3M Ergonomic Mouse SMALL/MEDIUM Reviews

• Instant RSI relief

  
  By AB16IX8TJ5KFI on 2004-06-14
  I felt the difference in my right wrist instantly. According to websites, "Ergonomic design keeps the arm positioned for natural, comfortable movement. It is clinically proven to reduce muscle strain and discomfort associated with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and repetitive stress injury. The 3M Ergonomic Mouse is compatible using any USB port computer."
  
  Ever notice that Gamers don't have carpel tunnel syndrome like most typists even though they likely spend more time at the computer? Well, 3M noticed! Your wrist sits on this ergonomic mouse like it does on a video game joystick. The weight of your hand is no longer carried by your wrist. Rather, your hand is relaxed on the mouse.
  
  The relief in pressure on your wrist is instant. The cost may seem high, but it's less than a chiropractic appointment. Comes in 2 different sizes (small/medium and medium/large). This is a RIGHT handed mouse. You can program the left/right clicks if you are left handed, but the "joystick" is angled, so it's not as wonderful if you are a lefty.
  
  Added note: The above review was written 2 years ago. It has been 3 years that I have been using this mouse. My wrist pain is completely gone. This mouse is so worth it. That being said, it is a P.O.S. as others have mentioned: the mouse does not travel well (it breaks if not protected in your computer bag) and breaks when dropped on hard surfaces -- I put a carpet under my desk and bought a glue gun to cut down on mouse costs. After gluing them back together, 3 have acquired the "double click" disease. Even with these drawback, I still feel that this mouse is worth it. I have purchased 8 over the past 3 years - I now keep one at work, one on my desk at home, and a "floater" for my home laptop that moves from room to room but does not leave the house unless carefully wrapped in it's original box. For "daily travel", because the 3M mouse has helped my wrist heal, I am now able to use a regular mouse, so I now keep a regular mouse in my backpack.
  
  

• Really is absolutely amazing

  
  By A1KO3M7TLR9DFR on 2005-03-20
  Though it takes a little getting used to, once you adapt to this mouse it really is indispensible. After about two years of too much mousing at too many poorly adjusted tables, I had developed fairly regular pain in my right hand and wrist, so much so that I started favoring my left hand for carrying objects. After switching to this mouse and an ergonomic keyboard (the Belkin Ergoboard to be precise) this pain is completely gone and a bump that I had started to develop on a tendon on my right hand has almost completely receeded (and my doctor had said that it was caused by mousing). In other words, if you have any pain at all from mousing, you should get this mouse. It works well, is durable, and really does all that it should do. I can't recommend it enough.
  
  

• Beware of worsening problems

  
  By A18KSRQRJWDH06 on 2006-06-06
  I run the IT department in a small office (around 30 users). Four of the users who had turned to this mouse to deal with carpal tunnel issues initially found it quite comfortable. However, that changed over time with each one complaining of pain from the thumb to the wrist.
  
  The problem, as far as I can tell, is that this mouse requires too much extension of the thumb -- far more than one would expect in a normal mouse. I'd suggest staying clear of it and replacing any that you may have purchased with an alternative that does not require as much thumb movement.
  
  

• Annoying in many ways

  
  By AN6B3UKWPZOKB on 2007-07-02
  First, this mouse has two sizes. I am 5'8, male, and have average sized hands. The small/medium sized mouse was too small for my comfort. Second, I do not like having the main buttons on the top. Those who suffer from some type of RSI are generally susceptible to other types. Using my thumb so much gave me trigger finger. I stopped using the mouse and went back to my old mouse.
  
  

• Size is important. Righties only

  
  By A39ONSNY261F2L on 2005-09-27
  Size is important, so why doesn't Amazone provide a sizing guide... Note taht large fits better if your hand is 3.5 inches across the knuckles. Otherwise get thh small-medium. Also note that this item is only for right hand mousing. But it does feel good. Almost immediately. No drivers enclosed, but it is plug and play. They say that specific drivers are downloadable.
  
  
• Helped my Hand Pain
  By A2L0ITJUBOUUW1 on 2005-09-29
  Before purchasing this mouse I would get pain on the top of my hand after only 5 minutes of using a regular mouse. This 3M mouse took a bit of time to get used to, but it totally stopped my pain. While it isn't as nimble or precise as a regular mouse, it works just fine and allows me to do all of my tasks pain free.
  
  
• Worth overall, but is not all good
  By A27S8UA30FTGFB on 2006-04-26
  This mouse is different from other mice - it has its pros and cons and is worth the money but is not all good.
  
  Assumptions:
  You have Windows and are right-handed. If not, my review won't apply to you.
  
  Pros:
  It does keep the hand in a position that feels more natural and I like clicking with my thumb (people use their thumbs for remote controls, cell phones, etc.). It also looks and feels pretty nice.
  
  If you have real problems with your wrist (I don't) skip the cons and get the mouse.
  
  Cons:
  The movement is less precise because you have to move your entire forearm rather than the tip of the fingers. You can try to remedy by lowering the cursor speed (so slow movement is more precise) and increasing acceleration (so fast movement shoots the cursor through the screen allowing you to still cover the entire area of the screen without lifting your elbow), but it's not quite the same. Also you need an "elbow pad" - as you move your forearm most of its weight is supported by the elbow and it gets uncomfortable (I put bubble wrap but I need something more permanent that doesn't pop all the time :).
  
  The most irritating issue I found was the lack of a scroll wheel. You'd see the same problem mentioned in other reviews (I did) and probably disregard it (I did). It's probably not a big deal if you don't scroll a lot, but if you do, you'd be irritated. You can use the 3rd button scrolling (try it with a regular mouse - press down the third button (which is the scroll wheel on most mice) and move the mouse around). It works well enough but not everywhere (Windows Explorer, for example, can't be scrolled that way). I'd suggest you try scrolling this way for a while with your regular mouse and if you can live with it, go ahead and get the 3M mouse.
  
  The software that comes with the mouse (you have to get it from 3M's website) is not bad (you can tell they've spent some effort into making it), but it's just not good enough to be actually useful. It offers some functionality (alternate active programs or quickly launch a shortcut), but that is easily done through Alt-Tab or putting shortcuts on your Start menu, task bar or desktop. If you're very uncomfortable configuring your Windows though, you may find it easier. They also have custom-built scrolling that works in some places where the third button scrolling doesn't, but then there are places where third button scrolling works OK and theirs doesn't. It also has some quirks (bugs). In the end, I found that I gained about as much as I lost by installing their software and scrolling with it so I ended up uninstalling it and now I just use the third button scrolling where I can or the scroll bar where I can't.
  
  Bottom line:
  The mouse is worth the money, but it requires you to change your habits and not all in a good way. Overall, though, I'd recommend it.
  
  
• Screws up your Thumb - get the "Ergonomic Quill Mouse" instead!
  By A38HMHGUWGLMNM on 2006-10-27
  I developed tendinitis on my right wrist due to computer mouse problems, and decided to buy this product.
  
  This mouse helped a bit with my wrist tendinitis, but GAVE ME PROBLEMS WITH MY THUMB!! That part of my right hand where the thumb meets the wrist ached so much that I had to quit using this mouse. The pain disappeared soon thereafter.
  
  I now use the "Ergonomic Quill Mouse", and it works like magic! Although a bit more expensive than this one, it is well worth the money.
  
  
• Good ergonomic choice
  By A3NCNJD2XAD50A on 2004-09-19
  The 3M model is almost as good as the original Anir mouse from Norway. I found the movement a little less fine than the ball type Anir I had for many years (which finally gave out). It takes a bit of getting used to but then it is very comfortable to use. The position of your hand/wrist is very natural.
  
  
• From One Pain to Another
  By A1IX60LD3BPLVC on 2005-05-11
  I have very mixed feelings about this mouse. I ordered it based on other recommendations to cure the pain in my wrist I was encountering from too many hours using a regular and marble mouse. I have to admit that to this end, this mouse has worked well for addressing the pain issue. But the new pain I now have is the way this mouse tracks. It is incredibly frustrating how poorly it tracks, and how it tends to jump around the screen for no apparent reason. Even loading the mouse's software tools (not a driver) doesn't give you any way to address this issue. But all-in-all, I guess it's better to be frustrated than in real physical pain.
  
  --Update--
  The tracking issues has been lessened by changing the mouse pad, but unfortunately the pain in my wrist is reappearing.
  
  
• No more pain and love the scroll!
  By ASX5UFEN5RK05 on 2006-05-27
  I was starting to get pains in my wrist and occasionally up to my elbow. I'm so glad I shrugged off the price of this mouse and bought it. I don't often write reviews but just had to share that I have had no pain since I bought it over a month ago. I also love the scroll button. I can't believe I put up with a scroll wheel for so long. Clicking the scroll button also serves other purposes.. once click on a Firefox tab closes that tab, clicking on any link with it opens the link in a new tab (probably new window in IE but I rarely use IE).
  
  My setup..
  I have a large oak desk with side pull-outs. I use the right pull-out to rest my arm fully from elbow to wrist, with my hand resting comfortably on the base of the mouse. Yes, the tracking on this mouse can be a pain as stated. At first I taped down a cardboard 9"X11" sheet that had varied colored background and the upper left section covered in text. Any time I went off the text area my cursor would dissapear. So I grabbed the first page of our Preschool's newsletter that is pretty much covered in text. It's worked perfectly. So my suggestion is that you type up a full page of something you like to look at often - motivation quotes, your life goals, a story of your 'why' that will keep you motivated to reach your goals or maybe a few poems - and tape it to your desk where you use your mouse. Maybe print in on cardstock to make it last longer.
  
  If your starting to get pains, don't hesitate to get this mouse before it's too late and you've caused damage.
  
  
• The best mouse alternative by far
  By A1KUIUZ5MOXSNY on 2005-01-08
  If your wrist is bothering you (or you don't want to risk that) and you are using a "normal" style mouse, you may wish to consider switching to this SPECIFIC mouse alternative! This specific "mouse" is better than the trackball type alternatives in that you don't have to keep flexing your thumb all the time. While using this mouse, your wrist and fingers all stay stationary - only your elbow is slightly changing to push it around. The weight of your hand is comfortably on the lower side of the hand which rests right on the mouse itself (so your hand never touches the desk). A right or left mouse click is performed by a very slight movement of the thumb up or down.
  
  I got this mouse at work and immediately liked it so much that I bought one for myself at home too.
  
  Switching to this mouse brought total relief to my wrist!
  
  The only drawback is very minor - there is no scroll wheel - however there *is* a scroll wheel button that behaves like pressing down on the scroll wheel on a mouse. I use Mozilla/Firefox for my browser, and this "button" is fantastic to open a link into a new browser tab! The "button" is on the "handle" itself, so to "press" it you simply squeeze in your middle and fourth fingers slightly! Brilliant design.
  
  I highly recommend this mouse (remember there is a LARGE and MEDIUM size to choose between though - and this is designed for use with your RIGHT hand)
  
  
• Wrist pain gone
  By A2AJTJ57UL574X on 2005-03-25
  I actually switched to using the mouse with my left hand because my right wrist had gotten so enflamed. Then my left wrist started causing me problems. I had to find a solution, not just a temporary band-aid.
  
  I ordered this after reading a recommendation from my company's ergonomic website. Three days after I started using it (with my right hand, mind you), my wrist pain went away.
  
  I have ordered this model for my home computer and may yet order a third to use with my laptop. If you are chained to a computer for any length of time I would definitely recommend this product.
  
  I would definitely be interested in a wireless model.
  
