• ✅ Customer Service
  • ✅ Ease of Use
  • ✅ Durability
  • ✅ Availability of Spare Parts
  • ✅ PS/2 Adapter for n Key Rollover (if you’re into that sort of thing)

  • ❌ Keyboard wire sheathing wore out after 8 years (fixed with electrical tape)
  • ❌ Foot broke after 12 years (replacement sent quickly and free of charge)

It’s been over 12 years of constant use, so I figure I’d give everyone a snapshot of what my keyboard is like.

I purchased my Das Keyboard Model S Professional in January 2014 for $139 (US), and I’ve been using it daily ever since. I do a lot of writing and typing, and I’m able to do so at 100+ words per minute with the Cherry MX Blue switches that it came with… though if I ever do replace this keyboard, I’m going to go with a quieter switch. Typing on the thing is easy, and I even got two Tux the Penguin key caps to replace the standard Windows ones. Looking at their website, I’m seeing that the super keys on their newer models don’t even have the Windows logo on them anymore. Good.

As you can see from the picture, I’ve had to use some electrical tape on the wire, whose sheathing had started to crack where it meets the thick rubber piece meant to prevent that kind of thing. A tapered, thick wrapping of electrical tape seems to have fixed the issue.

You can see it’s a little dusty in the picture (not to mention some bonus cat hair), but cleaning it’s not hard at all. All of the key caps come off easily (though they also give you a remover tool), and all you have to do is wash the key caps with regular soap and water and put them back on after they dry. Once the keys are off, just running a cloth over the plastic around the key switches underneath will get everything clean.

One of the feet broke off a little over a week ago, and I was curious to see if I could buy one. eBay had a few molded feet from a third party, but I wanted to make sure I had the model correct. I logged into the Das Keyboard website to check, and saw that they still had my receipt from 12 years ago. And what do you know, a button for “Support”.

I opened a ticket, and an actual person got back to me via email. They had checked their warehouse, found a spare foot, and had already sent it out free of charge. Damn. Why can’t more companies be like this?

It’s rare for me to go out of my way to give props to some company, but… this was too good not to share.

This particular model isn’t offered anymore, but if I ever do need a new keyboard, I know where I’m going to buy one.

    • Brave Little Hitachi Wand@feddit.uk
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      16 hours ago

      The navies are downright visceral, they’re super stiff. Keystrokes take about as much pressure as you’d use to squash a bug, and they click loud enough that the neighbours probably know my average WPM better than I do. When I type it sounds like a bag of cracking knuckles falling down the stairs. Fucking love it.