Laptop tray - for your lap [Recommendations?]

[tomos]

I tore ligaments in my foot so I have to keep my leg up

So,
I'm looking for a tray or holder for a laptop - but one that I can rest on my lap.
I have one I use in winter - is one of those trays with a cushion underneath - but it's much too warm for that now.

Requirements would be:
         # keeps laptop cool [doesnt need a fan though]
         # keeps me cool ;-)
         # unsure about the angle - probably ideally one that will keep the laptop level. Note: my legs are also 'level', so this may be a difficult requirement...

I'm looking at this one from Ikea (image below) - for me the angle is all wrong though. It may work if I reverse it - have the low end towards my knees - but I suspect that's too much the other extreme.

[attachthumb=#]

This one form Coolermaster looks okay - but unfortunately not available here [EU] (or is available at outrageous prices).

I couldnt find much else, so wondering if anyone can make a recommendation?

[Ath]

Maybe a side-table could work for you? Some ideas: https://www.pinterest.com/explore/laptop-table/

[Deozaan]

I got something from IKEA a few years ago called a BRÄDA, but searching for it on their website only shows what you attached.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/search/?query=BR%C3%84DA

Mine looks like this:

[attachthumb=#]

The underside has a beanbag type filling.

[attachthumb=#]

The beanbag filling is nice because you can shove it all to one end or spread it out evenly to get the angle you want. There are only 2 things that might not work well for you:

1. Your legs tend to get warm being covered up by this thing.
2. Though the top looks like it's non-skid, I find laptops/mice and other things slide around on it pretty easily.

[tomos]

Thanks both!

@Ath, I will have a look around here (online).

@Deozaan, yeah, I have something similar myself - but in the summer it's too much - it's already far too warm for longer periods, and it's supposed to be around 90°F for this coming week (and this is not air-conditioning country).

[dr_andus]

I use this one with my 14" laptop: Fellowes Portable Laptop Riser GoRiser Notebook stand.

It's plastic, so it's OK to use in the summer, and it folds, which makes it portable.

[tomos]

I use this one with my 14" laptop: Fellowes Portable Laptop Riser GoRiser Notebook stand.

It's plastic, so it's OK to use in the summer, and it folds, which makes it portable.

thanks dr_andus, I'm considering this one

[dr_andus]

When you first unpack it, it's a bit puzzling until you fold it into shape. My first impression was that it's going to be flimsy, as the "feet" are made of this thinner plastic which makes the riser a bit bouncy, and also it's held together by a leather strip. But I ended up liking the bounce, as it works as a kind of a 'suspension' mechanism.

I've been using it daily for about a year and a half and it's holding up well. I'm using it with an HP Chromebook 14, and there is still over 1cm left on both sides. I don't have the sliding problem some of the reviewers referred to, as the HP has 4 big rubber feet that keep it stable.

[wraith808]

I use this side tray... not sure if it would be good for your purposes, but it might.

http://www.staples.com/Jesper-Office-Adjustable-Laptop-and-Reading-Table-Black/product_WYF078275398126

I like having the laptop unattached to my lap, and being able to adjust it.

[tomos]

I'm using it with an HP Chromebook 14, and there is still over 1cm left on both sides. I don't have the sliding problem some of the reviewers referred to, as the HP has 4 big rubber feet that keep it stable.

thanks,
of course I forgot to mention the size of the laptop - it's 15.6"
This officially supports up to 15.4" :-/
There's about 5mm on either side - but the feet of the laptop are in a bit, so it might be okay - I'll think about it again a bit.


& thanks wraith - will look for equivalent here.

[dr_andus]

Check the Amazon reviews, there is one user who is happily using it with a 15.6" laptop.

[tomos]

Check the Amazon reviews, there is one user who is happily using it with a 15.6" laptop.

yeah, I ordered just a while ago

[tomos]

I use this one with my 14" laptop: Fellowes Portable Laptop Riser GoRiser Notebook stand.

