When I received the Qwerkywriter , everyone passing my desk had to check it out. Everyone was drawn to its design. It looks like a typewriter, but is actually a mechanical keyboard. It’s rounded keycaps and shiny chrome line space lever harken back to classic typewriters and its aluminum build exudes quality. It even has fake plastic platen knobs, used on typewriters to feed paper, dialing up the nostalgia factor.

Typing

Through the Gauntlet

“ The mechanical keys offer a huge nostalgic draw.

Disappointing Stand

Wrap-up

Since the Qwerkywriter is bluetooth, you can pair any tablet, phone, or even computer with it, though there’s no way to switch between devices. Battery life is great, rated at up to three months on a charge.So what’s it like to type with? In short, excellent. The rounded keycaps took very little time to get used to and typing on it felt like any other keyboard, though you’ll want to hover your wrists instead of laying them flat since the Qwerkywriter is designed like a typewriter. The line space lever works as a simple Enter key or can be programmed with up to 5 keystrokes. It’s gimmicky and I avoided using it altogether.The keyboard uses super clicky mechanical keys, which feel great but are pretty loud so you may annoy your office neighbors. Qwerkytoys wanted to use Cherry MX Blues but there’s currently a shortage on those switches. Instead, the Qwerkywriter team decided to use Kailh Blue mechanical switches, which feel identical to Cherry MX Blues to me.To put it through the gauntlet, I let National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) participant Luke Farr borrow the Qwerkywriter to see how it fared for some serious typing. Here’s what he had to say:“As an avid NaNoWriMo participant, during at least one month out of the year I spend a massive amount of time sitting in front of a computer (or in the case of this year, an iPad) writing. The goal of NaNoWriMo is 50,000 words over the course of the month of November. Each year I try new keyboards, always searching out a keyboard that satisfies both my aesthetic as well as comfort, since I typically write close to 2000 words a day.The Qwerkywriter is small enough to be carried in my laptop case, or my messenger bag, but not so small that I experienced hand cramps, a problem i had with small iPad bluetooth keyboards in the past. The keyboard feels durable enough that I didn't experience a great deal of trepidation trying to transport it from location to location.Initially I was concerned that some writers would be annoyed by the sound of the keys, but it didn’t bother the other writers at my table. Since I have been in possession of the Qwerkywriter I have added 15,000 words to my novel, including 2,000 during a fifteen minute ‘word sprint’ (a contest where writers see how many words they can add to their novel during a short time period). At no time during this writing did the Qwerkywriter show any signs of fragility or defects. In fact, despite the relatively heavy use over such a short period the Qwerkywriter still looks brand new.”While typing with the Qwerkywriter was excellent, I did take issue with its device stand. There’s no adjustability with the stand, since your device simply rests in the cutout. This means you’ll only have one viewing angle, which may not be optimal depending on the device you use. If you’re using an iPad, the home button will be covered up if you place the tablet vertically. You’ll have to either flip the tablet upside down so that the home button is on top, or use the five-finger gesture in iOS to get to the home screen. I just left my iPad in landscape mode to avoid this.Then there’s the price. At $400 ($350 for a limited time), the Qwerkywriter is one of the most expensive keyboards I’ve ever used. Does it feel better than a $100 mechanical keyboard? No, but that’s missing the point. The Qwerkywriter is functional art and you’ll either love or hate it. It’s definitely an attention-grabber and conversation starter, but most will balk at the price. Still, if you have $400 to splurge on a keyboard, you’ll probably be happy with the Qwerkywriter.