ELECOM Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard Review
Light, Thin, and Budget-Friendly at $29.99
There are those among us who are completely obsessed with the feel of their keyboards, buying multiple units and even customizing the keycaps. Then there’s me – for whom a keyboard just needs to let me type.
That’s why all the keyboards I own are budget-friendly. Among them, my current go-to is the cheapest, lightest, and most portable one I’ve ever purchased. So today, I want to introduce you to the ELECOM Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard, which you can snag for just $29.99 and use without any issues.
My Previous Daily Driver: The Logitech K380s
Before the ELECOM Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard, I used the Logitech K380s. This is also a pretty affordable keyboard, and its appeal lies in its small size and light weight, making it easy to carry around both at home and on the go.
Like the ELECOM keyboard, the K380s runs on two AAA batteries and can connect to up to three devices. While it’s considered light, at 14 ounces (about 400g), it has a decent heft, providing some stability. I even liked it so much that I bought a white one!
A Long Business Trip Led to an Obsession with Lightness
I even took this K380s with me on a business trip from New York to Los Angeles in 2024. However, I couldn’t shake the feeling that my backpack was too heavy. When you’re traveling for work, your bag ends up being in your hand or on your shoulder a lot. It made me realize that even 3.5 ounces (around 100g) can make a difference. That’s when I started looking for an even lighter keyboard and stumbled upon the ELECOM Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard.
The ELECOM Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard: Ultra-Lightweight Champion
The biggest draw of the ELECOM Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard is undoubtedly its weight. While it also runs on AAA batteries, it weighs only 10.3 ounces (about 291g) including the batteries. That’s a significant 4.2 ounces (around 120g) lighter than the K380s.
Despite its lightness, the rear stand is sturdy, so there’s no feeling of slipping while typing. This lightweight keyboard design, combined with a usable keyboard layout, is a huge plus for anyone looking to lighten their load.
Surprisingly Spacious Key Spacing
Of course, you can find plenty of lightweight, junky keyboards on Amazon. Folding keyboards, for example, are incredibly inconvenient to use – trust me, I threw mine away.
But the ELECOM Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard isn’t useless just because it’s small. That’s because, despite its compact size, the key spacing doesn’t feel cramped at all in actual use. The ELECOM keyboard features a very standard key pitch, so you don’t need to adjust your typing style. It feels just like using a regular keyboard.
In fact, if you compare the positions relative to the J and F keys, you’ll notice that the Q and A, and P and L keys are actually spaced further apart than on the more compact K380s.
The overall body size is similar, yet the key spacing feels natural. This is a major advantage of the ELECOM Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard. Don’t worry about it feeling too small.
A Unique Enter Key Shape
The reason they can achieve this wider key spacing is the design of the Enter key. The ELECOM Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard has a slim, horizontal Enter key.
Where the Enter key would typically be, ELECOM boldly placed the quotation mark key, effectively freeing up space for the letter keys.
Easy to Store and Carry
The ELECOM Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard‘s easy storage and portability are also noteworthy selling points. Unlike the triangular shape of the K380s, the ELECOM keyboard is only thick around the battery compartment.
This means it sits nicely stacked on top of a laptop and fits neatly into a bag, which is surprisingly satisfying.
Affordable Price Fuels Lightness
Of course, the ELECOM Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard is made of plastic, so it does look and feel cheap. The typing feel is surprisingly decent, but the sound is a bit hollow – you get a “thock-thock” sound. But hey, it’s a $29.99 keyboard, so that’s to be expected. It’s not just that it looks cheap; it is budget keyboard. And that’s what makes it light and easy to carry. This is a significant advantage.
Good Keyboards Tend to Be Heavy
If you’re obsessed with typing feel, you need some thickness. That’s why better keyboards tend to be thicker and heavier, making them difficult to carry around. There’s no way around it. The ELECOM Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard offers a lightweight design without compromising comfortable typing. That’s its charm.
Therefore, I recommend this keyboard to anyone who frequently carries their keyboard around or wants to recreate their home work environment on the go. If you only use a keyboard at home, you might consider investing more in a higher-end model. For me, this one is perfect.