Belkin F5L001 Laptop Cooling Stand Reviews

• A Good Start, but a (Much Too) Quick Finish

  
  By A240FRPD4MEXND on 2008-01-06
  I've had this Belkin laptop cooler exactly 3 1/2 months. And from day one until yesterday , it did a reasonable, although not perfect, job of keeping my laptop cooler.
  
  However -
  
  This is a noisy cooler, and, from time to time, the fan has stopped dead. But the real problem came when the port for the connector popped out. It is nowhere to be found, so this cooler must go back to Belkin. Meanwhile, I'm suffering a very hot laptop.
  
  Now I realize that a $30 cooler is not the high-tech equipment that you expect to deliver outstanding performance.
  
  But, really -- 3 1/2 months of use, and then Splat? Even from the least expensive peripheral, I would expect better performance.
  
  On the positive side, the design allows for air circulation by lifting the laptop away from whatever surface you're using. And, when working, it does reduce the heat my laptops produce. So it's not entirely useless.
  
  Two stars!
  
  Update: January 18, 2007
  
  Belkin's replacement cooler arrived today. While I was out the cost of shipping, the replacement itself was provided quickly and at no charge. So far, it is working well. We'll see how long this replacement lasts.
  
  UPDATE: February 3, 2008
  
  The fan on the new cooler has stopped --- dead. So, I've gotten approximately three weeks service from this new one.
  
  Not a good omen.
  
  I will return this one for a new one, but the shipping on these coolers is adding up to more than the actual cost of the product, so this will be my last try. If the third cooler fails, I will ask for a refund.
  
  I really like the design of this cooler, so I am very disappointed that the quality is so poor. Amazon will not allow me to change the stars, but if I could I'd change my rating to one star!
  
  

• EXCELLENT!

  
  By AS8IC1P9Y4VR1 on 2008-02-08
  This is one of the few laptop coolers where the fan blows air directly on the computer instead of trying to suck the hot air away from the computer bottom, and it is highly effective! I have tried the Antec, Targus CoolPad (original model), and a couple of others, all of which suck the hot air instead of blowing directly on the computer bottom. Targus recently came out with a newer two-fan, non-suck (ie. direct blow) 4-port USB cooler which also cools great (bought that one too), BUT it sounds like a jet plane taking off. The noise is absolutely intolerable. I exchanged it for another, but the noise was the same. The Belkin F5L001 has one VERY quiet fan blowing directly onto the computer bottom, and does a great job. I have no complaint with the build quality, and the tilt door seems to work fine. One thing that MUST be noted (as a caution) is that if you do not use the built-in tilt stand (a little door that folds down from the cooler body), then the fan air intake will be blocked, thus possibly damaging the fan and/or preventing airflow for cooling. If you use the cooler on a flat surface, you MUST use the tilt stand. If you use it on your lap, use the tilt stand also, or position your legs/clothing in a way to allow good airflow to the fan intake. I was surprised this was not a caution item in the instructions, and I think failure to abide by this caution is probably the reason for some of the failures/complaints in the reviews on this product. I can't comment on the longevity of the cooler, but so far it seems to run in a relaxed fashion, IF you keep the fan intake clear. In summary, I have about $150 worth of various coolers, and the Belkin is the best by far. Whatever you do purchase, make sure it is a blow-cooler (blows air onto the bottom of the PC, rather than a suck type. After all, how do you cool a hot piece of food on your fork, or a hot liquid etc.? I dpn't suck the heat away, I blow it away. Thermal dynamics seems to confirm blowing is the most efficient, and I don't understand how the engineers decided on the suck type. The Belkin is Excellent! Good luck.
  
  

• For the price, a very effective solution!

  
  By A2B3CIEV3SW6EG on 2007-09-16
  I've had the Belkin laptop stand for about two weeks now, and I've been pleasantly surprised at how effective it has been at channeling the heat away from my laptop. When I opened the box and examined the stand, I thought it looked too flimsy to do any good. Now, I find that I use it all the time. True, the flip-out part does little good and I don't use that, but even when I forget to plug in the fan, this stand still keeps my laptop cooler than before.
  
  My laptop's temperature sensor also tells me that the stand is effective. Prior to getting the stand, the sensor ranged from 44 to 51 degrees (Celsius), depending on what I was doing. With the stand, and with the fan running, the temperature usually stays in the high 30s.
  
  I wish Belkin had recessed the plug and provided a channel for the wire, because I occasionally get it tangled with the laptop power cord. But for the price, it's a good investment.
  
