Top iPad accessories

Monday 19 April

The last thing you want is you brand new iPad getting all scuffed up and damaged. Here’s our guide to the essential cases to keep your iPad pristine.

Silicone case (£5-10) There are lots of silicone cases already for the iPad. Silicone cases don’t offer quite as much protection as a full leather case, but they also affect its shape a lot less and are the best budget option.

Vers Wood Stand ($80) The oddest case we’ve seen, the Vers wooden case stand (pictured) is made from, well, wood. It’s not practical and we’re not sure how much protection it’ll offer in real-world conditions compared to a more conventional case, but it does lend a certain retro charm to your device. It covers the whole iPad but leaves space for the dock connector and volume controls.

Tuff-Luv Napa leather case (£36.99) Clad your ‘Pad in a classy black leather outfit from Tuff-Luv. This cover also features a clever stand system that lets you angle your iPad at five different gradations. It’s a mixture of a simple case and tabletop stand, perfect for watching movies or TV programmes on the go.

Belkin Max Sleeve (£tbc) The Max Sleeve is a great compact, rugged choice and can squeeze in other accessories such as headphones, screen wipes and so on. It also comes in multiple colours.

InvisibleSHIELD iPad Protector (£29.99) This protector is actually a screen protector rather than a case as such, but as it’s designed to cover the whole device, apart from buttons, it’s the next best thing. It won’t protect your iPad from bumps all that well, but for keeping its body scratch-free, it’s a great choice. The best part is that the InvisibleSHIELD won’t interfere with your iPad’s slinky lines.

Piel Frama case (£87.99) It may cost a lot, but the quality materials and multitude of colours you can get the Piel Frama case in make it worth considering if your wallet’s not left empty by the initial iPad outlay. It features a magnetic, snap-close clasp and a book-style design that also gives you access to the dock connector and side buttons. It comes in blue, pink, green, red, black and tan – great for expressing a bit of your personality and avoiding looking like an identikit Apple fan.