According WFHR survey, 40% of US workers work remotely at least one day a week. That means the chances are high that you know someone who could use a boost in their work from home setup.
While working from home has its pros and cons, like being able to drink coffee in your pajama pants but having to resist the allure of your bed. TechCrunch’s commercial trader (who works from home), I juggle many daily tasks and, unfortunately, naps are never one of them. However, through trial and error, recommendations and many Amazon returns, I have found the best work from home equipment to stay focused and productive.
Here are my six work-from-home essentials to gift to the remote worker in your life.
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Wireless noise canceling headphones
Price: $249 on Amazon
One of the main disadvantages of working from home is the distractions. If your gift recipient lives in the city or has a roommate (like me), I highly recommend wireless noise canceling headphones. I use my AirPods for meetings, watching Instagram reels (for research, of course) and times when I need to be 100% focused on the task at hand.
For a breakdown of all the new features in the Apple AirPods Pro 2read Brian Heater’s full review here.
Ergonomic POUT laptop stand
Price: $69 on Amazon
Sitting for eight-plus hours a day can wreak havoc on your body, and while standing desks are an option, they can be expensive. Instead, I opted for an ergonomic laptop stand, and my neck thanks me every day.
There are laptop stand options for every price point, but my favorite alternative for a standing desk is the POUT – Eyes 3 Lift — Ergonomic laptop stand.
Eyes 3 Lift has 11 arm positions with a range of 0-180 degrees and four height positions: compact, sitting, standing, and eye level while standing. They are designed to help relieve neck, shoulder and back pain while working. POUT’s laptop stand weighs only four pounds, but can hold up to 22 pounds and fold up for portability, making it a great gift for remote workers whether they’re working from home, in a coffee shop, or on the beach.
LUXSURE selfie ring
Price: $50 on Amazon
While not every remote worker needs to film TikToks Like me, a ring light can be a great addition to anyone’s WFH setup. After all, what could be worse than poor lighting on a Zoom call? While this may be a bit dramatic, a ring light is an easy way to help any remote worker look more professional on camera.
To add some light to the life of a remote worker (literally), I suggest LUXURY’s Selfie light ring. The tripod height level is adjustable up to 60 inches and is paired with a 10.5 inch LED light that has three color modes and 10 brightness levels, making it easily customizable to suit any WFH’s preferences.
This ring light is also the perfect gift for any TikToker, YouTuber, or videographer in your life, as the LUXSURE ring light comes with a Bluetooth remote control, two phone holders with adjustable degrees, a camera mounting option, and a detachable tripod.
Ello 64oz Water Bottle
Price: $15 on Amazon
To make sure I stay hydrated while working, I bought a 64 oz water “jug” Hello. It’s one of the best WFH purchases I’ve made, and my top recommendation for anyone looking for a gift this holiday season, even if it’s not very “fun.”
Ello’s jug it has a comfortable side drink handle, a large top handle for carrying and time markers on the side to make sure you stay hydrated. But what convinced me to buy the water jug was that it is BPA free, has a leak proof lid and most importantly, it is dishwasher safe.
Ello’s jug available in eight colors on Amazon for $15making it a great gift for a shopper on a budget.
Wireless mouse
Price: $70 on Amazon
This is a slightly riskier gift, as mouse and keyboard preferences can vary from person to person, but a wireless mouse is probably the most essential work-from-home item, making it one of the best gifts. I suggest giving a gift of an ergonomic mouse, such as Logitech’s Lift vertical ergonomic mouse.
The Logitech mouse comes in different sizes, small and large, and two styles, right-handed and left-handed. Not only does this mouse elevate your wrist to relieve wrist pressure and realign your hand and upper body for better posture, it also has four customizable buttons, different speeds and precision scrolling modes, and can connect to up to three devices, allowing users to work on multiple devices simultaneously.
Logitech’s vertical ergonomic mouse is available for small to medium hands on Amazon for $70and for medium to large hands, the Logitech MX is available at Amazon for $100.
Canva Pro subscription
Price: $120 at Canva
Canva, an online graphic design platform, is the first site I open in the morning when I log in and the last thing I close each day when I log out. He helped me take TechCrunch’s social media presence to the next level.
Whether someone works in social media, graphic design, or just needs to create beautiful presentations, a subscription to Canva Pro is a fantastic gift option (and much cheaper than other creative software suites).
Image Credits: Canva
With a handful of AI-powered “magical” tools, Canva is the perfect platform for any work-from-home worker in the creative space.
To get the best result, I recommend the annual Canva Pro subscription that is available exclusively to Canva for $119.99.
Bonus gift idea
I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t shamelessly say make sure the remote worker in your life is up to date with all the latest tech news by having them follow TechCrunch’s social channels. It’s a free gift that keeps on giving — and who doesn’t love free gifts?
See you in the comments sections!
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