Review: Smartfish Whirl Mouse

For computer addicts, the peripherals you use for your setup are very important. Having a mouse and keyboard you are comfortable with is key to being as productive as you can be. For people who are on the computer for the majority of their lives, Smartfish products are a must-have. Smartfish has made it its mission to design mice and keyboards to help people who have arthritis and other hand ailments.

The Whirl mouse is set on top of a little gliding stand that can be tilted in any way you would ever dream. When using the mouse, you will notice that the strain on your hand is decreased substantially and is noticeably more comfortable. The pivot mechanism works very well and is not too loose, nor is it too stiff. The mouse glides better than my Logitech MX Anywhere mouse, and the overall footprint is a bit smaller.

In terms of device aesthetics, the glossy white plastic top of the Whirl does attract some fingerprints, but looks quite nice when cleaned. The USB dongle is very small and can be stored in the battery compartment, which is somewhat difficult to get to, in between the mouse and the base. The Whirl requires 2 AAA batteries, and does have an On/Off switch to conserve power when not in use.

My only complaint with the Whirl is the lack of programmable buttons. Coming from the MX Anywhere mouse, which has 5 programmable functions in addition to the right and left clicks, I was all too used to the convenience of buttons. The Whirl has no programmable buttons other than the standard right-left and scroll wheel. Extra buttons add quite a bit of functionality and they really do add to productivity.

Other than the lack of buttons, the Whirl is a great mouse that offers comfort and eases stress on the hands of computer users across the world. Coming in at $50 USD, the Whirl isn’t the cheapest mouse, but the price you pay is well-worth the comfort.