Welcome to my first ever product review !
Disclosure: The company Abilitaire reached out to me and asked me to use the product and give a thorough and honest review. I was not paid to do this review. In return, they offered me half price for the product. For you, the reader, Abilitare offers a $100 discount on each of these products, the Abili Head Mouse and the Abili Switch. At the website checkout, input the following code to get the discount:
MYRSILIFE
This also supports the channel, as I receive a commission when you use the code.
I have used this product in my work and personal life, almost daily, for a few months now.
I rank products on a scale of 1-5 stars based on the following criteria:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐✰✰✰✰✰
- Ease of setup
- Ease of use
- Risk of new RSI
- Hand risk
- Portability
- Price
- Appearance/Coolness
- Ideas for improvement (No ranking)
Abili Mouse Review
- Ease of setup – ⭐⭐⭐⭐✰
- Ease of use – ⭐⭐⭐⭐✰
- Risk of new RSI – ⭐⭐⭐✰✰
- Hand risk – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Portability – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Price – ✰✰✰✰✰
- Appearance/Coolness – ⭐⭐⭐✰✰
I give Ease of setup 4 out of 5 because you need to install some driver software called Abili Hub, and you may need to adjust your mouse speed settings to make it more comfortable.
I give Ease of use 4 out of 5 because when I boot up my computer the Abili Mouse won’t connect to the Abili Hub: I first need to disconnect the Abili Mouse from my computer’s bluetooth devices. Once I take this step, the Abili Mouse connects to the computer just fine. The extra effort I need to take when the computer starts up leads me to remove a star in this category.
To avoid this, remember to close the Abili Hub program before you shut down the computer (But I usually forget)
I give Risk of new RSI 3 out of 5 because my neck muscles become irritated after long periods of use. Fatigue is manageable, but I feel that removing 2 stars conveys the risk.
I give Hand risk 5 out of 5 because the hands are not used at all when operating this device!
I give Portability 5 out of 5 because it is light, small at about 2 or 3 square inches, and it can fit neatly in a bag or pocket!
I give Price 0 out of 5. The Abili Mouse is extremely high priced, at $799.00. This is the most expensive mouse I have ever seen. However, they recently introduced a lease option with a free trial, so you can use the device for $35.00 per month.
The high price impacts my thoughts on Portability. Keeping the expensive equipment in my backpack makes me a bit paranoid.
I give Appearance/Coolness 3 out of 5 because it doesn’t look fabulous, but neither does it look terrible. It is something that would look normal in an office setting.
Ideas for improvement (No ranking)
- I would like to see more color options.
- The Abili Hub connector software needs a checkbox “Do not show this again” when closing the app window. (See image below)
Abili Switch Review
- Ease of setup – ⭐⭐⭐⭐✰
- Ease of use – ⭐⭐⭐✰✰
- Risk of new RSI – ⭐⭐⭐⭐✰
- Hand risk – ⭐⭐⭐⭐✰
- Portability – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Price – ✰✰✰✰✰
- Appearance/Coolness – ⭐⭐✰✰✰
I give Ease of setup 4 out of 5
for a similar reason as the Abili Mouse: The need to install some driver software, which is not difficult but keeps this score 4 rather than 5.
I give Ease of use 3 out of 5 stars.
I removed 1 star for the same reason as the Abili Mouse – it needs to be disconnected in the bluetooth settings after computer restart (Unless you remember to close the Abili Hub before shutdown).
My next star deduction comes from the plastic it tends to get sticky just from the moisture of my hands after I use it for a while.
What I like about it is that it is wireless and comes with velcro, which allows you to stick it wherever you need in your workspace.
I give Risk of new RSI 4 out of 5.
It can be overused, so be mindful and change positions or moved the Abili Switch if needed. I removed 1 star for this small risk of overuse.
I give Hand risk 4 out of 5.
Overall I feel safe when I use this device. If my fingers get fatigued, then I can activate the device with my knuckles, or my knee, or my elbow, or whatever. I removed 1 star for the same reason as above – small risk of overuse could exacerbate your RSI.
I give Portability 5 out of 5 because it is extremely light and portable.
It handled itself fine after travelling in my backpack for a few days.
I give Price 0 out of 5.
The Abili Switch is extremely high priced, especially considering it is just one nonprogramable button, at $399.00. This is the most expensive left mouse button I have ever seen. However, they have a lease option, which includes a free trial, so you can use the device for $15.00 per month.
There are several comparable and cheaper options for a click button, such as the Foot Pedal , which is only $40, has 3 buttons, and is programable (although it is not wireless).
I give Appearance/Coolness 2 out of 5.
Granted, it is difficult to make a single left click mouse button look cool.
Ideas for improvement (No ranking)
- The Abili Switch should be programable: any key, string, shortcut, or key sequence.
- The plastic needs to change. It feels fragile, and also gets sticky from my hands after long periods of use.
- I would like to see a setting/toggle for a silent button press.
Overall, now that I have these products, I find them to be extremely useful. Due to the price, I can’t recommend it to everyone. In my opinion, the purchase is worth it only if you can afford it or get your employer to pay for it.
I use the Abili Head Mouse nearly every day, and it is a great way for me to diversify my computer inputs during my work time. The Abili Switch is always near my desk and is most effective when used in tandem with the Head Mouse or Foot Mouse.
Thank you for reading! If you’d like to purchase either of these products, remember to use the code MYRSILIFE at checkout for $100 off the price of each (up to $200 in savings if you buy both) on the Abilitare website.
Here’s the review video on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-OH_Mi0wuA
Get LastPass, and save your hands from typing passwords:
https://lastpass.wo8g.net/9WqynQ
Link to purchase foot pedal:
Dragon Dictation for Individual:
3D Rudder foot mouse: