Working from home might seem like a great idea on paper. You can just roll out of bed and get down to work and you don’t even have to worry about commuting, traffic or even putting on pants. However, working from home also comes with the big drawback of having to build out your workstation all by yourself.
Without any provided office chair, desk, mouse and keyboard, or Internet, that’s a lot of gear to buy for just the basics. The good news is we know a thing or two about working from home and the best tech to get you through the day. Read on for the best home office equipment you'll need for working from home.
TL;DR – These are the Best Home Office Equipment
- Logitech MX Master 3S
- Keychron K4 V2 Wireless
- Dell UltraSharp U2422H
- Eero Pro 6E
- WonderWorker Newton
- Gunnar Optiks Enigma
- Mount-It! Turcom AirLight
- Logitech C920S HD Pro Webcam
- Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700
- Jabra Evolve2 Buds
- Everlasting Comfort Seat Cushion
- Mind Reader Comfy Rest
- Cubii JR2 Seated Under Desk Elliptical
Logitech MX Master 3S
A good mouse is a must for any serious workstation. Trackpads are all well and good, but when you need to do a lot of text editing, clicking around, or any sort of click-and-drag, a mouse just does it better. The mouse to rule all mice is the Logitech MX Master 3S, which made a few improvements on the previous spot holder, the MX Master 3. Whether you're at your desk using a mousepad, on your couch using your leg or armrest, or in the kitchen using a marble countertop, this mouse is prepared to keep working thanks to its Darkfield sensor. With this latest version, you also get a bit more sensitivity, which is adjustable up to 8,000 DPI, so faster mouse movements are at your fingertips.
The MX Master 3S is built to work with just about any device due to its combination of a USB wireless receiver and support for Bluetooth LE. Whether you want to connect it to a $10,000 desktop PC or a budget smartphone, you have that option. Logitech's Flow technology also makes it easy to use the mouse on multiple devices at once, letting you slide the pointer off the edge of one device's screen to see it land on the screen of another. All that functionality, along with stellar scroll wheels and buttons are packed into a quiet — thanks to a 90% less click sound than the MX Master 3 — ergonomic mouse with a whopping 70-day rechargeable battery life.
Keychron K4 V2 Wireless
The best keyboard is one that's ready for all your work needs, and the Keychron K4 V2 Wireless is it. This 100-key keyboard is ready for serious typing with your choice of mechanical Gateron Blue, Red, or Brown switches, so you can get the feel you prefer. It also has a full number pad ready to make pounding out spreadsheets a breeze.
The Keychron K4 V2 Wireless is ready to work with just about whichever machine you need thanks to Bluetooth connectivity and a USB-C wired connection. Keychron also provides swappable keycaps for Mac and Windows. Keep it plugged into your computer during the day, or pack it in a bag and leave the cables at home when you're on a workcation. With a battery that can last up to 72 hours, you'll be able to make it through a full week of 9-to-5 without needing to charge. If you have to work late, you'll benefit from the keyboard backlighting, which comes in either white or RGB depending on the model you choose.
Dell UltraSharp U2422H
If you’re trying to get work done, you need a reliable monitor to do it on. You might be comfortable with your laptop’s display, but craning your neck all day to see it isn’t ideal. And, the extra screen space and elevated height on a standalone monitor make it much easier to see more at once–whether that’s more of one thing or multiple windows for multi-tasking is up to you. The Dell UltraSharp U2422H is a solid option that’ll elevate your productivity and comfort.
With this monitor, you get a 23.8-inch display, which is the perfect size to pair with your desktop or increase the size of your laptop’s current screen real estate. The Full HD resolution with a 60Hz refresh rate is perfect for viewing documents, doing a bit of editing, and of course, procrastinating on tasks by surfing the web. It’s also packed with ports and even a USB hub, so you can plug just about anything into it for a speedy connection. Plus, the monitor’s height, swivel, and tilt are adjustable to help with ergonomics.
Eero Pro 6E
Nothing puts a damper on your productivity more than slow internet or spotty Wi-Fi, and that’s why grabbing a mesh router like the Eero Pro 6E can make a world of difference. While some blame comes down to your ISP, this system can get your home blanketed in a strong Wi-Fi signal, giving you a high-bandwidth connection just about anywhere you want to work, even in a larger home.
The Eero Pro 6E system uses an unobtrusive, simply-designed main router and matching nodes to create overlapping coverage zones, eliminating dead spots. You get the latest Wi-Fi 6E support and tri-band Wi-Fi, offering a 2.4GHz, a 5GHz, and even a 6Ghz band to use with Wi-Fi 6E devices for some serious throughput. In total, you can get 2.3 Gbps network speeds and can connect to over 100 different devices. Once it’s up and running, you’ll enjoy features like Zigbee and Thread compatibility for your smart home devices and advanced online protection with encryption tools and security protocols.
