Best Products > Computer Components The 8 Best Keyboard Wrist Rests of 2023 Type comfortably and say good to aches and pains By Anton Galang Anton Galang Facebook Twitter Writer Northwestern University Anton Galang has 10+ years' experience writing and editing for publications like PC Magazine and PCMag.com. He specializes in consumer tech. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on February 18, 2022 Fact checked by Yoona Wagener Fact checked by Yoona Wagener Bowling Green State University Yoona Wagener is a tech editor and writer. lifewire's fact checking process We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best products—learn more about our process. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. Tweet Share Email Computer Components Monitors Keyboards Mice Cards CPU USB/USB-C Storage Laptop Bags & Backpacks Printers Keyboard wrist rests are often unappreciated, forgotten accessories, but proper cushion and support from a wrist rest can be key to avoiding discomfort and long-term issues that can stem from many hours at the keyboard. With a product as simple as a wrist rest, it can be easy to assume any kind will do the job. A wrist rest that feels great to one user may not work for another. Maybe you prefer one made with supportive memory foam over a softer gel. Perhaps you feel better with a compact, low-profile design rather than a taller, cushier build. Here are our picks for the best keyboard wrist rests to suit various needs and preferences. The Rundown Best Overall: Gimars Memory Foam Set at Amazon Jump to Review Best Budget: Yolanda Keyboard Wrist Rest Set at Amazon Jump to Review Best Design: Kensington Duo Gel Wrist Rest at Amazon Jump to Review Best for Laptops: AQUUES WavePads at Amazon Jump to Review Best for the Office: JEDIA Keyboard Wrist Rest at Amazon Jump to Review Best for Gaming: HyperX Wrist Rest at Amazon Jump to Review Best Gel: 3M Gel Wrist Rest at Amazon Jump to Review Best for Mechanical Keyboards: Glorious Gaming Wooden Wrist Rest at Amazon Jump to Review in this article Expand Our Picks What to Look For FAQ About Our Trusted Experts Best Overall Gimars Memory Foam Set Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Gimarsus.com What We Like Soft, comfortable memory foam Non-skid base Comes with mouse wrist rest What We Don't Like Basic design Offering a strong combination of quality and value, it's not a big surprise that the ergonomic keyboard wrist rest from Gimars is a popular choice. It's long enough to pair nicely with any full-sized keyboard or laptop and tall enough to keep your hands at a natural, comfortable level of elevation. The memory foam material provides plenty of cushion and support for your wrists, slowly bouncing back to its original shape when you lift your hands away. On the bottom, a textured anti-slip gel material keeps the wrist rest from sliding around on your desk, with small circular stickers included to help keep it even more secure. Adding to the product's value is the matching mouse wrist rest it comes with. Made of the same soft, breathable material, it's another valuable accessory if you use a mouse at your computer. Material: Memory foam | No-Slip: Yes | Dimensions: 17x3.4x1 inches The 9 Best Keyboards of 2022 Best Budget Yolanda Keyboard Wrist Rest Set Amazon View On Amazon What We Like Low price Mouse pad and mouse wrist rest included Comfortable memory foam material What We Don't Like Limited durability If you're looking to upgrade your home or office setup on a limited budget, the Yolanda wrist rest set gives you a lot of accessories for your money. In addition to the keyboard wrist rest, you also get a smaller rest to use with your mouse and a mouse pad to protect your mouse and work surface. The keyboard wrist rest itself doesn't compromise much on quality, either. It's made of a lightweight memory foam that feels soft on the wrists and helps them maintain proper positioning when you type. All three parts of the set lie flat without curling up, with non-slip rubber on the base to keep them from shifting around while you use them. While durability issues after a certain amount of time may be an issue, most people will get plenty of use for minimal cost. Material: Memory foam | No-Slip: Yes | Dimensions: 17x3.3x1 inches The 9 Best Wireless Mice of 2022 Best Design Kensington Duo Gel Keyboard Wrist Rest Kensington View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Staples What We Like Bold two-color design Supportive gel pillows Built-in ventilation What We Don't Like Susceptible to damage Most keyboard wrist rests stick with simple, understated designs, but the Kensington Duo Gel Keyboard Wrist Rest quickly catches the eye. It's constructed with two sleekly curved sections—one black, the other in your choice of blue, red, or gray. The shine of the gel material on the inside helps it stand out even more. On the practical side, the split design creates a ventilation channel along the middle of the product, which serves to keep your hands dry and cool as you type away. Most importantly, for a wrist rest, the gel pillow material provides excellent support for your wrists, holding its