Alternatives to The Original Kitchen iPad RackTM
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SAMPLE PRODUCT REQUIREMENTS My requirements for an iPad / iPad2 mount (I have both) in the kitchen are not complicated. In order of priority they are: 1) Cost-effective – not too expensive, but I don’t mind paying for quality 2) Keep the iPad safe – it must securely hold the iPad / iPad2, keeping it away from liquids and kitchen goo 3) Keep the iPad / iPad2 off the counter - up where I can see it and still access the counter 4) Hide when not in use – no ugly brackets left hanging empty when the iPad / iPad2 is off to another room 5) Easy to install - no special skills or tools and certainly no cutting up of my kitchen cabinets etc To me, these seem like easy requirements. Until I started my search and nothing good came up. In fact, even after 2 months of off-again on-again searching, I still did not find anything that met the approval of the kitchen boss (my wife). So I invented my own solution…. But more on that later. First, here is what I found. Candidate solutions for my iPad / iPad2 kitchen dilemma fall into 3 categories – (1) wall mounts, (2) tabletop mounts and (3) under-cabinet mounts. Of course, there’s always the guy who cut a hole in his cabinet door… but most of us don’t want to chop up the kitchen or tie down our iPad like that… check that out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cq6My3kEqqk FLAT-WALL MOUNTS While wall mounts look nice, they really only work well in small kitchens since most of us do not want to be reaching across the countertop when we’re cooking to get to the iPad. And then, there is the problem of the empty bracket on the wall when not using the iPad in the kitchen…. The only good news here is that there are lots of potential candidates. Google the words "wall mount ipad" and you will see plenty of options for $30-35 and up. If you really want to mount your ipad on the wall, then your best bet is likely the $20 option at http://www.thepadtab.com/ EXTENDABLE WALL MOUNTS Slightly better than mounting the iPad way back against the back wall of the counter is mounting the iPad on an extendable arm, coming off the wall. These are super - - except - - that when you’re not using the iPad in the kitchen you’ve got this big, bulky arm thing just hanging there. It’s nothing my wife would allow to clutter up the clean lines of her kitchen, but maybe some of you wouldn’t care about that. Cost is a bit higher – around $100, including arm + iPad mounting bracket. Here’s a couple of links if you want to see more… $100 http://www.theimount.com/product_info.php?products_id=29&osCsid=291eea9dacfec60750419037d946fcdd $45-55 http://www.tabletwallport.com/servlet/the-VESA-Mounts/Categories (need mount + arm) TABLE-TOP STANDS The next option that I looked at was to use a portable, table-top stand for the iPad. The problem with these is that they do not really get the iPad off the counter, so it uses up valuable cooking area and keeps the iPad too close to the liquids and stuff. Prices on these guys are $20-50+. Here’s some links to check out $20 http://www.shapeways.com/model/146050/ $35 http://www.chillbeds.com/store $49 http://www.thoughtout.biz/products/Stabile.html $100 http://www.theipadframe.com/products/ipad-2-brown/ COOKBOOK STANDS Of course, you can always go the route of using a tabletop cookbook stand, but these are often bigger and bulkier than needed for the iPad (since they are designed for full-size cookbooks, not smaller iPads). Prices are $20-$60, depending on how fancy you want to get. Here are some links to some nice wood, acrylic or stainless steel racks: $60 http://www.broadbaycotton.com/Solid-Cherry-Wood-Bible-Holder-or-Cookbook-Stand-W-3.html $66 http://www.allmodern.com/asp/show_detail.asp?sku=ZAC1130&refid=FR81-ZAC1130 $21 http://www.organize.com/bamboo-cookbook-holder-meadowsweet-kitchens.html UNDER-CABINET MOUNTS The best option for using the iPad in the kitchen is the under-cabinet mount. This keeps the iPad safely off the counter and the whole thing tucks away when you’re not using it. This approach has been used for years with fancy cookbook racks and is well-proven. Prices range from $60-$100 and up. Here are some links to check out $60 http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/cabinet-mount-ipad $94 http://www.organizeit.com/populldownbook.asp?cmpid=gbase $93 http://www.organize.com/unhicoho.html THE CONCLUSION So what was my conclusion after months of search? That there was nothing on the market to meet my need. Being an engineer by training, I was off to the design board to build my own. I went through lots of crazy designs and nearly gave up when I finally invented what I am calling The Original Kitchen iPad Rack™. The Original Kitchen iPad Rack™ is hands-down better than anything that I have reviewed - it gets the iPad off the counter; matches the elegance of the iPad itself, is simple to install, easy to use, gets completely out of sign when not in use and on top of all that is the BEST VALUE FOR MONEY too! I hope you agree that it is the best $30 investment you can make for your iPad. Except maybe it you have no need to cook… ever. Not likely. Like this article? Then click one of the links below and don't forget to tell a friend too! |