these models are glued down to foam, leaving them susceptible to peeling and fraying. The BRILA mouse rest arrived with the cover already separating from the rubber base.
The fabric covering on the HyperX keyboard rest is very stretchy.
Credit: Austin Palmer
Using a Wrist Rest
When typing on a keyboard, your wrists and palms ideally shouldn't be touching your typing surface. Your hands should be raised off the surface, free to move around. This position can be difficult to achieve all day, and many people, including ourselves, are guilty from time to time of resting our hands on our desks while typing, putting unnecessary strain and pressure on our wrists. Enter the wrist rest, or should we say, more appropriately, the palm rest. When using one of these gadgets, resting your wrist on the pad can put unneeded stress on the ligaments, increasing the risk of pain or discomfort. We've found that gently resting the heel of your palms on the pad when not typing can be the most comfortable position. Before purchasing a keyboard or mouse rest, we highly recommend consulting your physician or other professional if you are currently experiencing pain, tingling, or numbness in your hands or wrist.
We want to reiterate that while typing, your wrists ideally should be raised and be able to move about freely. When taking a break, the heel of your palms, not your wrists, should gently rest on the pad. If you start to experience any pain, tingling, or numbness using any of these products, discontinue use and evaluate the situation.
This model worked exceptionally well with low-profile mice.
Credit: Austin Palmer
Conclusion
With proper use, wrist rests are an easy and cheap way to potentially help relieve and prevent wrist pain. It can be tough to comb through all the available information and models to find the perfect keyboard or mouse rest. Hopefully, this article has narrowed down your search and helped you decide which keyboard or mouse rest is right for you.
