QWERKYWRITER 2 Premium Aluminum Retro Typewriter Mechanical Keyboard Review

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Bottom line: The most distinctive writing keyboard available at any price. Full aluminum construction, hot-swappable mechanical switches, a programmable return bar that sounds exactly like what you think it sounds like, dual scroll knobs, a built-in tablet stand, and the specific kind of joy that comes from using a tool that was clearly built by people who love the thing they’re making. I have owned one for years and the only thing I would change is not having bought it sooner.

Scribbright rating: 5 out of 5

Get the QWERKYWRITER 2 on Amazon →

An upfront admission

I own a QWERKYWRITER. I’ve owned it for years. I also own the official carrying case, the PU leather wrist rest, and various other accessories. The wrist rest fits inside the carrying case along with the cable and whatever else I’ve decided to bring on a given day, which is either a perfectly engineered ecosystem or the sign of someone who has gone too far down a particular rabbit hole. My money is on both. Do I care? Nope.

Scribbright has reviewed several keyboards — the Keychron K8, the Keychron K2 HE with Hall Effect switches, the Logitech MX Keys S. All of them are good. I’ve used them for various lengths of time. I still think about the QWERKYWRITER when I’m not using it, which is the tell.

The QWERKYWRITER doesn’t just change how writing feels. It changes the relationship between the writer and the act of writing. Seriously, it does, by harkening back to the visceral experience of typewriting.

→ If you’re building out a writing setup, the Scribbright reviews section covers everything from mechanical keyboards to writing tablets to desk lighting.

What it actually is

The QWERKYWRITER 2 is a 75% mechanical keyboard built to look and feel like a vintage typewriter, executed in full aluminum with round typewriter-style keycaps, a programmable all-metal return bar across the top, dual scroll knobs on either side, and a built-in tablet stand that props a device up behind the keyboard exactly where paper would feed into a real typewriter. It connects to three devices via Bluetooth or directly via USB-C. The switches are hot-swappable Cherry MX Blue clicky switches for writers who want the full auditory experience and whose coworkers have earned a little suffering, with Cherry MX Speed Silver available as an add-on if you’re in a merciful mood or are tired of dirty looks.

The company, Qwerkytoys, builds these in small batches with hand quality control on each unit. While often knocked off by lesser competitors, they are never equaled, and having used both the QWERKYWRITER and a couple cheaper typewriter-aesthetic alternatives that have appeared since, this claim holds. The copies look the part. They don’t feel it.

The return bar

This is the feature that everyone asks about and the one that earns the keyboard its reputation.

The all-metal return bar runs across the top of the keyboard, above the function row, where a typewriter’s carriage return lever would be. You can program it to do anything: enter, return, a macro of your choice, up to 15 characters. Most users leave it as enter and use it exactly as their grandparents used a carriage return: at the end of a paragraph, with the specific satisfying thunk of metal on metal that signals completion of a thought.

The sheer theatrical value of the physical return at the end of a sentence is its own reward. It makes writing feel like an event rather than a transaction.

I was using the QWERYWRITER with an iPad in a streetside vermouth bar in Barcelona (the fact I can say “streetside vermouth bar” reveals why Europeans enjoy a whole different level of civility, in my opinion), and a fellow American came up bearing scads of questions, and the return bar especially fascinated him. He pulled out his iPhone and said he was buying one that minute. I hope he enjoys it as much as I do.

The typing experience

The Cherry MX Blue switches included with the QWERKYWRITER 2 are the classic clicky mechanical switch — German-made, crisp, tactile, and definitively audible. They deliver exactly the sound and feel you’d expect from a typewriter-inspired keyboard: a satisfying click with every keystroke that announces itself with conviction. This is not a keyboard for quiet coffee shops unless your coffee shop has made its peace with you. Or you refrain from a stabbing melee and use a light, loving touch on the keys.

