With that said, Ergotron is the brand to choose for this type of system. The Ergotron LX wall mount keyboard tray is the most popular and best-selling wall-mount option by far. They are very well-known for their extensive line of LCD monitor arms and their keyboard arms are made of the same high-quality materials and same superior construction over the cheap, no-name items out there. The LX Keyboard Tray can be mounted to any wall and provides smooth vertical and side-to-side motion. It is designed to hold standard-sized computer keyboards and it features a slide-out mouse platform that can fit a variety of mousing devices. This system allows you to effortlessly adjust your input devices on-the-fly to the most comfortable typing position, while seated or standing up.

This model has other desired features as well. In its stored position this system folds to within 4.6″ of the wall, making it ideal for limited-clearance installations. It can fully extend to approximately 25.6″ from your wall and it allows for about 11.5″ of height adjustment. The tray also tilts back at a -5° angle to ensure proper, ergonomic data entry. Reducing tension in your shoulders, arms, wrists and hands is an excellent way to enhance your comfort while computing and increase your productivity. Another great bonus is that the built-in mouse tray slides out to the left or right side of the keyboard tray, accommodating a wider base of possible users. A good ergonomic practice you can try with this product is alternating the hand you mouse with when one begins to feel fatigue. It may take a short while to get used to but many people have reported decreased symptoms of muscle and/or joint pain after adopting this practice. A few other features include integrated cable management (to keep cumbersome cords out of the way) and a gel wrist rest. There’s also a 5-year warranty in the extremely rare case you receive a defective or improperly functioning unit.

All in all, Ergotron can be considered a high-end manufacturer to anyone’s standards. Their products are very well made, affordable, and sure to please even the most critical of aesthetic tastes (they have a cool, modern look). Give them a try today and we’re sure you will not be disappointed.

If you are looking for a computer keyboard tray to hold only your standard keyboard the tray should be approximately 19 inches wide and 7 to 8 inches deep. Sometimes if the keyboard tray has a built-in wrist rest the depth may be slightly higher by an inch or two. A platform big enough to fit both a standard keyboard and a mouse will need to be about 27 inches wide and also about 7 to 8 inches deep. Manufacturers like Humanscale and Comfort Keyboard make what they call “Big Boards” to accomodate both a keyboard and mouse on one platform. Most people decide to keep their keyboard and mouse on separate trays and they need the standard 19 inch wide keyboard platform and an additional mouse platform that should be at a minimum 8 inches in diameter. If you want ample room to move around it is recommended to go with a 10 inch diameter mouse tray or larger.

Keyboard trays designed for ergonomic keyboards are usually in the 19 to 21 inches wide range but they have a larger depth to accomodate for the curve of the keyboard. These trays typically have a depth of 9 to 13 inches, the larger being keyboard trays that come with a built-in wrist support.

After you finalize what size keyboard and mouse platforms you need the next important measurment is the installation track. Almost all computer keyboard trays on the market attach to the worksurface via a steel track. This track is mounted to the underside of the desk or worksurface with screws. The standard size of a keyboard tray installation track is about 22 inches long and 6 inches wide. This size track will allow you to fully retract the keyboard and mouse platforms when not in use. If you don’t have 22 inches of unobstructed space on the underside of your desk then shorter tracks are available. The downside to installing a track less than 22 inches long is that you generally won’t be able to push your keyboard system under your worksurface when not in use, it will stick out. If you absolutely must be able to retract the platforms under your desk when not in use, and you don’t have 22 inches of space, there are some manufacturers that designed keyboard trays to fully retract on shorter tracks. One of these manufacturers is Intellaspace who recently launched their ‘Houdini’ keyboard tray system which retracts on a 17.75 inch track.

Keyboard trays mount to the underside of worksurfaces via a steel track. With most popular adjustable keyboard tray systems the tracks are 5″-6″ wide and 17″-22″ long. You need an unobstructed flat area at least this size on the underside on your desk to be able to install most keyboard trays. If you don’t have the required space there are specialized systems for this application but the options will be minimal.

