It almost sounds comical, but using a teeny-tiny keyboard with an iPad mini is not a terrible idea. In fact, it just might help you get some work done in a space that would otherwise be sacrificed to social media doomscrolling, give you a headstart into the day, or simply engage in some word-y recreational activity.
The iPad mini is a fantastic device. It’s criminally underrated as a portable external display, especially for Mac users. It has all the firepower in the world you will need from a tablet. In fact, were it not for the screen size, it would deserve a productivity-boosting keyboard more than the 2025 iPad with its 11-inch screen.
Alas, Apple doesn’t make a keyboard for the iPad mini. For obvious reasons, one might say. But that doesn’t mean there is no space for one such accessory. Third-party labels surely felt otherwise, and if you look up on online retail platforms, you will find a healthy few keyboard accessories for the compact tablet.
HOU is one of those brands that serve ambitious products at a bargain. Their iPad keyboards, in particular, are quite popular in Reddit forums. In hindsight, there are hardly any mainstream brands out there that offer a keyboard accessory for the iPad mini. I was eager to try one, and I was left in a state of bewilderment, both the good and frustrating kind.
More premium than it should be
I got myself the latest iteration of HOU’s iPad mini keyboard, and straight out of the box, it defied what a $60 peripheral should look and feel like. For example, Apple’s folio keyboard for the tablet costs the same, and lacks a keyboard deck.
The HOU keyboard case is made out of a rubberized silicone material. It’s not as soft as one of Apple’s cases, but it offers the same texture as the Magic Keyboard for iPads. In doing so, HOU’s accessory also borrows the smudge-prone nature of its Apple inspiration.
It’s pretty easy to wipe off the oil stains and dust, but you definitely will notice them during day-to-day usage. The overall build quality, however, is fantastic. There are no rough edges, misaligned parts, poor cuts, or loose sides.
The inner lining is soft velvet, which is another neat assurance that the tablet’s coat will be safe over prolonged usage. The overall material finish is definitely on par with Apple’s $249 Magic Keyboard Folio for the iPad.
The upper half of the keyboard case has a creased folding line with 30 magnets to securely lock the iPad mini in place. I loved the flexibility of using the tablet in portrait mode while typing a quick article. It’s not any more productive, but it feels right while using the mobile app, and looks pretty nice while at it.
There are no guide steps, which means when you fold the upper half to rest on a flat surface as a back rest, you are free to adjust the inclination angle. The lowest I could get was an inclination of 126 degrees, and the highest it could go was a keyboard-screen angle worth 168 degrees.
That’s far more than the Magic Keyboard or any MacBook can achieve. Despite the lack of any steps or rails, the rear foldable portion stays locked in its place and doesn’t exhibit any wobble or slipping on the surface.
It’s not too thick either, and adds just about the right heft so that you can comfortably carry it without any palm fatigue. The soft, yet grippy surface texture definitely comes in handy here.
The sides are slightly extended, so no matter where the tablet is placed, its chassis is not in contact with the external environment. I love this protective approach.
The typing experience is a learning curve
I’ll spell out the bad part first. This is not a daily-use keyboard. It’s more like a stop-gap solution that fills the need for a keyboard in spaces where you can’t quite access (or whip out) your laptop. Think of those tiny foldable tables behind train seats.
Of course, you can just perch it atop a luxurious deskstation, but that’s not going to move the experience needle too much. Now, I’ve got small hands even by Asian standards. My partner’s palm profile makes mine look like a teenage boy.
Despite not being blessed by generously grown digits, I find the HOU keyboard cramped. It’s not so vexing that you want to throw it out, but if your job entails typing all day on a larger keyboard, or a full-sized laptop, your fingers will need some time to adjust.
Now, here’s the good part. Once your fingers get used to the tiny deck, you can comfortably type your way past a few emails or handle quick Slack chats. It took me a couple of days before I got a feel of things and reached a comfortable typing cadence.
On a typing test, I could reach roughly 60% of my typing speed, which is not bad. The error rates were slightly higher. If I were to quantify, I would say the typing mistakes are about 20-25% more frequent compared to my usual rate while using a full-sized laptop or larger keyboard.
The encouraging part is that the scissor-style keys offer a decent amount of travel and a springy feedback. The keycaps reliably register keystrokes, even if you tap around the periphery. There is some sideways movement around the key corners, but nothing too worrisome or unexpected.
You get the full Magic Keyboard layout on this one, except the function row keys at the top, due to space constraints. Thankfully, all the iPadOS shortcuts that I am used to, work just fine. From app switching to universal search, the key combos worked reliably well.
It took me a while getting used to the number row at the top, which also hosts two other symbol keys each. On occasions where I felt too lazy to hit the Option/Shift shortcut, I simply pulled the on-screen keyboard and got the job done.
I actually love this hybrid approach, especially with the iPad mini, because your fingertips are comfortably close to the screen. It’s also one of the reasons I didn’t miss a trackpad. It isn’t feasible to fit one either, so there goes that functional conundrum.
There are a few hidden tricks
This is a Bluetooth-connected keyboard and charges via a two-pin magnetic connector. The pairing process is fairly straightforward, and you have to go through that hassle only once.
The battery life is surprisingly good. I’ve been using the keyboard for nearly two weeks now, and haven’t charged it since the initial set-up. I’ve used it on a daily basis, albeit in an irregular fashion.
On most days, it was used for 30-40 minutes for quick emails, Asana task management, and updates in Teams. On a few occasions, I used it for roughly two hours, engaged in web browsing and typing a short article or two, in Google Docs. It’s just a bliss that the iPad can handle that load without any hiccups.
If you intend to use the tablet for watching videos and reading, you can simply flip the keyboard deck and get going. In that state, the keys are locked, so even if you are holding the tablet with multiple keys pressed tightly at the back, you won’t have to deal with accidental key inputs.
In this state, the two halves are magnetically clasped together, so you don’t have to worry about the keyboard deck flapping around at the back. I appreciate these small, but thoughtful perks. The fact that they are accessible at such a bargain is just the cherry on top.
Aside from a surprisingly good battery life, I also love the automatic lock facility. The moment you close the lid shut, the iPad mini automatically enters the lock state, and on opening it, the tablet wakes up.
Do you need one?
A tiny keyboard for a mini tablet might sound like overdoing the productivity appeal. But there’s a niche out there that will draw practical benefits from a device like the HOU Keyboard for the iPad mini.
I, for one, love it. Not because it’s exceptionally good, but due to the fact that it fills a functional gap in my day-to-day workflow. I asked a few acquaintances around me about the utility promise, if they had access to the keyboard on a daily basis.
One of my friends who runs a restaurant business mentioned that it could be used for billing-related tasks, while another individual who works at an architecture firm said it’s a nifty device to handle documents on the go.
A workplace buddy, who works as a social media manager, said the keyboard is a potent addition for quick content posting, making templates on the go, and sharing updates. A couple of students in my usual work cafe were also enamored by the idea and said it’s a compact solution for learning and assignment work, especially in cramped libraries.
The whole HOU Keyboard package looks and feels extremely refined, and it delivers an equally rewarding functional experience. For its asking price, I’d say it’s a disproportionately good value.
It’s not a computing workhorse, but it certainly fills an adjacent gap for iPad mini fans. And it does so in quite some stylish fashion without breaking the bank.