  
• Needs help
  By A2O83U22DZOQ69 on 2005-12-23
  It is made of cheap plastic and breaks easily. Still, when mine broke due to frequent traveling, I bought one again because it is an improvement over a regular mouse. It also has a problem with the click buttons... when you single click, about a quarter of a time thinks it is a double click.
  
  
• Tee-rific! relief
  By A3W4ZBWMRH3XXF on 2006-03-22
  I love this mouse. I thought I was a die-hard user of the usual (flat, palm-fitting) mouse, until my forearm and elbow began aching any time I used my computer. It was kind of a no-brainer to figure out that my hand position on my mouse was all wrong. I needed something different. A better mouse trap? (Sorry.)
  
  What a difference. This mouse brings about near-instant relief for painful mousing. It is just tremendous. And it doesn't take all that long to get used to either. After the second day, I was pretty comfortable with it and now, I just love it.
  
  I see no differences between this and regular (palm) mouses. I miss the scroll wheel, but the functionality of the trigger on this ergonomic mouse (instead of the wheel) is more accurate and you can scroll horizontally on Web pages.
  
  All in all, I highly recommend this if you're at your computer for any length of time, as I am. My job requires me to be here for 6 to 8 hours a day, so you can bet I need everything I can get my hands on (pun intended) to decrease ergonomic stress. Good luck!
  
  
• Produced shoulder strain
  By A3CKZM49DSHE29 on 2007-02-21
  I had hoped to use this mouse for times when I have several days of click-drag-release activities. Because your grip is a couple of inches higher than on other mouses, I experienced much shoulder tension. (I saw this problem mentioned in another review also.) Perhaps with the right desk setup you can compensate.
  
  Also, I find a stationary mouse such as the thumbball or the Logitech Marble Mouse provides more exact mousing for me.
  
  
• Good Enough
  By A3VLELVU18XNJ8 on 2004-12-31
  I've been using this mouse a couple weeks now and the old wrist pain is gone. I'm glad I bought this mouse, but I want to point out three negatives: 1) there is no scroll wheel (a major annoyance), 2) the optical resolution could be better (tiny motions can be difficult), and 3) once in a while I have to slap the device against the desk to get it to show a cursor on the screen. That last one could be a conflict with the 3 other USB pointing devices I'm using simultaneously, though.
  
  I make up for the lack of a scroll wheel by keeping my old mouse (with its scroll wheel) under my left hand.
  
  
• different for different's sake is not better, it's just dumb
  By A1N2D7LLBAY25B on 2006-10-27
  one finger digit is no better at doing the click than another. In fact, the thumb is the worst digit for getting muscle problems. That's why most joysticks went from top button(as in ATARI) to a trigger(in the stick). Why do you think Air Force Pilots have such great skill? A trigger not a top button. Why in hell does some "Genious" do that with the mouse. Because convention is too obtuse that's why. My mother has it because of her hand but a wrist brace works just fine.
  
  
• Good Product, but there are other alternatives or ideas out there
  By A4Y5ENPSKOMI9 on 2007-03-26
  I was looking for a ergonomic mouse that would help me use less of my fingers to avoid that dreaded clicking. This is a pretty good mouse, since you use your thumb. Used this product for a year, and it helped my fingers heal. Though, since my fingers were always in that grip mode, I felt my fingers get a little sore and eventually went back to a normal mouse. However, I am very glad to have used this product.
  
  There is another alternative to a ergonomic mouse that I have found if you want to avoid that dreaded clicking. I was always using short cut keys, but was looking for a short cut key to be the equivalent of a left click. Had a hard time finding that short cut key with a google search, but did find some mouse clicking software. Didn't even think of software where it can click for you vs. your fingers doing the clicks. Specifically, I found a product called Gentle Mouse. It does a great job where you move your mouse, point your cursor, and it clicks for you. This product is different from other similar mouse clicking software, where it gives you control on whether you want to click or not. Also, you can do all the other clicks such as left, right, middle, etc. quite easily. No, I don't work for this company, but this software is the right idea, where you save your fingers from the dreaded clicking. Also, I have found my fingers have felt even better than when I used to use the 3M ergonomic mouse.
  
  
• Pain-be-Gone
  By A2JNI4J3NV5163 on 2005-01-08
  I've had this mouse all of seven hours now and I can tell it's going to eradicate my DeQuervain Tenosynovitis (wrist tendonitis). My wrist is already feeling better. This mouse is extremely comfortable and is actually easy to get used to using. One thing - my hand is extremely small, so I had to tape a yo-yo to the base so that I could rest my wrist while mousing. I'll take it, anything to relieve the pain!
  
  
• One of a Kind
  By AO29X60HNR0WU on 2006-02-23
  I must add my praise to the others who have reviewed this mouse. It is the only mouse quite like it. After spending a lot of time trying to find something similar, I bought this due to the reviews of others on Amazon, and I have no regrets. It took much less time to get used to it than they suggest - by the end of the first day it felt comfortable. In addition to the pain in my wrist, I had a problem with my index finger from an injury a long time ago. By placing the mouse button for the thumb, this thing is a life-saver! The shape truly is ergonomic. I thought I would miss the scroll wheel, but by squeezing the grip trigger you are able to get the same effect. The only thing is that it is only for us right-handed people. The plastic has a somewhat "cheap" look, but it works great. As an optical mouse, you need to use it on something with color differentiation (I have to use a mouse pad because my desk is a solid color), so I hope 3M comes out with a laser model.
  
  
• Pretty good
  By A15QOU19GT8J0Q on 2006-04-15
  I've had this mouse for over a year now. When I first started using it, it DID help me release tension and stress on my wrist since I have carpal tunnel, but now, my wrist started hurting again and the tension goes throughout my whole right arm.
  
  
• Great idea, abysmal quality
  By AJ3P8GZPUHXJE on 2006-04-28
  Until I bought this mouse I had terrible pain in my fingers from clicking a mouse all day and was developing wrist pain, too. It completely solved my problems because it requires no movement of your fingers (well, besides your thumb) or wrist, however, this mouse is still a P.O.S. After a few months of use, mine developed the infamous "double click" problem so often mentioned here. Another person in our office experienced the same. So what are we supposed to do? There is no other mouse design like this, so it seems that 3m is under no pressure to improve quality and a great idea is thus being held captive in this chintzy plastic tribute to cheapness! Sad.
  
  
• Great relief!
  By AM46HJVMWHHFS on 2007-08-23
  This mouse is great. Better than the EvoulantEvoluent Right-Handed VerticalMouse 3 - Mouse - optical - 5 button(s) - wired - USB - black, silver which doesn't support your hand, you have to squeeze it constantly. Also cheaper (especially on Amazon) than Evoulant, QuillErgonomic Quill Mouse Pc and Mac Left Hand White or Zero Tension Mouse. My wife has one at work and I have them on both home computers. They prevented emerging problems for her and allowed me to work on the computer with my dominant hand before, during and after treatment (O.T.) for hand, wrist, arm, elbow problems. If you don't get an ergonomic mouse that supports your hand, you may be solving only part of your problem. I would recommend it even for people who are not having problems - mousing is so much more comfortable and natural (after the learning curve).
  
  Only negative is not wireless.
  
  
• good but could be much better
  By A17RQ17YCU1G2I on 2007-08-23
  In general, I like this mouse over the Evoluent mouse b/c it's a more comfortable grip for me. But I don't like straining my thumb to click the left and right buttons.
  
  Despite some of the review comments here, I haven't found a way to remap the 3rd scroll button to be the primary left click button. If someone knows of such, please comment.
  
  Changing WinXP's mouse property settings doesn't work (they seem to work only for Microsoft mice) and even if it did, you can only remap that 3rd button to a double left click.
  
  I was able to get the driver software for 3m's older version of this mouse from their tech support, which successfully remaps the 3rd button to a double click. However, I was told to use it at my own risk and that it probably won't work for Vista.
  