  

• BAD DESIGN

  
  By A3CFG9KADO004J on 2007-10-01
  This product has got to be the absolute most poorly designed product I've ever seen from this company. The product is intended for use with a laptop, but if you're actually using the laptop ON your lap, your legs or clothing block the fans ability to intake air and it is no longer effective at cooling. The little "leg" on the bottom is useless, it doesn't stay in place. The "non-slip" strips, yeah...they slip...all the time. Worthless. This product should be pulled off the shelves and redesigned completely.
  
  

• Good Fan - Watch the smell

  
  By A15CL28ALB7MTZ on 2008-06-28
  Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RYETCWMKT7ZZ9 I've tried a couple cooling fans, and I really like this one. I have a 17" laptop and it gets very hot. The fan has been able to keep my laptop cool even after the laptop has been running for hours. The keyboard area of my laptop used to get so hot it became uncomfortable to type. It's now much better.
  
  I thought one fan wouldn't be enough to cool my laptop, but it does a very nice job. The fan is quieter than other stands I've tried.
  
  There is no USB hub on this cooling stand like others have, but it is light and compact. It will fit easily into my laptop bag so I can take it with me when traveling.
  
  The cooling pad has a pop-out stand that will help elevate the back of the laptop if you place the cooling pad on a desk. Just be careful of the stand because it's easy to push back in if you're picking up the cooling pad and moving it. It would have been nice if the prop-up stand had rubber feet so that the stand wouldn't be a scratching hazard when using on a wood desk.
  
  I don't know if it's this way with all models, but after using it for a few hours, I could really smell the glue they used to adhere the pads to the plastic base. Perhaps it's the smell of the pads themselves. I expect it to go away after a while since I just purchased it. If it weren't for the smell, I'd give it five stars.
  
  
• It works
  By A29ODV3MBRAH0P on 2007-08-18
  I got a new laptop computer and after a month I was tired of dealing with a hot lap. I started looking around and it was between something with a fan or something aluminum. I went with the fan because I thought it would keep the computer a little cooler than the aluminum.
  
  I've had this stand for a little over a month and so far I'm very happy with it. It keeps the computer very cool. The fan itself is pretty darn quiet too. Now this is the first cooling stand I've had so I have nothing to compare it too but the fan is much more quiet than the one in the laptop. The computer's fan has never come on while on the stand. However, I haven't been doing anything that would cause it to work to hard either. But, if you position the laptop certain ways the fan has kept it so cool that I can barely feel any heat even putting my hand directly on it. So, as a cooling stand it's excellent.
  
  But as a stand it's not perfect. The plastic panel to fold out to elevate the stand is not very comfortable and so I don't use it. It's much more comfortable not using it. I don't need the elevation anyway so that doesn't bother me. The thing that bothers me most is that the stand is not as wide as I think it should be. For those that don't use the plastic panel, you have to allow room for air to get to the fan in the middle of the stand. So you have to leave some open space between your legs for the fan to get air. You can't have your legs too close together (it will block the air to the fan) or too far apart (the stand will fall between your legs). It's a narrow margin to work with but I've learned to deal with it fairly well and it's not really a problem now. Because if it was, I wouldn't be using it anymore.
  
  So, this may not be the most comfortable stand out there but it's not uncomfortable either. Besides, many of the reviews I read about the one's that were more comfortable didn't seem to keep the laptop and/or lap cool. Bottom line for this stand is it works. It keeps the computer cool and my lap cool. And that's all I really wanted in the first place.
  
  
• Great Item!! Becaus it works, with objective benchmarking.
  By ACV4QOBH8S4QS on 2007-11-24
  This is for Belkin F5L001 Laptop Cooling Stand. I upgraded my Compaq presario 4025US laptop with a 7200rpm HD and 2 gig of ram because i don't want to buy a new laptop with vista. Unfortunately, i accidentally broke the wire of the cooling fan while putting my ram (long story). When i rebooted, my laptop got so hot, which is unusual before the accident happened. I downloaded a cpu/motherboard freeware temperature sensor and found that temp. goes from high 40's to high 60's deg. C if multitasking. Went to amazon for some advises because i don't know how to fix the fan. Fortunately, bestbuy has this cooling stand. I removed my Targus "cooler" which did not actualy cooled my laptop. When I started my comp, idle temp went down to 33-37 C and on multitasking, went as high as mid 50's. BIG CHANGE.For the most part it stayed on the mid to high 30's. I only tried Targus and Belkin so I can only comment on these. But looking at the difference, I am a satisfied customer and would recommend it. If it works, good for you. If not, then return it. For those who don't like it's design, it's a laptop cooler (that works), not an accesory to make your laptop look good. I guess my emphasis is on the word "cooling", and it does it's job fine.
  
