Laptop Radiation Shields are essentially pads made out of material intended to block all forms of EMF radiation, including magnetic, electric, and radiofrequency. Laptops typically emit an enormous amount of magnetic field radiation, although this varies wildly between makes and models.
These shields (or sometimes cases) are intended to put a layer of protection between your body, and the laptop. This protects you from the biological effects of this radiation, as well as from the heat these laptops emit. In this article, I want to talk first about the best laptop radiation shields you can get in 2020. Then, I’ll go in-depth about why laptop radiation is harmful, and other ways to protect yourself.
9 Best Laptop Radiation Shields
When we’re trying to find what the best laptop radiation shield, there are a few things we need to take into consideration, specifically:
Usability
EMF Radiation Reduction (How Much & What Kind)
Build Quality
Customer Reviews
Price
When creating this list I kept all of these factors in mind. These selections have been made after many hours of research, testing products myself, and reading reviews.
Get one from DefenderShield here. Out of the pure laptop radiation shield products on the market, I like this one from DefenderShield the best. DefenderShield makes a huge line of EMF protection products that have been tested and proven in FCC accredited labs, in fact, they have the results of that testing published right on their website.
The DefenderPad (the name of their laptop radiation shield) uses three different layers of materials that allow it to “block, divert, and absorb” up to 100% of radiation from the laptop. It also completely blocks the thermal aspect of laptop that can cause things like laptop-induced dermatosis, a rash on the skin that has been linked to various skin cancers.
It is a really thin, but sturdy laptop pad that measures 15.9 x 0.2 x 11 and it is designed to fit any laptop up to 17 inches. The outer coating is a nice rubbery ribbed material that keeps your laptop in place really well so it won’t slip off.
Although I use the SafeSleeve case even on my desk, I have to say that a really thin shield like the Defenderpad is actually a bit nicer to place on top of a workspace. Since it is so thin, you hardly even notice it is there, but you’ll know you’re being protected. I also find that the DefenderPad works great when using it on hour lap, and it’s extremely lightweight.
Take a look at the video below from DefenderShield to see the product blocking radiation in real time.
So how exactly does the DefenderPad block EMF Radiation? Here is what DefenderShield says:
“DefenderShield® technology uses a patent-pending sophisticated layering of separate non-toxic, human safe exotic materials processed for maximum radiation blocking efficiency. Each material has unique and targeted radiation shielding characteristics designed to work in unison to up to eliminate all radiation emissions from 0 to 10 GHz. DefenderShield® technology refracts, conducts and finally absorbs all these potentially harmful emissions. Modern science knows of no other way of shielding this broad spectrum range of radiation from devices such as laptops, tablets and cell phones, without utilizing a multi-layer solution.”
Overall I think the DefenderPad is my absolute favorite stand-alone laptop radiation shield. Although it isn’t also a case, it has incredible blocking capabilities and is light and thin enough to easily take with you while you travel.
2. SafeSleeve Anti-Radiation Laptop Case & Laptop Shield
Get one from SafeSleeve here. I have been a fan of SafeSleeve’s line of products for a while, not only because of the quality but also because of the level of customer service they provide. I have the Tan version of their case that I currently use for my laptop.
One of the nicest things about this product is that it is not only a laptop shield but also a really high-quality case you can transport your laptop in while still staying protected.
Believe it or not, I actually use the case all three ways that SafeSleeve describes it can be used (see the image below). Whenever I’m not using my laptop (I have a MacBook Pro), I keep it inside the SafeSleeve case, in my backpack, with the front flap facing my back (this is the portion with protection). This keeps my body safe from the ambient levels of magnetic radiation the laptop emits even when I’m not using it.
When I’m at my desk, I put my laptop on top of the case, with the flap open which I use for my mousepad. I’ll put a video down below from Lloyd Burrell over at electric sense down below that will show you that a simple wood desk does absolutely nothing to reduce radiation.
So although you have slightly more distance between the laptop and your body, you certainly aren’t protected, which is why laptop radiation shields should be used even if you’re using a desk.
My wife also always makes sure my SafeSleeve case is underneath my laptop when I’m using it on the couch, for this I typically have the flap closed, and just use it as a radiation shield and nice little lap desk, which it works fantastic for. You can see how this works in the image to the right (not me 🙂 ).