  If 3m ever updates their mouse (either by hardware redesign or software support) to allow left and right click functionality to be done by the index and middle fingers, then this would be the best ergo mouse out there.
  
  Update: I just found a program called AutoHotKey that lets me remap a keyboard key to be the left mouse click. Finally, no more thumb clicking.
  
  But it didn't successfully remap the 3rd button to a single left click even though it's supposed to be able to.
  
  
  
• provides modest relief over standard, but there are better alternatives
  By A2LNDUKZZJBNWM on 2008-01-24
  This mouse provided some relief over a regular mouse. I think angling the hand in a more "pistol-grip" manner is more natural. However, after using it for awhile, I still developed strain because of the need to move the mouse around.
  
  For me, having a stationary input device is the best. I have the Logitech TrackMan Wheel and I am loving it. It takes only a day to get used to. It is very fast and easy to use. I would recommend a trackball over this 3M mouse.
  
  
• even more relief than other ergo mouses
  By ACSUF6E66J9J on 2008-07-31
  I have a evoluent vertical mouse which I love because it gave me immediate relief from RSI symptoms. But I thought i'd give this a try after finding the scroll wheel causes me discomfort. This shape is weird and the scroll takes some getting used to but totally worth the trouble. Love that its so lightweight but it doesn't travel well. Broke mine before the first month was up by taking it on a trip to NYC. Its still working and with a little super glue its "good as new", but thats a warning to travelers out there. Can't just toss this in the bag.Otherwise it'd get 5 stars. Just bought 2 more so I can have them on all my computers. Wish there were more places to buy them! I still use my evoluent one too, depends on the tasks you need to do which mouse is 'better'.
  
  
• Pretty good...not entirely what i was looking for.
  By A34D2ZL43ZH780 on 2005-09-30
  It did help reduce my pain but the pain has not gone away completely. Definitely better than the regular mouse.
  
  
• Great mouse, well worth the price....
  By A3EU44Z72VQ1UA on 2006-12-24
  We've had it for about 2 years and it has held up better than any other mouse I've had. It has fallen (kids/dog) about 50-100 times onto the wood floor and still works fine. Build quality seems plenty solid.
  
  My wife and I both love this mouse, but it might not be great for precision work. She holds in the way it was intended, but I tend to raise my hand above it and use my index finger on the trigger. Still it is doing what it is supposed to...keeping me from putting pressure off my wrist.
  
  There are a few times when you might need a standard mouse (for example when you have to press both buttons at ones). We also have a standard wireless mouse hooked up at the same time, so if I need to switch, I can. This is probably a good idea for those whose hand eventually gets sore on the 3m mouse....they can switch back and forth between the two to avoid repetitive stress issues. It also might not be a great mouse for someone who does lots and lots of clicking.
  
  
• Good alternative to regular mouse - still leads to RSI eventually...
  By A2833C15OTJ8Y5 on 2006-12-26
  I switched to this mouse about 4 years ago. I am an intensive computer user, applications, not programming (ie too much mousing). Frankly this mouse was a godsend and got me through grad school (yeah, they're really looking out for your ergonomics there, not). It basically is a completely different muscle system you are using, and is wonderful for your wrist. After about 4 years I'm getting thumb pain, as mentioned in one of the reviews. But hey, it's all about mixing it up. 4 extra years of pain free computer use is pretty darn good for $50. I suppose I will try a different input now. However, as I said, this an excellent alternative to the normal mouse, which I still can't use for long. I hope somebody invents about 5 more input devices to get me through my working years!
  
  

• 3M Ergonomic Mouse EM500GPLLARGE
• Microsoft Natural Ergo Keyboard 4000
• It's Not Carpal Tunnel Syndrome! RSI Theory & Therapy for Computer Professionals
• Evoluent VM3R2-RSB Vertical Mouse 3
• Microsoft Natural Keyboard Elite