Grovemade wood & leather wrist rest review: A comfortable and elegant addition to your desk

If you haven't seen any of Grovemade's gear before, the company focuses on natural materials and old-world craftsmanship. May products are finished or created by hand instead of being mass-produced overseas.

Many of its products focus on Apple users, with a custom kit created to be paired with Apple's gear. There is a stand for MagSafe, docks for iPhone, and trays for the Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad.

We're looking at a wood and leather wrist rest, made as a companion to Apple's Magic Keyboard with a numeric keypad and Touch ID. Apple only just released these keyboards in August of 2021.

An eye for detail

These products feel distinctly Apple-like. They're intricately designed with every detail scrutinized.

Grovemade's Wrist Rest is crafted from either American black walnut or eastern hard rock maple. Both look great, but we're partial to the darker tone of the walnut. Plus, it matches the walnut coasters and planters we already have on our desk.

The wood is cut to size before being hand-sanded to a smooth finish. Inlaid in the wood is a panel of premium vegetable-tanned leather.

The leather — available in black or tan based on your wood choice — provides a soft, elevated surface for your wrists.

The wrist rest has a bit of give, making it more comfortable than sitting your wrists directly on your desk. Since it is slightly elevated, it also reduces the strain on your wrists as you type.

Below the wood is a layer of aluminum that adds some rigidity to the piece. It's slightly visible from the outside, contrasting the matte finish of the wood.

Finishing it all off is a natural cork base. This prevents the rest from sliding around your desk but is more natural than a molded rubber or silicone sheet.

Using it

We've been using the Grovemade Wrist Rest for weeks with our Mac Studio. We paired it with the new black and silver version of Apple's latest desktop peripherals.

Apple's keyboard is quite flat, and after many hours of typing, there are times when we feel the fatigue in our wrists. We haven't experienced that with Grovemade's accessory.

We've tried many of those gel-filled, squishy wrist rests in the past, but they get dirty, don't look great, and break down over time. Grovemade's Wrist Rest only improves with age.

The leather starts to develop a patina in the areas you make contact with it, creating a pattern unique to you. The leather will never peel, and it will last many years without issue.

As is often the case, you can find a much more affordable product than this one, but it won't match Apple's keyboard dimensions, nor will it have the quality to last a lifetime.

One downside to this is that it can get in the way if you're eating at your desk. We know — eating near your keyboard is a cardinal sin. But there are still times we are in a hurry or just grabbing a quick snack at our desk, and we have to make do.

Instead, we will have to move our wrist rest off to the side to get some space. The same goes for opening packages and looking over review products in that space in front of our keyboard.

This is probably a worthwhile tradeoff, however. Placing something that can ease wrist stress versus making room for snacking seems like the wise choice.

Should you buy the Grovemade Wrist Rest?

A wrist rest is a common accessory to add to one's desk, and Grovemade happens to create the nicest one we've ever tested.

We're always appreciative of handcrafted accessories and supporting US-based brands. But that comes with a price — literally.

For the Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad version, it will set you back $100. If you want a smaller one for the Magic Trackpad, that will only run you $50.

If you want a product as polished as Apple's hardware, Grovemade has you covered. If you'd prefer to save some money on a cheaper option, we wouldn't judge you for a moment.

Pros

• High quality of materials
• Handmade in the USA
• Comfortable and ergonomic to use
• Light and dark color options
• Custom designed to match Apple's peripherals

Cons

• Expensive addition to your desk setup

Rating: 4 out of 5

Where to buy

You can pick up the Grovemade Wrist Rest for Apple's Magic Trackpad, Magic Keyboard, or Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad starting at $50.