It's plastic, so it's OK to use in the summer, and it folds, which makes it portable.

okay,
been using this a couple of days now:

# it works fine with my 15.6" laptop - the weight of the laptop pushes it down at the back - which makes it approach my 'level' surface ideal
# is stable here, and has good grip at the back - I mean where it rests on your legs
# it is nice and cool for me - I think it's okay for the laptop too: the vents dont match those on the machine but it seems to be alright

so, five stars

[dr_andus]

Glad to hear it worked out for you. 

[app103]

If you have a flat, level tray of some sort, that is comfortable to your lap, you can just stick a cookie cooling rack on top to provide better ventilation for your laptop. My daughter and I use one on a table, with our laptops. (it was her idea, so I bought a 2-pack)

http://www.amazon.com/Bakers-Secret-1061483-16-Inch-Nonstick/dp/B00091PNTI/



(I am currently using mine with a large plastic cutting board. I suppose you could use this on your lap as well, setting either the front or back feet of the cooling rack into the groove on the cutting board, to keep it from sliding.)

[mouser]

App needs to start a blog with all her crazy life hacks.

[wraith808]

App needs to start a blog with all here crazy life hacks.

This!  +1

[app103]

App needs to start a blog with all here crazy life hacks.

This!  +1

The problem with that is I don't even know what is or is not a life hack until someone has a problem that needs solving and I look at how I solved a similar problem or how I would solve it. It just comes so naturally to me that I don't really give it much of a thought. And apparently, it's something that runs in my family, and none of us consider it to be much of a special skill. We are all just natural problem solvers and will use whatever we have access to, to do it.

My cutting boards are a recent attempt to have "husband proof" placemats on my kitchen table, with enough weight to keep the table cloth from sliding. I would have used clear glass cutting boards or even a big round custom cut glass table topper, but that's not "husband proof", and therefore not worth spending the money on.

And my daughter's idea for the cookie cooling rack came from an immediate need to have something to elevate her laptop off the table to allow air circulation, that could replace her previous method of using 4 empty tuna cans. (her boyfriend, not knowing any better, tossed her tuna cans out with the recycling, so she went looking around his apartment for something else to use, and ended up borrowing one of the cooling racks she found in his kitchen.)

Oh, and the other problem is that I haven't figured out how to lifehack myself a decent digital camera, yet, to take pics for a blog. 

[Ath]

Oh, and the other problem is that I haven't figured out how to lifehack myself a decent digital camera, yet, to take pics for a blog.  

ebay? (we're not going to let you get away with it, we all want you to start that blog )

[app103]

Oh, and the other problem is that I haven't figured out how to lifehack myself a decent digital camera, yet, to take pics for a blog. 

ebay? (we're not going to let you get away with it, we all want you to start that blog )

I do have every intention to get myself a camera, hopefully before the end of the year, but if you want to see that blog, you guys are going to have to make sure you submit problems for me to solve, on a regular basis. 

[tomos]

If you have a flat, level tray of some sort, that is comfortable to your lap, you can just stick a cookie cooling rack on top to provide better ventilation for your laptop. My daughter and I use one on a table, with our laptops. (it was her idea, so I bought a 2-pack)

http://www.amazon.com/Bakers-Secret-1061483-16-Inch-Nonstick/dp/B00091PNTI/

I'll have to find out what these things are called in German so I can order here :-)
(Not being a baker of things, I wouldnt even have known what to call them in English.)

Cause I like the idea -
I was thinking I could lay one above the other, with something in-between so they stay separate - that way I'd be kept cool as well as the laptop. (It's been over 100°F / 38°C for the last few days now - and it's still not air-conditioning country...)
Also the angle would be better: if I work even for a short while with my hands bent at the wrist, my wrists start complaining (and they're [I'm] having to work extra hard at the moment being on crutches).

[tomos]

App needs to start a blog with all here crazy life hacks.

