As we used the Llano Gaming Laptop Cooler more and more, we eventually concluded that it really is the best cooling pad on the market today. The device is very effective at what it does. It has a unique design where the cooling fan sits inside a recessed pit surrounded by foam cushioning.

Placing a laptop over space creates a powerful vacuum effect. Moreover, the fan spins at 2,800 RPM max, which can cool down even the warmest gaming laptops. As part of testing, Llano's pad was placed underneath an old gaming laptop that quickly overheats. It successfully lowered the surface temperature of what is normally a very hot computer (so hot you can barely touch it) in just a few minutes.

Llano's Laptop Cooler has RGB lighting as a ring light that goes around the main body. The on-device touchscreen allows you to change the pattern of the lights. This device also offers the option to run the machine using a traditional power adapter instead of a USB cable. All you have to do is plug it directly into a wall socket. It saves you a USB port that you can use to connect other accessories. On other pads, you would normally lose this input.

Llano Gaming Laptop Cooler specs: Dimensions: 16.9 x 12.9 x 2.7 inches | Weight: 4.69 pounds | Max laptop size: 19 inches | Fan RPM: 2,800 RPM | USB passthrough: Yes | LED lighting: Yes

In my experience, laptop cooling pads tend to fall into one of two categories. There are expensive models with powerful cooling performance, and there are cheaper models with less effective cooling capabilities. From what I've seen, there are very few good midrange options, but there are exceptions, like the Klim Everest Laptop Cooling Pad.

The Everest strikes a good balance between performance and cost. The device houses two turbines at the back of a recessed pit. Both fans spin at a maximum of 4,300 revolutions per minute (RPM). Klim, the company behind the pad, warns users of how noisy its cooler can be. The turbines are certainly loud, but not so loud that they'll disturb you or other people around you're running the device. 

If you are sensitive to noise, Everest's fans operate across six different speed levels, with level one being the quietest. 

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I can confirm that the pad performs quite well. It managed to cool down an overheating laptop in about eight minutes. The company recommends only using its product on laptops with bottom vents. My test machine had no bottom vents, yet the Everest was successful. The fact that it was able to accomplish its task -- which few cooling pads can achieve -- speaks to its quality.

Klim Everest Laptop Cooling Pad specs: Dimensions: 16.8 x 2.7x 12.7 inches | Weight: 2.49 pounds | Max laptop size: 17.3 inches | Fan RPM: 4,400 RPM | USB passthrough: Yes | LED lighting: Yes

It is surprisingly tricky to find a budget laptop cooling pad worth recommending. The cheap models are not very good, but Tecknet's gadget bucks this trend by being an effective cooling pad. The upper half of the device houses a pair of fans spinning at 1,800 RPM max. That's a good enough speed to chill out lightweight laptops. 

Tecknet's accessory struggles quite a bit with cooling thicker laptops. The device isn't that powerful, and it can take a long time to cool hefty gaming laptops. I recommend pairing the Tecknet pad with a thin or work laptop -- something like a MacBook or a Lenovo ThinkPad.

Another great feature is its lightweight, ergonomic design. It weighs a mere 1.75 pounds and fits perfectly on your lap. The Tecknet cooling pad takes power from the host laptop via a USB-A cable. It only steals a little bit of power, so don't worry about the device quickly draining your computer.

I should also mention that there is a control wheel on the side. Turning it allows you to control the fan's speeds from the base speed of 1,300 RPM up to 1,800 RPM. It's a great option to have whenever you want the cooling pad to be quiet.

Tecknet Laptop Cooling Pad specs: Dimensions: 14 x 11 x 1.8 inches | Weight: 1.75 pounds | Max laptop size: 15.6 inches | Fan RPM: 1,800 RPM | USB passthrough: Yes | LED lighting: Yes

Comfort is an underrated aspect of laptop cooling pads. Good ergonomics ensures your hands won't feel strain after typing away for hours. Among the many options out there, the IETS GT300 Double Blower stands out as one of the ergonomically best. This is thanks to the device's adjustable rear brackets, which can be set to one of seven comfortable angles.

There's more to the Double Blower than its thoughtful design. It has two high-speed fans inside a recessed pit similar to the Llano Cooler. IETS states its product is more compatible with laptops with thermal vents on the bottom and the sides. I recommend following the company's suggestion, however, in my experience, it is still quite excellent at cooling down laptops lacking bottom vents.

I tested the GT300 on an old Alienware laptop with only rear and side vents. Despite lacking the necessary vents, the pad stopped the machine from overheating. It's worth mentioning that despite spinning at 4,500 RPM, the fans are fairly quiet. 

Having a laptop over the pit helps with the noise factor, but rest assured that you won't bother people around you. Other notable features include dust filters and four unique LED light themes.

