Clickfree is a complete backup product, designed to back up all the important files on a user's computer.

It requires no intervention, apart from plugging in the device at the start of the process and then disconnecting it at the end.

The Clickfree idea is a simple one – instead of supplying the software to make the copy, the company has put the backup software on the disk that will be used for the process, and made it run automatically.

The software also selects and saves all of the most common files that users require: Word Excel and Powerpoint documents, all common photo formats, and MP3 and WMA for audio. These are just examples – a lot more types are covered as standard.

It so happens that, having used Clickfree on several PCs in our office, we suffered a hard disk failure on one of them – a relatively old disk was left clicking away as dead hard disks do. We were very impressed, then, to find that we were able to replace the disk and restore everything from the backup made by the Clickfree product. Restoring was very nearly as simple as backing up, though you have to select the set of files you want to restore and the disk you want to copy them back to.

The can be adjusted backup to work with the folders and formats the user wants to back up (so if you use Family Tree maker and want it to backup the FTW files you can add this format to the list). For most people, though, everything can be left on the default settings, and in that case the backup really is click-free. The 2.5in disk in the black and chrome case was as quick as most, but in any case backup can continue in the background while the user is doing other things.

The disk can be used to archive up to 10 PCs and when it's reconnected to a computer it's seen before, it is clever enough to update the archive with only newly created files. Clickfree also sells DVDs with the same auto-running software on them. Pop one of these in your computer and it backs up office, photo or audio files, and prices are competitive.

The only thing to watch out for is to make sure that the Clickfree product you buy (it's available in a 160GB version too) is big enough to store all your files.

Although it costs a fair bit more than a similar disk without software, the ease of use makes Clickfree an excellent product.