This!  +1

The problem with that is I don't even know what is or is not a life hack until someone has a problem that needs solving and I look at how I solved a similar problem or how I would solve it. It just comes so naturally to me that I don't really give it much of a thought. And apparently, it's something that runs in my family, and none of us consider it to be much of a special skill. We are all just natural problem solvers and will use whatever we have access to, to do it.

I've been wanting to start a thread titled something like "Does this exist" - which could probably give you a few ideas. I have two requests along hackable lines at the moment, so will try and get that thread going later today.

[app103]

I was thinking I could lay one above the other, with something in-between so they stay separate - that way I'd be kept cool as well as the laptop. (It's been over 100°F / 38°C for the last few days now - and it's still not air-conditioning country...)

They do make ones that are meant to stack, too:

http://www.amazon.com/Bakers-Secret-Tier-Cooling-Rack/dp/B00BDSHCPE/

I don't know how stable that would be on your lap, though, since it was designed to sit on a counter that stays still.

Also, if the exhaust fans on your laptop is blowing hot air out of the bottom, it will likely cause you to be even more uncomfortable, blowing the hot air right through the racks and directly onto your lap. At least the cutting board I suggested would shield you from that and therefore could make you feel cooler.

You could also place an icepack or 2 on your lap, under the cutting board, without any worries about the coldness of it causing a condensation issue that could damage your laptop. The cutting board would be thick enough to protect the laptop from that. And while you might end up with a wet lap if it is humid, you'll be sufficiently chilled enough to not care how hot the weather is. In fact, you might need to take a periodic break to warm up and prevent frostbite. 

One of these rolling pins, filled with water and frozen, then placed on my lap while I am working or doing whatever (seated in a chair) is one of my summer survival tools. I have also been known to fall asleep hugging it during especially hot weather. 

A 1.5 liter soda bottle recycled for this purpose would work, too, and you could keep a couple in your freezer, so you can swap them out periodically. That way you always have a frozen one ready to use while the other is refreezing.  It could also adjust the angle of the cutting board to make typing more comfortable, by raising the front of the cutting board, rather than the rear of it.

And you might want to keep those frozen bottles in your freezer year round, if you have the room for it. Filling up the empty space in your freezer with bottles of water will save you money on your electric bill by preventing the compressor from needlessly kicking on so so frequently, as it tries to keep all the empty space cold. And in the event of a power failure, the frozen bottles will help keep your freezer cold and your food from spoiling.

[app103]

I've been wanting to start a thread titled something like "Does this exist" - which could probably give you a few ideas. I have two requests along hackable lines at the moment, so will try and get that thread going later today.

I'll be sure to subscribe to it.

[tomos]

[...][20 tips in one post][...]

PS do the 'soda bottles' have to be strong plastic in order to hold the expanding water/ice?

[app103]

[...][20 tips in one post][...]

I told you this just comes naturally. It's like breathing to me.

PS do the 'soda bottles' have to be strong plastic in order to hold the expanding water/ice?

Thanks for reminding me about that. Forgot to mention what you need to do to prevent the bottles from splitting...

Fill them about 90% and give them a good squeeze to remove the air, as you tightly cap them, so they will be partially collapsed, looking more oblong than round. That way when they expand, they won't burst. This is more important to keep them from bursting when you have it on your lap than when it's in the freezer, since shortly after your body heat hits it, there is the potential for a very sudden, loud, visible, ice shattering expansion. It's similar to the sudden shattering that occurs when dropping an ice cube in a room temperature drink, but on a much larger scale.

Soda bottles also have a funny shaped bottom to keep them from exploding under pressure from the carbonated beverage they were designed for, which also helps when they are full of ice. But if that is the only direction it can expand, you will never be able to stand the bottle up again, and there is still the potential for the side of the bottle to split.

Oh, and I hope I don't have to say this, but don't rest the frozen bottle on bare skin unless you like pain & frostbite. Always keep a layer of cloth of at least t-shirt thickness between you and the bottle.