The SafeSleeve laptop case comes in two different sizes, a 12″-14″ that is great for smaller laptops, and a 15″-16″ perfect for larger laptops like my own. you can get the case in the tan leather color that I have, or in black.
I put this as my number one radiation shield because I just really like and believe in SafeSleeve products. If you’re interested in getting a laptop case, you can pick one up directly from SafeSleeve. You can also read my full review of SafeSleeve’s entire line of products.
In updating this post for 2020, I absolutely had to add this new product from HARA, it completely changes the radiation protection laptop shield market. Now, you may be asking why it’s not at the top of the list, and that is for a few reasons, and one of those is price.
This is just about the most expensive laptop shield on the market. That isn’t that uncommon, especially when it’s a brand new design since they have to build in innovation costs into the price.
So, I’ll just summarize all that by saying that if budget is not at all a consideration, this may be the best EMF protection laptop shield for you.
The reason that it is so unique is the design.
Every other laptop shield on this list is just a flat shield. Although these do a good job protecting the body, especially your lap, from radiation, they don’t protect you from the sides of the laptop, especially your belly and chest if you’re using it on your lap.
The HARApad edge solved this by creating a laptop pad that wraps up around the front of the laptop, which you can see in the picture.
This further protects the body from RF and EMF radiation from the front of the laptop while still allowing you full functionality.
The HARApad Edge comes in two styles:
The LapDesk Style blocks your trackpad but has extra space on the side for a mouse, this offers the highest levels of protection because there isn’t a whole for the trackpad.
The LapPad Style doesn’t have space on the side for a mouse, but does leave a space to access your trackpad.
Overall this is a fantastic product with great reviews. I think that this could become one of the most popular laptop radiation protection products on the market in the next few years. I’m still personally in love with my Defendershield laptop pad, but this one is growing on me.
RadiArmor has been making some really great EMF protection products for years now. They came out with one of the very first pod style airtube earbuds and continue to innovate in the industry.
Their anti-radiation laptop pad is actually really nice.
The outer layer is a black vegan leather that is extremely soft and offers a nice no-slip surface for your devices. The overall weight is fairly light but still feels sturdy.
They state that the pad is able to block over 99% of EMF radiation and offers heat protection. They accomplish this with interwoven silver and copper fabrics.
I honestly really like that it is just a simple matte black leather look because it doesn’t stand out in a crowd or at a coffee shop like the bright blue one from EMRSS below.
It works well for just about any size laptop but you can also use it for tablets or even if you’re just scrolling through your phone.
Another thing I like about RadiArmor and this product, is that they actually encourage their customers to test the product themselves. You might know that I’m a huge advocate of people owning EMF meters to test things themselves which is why I’m always recommending the Trifield TF2. Yet many companies don’t want you testing their products and say that the testing only works in a controlled environment.
Well, we don’t live in a controlled environment, and should be able to witness the protection products working for ourselves.
Overall this is just a really great product for a fair price and feel good about recommending it.
5. SYB EMF Radiation Protection Shield
Get it on Amazon here. SYB, or “Shield Your Body” is a company that makes a wide variety of really nice EMF protection products, including baby blankets, cell phone pouches, even boxer briefs! They also make a really high-quality laptop radiation shield.
The shield blocks 92% of EMF radiation (all kinds) as well as 99% of the heat produced by the laptop. The products have been thoroughly tested by an FCC accredited lab, and just like DefenderShield, SYB published the results of these tests right on their website.
They are able to accomplish this because inside each SYB Laptop Pad is a mesh of ferromagnetic steel, and aluminum plates, to deflect harmful EMF radiation.
The pad itself is also really sleek looking, lightweight, and very thin. One issue I have with the pad is the dimensions, measuring at 13.75″ x 10.6, it only fits laptops up to 14″. However, many popular laptops (like my own 15″ MacBook Pro) are 15 inches or more and would be too large for this pad.
The upside of the smaller pad, if you have a smaller laptop (many laptops are only 13 inches), is that this will more easily fit in a briefcase or backpack. So, if you have a laptop smaller than 15 inches, this could be a great choice.
Another thing I really appreciate about SYB and their laptop pad is that they offer a lifetime warranty. In fact, they say on their website that their product is:
“The only laptop EMF protection shield that comes with a lifetime warranty. Unlike lower quality competing products, we confidently stand behind our products and guarantee your 100% satisfaction for life. If they don’t trust their own products, why should you? Rest easy knowing your investment in our SYB Laptop Pad is protected for life.“
Overall I think the Shield Your Body laptop pad is a great product, it does have a few drawbacks (like the smaller size) but also a few unique benefits (like the lifetime warranty). If you’re a fan of SYB products than this is probably the pad for you.
If you’re interested in purchasing one the best place to grab it is on Amazon.
6. HaraPad Laptop Radiation Shield
You can purchase the HaraPad on Amazon. The HaraPad, which seems to be a bit more popular internationally than it does in the U.S. is a very simple laptop radiation shield that comes in either black acrylic or natural walnut colors.
Just like the other pads on my list, it blocks not only EMF radiation but also the heat from your laptop. It’s a nice stiff surface that works really great for your desk or for your lap, and the design is quite attractive.
As far as how it works, it utilizes lead and tungsten-free, military-grade electromagnetic radiation shielding to block this radiation from reaching your body.
One thing I do like about the HaraPad that isn’t available in these other options is that it actually comes in many sizes. You can choose between 13″, 15″, 17″, or even a 25″ pad. The 25″ version is intended to be more of a lap desk, with room for your laptop as well as your mouse.
As far as concerns about the pad go, I’ll just mention that one reviewer of the product mentioned that the wood version of the pad warped from the heat after a few months. So if you’re going to purchase the HaraPad, I’d consider purchasing the Acrylic version that won’t have this issue.
7. EMRSS Radiation Free Laptop Tray And Heat Shield
You can purchase it on Amazon. I don’t have a ton to say about this product, because unlike the others, I don’t know very much about it. The company claims that it blocks all EMF radiation (however this almost can’t be true) as well as 99% of heat (which I’m sure is true).
They don’t have a ton of information about the product itself, so I’m basing my choice to add it to my list on a few things: the excellent reviews, and the low price. At least at the time of writing this article, the price is a bit lower than everything else on the list.
They claim that “Independent tests made by certified Laboratory’s around the world have proved, ProShieldTM LapTopTray blocks both Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) as well as Radio Frequency (RF) Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR) emissions.”
However, I was unable to locate the actual results of these tests. So, unlike SafeSleeve, DefenderShield, SYB, and more, EMRSS doesn’t appear to publish these tests (please correct me in the comments if I’m wrong about this.
8. Cova EMF Shielding Lap Desk
Check the current price on Amazon. This is a product that is a bit more recent to the market but is still a great product if you’re concerned at all about laptop EMF radiation.
The outer layer is made of a really nice feeling vegan leather, which makes a great anti-slip surface for getting work done, whether you’re working on your laptop, iPad, or anything else.
The inside has multiple layers of shielding material, including a “faraday fabric” layer, and a layer of anti-radiation aluminum.
Combined, independent testing has shown the Cova laptop radiation shield to block 92% of electromagnetic fields.
In addition to blocking EMF’s, the laptop pad also does a really good job with heat shielding, which, as we’ve talked about, is also really important when protecting your body, and especially your lap and stomach.
I also really appreciate that this product comes with a 5 year warranty, which tells me that this company really believes in the lasting power of their product.
9. NewBeau EMF Protection Laptop Pad
Check the current price on Amazon. This is another fairly new product on the market, and other than a good price is fairly unremarkable compared to a few of the other products on this list.
However, the reviews for it are solid, the price is fair, and it does do everything you would want a laptop shield to do, including blocking virtually all EMF radiation as well as blocking heat emissions.
The laptop pad is lightweight and a good size to easily fit in your laptop and take wherever. I’s also really thin, but still quite sturdy, which I really like.
Overall, this is a solid product, but not my favorite laptop radiation shield, which would still have to be the Defendershield.
Alright, now that we’ve covered the 9 best laptop radiation shields, let’s dive into why the radiation from your laptop can be harmful, and ways you can protect yourself.
Laptop Radiation – Should You Be Concerned?