Once you are sure your workstation meets the requirements for installing a keyboard tray system you can then start to compare features of different brands. The general rule with keyboard systems is that the more you spend the better the product will be, and the longer it will last. It will also feel much better and be more comfortable during use. Some of the most reputable keyboard tray brands include WorkRite, Humanscale, Intellaspace, Kensington, and 3M.

Just to reiterate, an adjustable keyboard tray is something that attaches to your computer desk (or whatever worksurface you use, not glass though) and allows you to place your keyboard and mouse on it to accomplish two main things: to reduce desktop clutter by freeing up a bunch of space, and most importantly allowing you to adjust the position of your keyboard and mouse for optimum ergonomic placement and enhanced comfort.

Many people develop various conditions and ailments after working on a computer every day for years on end. An ergonomic keyboard tray is important to help reduce the chance of developing such a condition and preventing the pain and strain most people are accustomed to feeling when working on the computer.

There are four main components to a Humanscale keyboard system: 1) The tray your keyboard goes on, 2) the tray your mouse goes on, 3) the arm, or mechanism, that attaches the keyboard & mouse trays to your worksurface allowing adjustment of both trays, and 4) the steel track that is mounted on the under-side of your worksurface and holds the arm/mechanism in place.

Humanscale offers a bunch of variations of each of the main components, so it is fairly easy to build your own keyboard tray system that will fit your specific situation perfectly.

The different keyboard trays that Humanscale offers are: Standard (for regular keyboards), Curved (for ergonomic keyboards), Combo (can be used with standard or ergonomic keyboards), Big Board (a wider board that you place both the keyboard and mouse on, so there is no separate mouse tray), Radiused (has a curved edge to fit desks with a, you guessed it, curved edge), Extender board (for corner workstations where you need extra length to bring the tray out far enough), and Diagonal Big Board (same as regular Big Board but with cut corners), Goldtouch (specifically designed to fit the famous Goldtouch Split Keyboard).

The different mouse trays Humanscake offers are: Swivel (slides under keyboard tray if you take your mouse off), Clip (this one is cool, you can adjust the mouse platform into four different positions and also on the right or left side), and M2 (just like the Swivel but with a slightly larger mousing area).

The arms or mechanisms Humanscale offers are: 5G (newest model), 5GSM (same features as standard 5G but with a short mechanism for narrow work spaces), 4G (a step up from the 2G, but not as good as the 5G), 4GAD (same features as 4G but can be adjusted for use above the work surface), 2G (original arm that started it all), SM (short mechanism), AD (same features as 2G but for working above the worksurface), DS (double swivel provides additional pivot point), and KM (preset tilt and more knee clearance).

Humanscale keyboard tray systems range in price from around $250 to $400 depending on what components you choose. These systems are really good, and they are very popular, but WorkRite systems are better in our opinion. More information on WorkRite keyboard tray systems to come.

The E-Key is a fully articulating keyboard tray that swivels, tilts and adjusts in height. A “keyboard tray” system will normally also include an attached mouse platform unless otherwise noted. This particular system utilizes a one-piece design -meaning the keyboard tray and mouse tray are both technically the same platform. It is adjustable in height from 1″ above to 4″ below the work surface, which a normal height adjustability range. It also tilts up or down 22 1/2 degrees to adjust to the correct ergonomic position for your arms, wrists and hands.

Like most keyboard trays the E-Key swivels side-to-side and retracts under the desk when not in use. It has a built-in padded wrist rest for increased comfort during long hours of typing. The overall dimensions of the entire platform are 30″ wide x 10″ deep.

This keyboard tray is highly recommended for its durability and value.

Another highly regarded feature of ergonomic keyboard trays is full adjustability. A good keyboard tray will be adjustable in all aspects of its design. This means it will easily adjust in height, tilt, left-to-right position and even which side of the tray the mousing platform is on (for both left and right hand mouse users). A huge advantage of a keyboard tray that is fully adjustable is that for computers that share multiple users at different times (in your home, office or anywhere else) each user can quickly and easily adjust the tray into the best position for their stature/body type. This means that whoever happens to be using the computer at that time will be comfortable, productive and in the proper ergonomic posture.