Maltron Keyboard Review

By Xah Lee. Date: 2011-11-23. Last updated: 2018-03-30.

The Maltron keyboard, made by a company in UK.

This is the first ergonomic keyboard with bowl shaped concave typing surface. It was first sold in 1970s.

Maltron keyboard-17420 — Maltron keyboard, with Maltron layout. 3104×1948

Here's the Maltron in action.

Maltron Ergonomic stenography touch typing audio transcription. (saxeharp 2011-03-06)

Maltron flat keyboard-38955 — Maltron 2d flat keyboard. 3016×2088

If you type a lot, do not buy the flat version. Because you'll get wrist pronation problem. [see Is Keyboard Tenting Important?]

The Maltron comes with QWERTY or Dvorak keyboard layouts, but also available is its own Maltron keyboard layout.

Maltron keyboard layout US 2624f — Maltron keyboard layout US

Note that the Maltron layout may in fact be better than Dvorak, simply because it placed E on the thumb. See:

Following is a Maltron review, by a professional typer (the stenography typer in the video above). This means, if you are a programer, even if you work 60 hours weeks, the actual typing done by this guy is probably 10 times yours. (i myself was once a data-entry clerk) His article is a very good one.

[Most Ergonomic and efficient keyboard 2011-02-19 By Joe. At http://mostergonomickeyboard.blogspot.com/ , accessed on 2011-12-28 ]

Maltron vs Kinesis Size Comparison

Ergonomic Keyboards Size Comparison

Maltron vs Kinesis

The Maltron is similar to Kinesis Contoured Keyboard.

Maltron is about $200 more than Kinesis, because each Maltron is individually ordered and crafted, not mass produced. Maltron is also ugly.

If price doesn't matter, i think Maltron is functionally better than Kinesis. because:

The thumb keys seems more comfortable. (i have not verified this myself)
For each thumb cluster, it has one more key.
Full-sized function keys. (above the number row)
The middle keypad gives you 28 extra keys! You have multimedia keys and number pad if you need it. If you don't need it, you can remap them as extra function keys. All single button press to switch to {browser, emacs, workspace, windows, apps}. [see Why Function Keys F1 F2 Are Useful]

Here's a review, more about the physical characteristics of the keyboard. [Review of Kinesis vs Maltron 2011-12-27 By Hoggy. At http://deskthority.net/photos-f62/some-more-ergonomic-keyboards-t1731.html , accessed on 2014-08-29 ]

Another review, by a programer. [Change is Good (Maltron vs Kinesis review) 2007-06-22 By Brian Fitzpatrick. At http://fitz.blogspot.com/2007/06/change-is-good.html , accessed on 2011-11-23 ]