Tesmo Kickstand REVIEW Inexpensive and Portable upgrade for your phone, tablet or laptop. | Mac Sources

6 min readNov 5, 2019

Tesmo Kickstand

Enjoy workplace ergonomics on-the-go with the Tesmo lightweight adhesive kickstand.

Like so many individuals in the workplace today, data-entry/typing makes up a large portion of our daily tasks. Between work and product reviews, I type tens-of-thousands of words each week. To avoid repetitive strain injuries, such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, I employ several strategies to improve my wrist/typing ergonomics. Despite the fact that our employers attempt to create safer workplace conditions such as proper screen height, keyboard angle, chair style, etc., we often strain our necks, shoulders, elbows, and wrists with inappropriate laptop etiquette. Laptop stands provide a reasonable way to improve our on-the-go posture and typing hygiene. The uncagedergonomics.com website provides ten reasons that one should use a laptop stand:

If you use your laptop with an external monitor, raising the laptop to a similar height as your monitor will help prevent eyestrain and neck pain
Using a height adjustable laptop stand to keep the laptop above your desk surface-or lap-will help keep it cooler. Your laptop’s performance can suffer if it gets too hot.
A laptop stand can be an affordable way to dip your toes into standing while working. An ergonomic laptop stand can help you position your laptop to a position that’s right for you whether you’re sitting or standing.
Many laptop stands are as lightweight and portable as the laptop itself, so you can move your laptop stand as you relocate from place to place.
If you don’t use an external keyboard, and type on your laptop, a laptop stand will help you position your laptop to be at a height that is somewhere between the ideal monitor height (center of the screen at eye level) and the ideal keyboard height (elbow height).
If your laptop tends to run on the warm side, you can get a laptop stand that has one or more fans built into the surface. Keeping air circulating on the bottom of your laptop will help keep it from getting too hot.
An ergonomic laptop stand can help you position the angle of your laptop so you can reduce screen glare, which can lead to eye strain and headaches.
Many laptop stands have advanced features that can be very handy, including extra USB ports and cable management, a small drawer, or even a slot to hold your smartphone.
Reduce clutter on your desk by placing your keyboard and mouse under the laptop stand when you’re not using them.
In addition to using a laptop stand for your laptop, you may also find it useful for holding books, tablets, or even sheet music.

The lightweight and incredibly portable Tesmo Kickstand arrived in a 3 1/2 inches wide by 7 3/16 inches tall by 1/16 inches thick retail package. The cover of the thin cardboard envelope listed the product name along the top, “Universal Ultra-Light Kickstand for Laptop” below the title, provided a useful image of the deployed/retracted laptop stand along the middle, and “Ergonomic, Portable, Functional” along the bottom of the panel. I appreciated the 3 1/4 inches wide by 2 1/4 inches tall midline image, and the choice to provide a side by side comparison of the open/closed kickstand. The back panel provided the installation instructions along the top and the features/specifications along the bottom. To install the laptop stand, remove the stickers, apply the adhesive strips to the laptop, and then insert the belt into the slot to set the height. The easy to install, .038 pound lightweight device, contained a strong reusable adhesive to affix to the bottom of my laptop. Even though the Tesmo device appeared small and lightweight, the durable PU material promised to support up to a 17.6-pound laptop.

I split the tape on the back of the package and removed the thin plastic bag containing the Tesmo Kicksand. I placed my MacBook Pro 15″ facedown onto a soft surface and aligned the two kickstand devices with the hinge. I was a little disappointed that there was no included alignment template but I found that it was fairly easy to eyeball the installation. Using the lower rubber feet and the posterior hinge as a guide, I removed the thin plastic adhesive cover and pressed the Tesmo device onto the surface of the MacBook Pro. To install the device properly, I needed to make sure that the V-shaped device opened outward. The two halves of the Tesmo Kickstand were attached by a weak magnet, which ensured that the device did not flop open and tear off of the MacBook Pro. When desired, open the kickstand, press the central belt into the prefabricated slot, and then enjoy the kickstand.

I have utilized the Tesmo Kickstand over the past three weeks to complete several product reviews. Combined with the Moshi Codex15 case, I loved the portability and the increased comfort/capabilities of my MacBook Pro. The kickstand, when folded, allowed the MacBook Pro to nestle securely within the Codex15. Additionally, I was pleased that I could choose to rest the MacBook on my lap or to expand the Kickstand. The packaging promised “flexible angles for ergonomic comfort” but there was only a single slot built into the stand. The information on the Kickstarter website suggested that the variable heights were attainable by moving the kickstand up/down the back of the laptop. I wish that the company would consider adding additional slots, similar to the Nite-Ize Quickstand device. Despite the limitation, I love this device. When using the MacBook Pro on my table, or when typing while prone on the floor, I found the increased angle to be more comfortable. Lastly, I liked that I was able to safely remove the adhesive from my MacBook Pro and to reattach the adhesive, without defacing, marring, or leaving a grimy substance behind.

Another perk of the Tesmo Kickstand device was that it was not brand locked. You can add one of the kickstands to the back of your Android or Apple phone, or you could add a single or double stand to a tablet or other brand of laptop. Interestingly, the instruction manual/packaging showed reversed installation than the Kickstarter website. The website showed the belt positioned toward the front of the laptop and the instruction manual showed the belt to be angled toward the back of the laptop. The slot location was thus reversed 180 degrees. Either way, the variety of angled positions was possible thanks to the ability to reaffix the adhesive. With so many possibilities, this lightweight kickstand would make the perfect stocking stuffer for the college student or typist in your life.