If ergonomics are an important health consideration in your life, and you have an affinity for mechanical keyboards (with all the tinkering that entails), and you don't mind changing up your entire way of typing, then boy do I have the product for you.

The ErgoDox EZ is a fully split mechanical keyboard that can be customized wholly to your personal needs. It's kind of like having a vehicle already set up with the mirrors angled, the steering wheel tilted, and the driver seat adjusted juuuust right, every time you get in.

For instance, the two halves of the keyboard can be positioned 100% independently, not just in terms of where they are on your desk but also how they're angled — that is, with the addition of the six custom aluminum legs in the keyboard's Tilt/Tent kit.

Moreover, you can change your own keyswitches, no soldering iron required! The EZ even comes with a double-sided key puller tool to make the process painless. Any plate-mounted Cherry-compatible keyswitches will work, although the company does offer a large variety of switches for you to choose from when you buy.

Watch this guy's 5-minute review to get an idea of how much customization is possible:

Now, one thing to know up front is that the EZ boasts a unique ortholinear layout, which is a fancy way of saying the keys are arranged in straight columns rather than staggered left and right. Here's their reasoning for that:

When you extend your finger, it doesn't go sideways, does it? So why are the keys on your keyboard not directly on top of each other? The answer is archaic design, which we fixed. The ErgoDox EZ has linear columns of keys, reducing finger travel and fatigue.

This is the one part of the EZ that most people struggle with at first, after years and years of typing muscle memory. You'll have to decide for yourself how much of a dealbreaker that is.

The ErgoDox EZ comes in black or white, and the most straightforward way to buy it is with the original bundle ($324), which includes the Tilt/Tent and the separate split wrist rest. However, I found it helpful to go through their “Help Me Choose” feature, especially as it pertains to keyswitch selection and glow/backlight options.

Once your keyboard arrives, read their thorough getting started guide to get the most out of it.