A computer is very much like a car in the respect that it's all clean and speedy when you first get it but after a short while it starts to slow down. And just as your auto needs a tune-up every once in a while, so to your PC can be given the once over to speed it up. Registry Mechanic is one of a number of registry cleaners on the market, and it also proves to be one of the best.

Trawling through your registry for problems can be a tricky and even dangerous task, but this program makes it really simple to cut the crap that you don't need through its idiot-proof navigation. The app splits registry errors into categories, prioritising their importance and offering you a simple-to-understand description of what the problem is. Although the interface is great for novices, there are plenty of customisation options to keep dab-hands happy too.

Scanning in Registry Mechanic is pretty quick and seems to be very thorough (it picked up over 200 errors!) There are several scanning options, such as the ability to scan automatically or to select certain directories to examine. Solving problems is easy for beginners because the program takes you to the path of the error, allowing you to delete it manually, making it safer, to boot. Unfortunately there's no undo tool in the program so you'll need to revert registry entries yourself if you delete one in error. On the whole, Registry Mechanic provides a fast, easy solution for fixing registry problems and speeding up your machine.