Best keyboard company or brand 2013

[webwit]

Please suggest nominees for the Best keyboard company or brand in 2013. You have to give a short motivation for each suggestion. Can also be a shop selling keyboards, or a vintage brand which was hot in 2013. This is the commercial-only category. You cannot nominate your own company or brand.

Current suggestions (this list is frequently updated):

• Filco
• matt3o not a company or brand
• Tipro
• Leopold
• Topre
• Ducky Nordic
• IBM
• Mechanicalkeyboards.com
• Elitekeyboards.com
• PFU Happy Hacking Keyboard
• Cooler Master

[Muirium]

I'd say Filco. They're on a roll with the Minila Air. All within 2013, they launched their first sub-TKL and then upgraded it to be the breakthrough Bluetooth mechanical keyboard no one else has tried yet. Bluetooth has got to be the future of keyboards, and they were the guys to do it first.

Bring out a Bluetooth Majestouch 3 and I might even open my wallet, but that's another matter!

[Muirium]

Best brand from the workshop: Matt3o himself! He's been busy on fantastic little keyboards of his own, all year, and helping out a lot of the rest of us too. It's a great honour to work with such a prolific and fantastic craftsman.

Steely:


Brownfox:


And more to come…

[CeeSA]

Although I'm pretty lonely...
As every year I go for Tipro. Having many different models and different layouts combined with great programmability is still best for me.

[kbdfr]

Although I'm pretty lonely...
As every year I go for Tipro. Having many different models and different layouts combined with great programmability is still best for me.

You're not lonely
Tipro beats them all because you adapt their keyboards to your needs instead of having to adapt to your keyboard.

[Muirium]

Very true. Soon enough I'll solder up my Tipro++ (hand wired NKRO matrix with replacement controller) so I can really unleash my own. Tipro's software doesn't work for me, but the form factor does.

[matt3o]

If Minila had a decent layout (and nice design) I would have said Filco too

I'd say Leopold for bringing Topre to the masses (ie: FC660C)

PS: thanks for the nomination but webwit says "This is the commercial-only category"...

[Muirium]

Yeah, the Minila Air is more of a sign of what's to come than the complete solution. But going wireless was a big leap. Everyone had better follow! HHKB Pro 3 included.

Topre's had an interesting year too. HiPro (which I lust over without sense or reason) and two attempts to head down to the upper mainstream market with the Type Heaven and Leopold partnership. I think Filco has them beat on doing something big, but Topre's not sleeping either. Unlike, oh, Cherry…

Leopold was obviously involved with the FC660, too. Both kinds! But I get the feeling that Topre does the work on these boards, like the HHKB and the lesser known Japanese OEM partnerships. Wonder if we'll ever see a Topre Ducky!

[pasph]

Bring out a Bluetooth Majestouch 3 and I might even open my wallet, but that's another matter!

http://diatec.co.jp/products/list_mkr.php?mkr_c=40

[Muirium]

Yep, I've heard of the Japan only Bluetooth edition of the MJ2. But it has two obvious flaws for me: Japan only (why? will it work with my iPad and other gear? what if it doesn't?) and full size, which makes it pretty pointless for a pick up and go keyboard.

Bluetooth (worldwide) MJ3 TKL is what I'm really after. Or a 60% if Filco could figure out how to do those right!

[Ekaros]

Ducky Nordic... Duh ;D

[Muirium]

Kayvee is the perfect spokesman for a ducking crazy brand!

[Game Theory]

Ducky Nordric for their engagement with the community and all of the contest fun!

[tinnie]

[Halvar]

I support IBM.

I want to see a video of webwit dressed up as The Keyboard Oracle handing over a wingnut cap to today's typical IBM employee, a random corporate consultant type who thinks that buckling spring is a career path.

[Muirium]

Best brand 1983? Absolutely! Micro Switch was already past its peak back then.

But these days…

[Broadmonkey]

Yeah, I don't know about IBM being the best brand in 2013, I can't comment on their support, but their new line of quality keyboards isn't that exciting.

[bvtton]

I'd say Filco. They're on a roll with the Minila Air. All within 2013, they launched their first sub-TKL and then upgraded it to be the breakthrough Bluetooth mechanical keyboard no one else has tried yet. Bluetooth has got to be the future of keyboards, and they were the guys to do it first.

Totally agree, I've got a MiniLa Air, and despite all the bad stuff I've read about the layout and the keycaps I found it to be an excellent keyboard

After the first two weeks it all feels very natural.

The MiniLa itself was not a big surprise but the MiniLa Air definitely paves the way for new bluetooth mechanical keyboards

As for the admittedly mediocre keycaps Round 5 has got you covered if you take some time going through the available options!

[Dubsgalore]

The only retailer I've bought from is Mechanicalkeyboards.com, (back in march) and they were my first experience with keyboards really. They were awesome with support and shipping and whatnot, I enjoyed my experience with them.

Besides that...the only other place i've bought a keyboard from besides DT or GH was a DAS keyboard from their own site (back in February). It was my first keyboard, and looking back my least favorite of all the ones i've owned.

[dustinhxc]

EliteKeyboards.com

Great Customer Service and fantastic selection of Japanese products! My favorite by far!

PFU HHKB

Nothing comes close to it and theyre the best of all time.

[Jmneuv]

CoolerMaster (Storm) for the always solid QFR, the sweet layout QF-TK and for scheming the "Topre switches with MX compatible stems".