WonderWorker Newton
Getting the perfect setup for your computer can be difficult, especially if you don’t have an adjustable desk or office chair to work from. You don’t want to spend the whole day bending your neck at uncomfortable angles just to see what you’re doing. The WonderWorker Newton can help you avoid those ergonomic pitfalls.
This laptop stand uses a simple design to provide some incredible flexibility for your setup. Legs on either side of the laptop tray allow you to fine tune the height of your laptop, letting you lift it just 1.6 inches or go as high as 18.9 inches, and you can go for any height between those two. The aluminum-alloy tray itself supports multiple angles, and it’s ventilated on the bottom to keep your laptop cool. And, with a sturdy build, it can hold up to 33 pounds — hopefully your laptop is lighter than that, though.
Gunnar Optiks Enigma
No matter what staring at screens all day is just not good for you, but getting a pair of Gunnar Optiks is one thing you can do to save your eyes. These computer glasses are designed to reduce the amount of constant bright blue light and glare that can harm your vision. What’s more, these glasses also help reduce any screen flicker you might have noticed otherwise while adding a slight bit of magnification to your vision.
Mount-It! Turcom AirLight
A good desk lamp like the Mount-It! Turcom AirLight is one other great way of helping reduce eye strain while working. It’s always good to have a strong, steady light while you're working. It’s particularly handy on dreary days and when workdays stretch long into the night. One other added benefit you get from the Mount-It! Turcom AirLight is it also has a bladeless fan built-in, so keep cool while you work.
Logitech C920S HD Pro Webcam
Working from means taking a lot of video calls, so you should upgrade from your basic potato-quality laptop web camera to a dedicated one like the Logitech C920S. This webcam records at a much higher quality 1080p resolution and 30 fps with better autofocus and low-light image quality than a dinky laptop web camera.
Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700
Office noise can be annoying but sounds you might hear at home like your radiator going off all the time or your upstairs neighbor walking around in what sounds like high heels at all hours of the day can be downright infuriating. The best way to drown out the world, of course, is a pair of noise-canceling headphones like the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700. They’re wireless and offer a customizable level of noise cancellation.
Jabra Evolve2 Buds
When taking calls or video chatting at work each day, it’s essential that you can hear and be heard, and the Jabra Evolve2 Buds are up to the task. These compact earbuds deliver a powerful, clear sound and offer active noise cancellation that does a decent job of blocking out low rumbles or muffling voices, ensuring you stay focused on a meeting. And when it’s your turn to speak, the four mics on board should have no problem picking up your voice, letting you come across with insane clarity.
The Jabra Evolve2 Buds are a unique pair of wireless earbuds because, in addition to Bluetooth 5.2 support, you also get a USB dongle for a more stable connection. You simply plug the dongle into your computer, and you should be good to go, eliminating the worry of accidentally dropping an important call. Given their wireless nature, battery life is everything, and 8 hours of listening time with ANC on means you’ll be all set for an entire workday—and the case delivers another 25 hours of charge
Everlasting Comfort Seat Cushion
If you're spending a lot of time sitting in your seat at work, do yourself a favor and make it as comfortable as you can. You could pick up the best office chair, but that might feel wasteful if you've already got a seat available. In that case, you can augment the comfort of your existing seat by throwing on the Everlasting Comfort Seat Cushion.
This cushion adds a thick helping of memory foam to support you and mold to your body's shape. It also features a machine washable cover, making it easier to keep clean than your seat's original surface likely is.
Mind Reader Comfy Rest
Sitting still all day can be made even worse if your legs aren't in a good position. In particular, if your seat is too high, you can cause your body some undue stress. But, a footrest can help you get a more ergonomic position without the need to go out and buy a new chair.
The Mind Reader Comfy Rest is up to the task with three different height levels, so you can dial in just the right position for your feet. It also has bumps all along its surface, letting you give yourself a foot massage while you sit. Even if you're tall enough for your seat, this footrest can let you shift your position from time to time to stay comfortable and keep your blood flowing.
Cubii JR2 Seated Under Desk Elliptical
While sitting at your desk, your hands are typing and mousing around, but your legs are probably idle or fidgeting a little. The Cubii JR2 lets them do more, as it’s a mini elliptical machine that sits under your desk, so you can get some pedaling action while working. It's not an intense workout that'll distract you from your work, but it can be enough to keep the blood flowing.
With the Cubii JR2, there are eight levels of resistance you can dial in, from pedaling with ease to a level that'll take a little extra push from your leg muscles. A built-in LCD lets you see how much you've done, and you can put those stats into the Cubii app to track progress. If you're done working and want to keep moving, this machine is easy to move over to the couch, while its low-profile design makes it easy to tuck away when you're not using it.
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Kevin Lee is IGN's Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam
