Customer Reviews

Macally ECOFAN Bamboo Laptop Stand with Fan

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The first thing that attracted me to the new Macally ECOFAN Bamboo Cooling Stand was that it was made from bamboo. Bamboo is not a wood, but a grass. It has incredible strength, both tensile and hard strength that is, pound for pound, stronger than steel. It grows very fast almost anywhere that's temperate in climate, and is completely biodegradable, Hence, the name ECOFAN.

I like the styling of these stands. There are two models: The ECOFAN PRO stand, and the "standard," which is just designated simply as ECOFAN. They are similarly well constructed. After close inspection, they are trim, sturdy, and finely crafted. I noticed nails in the underside frame. My first thought was "ugh, nails." But looking closely I could see that they are quality nails, not cheap tacks or brads, and they are put in perfectly flush with the wood, neatly and cleanly. The whole unit is glued, I'm sure, and all the pieces are aligned and finished perfectly. The square gum rubber feet will keep your desk from any scratches or scrapes if you move the stand around occasionally.



Underneath the unit is the box that houses the fans. Screws are used in construction of the fan housing. The PRO model has the fans sitting side by side horizontally under the length of the laptop. The standard model has the fans going one on top of the other vertically under the computer. That signals the thought that perhaps one model might cool better than the other, depending on where the fan is located in the computer. I kind of doubt it, but I'm sure there are some folks who are just so "tuned in" to the minutiae that the difference would be enough to decide the model for them.

The main difference, at least to me, is in the design of the stand itself. The PRO model adjusts to three different altitudes in the back via a swinging brace and three notches on the frame. The front is also built up slightly to accommodate the brace, thus raising the keyboard a little further off the desk. The standard model is one height only, and the front is lower and closer to the desk than the PRO model. Both units are compatible with any laptop up to 17". They both have USB cables ( USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 compatible) which are 39 1/4" in length.



I've been using the PRO model for the past week. Today I started using the standard model. I like the standard one just fine. I don't really need all that adjustment. But that's me. YOU may need the adjustment. It's totally subjective.



I like the way the fans work. They're not totally silent, but they are very quiet; a faint hum, according to Macally, at around 23.5 dBA. I do notice them when I first plug into the USB port. By the time I call up my program of choice I've already forgotten about them.



Do they cool the computer? You bet. Without them the fan in this old MacBook comes on after 20 minutes on Photoshop. When I plug in the fans before I start 'shoppin' the computer's fan remains off.

I like these stands for all the reasons the company wants me to. They're stylish, handsome, sturdy, practical, and ego-friendly. I would want one of these for my desk if I didn't have one.

I would not try traveling with the ECOFAN. They are portable, but not practical for a lot of travel. Backpacking? No. Biking? No. I would find something lighter. These are substantial stands that are almost like furniture, which is how they're made. They weigh in at 1.3 Kg each. That's about 2.5 lb.

Conclusion: If the company is going for a beautiful and practical stand for the home that looks great, will probably last over years of usage, and cools the computer, they have succeeded. Therefore MyMac applauds ECOFAN for it's offering, and making it ego-friendly to boot.

MyMac Rating: 5 out of 5
Original Review - [...]

I like the way this laptop stand looks but when I sit with it under my laptop, the weight of my computer pushes the top down onto the fan and slows the fan down. I have an HP with a 17" screen so maybe a lighter weight laptop wouldn't do this but I'm sending this back.

I am very pleased with the purchase of this item. I do a lot computing in the evenings at home. I was looking for something to insure that laptop cooling wouldn't be inhibited if I had a pillow or blanket on my lap. This laptop stand fits the bill perfectly & sustainably. The slight angle raises up the back port where the laptop fans blow out, the slats on the top surface and the fans underneath further helped cool things down. I was on my MBP for 4 hours last evening and by the end, the computer was only slightly warm to the touch. So far the fans are pretty quiet too. Not as quiet as the MBP, but no more noisy then the sound of the fans clicking on & running in my old Dell. The stand seems to be pretty solidly constructed, not like some other cheap bamboo products. Though not padded, I found the flat bottom surface to be comfortable enough to rest on my lap directly.

While it's true that the two fans are located in the center of the case, I thought that given the rails of bamboo, the air would circulate to cool my MacBook Pro. They do not, because the fans are totally underpowered, and barely cool the middle of the case bottom to a temperature that can be touched. The sides of the computer remain at blazing hot temperatures which can cause pain if held for more than a few seconds.

The unit is unbelievably heavy, so carrying it while it's plugged-in to the computer's USB port usually requires two hands. Worse, the feet on the bottom of the unit dig into your flesh if you're using it on your lap, and not on a desk.

In short, this is a terrible design. It's too heavy, the fans are too weak and too small, and do not cool anything but the middle of the laptop.

Bought this for my Wife's Mac Book Pro. She loves it, uses it on her lap, and finds it comfortable. Plus no heat is felt. Highly recommended

I bought this for my boyfriend for xmas, and it's been a great addition to our laptop world. The fan is pretty darn quiet and at times I even forget it's going. I like the natural look and feel of the bamboo against our furniture too. His laptop is happy and cool.

Just what I needed to keep heat off my lap or table top. This works very well and is quiet running. I am very happy with this product and would tell a friend about it.

Love the look and feel. Works great. Beautiful design. One review complained that it was heavy. It's not. And it cools my laptop very well. To save the computer battery live don't leave it on all the time and just turn it on when the computer feels warm, and it cools it right down. The only thing I was worried about was the fan noise, but it's very quiet. I think this is a wonderful product.

I didn't expect this think to refrigerate my MacBook Pro, so I think it works pretty well, all things considered. What I expect from a little fan under a hot computer. But I'm on the computer all day every day at work. So in addition to actually keeping the computer cool, the thing has to look nice. Which it does. Beats the pants off of those black or white plastic things in that category. Regarding the fan, it's about the same size and speed as the fans in the plastic laptop stands. So as long as you don't expect frost to shoot out from underneath your computer, it's a keeper.

My new laptop stand was delivered quickly, and it came in all the original packaging. The laptop stand looks very good on top of my wooden laptop table. The Ecofan Laptop Stand works like a charm, just take it out of it's box and set your laptop on top of it and your done. The fan is very very quiet, and it keeps my laptop cool just as it was advertised.

The only thing that I could have done differently is to have bought the other Ecofan Laptop Stand that has the built in USB ports.

This was a good buy for me, and I would suggest it so far. I have only had this unit for about a month so it has not been tested on it's longevity, but it sure seems sturdy enough to last for quite some time to come.