  
• Design is good but Fan chipped off, noisy
  By A10CY5U8LJYZK6 on 2007-11-24
  Perhaps I got a defective product? Initially I was happy with it. Then the outer plastic covering kept touching the fan - eventually a part of the fan chipped off. It still worked though. One downside with the design is that the fan is at the bottom which is ineffective in drawing air when you are working on your lap. I also thought it was noisy. I bought it because I thought it was well designed - light, comfortable curvature - which does make a difference but unfortunately the product was defective I guess. If I don't find another cooler that draws air in from the sides, I might give this a try again.
  
  
• Piece of JUNK! Do Not purchase
  By A1ILTIW80IQYTF on 2007-12-29
  I bought this piece of trash thinking it would keep the laptop cool so that my son could play on the laptop without the worry of overheating it. On the tenth day after purchase, and even less days of being used the fan died on the tenth day.I will Never recommend another Belkin item.
  
  
• It's noisy.
  By AW40CRF95YK02 on 2008-01-26
  It works but it's noisy. That's really all you need to know. I have two bought at different times (so not from the same batch) and they both make the same clatter when you start them up that sounds the same as a computer fan does just before it dies. Once running it actually quietens down enough to be acceptable. And I've brought two laptops back from the dead by using these - both had severe heating problems, but with a combination of blowing the dust out of the laptop fan vents and adding a cooling pad, both run just fine 24hrs a day.
  
  This is not a product I'ld want to use for long on my lap however.
  
  
  
• nice
  By A1YDQ8I5KVNF8P on 2008-01-18
  Mine came defective but belkin replaced it after i had to return it at my expense. the new one is working fine just don't know if it is helping.
  
  
• Neat little gadget!
  By A3IH0E8HQUMHNX on 2007-11-07
  This is my first laptop cooling stand, and beforehand I've been using a 1-inch thick 3 ring binder as my laptop stand. I use a Dell XPS M1210 (12-inch screen) and it's been fine until the binder wore out and became too flimsy haha.
  
  After a night of research I settled on this Belkin cooling stand because:
  - reviews (CNET, gear diary...to name a few) are generally very positive
  - user comments...varies but good in general
  - design is absolutely attractive
  - price is reasonable
  
  So after using this cooling stand for a day I think I have a pretty good feel for it...
  
  Pros
  - really cools down the laptop, nothing too dramatic of course, but good enough
  - the non-slipping rubber surfaces provide immense grip
  - collapsible foot at the rear, USB power cable compartment are smart designs
  - quiet fan, suitable for libraries
  - doesn't rock or rattle, provides a sturdy platform for laptops of the right sizes
  - the fan delivers sufficient turbulence and is finger-friendly =)
  - the curvy design makes it very very comfortably on you laps
  - simple but brilliant product, reasonable price
  
  Cons
  - curvy design, not utterly compact but can still fit happily into a knapsack
  - the notorious collapsible rear foot that doesn't lock in place when extended (honestly this is just a slight inconvenience when you have to lift your laptop to move it around, but with the weight on the laptop on it you can push it around the desk without troubles)
  - a bit of a problem with the fan when you start using it on your laps, the fan gets louder (not significantly). A bit tricky at first to get used to avoid blocking the fan but it doesn't take long
  - so far it comes in one size only, too bad for users with bigger lappies
  
  All in all I'm glad I bought this Belkin cooling stand
  
  
• Just what I was looking for!
  By A1EI95OS20V08E on 2007-11-09
  This is perfect. My laptop always got very overheated and would even start to run slow. This cooling stand does its job and is also compact, lightweight and convenient.
  
  
• as designed
  By A35WV11ASCC0NY on 2007-11-17
  First heard about this product on PC magazine. Was very interested in a laptop cooler as I use mine for work and home. I probably shouldn't be impressed when a tech product works the way it is supposed to work, but I am. This may say something about the tech industry or just something about me. This product doesn't drain my battery and keeps my laptop cool, exactly as advertised. Excellent investment.
  
  
• On Or Off
  By A39WT90K0MDJD9 on 2008-07-16
  I use this stand pretty much all the time. It is especially useful if I want to use my Macbook on a soft surface as it tends to get warm. I have found that the ergonomics of the stand alone provides capacity to cool the computer equally as well without the fan on. As I check CPU and computer base temps, I get identical readings with the fan off or on. This is fine with me as the stand passively achieves my purpose in providing cooling circulation and the fan is a bit noisy. It's inexpensive and it works - with or without the fan. What more could you ask for ?
  
  
• Very handy, but fragile construction
  By A1MRI6169CJDU1 on 2007-09-12
  I find that I use this thing all the time. I just wish one of the little fan blades hadn't broken off the second week that I owned it. It's still cooling my laptop but it vibrates a little from ill balance.
  
  
• its good but not perfect..
  By A1LLM0X88A83JI on 2007-10-01
  the only thing i really dislike about this product is that its not really made to be on your lap. If you have this as a lapdesk, with the fan going, the only way the fan will actually draw air is if you have the flap up that elevates the stand. If you dont have this flap up, then the fan will rub agianst your legs and draw no air. Still you can use the stand without having the fan going with the flap down and avoid the heating pad. Also check the measurements for the stand vs your laptop.. my laptop actually hangs over the stand about an inch on each side.
  
  
• it works
  By A3F7KI4U0N6C33 on 2007-11-14
  it really works- i bought it like 4-5 months ago, and there was no problem occurred by this time.
  
  
• An Excellent Cooling Stand
  By A1CZOYRRHO9IDS on 2007-12-24
  I have had the Belkin laptop cooling pad for a few weeks and I love it. I use it with my Macbook and it makes a very big difference. Before purchasing this I had trouble working with the Macbook on my lap because it just got too hot. The Belkin cooling stand has a nice curved design that creates a small pocket under the computer where the air flows nicely. The cord is nice and short too, so it doesn't get in the way. I does cost a few dollars more than the Targus but I tried that one first and was disappointed. It simply stopped working after a few weeks even though I never dropped it or anything. I have already dropped the Belkin twice and it still works great. The Belkin is a great deal.
  
  
• Nice but noisy
  By AMHK0TQCLE35T on 2007-12-30
  The stand is nice but the fan is very cheap. Fan bearings went out within the first month. Stand now makes loud buzzing noise and doesn't move much air.
  
  
• Good at first, but then noisy.
  By A1BVNGUJME1GHI on 2008-01-04
  This laptop cooling pad has a sleek design and is effective, But after owning it for approx. 2 weeks the bearings wore out and now the fan makes an extremely loud and annoying buzzing sound. I had to open the case and mess around with the fan motor itself to get it to stop. Im considering returning it and getting a different one.
  
  
• WOW
  By A2FNTXKPB20A5U on 2008-01-12
  This is an excellent product. I don't use the fan often because the design itself prevents overheating. I is wonderful. I wish it wasn't as bulky for transport but it is still relatively small.
  
  
• It Works...
  By A2MUAMLY8FHLW5 on 2008-05-16
  Hey Everyone,
  
  This product definitely works at keeping the "enclosure bottom" of your laptop/notebook cool. I presently own a 2.2 GHZ Intel Core Duo Notebook w/ 4 GB RAM by Apple (the 13" MacBook). I ran a few programs that kicked the CPU's temperature up a few hundred degrees, which triggered the heat sink fans to kick-in. Consequently, this operation would have normally brought the enclosure bottom temperature to 90 F plus degrees. However, this device kept the enclosure bottom at a "normal" operating temperature (74 F).
  
  The fan is kind of loud, meaning it's about the same decibel level as the internal heat sink fans on my notebook, thus you'll be getting a compounded "fan" noise when both the CPU fan is running in conjunction with the "Laptop Cooling Stand". However, I can promise you that the bottom of your laptop/notebook will be cool :)
  
  In terms of durability, this product is slightly fragile, so I wouldn't bring it outside of an office/studio environment. The stand does work, despite other reviewers critiquing this product for its inability to hold a notebook up.
  
  Overall, I'm giving this product five stars because of its: price, ergonomics, efficiency, and most importantly, its ability to cool the "enclosure bottom" of the computer.
  
  
• Was not good to me
  By AGNN37TDZPDWA on 2008-05-27
  I have used a laptop cooler since I purchased my first laptop five years ago. I bought Targus laptop cool Matt and it worked very well for over three years. But I live in a very hostile environment in the lower Sierra Mountains and of all things dust is a major problem where I live. My Targus just got worn out from being cleaned and dusted and cleaned and dusted and I decided I wanted a new type. I researched and I came upon this Belkin laptop cooling stand and I thought the idea of blowing the air towards the computer and venting that way might be better than sucking the air out and pushing an through the mat. I was very wrong about that because what happened was the Belkin's cooling fan was much stronger than the Dell's cooling fan and so dust was actually blown into the computer. That was my fault however the Belkin deteriorated and broke down within 90 days and that is the products fault. I only use the cooling mat at home and so it was never moved around or mishandled because of movement. I took it all apart and glued rewired everything and got it to work again but 90 days later it had again broken down and by this time it had lost one of its fan blades. All in all I think this is a bad design and it was terribly made because I did not abuse it except for the dusty conditions which do exist here it was treated with kid gloves. And since I'm aware of how dusty my area is compared to most places I always dust clean blow and vacuum the area where my computer is to try to keep it as dust free as possible but with two large dogs coming in and out it is a problem.I was very disappointed in this product and I've had Belkin product before which I do not remember giving me any problems. One of the reasons I purchased it was because of all the Belkin cables and other products that I had owned in the past without any problems. This was a flimsy product and although other people seem not to have as many problems as I did I strongly advise people not to purchase this product.
  
  
• Not a functional or realistic lap cooler
  By AEX8KI6RYFU75 on 2008-06-19
  I've looked several places for this lap pad because I liked the way it looked. Unfortunately, it didn't function in a way that I expected. Flaw #1, the under fan stand doesn't stay in a locked upright position so with the slightest move of the hand the entire laptop falls off. Flaw #2, the one fan doesn't prove enough strength to actually keep my laptop cool; placement and power of the fan is pointless. These two flaws are a deal breaker for me...this cool pad is going back TODAY.
  
  
• Didn't last
  By ADYXU6HWGI26Y on 2008-06-23
  I've had this notebook cooler for about 4 months now.
  
  Month 1- it cooled well.
  Month 2- became noisy, but continued to cool well.
  Month 3- noisy, sputtering, sometimes it would stop.
  Month 4- completely dead.
  
  Seeing as I paid close to list price for this product, I did not get my money's worth. At least it looked nice while it lasted.
  
  
• A couple design flaws
  By A29TK7TFU0JDT on 2008-07-09
  Unlike other reviewers, I didn't really have any problems with noise. I have to put my hand to feel the air blowing to know that it's on.
  
  There are two problems with it, though. The electricity port in it is very poorly constructed. The port where you attach the cord can fall into the unit, so you can't plug in. Other people who have reviewed this had the same problem and had to send the item back to be repaired.
  
  It's easy to fix yourself though. I did mine by removing the screws at the bottom, then putting the port back in its proper place just using some clear tape. It's easy to do. It's better if you fix it yourself than to have to waste money and time on sending it back to Belkin. They won't cover the defect.
  
  I have another laptop cooling fan and it sucks the air downward. This Belkin one blows it upward. This can be a problem because it would get the inside of your computer dusty and that could damage your laptop in the long run.
  
  The whole reason why you buy a laptop fan is to extend the life of your laptop by reducing heat, but in doing that, this product could blow dust into it and eventually kill it. The purpose is defeated.
  
  The problem with the elctrical port doesn't bother me that much (thought it is a waste of time and I shouldn't need to be doing that). The problem with dust, though, is what makes this product sub-par.
  
  
• INDEED, IT IS VERY EFFECTIVE!
  By A3QN2CHIE2T1GB on 2007-08-19
  TRY IT TO BELIEVE..!!! IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING TO EXPERIENCE FREQUENT OVERHEATING ISSUES ..IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR LAPTOP USAGE.. IT SHUTS DOWN AFTER 30MINS...BUT AFTER I PURCHASED THIS BELKIN COOLING STAND.. SO FAR,I NEVER HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY LAPTOP ANYMORE..
  
  I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS PRODUCT!!
  
  
• Belkin F5L001 Laptop Cooling Stand
  By A20YUFVR52UPWZ on 2007-10-31
  I have been delighted with this cooling stand. My MacBook Pro used to get incredibly hot but since using this stand the problem has disappeared. It's very light and easy to use even directly on your lap since it doesn't require a power cord. I highly recommend this product.
  
  
• Quiet fan
  By A2K79NE007BDBW on 2007-11-25
  This fan is quiet and keeps my laptop cool. I am using it on a laptop that has Vista and it gets much warmer than another laptop that has XP. This fan is very portable and easy to use, I even use it with my cushtop while I'm sitting on the couch. I recommend it as it really works even with only one fan.
  
  

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