I'm a bit of a lurker and I don't frequent here or post here (so I may not see replies, sorry!) But thought I'd share my story given that people have been mentioning eating around the butterfly keyboards and what not.
I've got a 2018 Macbook Pro, and coming from a 12 inch MB, I knew the keyboard was gonna be ****ed so I got one of those clear keyboard covers off Amazon. Not exactly this one but it's like this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/MOSISO-Premium-Keyboard-Adhesive-Protector/dp/B074K3FNJF/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2FCL3GRKUZ8XX&keywords=macbook+keyboard+cover&qid=1564184763&s=gateway&sprefix=macbook+keyboard,aps,141&sr=8-3
I've had this keyboard cover on the whole time. And it doesn't help, so please stop with the "lay off the Doritos" argument.
I've currently had the machine repaired twice and the e, r, and t keys are already ****ed (this message took a lot of editing). I'm sorry but I've never had keyboard problems this bad on a Macbook before, and I don't see why Apple need to be so vehemently defended by some users of this website, saying it isn't some big issue. Why not acknowledge that there are complaints, so it becomes more known, and we as consumers all get better and more reliable products? This "support" that Apple receive from people is just weird - they just wanna sell you **** lol.
I have no doubt that the butterfly keyboard fails at a higher rate than the previous scissor keyboard. But there are 25+ million of these keyboards in use. Some users have problems, and some don’t. Some who have had issues are convinced that 100% of keyboards are problematic, but that’s simply not the case.
Whether it’s a materials, manufacture, design, assembly, usage or heat issue—it may be all of those and more, there are no doubt multiple failure modes—the keyboard is not as robust as previous models. There are issues with particles but in general it’s not a “cookie crumb” problem. The keyboard is not worthy of Apple, and I’m sure all involved are not happy with the reliability.
re: defense of the butterfly keyboard, I think some of the pushback by pro-Apple users on these forums comes in response to having the usual Apple-hate posters doing their usual dog-piling, as they do with any issue. For them, the butterfly keyboard has just become another talking point to support their innumerable APPLE SUX!! diatribes with which they so enjoy trolling these forums. They’ve never had a butterfly keyboard, maybe never even used one, but they’ll post and complain
ad nauseum about how horrible it is.
But there are those who actually like the new keyboard, and haven’t had the bad experience that others have had. Of course, they’d likely have a different opinion if they’d had the issues some users have had, with multiple failures and all the attendant hassle that needing to have the computer serviced entails.
Apple says (at least as of the third generation) that the “vast majority” have a positive experience, while acknowledging that a small number of users—for some definition of small—do experience problems. If the class action lawsuit goes anywhere, I suppose we’ll see actual data wrt failure rates.
PS Some think heat is a factor; you might want to try going without the keyboard protector.