IETS GT300 Double Blower specs: Dimensions: 15.75 x 13.7 x 1.97 inches | Weight: 3.5 pounds | Max laptop size: 17 inches | Fan RPM: 4500 | USB passthrough: Yes | LED lighting: Yes

I'm a little surprised it took Razer so long to develop a laptop cooling pad, given how many different gaming accessories they sell, but it was worth the wait. This device has many of the same hallmarks as other entries, namely the recessed pit design and a powerful cooling fan. The blades spin at 3,000 RPM max, making it one of the most powerful models on this list.

Razer didn't just copy other companies because it added its own flare to the cooling pad concept. The foam pad surrounding the center fan can actually be removed and replaced with a different base tailored for different laptop sizes. They're affixed to the body via magnets, so installation is easy.

Review: Razer Laptop Cooling Pad

Additionally, users can customize the device via Razer's Synapse 4 app. You can create special fan modes or remap the side RGB and fan control buttons to perform other tasks like media playback. Speaking of RGB, the lighting is placed at the bottom. It's vibrant enough to make the pad appear otherworldly while not being distracting.

Customer reviews on Amazon offer interesting insight into the product. They appreciate the device's cooling prowess despite demanding multiple power sources to function.

Razer Laptop Cooling Pad specs: Dimensions: 15.6 x 11.5 x 4.5 inches | Weight: 3.52 pounds | Max laptop size: 18 inches | Fan RPM: 3,000 RPM | USB passthrough: Yes | LED lighting: Yes

Gamers who want a laptop cooling pad that makes a big statement should check out the Aicheson K1. It's a large accessory capable of supporting 18-inch laptops and sports vivid RGB lights around its body. The device has the same vacuum pit design that I continuously praise.

The fans of Aicheson K1 spin at a maximum speed of 2,800 RPM. Because the fans spin at that velocity, they can be pretty noisy. Our tests show it can get as loud as 80 dB. Fortunately, you can lower the speeds to 600 RPM by pushing the scroll wheel below the fan for a much quieter experience. This does, however, come with the tradeoff of less powerful cooling.

On the other side of the scroll wheel is a button that changes the RGB lighting array. You can pick between a series of rotating colors or a static glow like red, blue, or green. The Aicheson K1 also offers two ways to power the cooling pad. You can siphon energy from a laptop to the K1 via a USB cable or supply power through the packaged-in power adapter. The latter ensures you don't lose out on a USB port.

Aicheson K1 Gaming RGB Laptop Cooling Pad specs: Dimensions: 16.85 x 2.95 x 12.5 inches | Weight: 3.5 pounds | Max laptop size: 18 inches | Fan RPM: 2,800 RPM | USB passthrough: Yes | LED lighting: Yes

We're breaking our rules for this entry and recommending a laptop cooler that isn't a pad. It can't hold a laptop, nor does it support USB passthrough. But what it does offer is powerful cooling and portability. Klim's Cool Vacuum Laptop Cooler is a unique device that is meant to be placed against a laptop's air vents.

It is quite small, too, weighing just under five ounces. Klim's gadget is perfect for travel. You can stick it into your bag whenever you and your laptop go on the road. This device utilizes a vacuum fan to extract hot air from inside the computer and blow it outside. It doesn't require any direct installation. All you have to do is press the Vacuum Laptop Cooler up against a computer's heat vent.

The company provides several soft plastic frames that go over the front so the device can cool computers without risk of leakage. And it's quite effective at it, too. The fan spins at 3,500 RPM max, capable of chilling very warm laptops down to comfortable temperatures. User reviews on the official product page state that one Cooler can drop internal temperatures by around five degrees Celsius. Keep in mind that the fans generate a lot of noise.

Klim Laptop Cooler with Vacuum Fan specs: Dimensions: 6.1 x 1.42 x 3.23 inches | Weight: 4.94 ounces | Max laptop size: N/A | Fan RPM: 3,500 RPM | USB passthrough: No | LED lighting: No

As you may have noticed, a recurring problem with cooling pads is they can be noisy. For this reason, I don't recommend bringing one to the office -- except for the Havit HV-F2056. 

It has a quiet fan with a maximum speed of 1,100 RPM, so you can freely use this cooling pad without disturbing other people around you. Havit's model sports RGB lights inside its mesh frame, but they're not super bright. If anything, they're pretty dim, so you don't run the risk of distracting others around you.

The company designed this cooling pad to be ultra-lightweight. It weighs a little over 1.5 pounds, so you can stuff it inside a bag and hardly know it's there.

Additionally, Havit's HV-F2056 is ergonomically sound. Users can adjust the back legs, letting you adjust the cooling pad into a more comfortable position when typing. It's important to mention that because the fan only spins at 1,100 RPM, the device isn't the best at cooling. I wouldn't recommend it for hefty gaming laptops. It's best suited when supporting lightweight machines.

What's neat about the HV-F2056 is its slim design allows it to support other non-laptop devices. For example, it can cool down video game consoles and even Wi-Fi routers.

Havit HV-F2056 specs: Dimensions: 14.96 x 1.18 x 11.02 inches | Weight: 1.54 pounds | Max laptop size: 17-inches | Fan RPM: 1,100 RPM | USB passthrough: Yes | LED lighting: Yes