Even if you’re back to the office with a hybrid model, odds are you cherish those work from home days when you have them, meaning your home office space needs to be just right. It should walk the line between comfortable and functional so you can be as productive as possible throughout the workday. But for that to be the case, you have to find the perfect products to get the most out of your space.
Our editors have upgraded their personal home setups and are sharing all the purchases (both big and small) they’ve made to enjoy the ultimate WFH setup.
From top-of-the-line at-home coffee machines for a fantastic start to the day to investing in an at-home desk chair that we adore, there’s a wide range of gadgets and finds you’ll appreciate having in your home office. We rounded up our editors’ top products below that have made all the difference in our work-from-home setups.
My desk is fairly small, so I didn’t want to lose surface area for the sake of my smart speaker. The Echo Dot 5th Gen is about the size of a softball, takes up the same amount of space as my pen cup and gives me access to music, Alexa enabled devices and more throughout the day. — Ellen McAlpine, updates writer
I tried the Rocketbook Panda Planner to organize my WFH schedule. Unlike regular paper planners, the Rocketbook features reusable pages and comes with a dry erase pen and cloth “eraser” so you can use it over and over. You can easily convert your pages into a digital format before you erase it, and although I’m a stickler for layouts, I found the Rocketbook’s to be simple, aesthetically pleasing and big enough to fit in all my agenda items. — Dan Toy, section editor, copy chief
I’m working on drinking more water when I WFH and having my handy Yeti at my desk makes that possible. I need water to be freezing cold and this tumbler does the trick. — Carolina Gazal, associate testing writer
After more than 10 years of faithful service, I finally had to say goodbye to my beloved Bonavita Connoisseur. I decided it was time to welcome the beautiful Technivorm Moccamaster into my home. It consistently produces a quality, rich brew from whatever my Trade subscription has just sent me, gets the water temp up to the requisite 200 degrees (I measured) and looks sharp as hell on my counter. I did the math on what I’m saving on Starbucks runs and decided spending a few extra bucks on my happiness was more than justified. — Mike Bruno, vice president
The close proximity to my kitchen has made me even more dependent on caffeine, and with this AeroPress Go I can make a cup of delicious coffee in just a few minutes whenever I need an energy boost. The flavors always come out bold, but my favorite part about the AeroPress is how easy it is to clean. You can pop the coffee grounds into the trash and rinse it in seconds so you can make as many cups of coffee as you need. — Kai Burkhardt, editor, outdoors, sustainable living & pets
There’s so much to love about this Ergonomic Desk Chair from DTC furniture brand Branch. Not only was it incredibly easy to put together (I did it myself, no tools required), it’s also comfortable enough to sit in all day and comes in a gray-and-white colorway that looks nothing like your average desk chair. It also happens to match my apartment decor to a T. — Chelsea Stone, editorial director
This laptop stand not only adds some ergonomic adjustment to my WFH setup, but it looks sleek on my desk or table even when I'm not working. The rubber pad on the bottom keeps it from scratching the wood surface and from sliding around throughout the workweek. — Ellen McAlpine, updates writer
My apartment is seriously lacking in the outlet department, especially now that I’m charging two laptops, a printer, a phone, a smartwatch and various other gadgets throughout the day. This Kasa power strip doesn’t just provide plugs; it’s also smart, so I can turn it on and off using my voice with Alexa. — Chelsea Stone, editorial director
I am notorious for getting sucked into work and forgetting about my steaming cup of tea or coffee and then having it be ice cold when I finally remember it’s there. In fact, there’s a cup of coffee that’s been sitting on this very mug warmer now for over an hour that I completely forgot about. But it’s still deliciously hot and *sips* doesn’t at all taste stale. And while the famed Ember mug is clever and all, I prefer using this much more affordable warmer because I can use my own amusing and/or sentimental mug (and I have a lot of mugs). — Danielle Poiesz, copy editor
I have spent a lot of time getting my WFH setup as ergonomically optimized as possible. When I finally got my computer, desk, chair, keyboard, footrest, laptop, laptop stand and monitor all aligned properly (yes, I have that much crap), I was still finding I had pain shooting from my right wrist up to my elbow and then into my bad neck. That’s where this unique mouse came in. While it took a bit of getting used to, it has made all the difference. The angle my hand now rests at is much more comfortable, and it reduces so much strain on my wrist and forearm. I also love that it can connect to three different devices, as I have three different computers for three different jobs at this messy desk of mine. — Danielle Poiesz, copy editor
I’ve had this since 2020 and it’s still going strong. I picked this after reading many of the five-star reviews on Amazon (currently 15,000 and counting) and the low price point. This back support pillow promised to relieve back pain and tightness while helping with posture and it more than delivered. I suffer from lower back pain and find this really helps throughout the day. Memory foam ensures a comfortable fit and in the last four years, it hasn’t lost its shape. You can remove the cover and put it into the washing machine as needed and the mesh material means it doesn’t make you sweat or hold on to moisture. — Rachel Quigley, managing editor
The Logitech Pebble 2 kit is one of the best WFH accessories on my desk. I love that it’s small and lightweight and I can easily move it from my desk to my table without worrying about any cord clutter. Both gadgets have a slim profile that makes them easy to store when I'm done working. — Ellen McAlpine, updates writer
I’m terrible at consuming my morning coffee before it gets cold because I get so wrapped up in my work, which led me to write a best mug warmers guide (coming soon!). These days, I always have a mug warmer at my desk, keeping my coffee nice and hot. I prefer the Ember mug for its app support because it lets me effortlessly control the temperature, check battery life and more on my phone. And the mug comes in several colors now, including lavender and powder blue. — Michelle Rae Uy, testing and updates writer
