Artisan keycaps offer a charming way to personalize and add flair to your mechanical keyboard. By simply swapping out a few of these handcrafted keys, you can showcase your favorite character, food item, or even something whimsical just for fun. There's virtually an artisan keycap design for every interest imaginable, making it easy to bring a touch of personalization to your fingertips.

Given the vast array of options available in the keycap market—spanning shapes, designs, and themes—it's understandable to feel overwhelmed when deciding where to purchase the best artisan keycaps. This article aims to help by recommending reputable websites known for their exceptional quality and reliability as go-to sources for acquiring the artisan keycaps of your dreams.

Where to buy Artisan Keycaps

1. Amazon

Amazon is one of the biggest marketplaces in the whole world and can be accessed from every corner of the earth. This platform provides a variety of products that humans need, mechanical keyboard components are no exceptions.

Although Amazon may have the least inspired collection, this is one of the most trusted websites that you can use to find artisan keycaps. You are still able to find a variety of artisan keycaps products with cool designs and very affordable prices on Amazon. And we’re pretty sure that their catalog will continue to grow along with the development of the custom mechanical keyboards market.

Artisan keycap on amazon

2. Etsy

Etsy is another trusted website that provides most artisan keycaps products with price variants. On this website, you can find artisan keycaps with a wealth of unique and cool designs on the grounds that thousands of artisan keycaps manufacturers sell their products on Etsy. But it’s crucial to look at the ratings or reviews first to make sure you purchase artisan keycaps from shops that have a good reputation.

3. Dykeycap.com

Dykeycap offers a wide range of artisan resin keycap collections, allowing you to choose your favorites to enhance your mechanical keyboard. We not only provide artisan keycaps but also other products crafted from resin and wood, such as wrist rests and epoxy lamps. Each item is meticulously crafted with abundant resources, expertise, and artistic flair. If you're looking for where to buy your dream artisan keycaps, Dykeycap is the ideal place to begin exploring.

4. Drop - One of the most popular places to buy artisan keycaps

Drop caters to mechanical keyboard and audiophiles aficionados. The website is divided into two main sections: One for all things related to mechanical keyboards, and the other for audio equipment, such as amps and headphones. Hence, you can also browse for a wealth of artisan keycaps with multifarious designs made of various materials such as transparent plastic, glass, and many other artisan keycap materials.

While Drop’s catalog of artisan keycaps is not as extensive as websites like Etsy, the design and quality of the keycaps are highly impressive. If you want premium quality artisan keycaps, Drop is the site you should head to.

Drop - one of the most popular place to buy artisan keycaps — Drop - keycaps store

5. AliExpress

AliExpress is one of the largest marketplaces in Asia and is one of the largest marketplaces in the world nowadays. AliExpress provides various artisan keycaps from thousands of stores on their platform. Being based in China also contributes to the pricing of products being noticeably lower. You can easily find an assortment of good quality and cool artisan keycaps at a fairly affordable price through this online marketplace.

6. eBay

eBay is probably the most popular “formal” marketplace which offers buyer protections on our list. You can find both brand-new and second-hand artisan keycaps from vendors here. You’ll come across everything from unique gag jokes to scarce gems from a previous group buy. This is one of the websites we highly recommend if you want to purchase artisan keycaps.

7. r/Mechmarket

Another answer to the ultimate question of where to buy artisan keycap r/Mechmarket. r/MechMarket is Reddit’s lively marketplace for everything related to mechanical keyboards. In this forum, users can freely sell and search for artisan keycaps products. Here you are also able to find very rare limited edition artisan keycaps. Unfortunately, the price of artisan keycaps on this forum is very unstable according to your bidder.

Rmech market — Artisan keycaps traded o | r/mechmarket

8. Dwarf factory

The Dwarf Factory has been put on the map for perfecting the art of creating artisan keycaps. Each of their collection comes with its own lore, inspired by a multitude of world-building elements like fantasy tales, mythical creatures, popular video games, or even a tiny hamburger shop. It is no exaggeration to say that each keycap is a portal to a miniature world. One of the most outstanding products, also their best-seller, is their keycap line named Petite Meal Collection. So don’t hesitate to pay it a visit in case you are wondering where to buy artisan keycaps.

9. Jellykey

Second to the last to be featured in this article is the brand named Jellykey. Jellykey is well known for its original and creative designs, which are not only focused on pop culture or world-building elements like other brands. The point which sets this brand apart from the others is that it gets inspiration from abstract artwork and other obscure references.

Jellykey metropolis artisan keycap — Metropolis artisan keycap from jellykey

Some other famous brands such as:

10. Alpha Keycaps

11. Artkey Universe

12. Hello Caps

13. NZ caps

14. Rinkicaps

15. Phangkey

16. keebirb

17. melonkeys.keycaps

18. MendaKey

Factors to consider when buying artisan keycaps

Besides the ultimate question of where to buy artisan keycaps, there are still numerous other factors you have to take into account before making up your mind to purchase your favored artisan keycap. Let’s scroll down to find out!

Price

Artisan keycaps can range widely in price. Anywhere from $10-100 and sometimes more. There are at least three reasons contributing to the fact that artisan keycaps are so exorbitant.

One of them is that they are in short supply despite increasingly high demand. Almost every keyboard enthusiasts and gamers yearn for this kind of decoration and therefore looks forward to possessing their own set of artisan keycaps to their liking. Such high demand results in an inevitable increase in its price, given that there are only certain manufacturers of artisan keycaps on the market.

Another reason for its steep price is the amount of time and effort that goes into crafting and designing each item on the grounds that Artisan keycaps usually are handcrafted and hand-painted by the artist.

Last but not least, consider that artisan keycaps are extremely rare and highly sought after. There are many people out there who have no hesitance to pay a high price tag for a truly distinct design that few can get their hands on.

The combination of all of these reasons culminates in the steep price of artisan keycaps.

Durability

Custom keycaps are relatively durable, but several factors will determine the actual lifespan of any keycap. The material used to make the keycaps and the manufacturing process will have a significant impact on durability. In addition, the total number of keystrokes and the amount of wear and tear will determine how long keycaps last.

Resin is a material that has been long proven to withstand the test of time. As this is the case, it is guaranteed to say that artisan keycaps can stand heavy and long-term usage subject to inevitable wear and tear. This is also why artisan keycaps are usually put on modifiers unlike alphanumeric keycaps as these are not widely used. However, take into account that decorated or highly detailed artisan keycaps degrade quickly because of their nature.

Sound and comfort

Before purchasing a keycap, take a look at typing tests and think about your preferences. The sound and feel of a keycap are determined by its shape. Cylindrical, shorter keycaps provide a louder and lower-pitched typing sound than spherical, taller keycaps. SA keycaps can have a steep learning curve.

As a rule of thumb, you should avoid thin, laser-engraved keycaps. These types of keycaps can be great for showing off the coloring lit but are often made from low-quality ABS material and uncomfortable to type on. Hence, the keycap should be thick. Thick-walled keycaps often give a sense of being more solid under the finger and are ideal when typing (up to about 1.5mm).

Design

There is a wide range of design concepts you can choose from. On the current keycaps market, you may come across artisan keycaps with designs for almost anything you can think of namely widely popular anime series, pop culture references, animals, astronomy, etc.

Keycap Profile

One of the most important factors to consider when buying artisan keycaps is the keycap profile. Keycap profile refers to the overall size and shape of the keycap on a given row of a keyboard. This keyboard element help to enhance the ergonomics and the aesthetics of mechanical keyboards.

There are two main types of keycaps profiles: uniform profile and sculpted profile. Some keycap profiles namely the Cherry profile offer better experiences for gaming setup while some are more suitable for typing and other applications, particularly OEM profile, so you have to make up your mind which profile is best suited for your needs.

The Buying Process

In the keyboard world, there are typically two ways to buy something: group buys and raffle.

If you want a product immediately, you can purchase a raffle design that is available and ready to ship. This is the most common type of sale among all and is generally the most affordable option.

But in case you want a product that goes through exclusive runs and the manufacturer only makes a limited amount, group buys are your best option.

Group buys are a way to buy a future custom-made product that hasn’t been made yet. You’ll typically have to make a payment in advance and wait a few months for the manufacturers to complete the product. If you want to opt for a group buy, take into account that it usually takes a long period before your order arrives.

Buying artisan keycaps through group buys or raffles is ultimately up to how soon you want the product, how customized it needs to be, and how much you’re willing to shell out.

How to affix an artisan keycap

After buying artisan keycaps, you need to know how to affix them to your keyboards. To do this, no matter the variation in shape or size, you’ll need a keycap puller. Otherwise, the process is pretty simple to carry out and oddly satisfying.

Unplug your keyboard. Or switch the keyboard off in case you have a wireless keyboard.
Remove the original key from your keyboard by using the keycap puller. The switch which is right under the keycap and connected to the board will now appear. A cross-shaped stem also protrudes as well.
Align the cross-shaped indent at the bottom of the keycap with the stem on your keyboard.
Gently press down with equal pressure to secure the keycap.
Tap the key a few times to make sure that it is firmly attached to the keyboard.

Summary

Aesthetics is the cherry on top of building your mechanical keyboard. It may deprive you of money and effort, but the satisfaction you get in expressing your personality through your custom keyboard is, to some extent, priceless. Point in case, your satisfaction and happiness are ultimately questioned as to whether the product you bought is worth purchasing or not.

Hopefully, through this in-depth article, you have given your own answer to the question of where to buy artisan keycaps.

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