For writers who want something quieter — the open office, the sleeping partner, the café where you’ve already pushed your luck — the Cherry MX2 Speed Silver switches are available as a hot-swap alternative. Ultra-fast, smooth, and considerably more discreet. The hot-swap sockets mean you swap them yourself without soldering in a few minutes. Most QWERKYWRITER users stay with the Blues. The clack is part of the point.

The round typewriter-style keycaps are the one feature that requires the most adjustment. The spacing between the keys can feel wide at first since the round caps sit differently than the standard chicklet-style keys most modern keyboard users are accustomed to. Touch typists adapt within a few sessions. Hunt-and-peck typists may adapt less naturally, which is a reasonable argument for learning to touch type if the QWERKYWRITER is your motivation.

The scroll knobs

Two knobs flank the keyboard: the left controls volume, the right controls page scroll. These are analog controls for digital actions, and they feel exactly right for a keyboard that has committed to being a physical experience rather than just an input device. Scrolling a long document with the right knob rather than a mouse wheel sounds like a small thing. It doesn’t feel like one.

The tablet stand

The integrated tablet stand props a device up behind the keyboard in the exact position where paper would sit in a typewriter. For writers who compose on an iPad or draft on a tablet, this creates a unified writing setup that looks like it was designed by someone who actually thought about where the screen should be — because it was. For writers who use a laptop or a desktop monitor, it’s a pleasant bonus that holds a phone, a reference document, or the glass of water (or, God forbid, vermouth!) that you’ve been knocking over without a stand.

The ecosystem

This is where the QWERKYWRITER separates itself from purely functional keyboards. The accessories are designed as an ecosystem rather than afterthoughts.

The official carrying case is lightweight and durable with room for the wrist rest, the cable, and personal items. I’ve traveled with mine extensively and it handles the journey without drama.

The PU leather wrist rest is 13 x 4 inches, low-profile, and has a non-skid base that keeps it in place during long sessions. It’s also compatible with most 75% keyboards if you ever find yourself at a desk without the QWERKYWRITER and experiencing what I can only describe as keyboard homesickness.

The NUMKEY numpad is the optional addition for writers who work with numbers and miss the numpad that a 75% layout removes. Also available in typewriter-inspired design, naturally.

The honest caveats

The QWERKYWRITER weighs 3.3 pounds, which is substantial for a keyboard. It’s a desk object, and while it travels well in the case, it’s not something you slip into a laptop bag as an afterthought. I’ve brought it in carry-on bags, but when it’s in the case, it’s not an efficient use of space; put it in bigger luggage and check it. The HP OfficeJet 200 mobile printer reviewed on Scribbright has a similar travel profile: worth bringing, but a considered decision rather than a reflex.

The round keycaps are beautiful and require adjustment. The key spacing feels wide coming from a standard keyboard, and touch typists will need a session or two before muscle memory catches up.

At $249, the QWERKYWRITER 2 costs significantly more than the Keychron K8 reviewed on this site. It also does more, looks like nothing else available, and produces an experience that justifies every dollar.

Pros

• Full aluminum construction; the most premium build of any keyboard reviewed on Scribbright
• Programmable return bar is the most distinctive and satisfying feature in any writing keyboard
• Hot-swappable Cherry MX switches; upgrade path built in from day one
• Dual scroll knobs for volume and page navigation are genuinely useful
• Built-in tablet stand is thoughtfully positioned exactly where paper feeds in a typewriter
• Three-device Bluetooth plus USB-C wired
• Official accessories ecosystem: carrying case, wrist rest, numpad, all designed together
• Built by hand in small batches; quality control reflects it

Cons

• 3.3 lbs is heavy for a keyboard; desk-primary, travel-secondary
• Round keycaps require adjustment period for touch typists
• $249 is the most expensive keyboard reviewed around these parts
• 75% layout omits numpad (though the NUMKEY accessory addresses this)
• Wide key spacing from round caps may frustrate very fast typists initially

The verdict

I’ve used a lot of keyboards. I’ve reviewed several on this site and owned more than I care to count. The QWERKYWRITER 2 is the only one that made me feel something when I started using it — not just satisfaction at a well-made tool, but something closer to the feeling of sitting down at a typewriter for the first time as a kid and understanding, in a physical way, what writing was supposed to feel like.

It combines the romance of the typewriter with everything that makes a modern mechanical keyboard excellent, and it does this better than any competitor has managed in a decade of trying. I own one. I own the case and the wrist rest. I would buy it again without a moment’s hesitation.

Five out of five. Buy the case. Buy the wrist rest. You’ll thank yourself later.

Get the QWERKYWRITER 2 on Amazon →

The accessories:

• Official carrying case
• PU leather wrist rest
• NUMKEY numpad

Michael Semer is a writer and editor who owns a QWERKYWRITER, the case, the wrist rest, and has run out of ways to say he loves this thing that don’t sound like he’s being paid to say it. He is not being paid to say it. He just loves it.

→ More gear worth knowing about: Scribbright reviews writing tools, notebooks, keyboards, and desk essentials for writers who take the work seriously.

Frequently asked questions

What is the QWERKYWRITER 2? The QWERKYWRITER 2 is a 75% mechanical keyboard built in full aluminum with a typewriter aesthetic, round keycaps, a programmable all-metal return bar, dual scroll knobs for volume and page navigation, a built-in tablet stand, hot-swappable Cherry MX Speed Silver switches, and Bluetooth connectivity for three devices plus USB-C wired. Made by Qwerkytoys in small batches with hand quality control.

How does the QWERKYWRITER 2 compare to the Keychron K8? The Keychron K8 is a more conventional 80% tenkeyless mechanical keyboard with a choice of Gateron switch types at a significantly lower price. The QWERKYWRITER 2 adds full aluminum construction, a programmable return bar, scroll knobs, a built-in tablet stand, hot-swappable switches as standard, and a typewriter aesthetic that no other keyboard matches. Both are excellent; the QWERKYWRITER 2 is the more distinctive and more expensive choice.

What does “75% keyboard” mean? It refers to the keyboard’s layout size relative to a full-size keyboard. A full-size keyboard has 104 keys including a numpad, number row, function row, and navigation cluster. A 75% keyboard removes the numpad and compresses the navigation cluster while keeping the function row, resulting in roughly 75% of the total key count. You keep everything you actually need for writing — all the letters, numbers, function keys, and arrow keys — while taking up significantly less desk space. The QWERKYWRITER 2 follows this layout, which is why the optional NUMKEY numpad exists as an accessory for writers who miss having dedicated number entry.

What switches does the QWERKYWRITER 2 use? Cherry MX Speed Silver switches are included as standard — fast-actuating, lightly tactile, with minimal resistance for high typing speed. Cherry MX Blue clicky switches are available as an add-on. The hot-swap sockets allow you to change switches yourself without soldering.

What is the programmable return bar? A full-width all-metal lever that runs across the top of the keyboard, above the function row, in the position a typewriter’s carriage return would occupy. It defaults to the Enter key but can be programmed to execute up to 15 characters or a custom macro. Most users leave it as Enter and use it at the end of paragraphs, exactly as a typewriter’s carriage return was used.

What accessories are available for the QWERKYWRITER 2? Official accessories include a carrying case, PU leather wrist rest, NUMKEY numpad, and acrylic keyboard cover. All are designed to work together and sized for the QWERKYWRITER specifically. The carrying case holds the wrist rest, cable, and personal items.

Is the QWERKYWRITER 2 good for travel? With the carrying case, yes. At 3.3 pounds it’s heavier than most keyboards and requires the case rather than a bare laptop bag, but it travels reliably. The integrated tablet stand makes it a complete writing setup wherever you land.

Is the QWERKYWRITER 2 worth the price? At $249 it’s the most expensive keyboard reviewed on Scribbright. The full aluminum construction, programmable return bar, hot-swappable switches, scroll knobs, tablet stand, and hand quality control justify the premium over conventional mechanical keyboards. It’s also the only keyboard on this site that the reviewer loves rather than merely recommends.