Thanks to apps like Epicurious, How to Cook Everything, and Martha's Everyday Food, iPads make excellent kitchen companions.

Just one problem: how do you protect your pricey iPad from the perils of the kitchen I'm talking messy ingredients, hot stoves, sticky-fingered kids, and the like.

Simple: mount it underneath a cabinet. That not only gets it up off the counter (and out of harm's way), but also puts it closer to eye level so you're not constantly bending down to check your recipe.

One of the easiest and most affordable options I've found is the Original Kitchen iPad Rack, a heavy-duty acrylic tray for under-cabinet iPad mounting. The price is $29.95, plus $7.95 for shipping.

To use the rack, you need only install three white brackets--a job that takes 5 minutes at most. An included paper template makes it easy to mark where you'll drill your pilot holes for the screws. (The instructions don't mention drilling, but they should.) Once the brackets are installed, you simply hook the rack into them, then place your iPad on the rack.

What's cool is that you can just as easily remove the rack when you don't need it, tossing it in a drawer or cupboard until next time. Another design amenity: the rack's lower lip is deep enough to accommodate your iPad even if it's in a thick case, and the whole thing is just long enough to hold your iPad in portrait orientation if you prefer.

The product works really well, though I do have a couple gripes. First, the rack itself may be removable, but the brackets aren't--so you'll probably see them poking down from beneath your cabinets. They're a bit of an eyesore.

If you can live with that, you may decide you want to use the rack in a second or even third location. CVRH Enterprises charges $8 for an extra set of brackets or $15 for two extra sets. Come on, guys. Really

Finally, and this is another bracket-related complaint, the rack can't rotate. Why not switch to a wider, single bracket that can turn, say, 45 degrees in each direction That would make the rack a lot more versatile.

Of course, it's pretty versatile already. Though it may not be perfect, at least by my definition, the Original Kitchen iPad Rack is a fine solution for people who are looking to keep their iPads safe and accessible in the kitchen.