The LemKey 10-Key Is a Productivity-Enhancing Auxiliary Keyboard

Auxiliary macro keyboards can do a lot to improve your productivity, and we spend a lot of time extolling their virtues here on Hackster. Most keyboards like these feature a handful of keys that you can use to launch macros or easily enter shortcuts — both of which can be huge time savers in applications like spreadsheet programs, photo editors, and CAD software. But most of the keyboards we feature are DIY projects that take some skill to build. If you’d rather just purchase a ready-to-use device, you should take a look at the LemKey 10-Key launching through Kickstarter.

The LemKey 10-Key just recently launched on Kickstarter and it has just surpassed its $10,000 funding goal. Most auxiliary keypads are intended to be customized to fit your needs and the software you intend to use them with, and the LemKey 10-Key is no different. But it has been designed with spreadsheet software in mind. You can use it for many other kinds of software, but the layout and functionality were thought out specifically to improve your productivity when working with spreadsheets. For example, you can push the Alt key and the Equal key simultaneously to Autosum an entire table without having to move your hand away from the LemKey 10-Key.

The “10-Key” part of the name refers to the fact that this has a standard 10-digit numerical layout, and the keypad itself actually has a total of 20 keys. But it drops the largely useless Num Lock key in favor of an Esc key, for example. Each of those keys is backed by a mechanical key switch that will feel infinitely better than a mushy membrane switch. It connects to your computer through a standard USB-C cable, and should be compatible with all operating systems. The standard shortcuts are intended to work with Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, Apple Numbers, and more.

If you want the LemKey 10-Key, the Kickstarter campaign will be running until September 12th. The expected retail price is $99, but Kickstarter backers can get it for as little as $49. Rewards are expected to be delivered in January of 2021.