shape better than memory foam alternatives that may flatten over time. Thanks to a plastic surface that you can more readily wipe off than fabric coverings, it's also easier to clean. Material: Gel | No-Slip: Yes | Dimensions: 19x3.7x1 inches Best for Laptops AQUUES WavePads Amazon View On Amazon View On Aquues.com What We Like Cleverly designed for laptop use Easy to reposition and travel with Usable with any keyboard or mouse What We Don't Like May not stay in place enough Pricey Just about any keyboard wrist rest can work with a laptop by positioning it in front of the machine. However, AQUUES Solutions specifically designed the WavePads for laptops. They consist of two squares of high-density memory foam that go on either side of the trackpad, providing support and comfort right where your wrists naturally fall when you type on your laptop keyboard. Non-stick surfaces on the base of the WavePads help keep them in place (though you might experience some slipping). Without any adhesive materials, these wrist rests won't leave residue on your laptop. They can be easily repositioned or picked up to take on the go, and you can use the provided elegant metal clip for carrying them neatly while traveling. The portable, versatile nature of the WavePads also makes them great wrist rests for any external keyboard or mouse, not just laptops. Material: Memory foam | No-Slip: Yes | Dimensions: 3.5x3.5x0.625 inches (x2) The 9 Best Laptops of 2023 for Work, Gaming, and Design Best for the Office JEDIA Keyboard Wrist Rest View On Amazon What We Like Supportive, ergonomic memory foam Compact and low-profile Ventilated surface What We Don't Like More flat and narrow than most options Simplistic design JEDIA's unassuming but effective keyboard wrist rest is great for most workplaces. It's made of high-quality memory foam covered with smooth chinlon (a type of nylon) fabric. It provides support and comfort that leans on the firmer side. This wrist rest is also narrower and about half the height of the typical product on the market, making it ideal for smaller work areas where space is a premium. Other features include an anti-slip silicone base that minimizes sliding, along with rows of "massage holes" along the top. This feature improves ventilation by allowing air to flow underneath your wrists and hands. The JEDIA wrist rests come in a large size for full-length keyboards. You can also get a shorter length that pairs well with tenkeyless keyboards that don't include a dedicated number pad. Both versions come with a smaller wrist rest for use with a mouse. Material: Memory foam | No-Slip: Yes | Dimensions: 17.24x2.68x0.59 inches The 8 Best Ergonomic Keyboards Best for Gaming HyperX Wrist Rest Courtesy of HyperX View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Best Buy What We Like Combination of memory foam and cooling gel Durable anti-fray stitching Reasonably priced What We Don't Like Cloth covering can slip around PC gaming puts its own extensive set of demands on users, and comfort and ergonomics while playing games at the keyboard can be just as important as when typing. The HyperX brand, known for its gaming accessories, offers a keyboard wrist rest built for gamers. Besides the soft memory foam cushioning, it also infuses in a cooling gel that helps keep your hands from getting too warm as you play. Fray-resistant stitching around the outside edges boosts its durability, while non-slip rubber on the bottom holds it in place on your desk. Plus, while gaming-specific gear often comes with flashy aesthetics and premium price tags, the HyperX wrist rest sports more of a minimalist design and a reasonable cost. These features combine to make it not just an exclusive gamer's product but a solid, all-purpose choice for the office or general home use. Material: Memory foam + cooling gel | No-Slip: Yes | Dimensions: 18x3.46x0.87 inches The 8 Best Gaming Keyboards of 2023 Best Gel 3M Gel Wrist Rest for Keyboards Amazon View On Amazon View On 3m.com View On Staples What We Like Soft yet supportive gel material Smooth, cleanable surface Long, slim profile What We Don't Like Elbow pressure can leave dents Wrist rests made with gel material tend to be softer and cooler than their memory foam counterparts, and this is the case with 3M's Gel Wrist Rest for Keyboards. Its gel feels somewhat firmer than many other gel wrist rests, finding a happy medium between softness and support. It quickly bounces back into its original shape after you remove your hands, though it doesn't hold up well to direct pressure from your elbows. It also hits a nice balance with its cover material, which avoids the downsides of sticky plastic and absorbent fabric. The surface is smooth, satiny, and easy to wipe clean. Sizing is another aspect the 3M wrist rest gets right. Its 19-inch length works with just about any keyboard, while its narrow width and low profile make it easy to fit even on tight desk spaces. Material: Gel | No-Slip: Yes | Dimensions: 19x1.9x0.60 inches Best for Mechanical Keyboards Glorious Gaming Wooden Wrist Rest Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon View On Pcgamingrace.com What