Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Expensive Garbage: The Kootek LCP01 Laptop Cooling Fan Disappoints!


The Good: Easy to use.
The Bad: Requires USB power to use, Does not sufficiently move air to keep a laptop computer cool, Top is not supportive enough to allow the fan to be used!
The Basics: Plugging the Kootek LCP01 Laptop Cooling Fans in and setting my laptop atop it was enough to convince me that this more-expensive laptop cooling device was not worth it at all!


Last week, my amazing wife and I had our six year anniversary. While I continue to get used to the new laptop computer she gave me and prepare to review that, instead of just rant about the new operating system (that's here!), I thought I would take a moment to review the laptop cooling pad she - briefly - gave me to accessorize the big anniversary gift. Rating the Kootek LCP01 Laptop Cooling Fan requires me to rethink some of how I rate electronic gadgets like this. Unfortunately, I cannot think of why anyone should waste any money on this device given its structural defect.

Given that both my wife and I use our laptop computers consistently for long periods of time – twelve to fifteen hours a day is not unheard of – one of the first accessories she purchased for me was a laptop cooling fan. I was psyched because she did tons of research before getting a laptop cooling fan for my new computer and she did not get the least-expensive one - she went with the highest rated. Unfortunately, the hype that surrounds the Kootek LCP01 Laptop Cooling Fan seems to be just that; this is an unusable laptop cooling pad.

The Kootek LCP01 Laptop Cooling Fan, model LCP01, is a hard plastic desk-like support for laptop computers. It is 15" wide by 10” deep and over 1” thick, when the feet in back are folded into the bottom of the Cooling Fan. The Cooling Fan does not slide because the bottom features four rubber patches which act as slip-resistant strips. The Kootek LCP01 Laptop Cooling Fan features a pair of fans in its center, on the left and right, which puts them below the center of the laptop that is placed on the stand. This Kootek laptop cooling fan has a light-up feature.

The Kootek LCP01 Laptop Cooling Fan is powered via USB power. There is a 6” long cord that ends in a USB-male jack that plugs into any USB port on the laptop. As soon as the device is powered, flip a switch on the back of the cooling fan and the fan on the Kootek LCP01 Laptop Cooling Fan begins blowing air up. Because the surface of the top of the Kootek LCP01 Laptop Cooling Fan has a thin mesh over the fans, it does not have much in the way of support.

The fundamental problem with the Kootek LCP01 Laptop Cooling Fan is that the top is not strong enough to actually support a laptop computer. I placed my new laptop computer on the Kootek Laptop Cooling Fan and it instantly started clicking. No matter what surface I placed the laptop and cooling fan on, the weight of the laptop - which is not especially heavy and actually should have been supported by the cooling pad's outside edges - caused the top to rub against the fans. That makes a constant noise, inhibits pushing air through the cooling pad and does not cool the laptop well at all.

Given how the Kootek Laptop Cooling Pad is noisy, does not actually cool one's laptop, is more expensive than the average cooling pad, and uses up a laptop's USB port in the process, the neat light feature in the fans is pretty much undone.

For other laptop cooling pad reviews, check out my reviews of:
Belkin Laptop Cooling Lounge F5L041
iWorld Laptop Cooling Station
Targus AWE45US1 HeatDefense Cooling Mat

0/10

For other computer-related reviews, be sure to visit my Computer Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2015 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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