Item: The Belkin Chef Stand and Stylus for Tablets
Price: $39.99 at full price (Many sources, including Amazon, sell it for $21)
Overall Impression: An indispensable tool for using tablets like the iPad in the kitchen and for keeping them safely out of the way when cooking.
I had my iPad in the kitchen with me within hours of opening the box, and now I consider it a cooking tool just as essential as my KitchenAid mixer or my subscription to Fine Cooking. I usually prop my iPad on unused part of the counter, out of splashing distance but still within visual range, and use a mostly-clean knuckle to scroll through recipes when my fingers are sticky. This stand from Belkin has changed all that in one fell swoop.
The Review
Characteristics and Specs: The stand is roughly the size of your hand, about 5 inches in diameter and 2 inches at its tallest point, and weighs about 5 ounces. The bottom and top surfaces are coated with a rubbery material that prevents the stand from sliding or the tablet from slipping off the stand. The stand is designed to hold a tablet in either portrait or landscape view as well as either slightly angled or completely upright. Both the stand and the stylus can be cleaned with warm soapy water.
Favorite details: The rubber grippy surfaces are astounding. Even when I jostle the table or touch the iPad more firmly than intended, neither the stand nor the iPad move a centimeter. This goes for the tile surface of my counter, the stainless steel of my prep table, and the wood of my dining room table. The whole assembly feels very solid and well-balanced.
Potential problems: None, really. The only drawback for me is the stylus, which is heavy and a bit awkward to grip. It functions perfectly fine, acting just as well as your finger for tapping and scrolling. Maybe it's habit, but I find myself going back to just using a fingertip or a clean knuckle instead of reaching for the stylus.
Splurge-worthy? Yes.
Good for small kitchens? Yes! In small kitchens, using the stand to prop the iPad upright means it takes up less space while being easier to use.
I was really surprised at how quickly this stand became an essential part of my daily routine, both in the kitchen and out. Since I can prop it nearly vertically, I have found it much easier to reference while in the middle of cooking prep. I even feel comfortable bringing it closer to my work station instead of exiling it to the "safe place" counter across the kitchen. I also find myself carrying the stand with me from room to room, using it to prop up the iPad to read while I eat lunch or as a second monitor while working.
I use the stand nearly exclusively in the fully upright position, both portrait and landscape. The flatter angle seems less useful to me, though a necessary design component for keeping the stand itself stable. Even so, it's nice to have the option should I ever want it. I also don't use the stylus very often. It's thick and heavy, and I never seem to have it nearby when I need it.
Find It! The Belkin Chef Stand and Stylus for Tablets, $21 at Amazon ($39.99 full price)
Related: Better Protection for Your iPad: The Chef Sleeve
(Image: Emma Christensen)
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Thanks for the review! I just got an iPad and have started using it in the kitchen. I've just been propping it in a small countertop easel that normally holds cookbooks, but I was thinking about investing in a chef stand.
Is the stylus dishwasher safe? I hope so!
Now I want an iPad just so I can use the stand!
I hate tech products with a big brand name across it. Major design fail.
I got this as a Christmas present and have used it a few times. It is very sturdy and I can even safely balance it on a window sill that's just an inch shorter than the stand.
My only gripe is that the stylus is a bit temperamental - 'clicking' on items works fine mostly, but swiping takes 2 to 3 attempts to work for me. I don't have a protective film on the iPad, so it's definitely the stylus.
I use my tablet in the kitchen all the time and a stand would be nice but this thing is a beast. It looks like it takes up a lot of counter space.
@TacoTacoTuesday - The stylus is NOT dishwasher safe, but it can be scrubbed cleaned with soap and water.
@Judiau - I know what you mean, though I actually think the "Belkin" branding is fairly subtle and non-assertive on this product. You only see it in the pictures here because I angled the camera to catch it; in real-life it just blends into the shiny mirror surface.
@Sygyzy - I guess it depends on what you think of as a beast! I find that this stand doesn't take up much more space than propping the iPad against the wall or a pile of books (and is WAY safer!). I often set the stand and iPad up in a nook that would otherwise not be used, so it doesn't get in the way or take up valuable space.
So it's just a stand? There's no power?
I use my iPad in the kitchen on multiple levels - I save the "printable" versions of the recipes on here as PDFs, that way I can display them on here when I'm cooking.....BUT I also have an AirPlay enabled stereo receiver in my living room - this way I can stream - and control- music from the kitchen while I'm cooking.....
Technology is just freakin' cool sometimes.....;-)
I suggested my mom get a stand for hers while she's in the kitchen. I sent her a link to this review. Now I just need to get one for myself.
Don't forget a gallon size ziplock for errant splashes.
I would rather like to use a 7" android tablet because of space saving on my kitchen.
After understanding more about the iPad and the Android tablets,I like the open platform of Android vs. iPad. There is no question that Apple did a very good job in design as well as in marketing.
This is a very good stand and so much better than the one that I have. Will get one today.
You can also use a baby carrot as a stylus! Try it - it totally works, although I have no idea how and why.