Employers and health and safety committees are realizing this, so you may be able to get one at work. The variety available today means there are affordable mice for home and even ergonomic designs for gamers. These are the best ergonomic mice available in 2022, in our opinion.
What to Look for in an Ergonomic Mouse
If you’re not familiar with ergonomic mice, they can look weird. There are several types. The key to selecting one is to make sure it’s comfortable for your hand and wrist. A quick way to see what style may be best for you is to shake someone’s hand. Notice the angle of your wrist and the degree angle that your hand is rotated. An ergonomic mouse that mimics this is your best bet. Pair it with one of the best ergonomic keyboards and say so-long to wrist pain. Next, consider the technical aspects.
Does the mouse work on Microsoft Windows or Apple MacOS? Many will work on any operating system, but sometimes with limited functionality. Is it left-handed or right-handed? Most are right-handed. Wireless 2.4GHz, Bluetooth, or dongle? Dongles get lost but some like the Logitech allow connection of both the mouse and keyboard. Do you need programmable buttons or are the conventional mouse buttons enough? What’s the DPI? That’s the resolution or precision of the mouse. The higher the DPI number, the greater the precision.
Features and Functions in Ergonomic Mice
You’ll see ergonomic mice in different configurations with a variety of mouse features, like scroll wheels, trackballs, palm rests, programmable buttons and more. But what do they do and how do they help?
Trackballs: The idea behind the trackball is to replace the optical sensor on the bottom of the mouse so you don’t have to slide the mouse around. Nobody moves, nobody gets hurt. Often you see trackballs built into the side of the mouse.Scroll Wheels: Chances are your regular mouse has a scroll wheel too, and they’re convenient. The ergonomic benefit of the scroll wheel is to reduce the amount you need to move the mouse. Palm or Wrist Rest: Sometimes built-in, sometimes removable, a palm or wrist rest can elevate the wrist enough that the hand is in line with the forearm in a neutral position. The less bend in the wrist the lower the chance of carpal tunnel syndrome.Thumb Rest: Picture a traditional mouse, but with a ledge that the thumb can sit on. This neutralizes the curvature of the hand across its width, relieving pressure in the wrist.Programmable Buttons: The best ergonomic mice use programmable buttons and thumb buttons as well as the standard right and left click. It makes the mouse more functional as the buttons can often be programmed to do repetitive tasks saving you unnecessary movement or keystrokes on a keyboard.Vertical Design: The vertical mouse looks like a normal mouse was put on its side. When holding it, you’ll notice that your hand is very close to the handshake position that’s favorable to your wrist’s health.Adjustable Angle: Although rare, some mice allow for customization of the wrist and forearm rotation degree angle. This can help you dial in the right angle for you.Wireless: Yes, a wireless mouse is more ergonomic than a wired mouse. More free movement and less fighting with cables reduces muscle fatigue. Plus a clean desktop is just nice.
1. Best High End Ergonomic Mouse – Contour Design RollerMouse Red Plus
Price: $265 Compatibility: Windows, MacOS Features:
Wrist/Palm restProgrammable buttonsAmbidextrousScroll wheel
The central pointing device isn’t technically a mouse, but it does everything a conventional mouse does and more. Plus its design is ergonomic, as it keeps your hands close to the keyboard and in the same neutral position as they should be for typing. Plus, left-handed or right-handed people can use it. Yes, it looks weird and there is a learning curve, but it’s quickly mastered and then becomes indispensable. RollerMouse claims there’s a 19% improvement in productivity. The roller bar controls the vertical movement while the roller bar grip controls the horizontal movement. Between them, you can move your cursor anywhere quickly and easily.
2. Best Gaming Ergonomic Mouse – Razer Basilisk V3
Price: $60 Compatibility: Windows Features:
Thumb restProgrammable buttonsScroll wheelWired
Razer is well-known for its gaming peripherals and this is the best ergonomic gaming mouse they have. The Razer Basilisk’s main ergonomic design is the thumb rest. Sure, programmable buttons and a scroll wheel that free spins help. Most gaming mouse ergonomic designs don’t stray far from the traditional mouse. It’s the stereotypical gaming RGB lighting, with 11 programmable buttons for macros and 26,000 DPI accuracy. So only the slightest hand movement is needed. Buying the matching mouse mat and mouse bungee can reduce wrist pain too. Only released in the fall of 2021, the Razer Basilisk’s popularity is sky-rocketing.
3. Best Trackball Ergonomic Mouse – Logitech MX Ergo
Price: $100 Compatibility: Windows, Mac Features:
TrackballProgrammable ButtonsScroll wheelWireless (Bluetooth and USB Dongle)Adjustable Angle
If you prefer a trackball mouse or haven’t tried one yet, the Logitech MX Ergo is for you. The wrist rotation angle is adjustable between zero or 20 degrees. The MX Ergo can be used to navigate between 2 computers at the same time, using Logitech Flow technology, even if one’s a Mac and the other is Windows. You can even move files between computers. The resolution is up to 2048 DPI, so it’s great for regular office work. A full recharge can last up to 4 months, making it reliable everyday.
4. Best Vertical Ergonomic Mouse – Logitech MX Vertical
Price: $100 Compatibility: Windows, Mac, iPadOS Features:
Scroll wheelWireless (Bluetooth and USB Dongle)Vertical DesignProgrammable ButtonsThumb Rest
Best for medium to large hands, the Logitech MX Vertical has 2 programmable thumb buttons, holds a full charge for up to 4 months, and has up to 4000 DPI with a cursor speed switch. The MX Vertical also sports the Logitech Flow technology like the MX Ergo allowing you to go between computers just by moving the cursor off of one screen and onto the other.
5. Best Left Handed Ergonomic Mouse – Evoluent VM4L VerticalMouse
Price: $90 Compatibility: Windows, MacOS, Linux, Unix Features:
Scroll wheelVertical DesignProgrammable ButtonsThumb RestUSB and PS/2 Wired
From the inventor of the vertical mouse comes the Evoluent VM4L left-handed vertical mouse. Left-handers constantly endure wrist pain as they force themselves to use a right-handed traditional mouse, thinking there’s nothing ergonomic out there for them. With LED cursor speed indicators, natural vertical wrist positioning, scroll wheel, 6 programmable buttons including thumb buttons and a comfortable ledge for the pinky to sit on, this is the best possible left-handed ergonomic mouse. If it was wireless, it’d be perfect.
6. Best Pen Design Ergonomic Mouse – Swiftpoint ProPoint Wireless Ergonomic
Price: $119 Compatibility: Windows, MacOS, iOS, Linux Features:
Scroll wheelVertical DesignProgrammable ButtonsThumb RestWireless Bluetooth
Shaped to mimic the pen grip, the Swiftpoint ProPoint Wireless may also be the best Apple mouse and best portable mouse, replacing your laptop’s trackpad. Its rechargeable battery has a quick charge mode giving an hour’s charge in a minute. Absolutely tiny, fitting between your fingertips and with an iOS app for programming buttons and further on-screen functionality, it’s more than you see. Swiftpoint has integrated optional hand health software to do things like remind you to take breaks. It can even be used as a presentation pointer. There’s a lot crammed into this tiny package. Price: $28 Compatibility: Windows Features:
Scroll wheelThumb ButtonsThumb RestWireless 2.4GHz
Affordable, reliable, and comfortable, even if it doesn’t have all the customizations available in the other different devices, it does the job well and within budget. The mouse design is simple but it’s not an ambidextrous mouse.