We Like Comfortable and ergonomic Durable Unique, elegant style What We Don't Like Hard material not for everyone On the pricey side Most modern keyboards are membrane keyboards with flat keys that provide minimal motion or tactile feedback under your fingers. Those preferring to type with more responsive, "clicky" physical keys can instead opt for a mechanical keyboard. Its distinct typing experience may call for a particular wrist rest to go with it, and that's where the wooden wrist rest from Glorious Gaming can shine. The white ash wood material isn't soft like foam or gel and won't suit everyone, but it still provides the ergonomic positioning and comfort that wrist rests offer, especially for mechanical keyboards. A protective coating keeps the top surface smooth and resistant to sweat, and rubber pads underneath prevent slippage. The Glorious Gaming wooden rests come in a variety of lengths, designed to fit full-size keyboards in addition to smaller tenkeyless models (without a number pad) and even smaller compact sizes. There's even a size meant for use with a mouse. Material: White Ash Hardwood | No-Slip: Yes | Dimensions: 17.5x4x0.75 inches The 7 Best Mechanical Keyboards of 2022 Final Verdict While many different types of keyboard wrist rests can work for different preferences, the Gimars Memory Foam Set (view at Amazon) offers a lot of quality and ergonomics at a nice value. If you prefer a gel material, the Kensington Duo Gel Keyboard Wrist Rest (view at Amazon) features a striking two-tone design to go along with the support and comfort it provides. What to Look for in a Keyboard Wrist Rest Material Wrist rest material determines how comfortable it feels, the amount of support it provides, and how it positions your wrists—all of which are dependent on your preferences. Many products use a soft memory foam padding covered with fabric. Others use a cooler, squishier gel material within a smooth surface like plastic. More rarely, you may find wrist rests with leather surfaces or made of hardwood. It often comes down to trying out a product and seeing how it feels for you. Size and Shape Because a wrist rest should guide your body into a certain position, its size and shape are important on a functional level. A flatter wrist rest might put your hands at just the right height for your keyboard, or you may need a taller one to keep your wrists more elevated. If you use a compact keyboard or a tenkeyless one that doesn't include a full number pad, you might want a shorter wrist rest that matches closer to that size. Most keyboard wrist rests also work for laptops, but some are specifically designed as a pair of square pads to be placed directly on the surface of your laptop. Durability It may be hard to gauge a wrist rest's durability or how long it will last you, but generally, you'll pay more for higher-quality construction and materials. Foam can flatten or deform, and gel pillows can be punctured. Some exterior surfaces are easier to clean and maintain than others, and some may have covers with reinforced stitching. Wooden wrist rests are as durable as they get, at the expense of softness. FAQ Is a keyboard wrist rest necessary? While anyone can use a keyboard without one, wrist rests offer a lot of comfort and wellness benefits, especially for people who type or play computer games for long periods. Keeping your hands too high or too low, in addition to the repetitive motions, can lead to fatigue, wrist strain, and issues such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Wrist rests help support your wrists and keep them in a more natural position to avoid those concerns. How do I clean my keyboard wrist rest? Wrist rests can gather dirt, oils, and other stains, but fortunately, most have easy-to-clean coverings or surfaces. Gel pads with plastic or similar smooth exteriors are the simplest to wipe off with a damp cloth or sponge. Foam wrist rests tend to use covers made from fabric, which may require some vacuuming or a bit of detergent, depending on the level of dirt or staining. Generally, you should avoid washing machines and dishwashers since they usually ruin the product. Should I choose a gel or foam keyboard wrist rest? It's a matter of preference. Memory foam wrist rests are more common—they offer soft padding that contours somewhat to the shape of your wrist, but they may stay more flattened over time. Gel wrist rests are squishy, bounce back to shape quickly, and help keep your hands cool. Some users don't like the plastic surfaces they usually come with, though, and sharp objects may puncture and compromise the gel. If these common types don't work for you, alternative materials like leather and wood are also available. About Our Trusted Experts Anton Galang is a Lifewire writer and reviewer who first began covering tech hardware, gadgets, games, and accessories in 2007. He considered more than 20 keyboard wrist rest options for this list, factoring in user reviews, materials, design, sizing, and overall value. Covering a broad range of wrist rest types and uses was a priority for the final picks. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit