Not to rain on your parade, but 10 years is nothing. I'm still using my cheap A4Tech KV-300H bought back in early 2011 for about $15. It works just as it did the day it was bought, except for some minor cosmetic wear. It had tea, coffee, and water poured on it about a dozen times, continuing working as before after a few hours in a warm place.
I really don't get the usual "get one mechanical keyboard and it'll serve you for life". This thing will surely last for at least another 5 years. It's very comfortable, I can type for hours and the wrists don't hurt. So what does it come to, about $1 per year of use?
What mechanical keyboard can beat that? (I am not planing on living for 300+ years, mind you.)
If your happy with your keyboard, then I'm happy with it. I personally like the way the model-M feels (I'm now using a mechanical keyboard for noise reasons and it is not as good). I don't expect you to feel the same as me, but if you haven't seriously tried the options I expect you to be honest enough to admit that you don't have an opinion.
Good keyboards are not about how long they last. They are about how your primary interface to the computer feels. How long they last is part of value, you might like something really expensive and choose to use something you like less because you don't find the other worse the cost.
Mine is from '91 but same. I also don't fully understand the flaming the model M as flimsy, I am fairly confident I could use mine as a medieval cudgel if I needed to!
But I am using a cheap keyboard. About 10 times cheaper than the cheapest mechanical keyboard that's decent enough to spend any money on. That's the entire point of my comment above.
You can get very good mechanical keyboards for around 50 €. These will of course be made completely in China with switches from one of the 3rd party manufacturers, but most of these are still pretty solid.
Thank you for bringing up that little gem, A4Tech KV-300H is indeed excellent value for its price. It had very good user reviews in my country; I bought it few years ago for about 20€, as a successor to an Apple Wireless Keyboard. Sturdy, wired, classic full-size ANSI layout, with accessible modifier keys (no FN/multimedia keys). A bit creaky, but nice option if one prefers low profile, chiclet keyboards.
Also, for some people comfort beats all other factors, including durability. Mechanical or not, since I switched to Microsoft Natural Ergonomic 4000 at work, I really don't care what is under the keycaps. Improvement in comfort is so massive for me, that even if keyboard would completely break every 2 years, I would just happily buy another one.
If that works for you, then great. For me, I use an ergodox because I can feel my wrists start to hurt after only a few hours of using a normal rubber dome keyboard. Even if I spent $1000 on it, it would still be cheaper than physical therapy.
I really don't get the usual "get one mechanical keyboard and it'll serve you for life". This thing will surely last for at least another 5 years. It's very comfortable, I can type for hours and the wrists don't hurt. So what does it come to, about $1 per year of use?
What mechanical keyboard can beat that? (I am not planing on living for 300+ years, mind you.)