First of all, yes, laptops are a large source of EMF radiation, and certainly produce enough that you should be concerned. Most of the radiation coming from your laptop is magnetic field radiation, but through their connectivity to your WiFi, they also produce radio frequency radiation. Although EMF radiation has been connected to all sorts of biological effects, let’s just talk briefly about three specific ways that laptops cause harm, all of which can be relieved with a laptop shield.
Radiation Burns
So there is some debate over whether skin issues related to laptop use comes purely from the heat, or whether the EMF radiation itself plays a role. However, regardless, the heat and radiation produced from a laptop can be extremely damaging to your skin. In fact, balancing your laptop on your lap has been shown to cause what is called “toasted skin syndrome,” or sometimes called “laptop-induced dermatosis.”
This is a nettle sting-like rash on your legs. It can cause discoloration of the skin, and in some cases, has been linked to skin cancer.
There are plenty of reasons you want to keep the heat from a laptop away from your body, which is why a laptop radiation shield or case can be such a valuable product to have around if you work on your laptop often.
I also want to note that children can be particularly susceptible to the heat from a laptop, so if your child uses a laptop on their lap, make sure they have some protection.
Laptop Radiation And Male Infertility
I wrote a long post about the how EMF radiation affects fertility in men if you’re interested, so I won’t go into too much detail about this here. Essentially, the heat and EMF radiation from things like a laptop (or even your cell phone) can have lasting effects on the quality and quantity of your sperm.
In fact, a study published by the Journal of Fertility and Sterility found stated that: “We speculate that keeping a laptop connected wirelessly to the internet on the lap near the testes may result in decreased male fertility.“
What they did was tested the semen from 29 healthy men. Half the group was tested with exposure to a laptop connected to WiFi, and the other half was tested with exposure to the same levels of heat, but without the same EMF radiation exposure. After 4 hours of exposure to EMF radiation from a laptop, a quarter of sperm were no longer even swimming. On top of that, the sperm exposed to the laptop suffered much greater levels of DNA damage than the “control” sperm.
The bottom line is EMF radiation, either from your laptop on your lap, or from your cell phone in your pocket, has been shown to damage male fertility. EMF radiation has also been linked to a wide range of biological effects such as damage to the DNA, increased cancer risks, heart issues, headaches, dizziness, and much more.
Will A Pillow Block Laptop Radiation?
No, a pillow is not made of any materials that are capable of blocking electromagnetic radiation emitted from your laptop. However, using a pillow on your lap is still better than using nothing at all, because it will reduce heat absorbed by your lap and genitals, and it will also put some distance between your skin and laptop. This distance does reduce how much radiation your body absorbs from the laptop, because radiation falls off with distance.
Although using a pillow as a lap desk for your laptop is better than nothing at all, I would still highly recommend purchasing one of the laptop radiation shields from this list.
How To Reduce Laptop Radiation Exposure
Remember that distance is key when it comes to exposure to EMF radiation. Any amount of distance you can gain between you and a source of radiation (like a laptop) will dramatically reduce your exposure.
When possible, connect to ethernet instead of WiFI. Although laptop radiation shields like we talked about in this article can do quite a bit to protect you against radiation being absorbed directly into your body, they can’t do much to protect you against the radiofrequency radiation your laptop exposes you to when connected to WiFi. If you aren’t utilizing the internet (such as typing up a paper, etc.) simply turn off the WiFi on your laptop until you need it.
Remember that your desk isn’t likely going to block much radiation, so even though the increased distance can help to protect you, be sure to still use some kind of laptop radiation shield.
If you use headphones with your laptop, be sure to use a pair of Air Tube headphones to reduce your exposure.
Final Thoughts On Laptop Radiation Shields
Other than cell phones, laptops can be one of our largest sources of EMF radiation exposure. If you use a laptop frequently, there is almost no reason you shouldn’t have a quality laptop radiation shield.
I really hope you found this article valuable. If you’d like to chime in on my selections, please feel encouraged to leave a comment below, i’d love to discuss it with you!
I created and currently manage EMF Academy, one of the premier sources for EMF safety knowledge. I am so passionate about spreading this crucial information. If you need anything, just shoot me an email at Christian@emfacademy.com and I'll do everything I can to help.
