Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

LAP GEAR SCHOOLHOUSE LAP DESK: Reviews for this product ranged wildly before I purchased mine (about 80% pro, 20% con) and I was a bit cautious about ordering it. Some reviews sounded fantastic, others very disappointed. I prefer to order when most reviews are 4 or 5 stars, and since the clear majority on this product WERE 4 or 5 stars, I did place an order. But that 20% of bad reviews did have me a bit worried. My lap desk arrived about 2 weeks ago, and I've been using it a lot since. Here's my experience thus far. PACKAGE: First off, the package in which the desk arrived was entirely appropriate and there was no damage to either the wood or finish. WOOD/FINISH: Both the wood used and the finish on this item were similar to the other wooden surface lap desk we own ... suitable to the task, but not OVERLY durable. This item was not designed to take abuse. If you take care of this item, it should last a good long time and look and perform great. If you play rough with it, it will show wear. I feel totally comfortable using my rubber footed laptop or a leather or paper journal on this surface. I would NOT use a wire spiral bound notebook on this surface without putting something underneath it. If I need/want to take notes in a wire notebook, I lay down a linen towel first to protect the finish. The FEEL of the item is very satisfying, but NOT heavy. HINGES: The hinged lid opened just fine the first time, closed without difficulties, and has continued to do so since, with NO issues. The lid is not loosely mounted at all, it's all quite secure. BUT, the hinges used to mount the lid do allow for a little natural wiggle as there is play in the mechanism of the hinges themselves. If you grip the lid and try to move it about a bit, it will wiggle, but this is normal for the kind of hinges used. The arm hinge on the right side is designed to hold the lid in the open position when desired (which it does with no issues), and the mechanism which allows for this "lock open" feature is not a hard "CLICK" lock, but a more gentle rounded notch, which will wiggle just a bit, but not objectionably so for the intended use. I've seen this sort of hinge used before, and this one behaves like all the other ones I've seen. The two simple butt hinges used between the lid and the base also have a certain amount of natural wiggle in them, again nothing objectionable and all very normal for the type of hing it is, nor will these hinges render the motion of the lid awkward or undesirable in any way. But, if you're expecting completely smooth, wiggle free, click-lock functionality, then look for a desk that runs about $200 or more. COULD the manufacturer have chosen more high-precision hinges? Sure ... but you wouldn't be paying in the neighborhood of $40 for the desk any more. So, my assessment is, given the price range, I think the hinges will be just fine and I am not at all disappointed. As a counter point, I bought a wooden writer's box 20 years ago which has incredible hinges that are smooth as glass and wiggle free. Today such a box would run well over $200, and I think it cost me about $150 back then. MOUNTING HARDWARE: That's the hinges themselves. There were also some comments about the mounting of the hinges being flimsy. Well, when you mount hinges in relatively thin (between 5/16" and 3/8" thick) pieces of wood with relatively small screws (long screws aren't an option with thin wood), it's not the sort of set up I'd suggest turning over to a child to play with. This is a relatively delicate piece of work designed for use by careful grown ups, not a child proof "throw it around and see what it can take" sort of piece. The way I use such items, I think it should last for many years, as some reviewers suggest theirs did (I believe one person quoted something around 10 years). Would I jerk the lid on this unit around with all my strength or pick it up, fully loaded, by the open lid? No. Would I open and close it during normal use without fear of it being damaged, by all means, yes. I understand that some of us need "field grade" pieces for use outdoors or on construction or manufacturing sites. I would not recommend this item for such heavy use. But for use in my home for my paper and PC based writing, I'm totally convinced it will work out just fine. SIZE: Some folks took issue with the size of this lap desk not being quite as big as they though it would be. At about 18" x 14", the size of the lap desk surface is about 2" longer and 4" inches deeper than the laptop I use, (keeping in mind that 2" of the depth is the pencil shelf area in the back, behind the hinges).This provides an overall surface space which I find totally adequate for using my Dell Latitude E6530 or any of the paper journals or notebooks I use. Some very large art pads might be an issue. INTERIOR: The inside of this unit was a real treat to discover. There are two compartments, one running along the left (for pencils and smaller items) and one larger compartment for pads, tablets, etc. It's felt lined (not sure exactly what fabric) and really wonderful. The interior of this piece really gives it a special feel that I love. LAP INTERFACE: A lap desk ... sits on your lap. :) So what's the surface of this one like underneath, where it comes in contact with the lap? Think black beanbag. It's a felt-like feel, easy to form around the different configurations of lap you present (straight legged, crossed, etc.) and I have had NO issues with comfort at all. Very easy, very cozy. GAMER ALERT: If you've ever played Dungeons and Dragons or any another table-top, face to face role playing game that requires the person running the game to do some portion of their work behind a screen, this item is a total "deity-send". :) Having played and run RPG's for about 20 years, it hit me about a week into owning this item ... "OMG! ... I can use this as a GM (game master) screen! It's perfect" The game master often needs to perform tasks the rest of the players aren't intended to see, such as rolling dice. The felt lined interior chamber of this lap desk is PERFECT for rolling dice (stable, hidden, completely self-contained and, best of all, QUIET!)! And the "stay open" locking hinge means you don't have to use one hand or some home-made contraption to keep the lid open while you roll the dice, take notes, or do whatever it is you do. Got miniature figures you don't want your players to see until they make their appearance in Act 2, Scene 3? Keep them in the handy side compartment! Whether you run your game from a laptop or paper or both, this work surface has you covered. I really think the manufacturer should hook up with game stores ... they'd definitely move a bunch of these! For the money I paid, I have absolutely no complaints about this lap desk. It's a joy to use, and properly taken care of, should provide me with years of use and excellent appearance and aesthetics. If it all falls to crumbs in a short while, I'll be sure to come back here and tell you the whole story. If you want a lap desk of this design that is bigger, tougher, ready for field use and totally wiggle free, expect it to be a lot heavier and a lot more expensive. APRIL 5TH, 2020: Six years later, I am still loving this lap desk. No problems with any part of the desk; all fittings and fasteners working just fine with no need for repairs. Still highly recommend 👍👍👍👍👍