Working at a desk all day has never been for me. Co-workers always joke that I “divorce my desk” as soon as it’s assigned to me in the office, which is why I have a lap desk. Whether I’m working from home or in the office, I can make my workspace functional wherever I happen to sit or stand. This lap desk is my favorite because it has a traction pad so my laptop doesn’t move, and a convenient drawer for my charging cords. — Katelyn Gendron, SEO manager
Something I became hyperaware of while working from home was my posture! After days of working over my laptop I began to feel myself hunch over more and more. One day while I was scrolling through TikTok, I came across these adorable plush animals that promote good posture. All you have to do is place them between your desk and your stomach, and in order to keep them from falling you must use your abdomen to keep them upright. It also makes a great gift. — Tess Eberhardt, editorial coordinator
Having a good cup of coffee is essential for getting me through my workday. Cafe Aroma’s coffee is perfect for your daily pick-me-up. Not only does it taste great, but it’s also super affordable! — Gabriella Triolo, social coordinator
I love a good mechanical keyboard. In fact, I have a collection of them. But this one from Lofree is my absolute favorite. It feels so satisfying and comfortable to type on, and has a transparent look that’s very unique. — Michelle Rae Uy, testing and updates writer
Finding a work-life balance is more important than ever when working from home. Now instead of just closing my laptop at the end of the day — because, let’s be honest, it’s tempting to reopen it to just take care of one quick thing — I physically put it away into this delightfully wavy Puffy Laptop Sleeve from Baggu. The pattern just makes me happy, and the routine has become a nice way to mark the end of the workday. — Chelsea Stone, editorial director
Obnoxious housemate? Loud construction? Whatever ambient noise you’re dealing with at home, these wireless earbuds do a good job of shutting out the outside world and delivering decent sound quality. They’re also comfortable and lightweight enough to wear for hours at a time. — Maxwell Shukuya, associate writer
My fiancé plays video games, so I’m extremely lucky to have this huge curved monitor as part of my WFH setup. I’m so much more efficient at everything (from checking emails to writing or editing stories) because I can fit so many windows on the screen side-by-side. Now that I’m used to having such a big screen, on days I go to the office, I’m always disappointed by how small the regular-sized monitors are. — Amina Lake Abdelrahman, home and gifts editor
I'm one of those people who can't sit in silence when they work and this Wonderboom speaker is my daily deskside buddy. It's actually the first thing I switch on in the morning (yes, even before my coffee maker). Podcasts, audiobooks, music — they all sound better playing off this speaker than off my phone and it helps to fill the sometimes lonely work-from-home silence. Plus, the 14-hour battery life means I can go several workdays before I need to recharge. — Jillian Tracy, associate editor.
I’ve been using this MacBook docking station for years now, and not once has it let me down. Being able to plug my laptop into a single cable for charging and connecting to external displays or accessories makes converting between my in-office setup and work from home workstation far more seamless. Plus, its mix of 15 inputs gives me access to just about every port I could ever need. — Rikka Altland, senior editor
I try to be conscious of maintaining my privacy working from home (which can be hard when your Zoom camera reveals the newest book on your bookshelf or the laundry you haven’t gotten around to folding just yet). These Flower Laptop Camera Covers give me peace of mind for moments I need to double-check that my camera is working during meetings, or if I need to quickly change scenery at home while remaining engaged. Yes, you can also turn your camera on and off, but why wouldn’t you want to look at an adorable flower above your screen? —Gareen Puglia, associate testing writer
My home office is the coldest room in the house, which is actually nice for me since I am always overheating. However, while the rest of me is comfortable, my hands tend to freeze, and then I have a hard time typing. These super-cozy knitted arm warmers from Etsy are the perfect solution to keeping my hands and wrists toasty but the rest of me still airy. I got them many years ago when I had a similar problem in my NYC office and then bought two more of different colors and styles when I moved. While my exact pairs are no longer sold, these ones from Design by Elena are already sitting in my cart. — Danielle Poiesz, copy editor
When I work from home, I can sometimes finish the day with less than 2,000 steps logged on my Apple Watch. I usually try to get at least 8,000 steps, which is hard when the farthest I’m walking is to the kitchen. This under-desk treadmill helps me meet my step goal even on days that I don’t leave the house. I can walk (really slowly) while checking emails or listening into meetings, but I usually need to sit or stand while doing work that requires more focus. I love that it has a slight incline too. Plus, it fits under my bed when not in use. — Amina Lake Abdelrahman, home and gifts editor
Even when California’s forests aren’t burning, LA’s air quality is terrible. Still, I’ve kept my home office (aka my bedroom) relatively smoke- and pollution-free with this reliable, easy-to-use air purifier for the past two years. It also doubles as a white noise machine on its highest setting if I need to block out loud neighbors or housemates. — Maxwell Shukuya, associate writer
For me, no online calendar or planner will ever feel the same as writing out a daily to-do list by hand. This Day Designer planner has been my go-to for the last few years. It holds all my important dates, deadlines, tasks and keeps me organized day to day or even hour to hour. The daily pages are also big enough that it doubles as my notebook for jotting down important notes from meetings or interviews. And getting to check off or strike through my completed tasks with a pen just feels oh-so satisfying. — Jillian Tracy, associate editor
This MagSafe stand is the MVP of my WFH desk. It keeps my phone and AirPods charged, declutters by eliminating cords and removes the distraction of social media by keeping my phone in StandBy mode. If it's not exactly your style, don't worry — we've covered lots of options that can do the same. — Joe Bloss, associate testing writer