Do you have a laptop? Where do you use it most? On your lap, in the car, on the go, in bed, while watching TV, anywhere really as you can just grab it and go.

I find that I use my laptop more on my lap, in bed, or in my favorite chair. After all, that’s why they call it a laptop, right? Do you notice that when you use your laptop for gaming (which can take hours) or just writing articles (which can also take many hours) that the laptop starts to get really hot on your legs? Have you ever placed your laptop on the bed, I mean just for a while? So you remember where it is and you try to pick it up and it’s really hot? My son called me the other day and his laptop accidentally turned on in his backpack; he didn’t notice for three hours. He said that he was so hot that he could barely touch it. What can you do to prevent your laptop from getting so hot?

There are three main options that you can see. They are the Belkin Laptop Cooling Pad, the Belkin AC Adapter or the Vantec Lapcool. All three are worth your time, but they all have their little quirks, so read on to find the one that best suits your needs.

The Belkin Laptop Cooling Pad cools your computer very well. You can buy one from $19.95 – $29.95. They have a one year warranty, gentle slope to prevent wrist strain or to help those with carpal tunnel syndrome, raise the screen to help reduce neck strain, fits in your laptop bag, too contains a convenient compartment for USB cables and grip pads to prevent your laptop from slipping off your lap.

If you’re going to be typing on a table, the cooling pad has a built-in stand that folds out to allow air to circulate. No big, bulky adapters to deal with, just a tiny USB cable that plugs into your laptop. With all these features, I had a hard time believing it was so cheap.

Belkin has another product called the Belkin Ac Adapter Stand. This is also a very good Belkin product, although it’s not quite as good as the Belkin Cooling Stand. When you put this stand on the table, you need to reach back and pick up a plate at the back of the stand. If you are not careful and blindly lean back to flip the platter, you may risk touching the fan. Now this isn’t too bad, you won’t cry, but it’s an irritating design flaw.

Vantec Lapcool is another great laptop cooler. It comes with a 12-month parts and labor warranty. The biggest feature was the variable fan speed which the other two did not have. It also has four additional USB ports, which if you have an older or cheaper laptop, you may only have one USB port. This is useful if you have flash drives and other extras that take up a USB port. It also has an eight-in-one memory card reader. Now this almost makes this product a must buy.

How many people have a digital camera? I do and found that my computer did not support the memory card that came with the camera. So, I had to constantly connect the camera to the USB port to download my photos or videos. This was just an annoyance and almost maddening that the digital camera wasn’t worth it. But with the eight-in-one memory card reader, my camera’s memory card fits and I can download the images in an instant. It costs a little more (about $47), but if you’re having trouble with memory cards, it may be worth it.

Another laptop cooling solution is the Vizo Xena Mini Laptop Cooler. This is a miniature cooler that can fit into a laptop cabinet and is easy to carry. It does not require an external power connection: it comes with a USB connection and draws its power directly from the USB port. And finally, another great feature is that it has adjustable feet so you can control the angle of the cool airflow into the cabinet.

In the long run, getting a laptop cooling pad makes sense. Your laptop stays cooler, so it doesn’t heat up while you work and extends the life of your laptop.