The iPad mini is practically too small for a keyboard. But once you try one, you’ll realize that it fills a practical gap in your daily tablet workflow.
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.
