The 10 Best Home Office Gadgets To Keep You Productive - bgr.com

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If you have the privilege of working from home, the least that you can do is to make sure that you're able to stay on course with your tasks. It's very easy to get sidetracked in such an environment, but there are some additions you can make to your setup to amplify your focus.

In this article, we've rounded up 10 of the best home office gadgets to keep you productive. These devices prevent distractions, help you stay in peak physical condition, and expand your capabilities, so that you're getting more done each day. They cover a wide range of prices, but we think they're all worth your consideration.

All of these gadgets can be purchased on Amazon, where they've each received at least 1,000 buyer ratings and a solid average score. In addition to highlighting the features of these products that will boost your productivity in your home office, we'll combine feedback from the retailer's customers and insights from professional reviews to explain why we believe they deserve a spot on this list.

While you're working in your home office, it's almost impossible to eliminate the sounds coming from elsewhere in the house. To keep your focus, though, you can use noise-canceling headphones like the Sony WH-1000XM6, which are the best headphones to buy on Amazon, according to audio experts. They're available for $459.99 on the retailer's website, where they have an average score of 4.2 stars (out of five) after almost 3,700 ratings. Customers said they're expensive but worth it because of their high-quality construction and excellent noise cancellation.

Using these Sony wireless headphones is seamless, according to SoundGuys, which said in its review that connecting them to your devices is easy, and there's no need to use the Sony Sound Connect app, though it does unlock features like an adjustable equalizer and more granular control over transparency and noise cancellation modes. SoundGuys also tested the headphones and found them to last more than 37 hours on a full charge, which beats Sony's promised 30 hours of battery life. Some Amazon shoppers, meanwhile, appreciated the Sony WH-1000XM6's return to a folding design, as the Sony WH-1000XM5 had a lay-flat design. They also applauded its comfortable but stable fit, meaning you won't mind wearing it for your whole workday.

If you're the type of person who needs a hot beverage to stay productive, the Nextmug will make sure that you always have one within reach. This self-heating coffee mug, which you can buy on Amazon for $129.95, offers three temperature settings that you can select through its power button. These are Warm, at 130 degrees Fahrenheit; Hot, at 140 degrees; and Piping, at 150 degrees. Amazon's shoppers noted that you don't need to use an app for this gadget, so you won't be distracted by something on your phone after you select the settings.

The Nextmug comes with a charging coaster, and while it's placed there, your coffee will stay at your chosen temperature indefinitely. Freakin' Reviews found that the gadget is very accurate in terms of how hot it will keep your drink according to the mode you choose, and testing also revealed that it can boost a beverage from room temperature to 130 degrees in just 30 minutes when placed on its coaster. Amazon's customers, who gave the seal-heating mug an average score of 4.2 stars after more than 7,100 ratings, added that, when it's not charging, its battery will last long enough to finish the cup ... so feel free to take a break from work and sit on your porch for a while.

While you're in the middle of a task, opening your phone to control smart home gadgets or switching to another tab on your browser to search for information may break your momentum. In these cases, a digital assistant that can accept voice commands will help, and the Amazon Echo Show 8 (4th Gen) will give you access to the popular Alexa and the upgraded Alexa+. It's described by Trusted Reviews as the top choice for most homes if you're planning to buy a smart display, as the screen combines with Alexa's voice responses to deliver more comprehensive answers and carry out more complicated functions than most other options.

The latest Amazon Echo Show devices, the Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 11, collectively have an average score of 4.3 stars on the retailer's website after more than 7,600 reviews. Shoppers said that the Echo Show 8, which you can buy for $199.99, has a bright and sharp 8.7-inch display that you can easily read from across the room, so you don't have to place it right in front of you on your desk if the area is already too cluttered. The customers added that the gadget is quick to set up, and its audio output is capable of filling up your home office despite its compact size.

There's no doubt your computer accessories play a big part in your productivity. When it comes to keyboards, the Logitech MX Keys S is one of the best you can buy for your home office. In fact, Rtings.com named this device the best office keyboard, thanks to scissor switches that resemble those in laptops, shallow indents on the keycaps to guide your fingers while you type, and a low-profile design so that your wrist stays flat on your desk. You can buy the MX Keys S for $129.99 on Amazon, where it has almost 3,800 ratings and an average score of 4.4 stars, with shoppers claiming that the two ways of pairing it with your computer — either through its USB adapter or via Bluetooth — both work well and provide stable connections.

According to TechGearLab, which also tagged this gadget among its top wireless keyboards, the MX Keys S feels great to type on, and your hands and wrists won't get tired over the course of your workday. The review also mentioned that it's very quiet, so it won't be a distraction to other people in a video call if you're typing notes for the meeting. For added convenience, the keyboard has backlights that turn on when your hands move near it and adapt depending on your environment. Amazon's customers also highlighted the ability of the Logitech MX Keys S to connect to up to three devices and to switch between them with a single button press.

If you've got a reliable keyboard, you need a similarly trustworthy mouse. PCMag's overall top mouse for work is another Logitech gadget: the Logitech MX Master 4. PCMag said that the wireless mouse feels great in the hands and is very quiet to use, but it's the customization options and haptic feedback that make it worth its price of $119.99 on Amazon. This device, which has an average score of 4.3 stars on the retailer's website following almost 2,000 ratings, connects to your computer through a USB-C dongle or Bluetooth, and its battery can last up to 70 days on a single charge.

This Logitech mouse can completely change the way that you work. As Wired noted in its review, you can use gesture controls after pressing a button on the side, and you can change what they do through the Logi Options+ software. There's also the Actions Ring, which you activate through a button on the rubber grip. It launches a pop-up menu of commands that are also customizable. According to Amazon shoppers, after making the adjustments to fit your workflow, the Logitech MX Master 4 can save you a lot of time, with tasks that usually take an hour to finish possibly completed in just several minutes.

Among the things you should know before switching to a standing desk is that it can help improve brain function and posture, especially if you follow the 20-8-2 rule when using the desk. If you think you need one in your home office, the FlexiSpot EN1, which starts at $169.99 for the 40-inch-by-24-inch version on Amazon, is a well-reviewed option on the platform at 4.5 stars following more than 12,700 ratings. It requires assembly when you get it, but according to customers, that's easy to do with the clear instructions provided in the package.

This FlexiSpot standing desk features a panel with buttons that allow you to increase or decrease its height from around 28 inches to 46 inches, slightly varying depending on the size that you buy. The motor that enables this is relatively quiet, according to Android Central's review, which added that the standing desk appears to be durable since it's made with good-quality materials. The desk can go up or down at a rate of one inch per second, so it won't take long to switch between your preferred heights, though it can also save up to four presets for your convenience.

The Pomodoro technique is a time management strategy where you work on a task for 25 minutes, then take a break for five minutes. This creates bursts of productivity that allow you to focus, while providing time to rest to prevent physical and mental fatigue. There are apps for this technique, but as MakeUseOf said, it's better to have a physical gadget like the Ooraii F4 to count down the time so that you're not tempting yourself with distractions on your phone. It's one of our recommended gadgets under $50 to upgrade your home office, as it's a very helpful device for just $16.99 on Amazon.

This Ooraii rotating timer comes with four preset times, namely five minutes, 10 minutes, 25 minutes, and 50 minutes. When you rotate it, the timer starts counting down from the time duration shown at the top of the cube, and at the end, you can have it make a sound or vibrate to let you know that time is up. The device works seamlessly, and it's very small, so you can take it anywhere, according to Amazon's shoppers, who have given it an average score of 4.6 stars after more than 1,200 ratings. They also appreciated that you can set custom timers on this gadget, so you can use it for other tasks outside of the Pomodoro technique.

For those who have to work well into the night, proper illumination could spell the difference in your productivity. Instead of relying on overhead lighting, you should think about getting a device like the Lepro LED desk lamp. With almost 8,400 ratings on Amazon for an average score of 4.7 stars, this is a plug-and-play gadget that doesn't require any assembly or an app. Steve Sherron demonstrated how easy it is to use with its touch buttons, including a power button to turn it on and off, the M button to change its color temperature, and the up and down arrows to adjust its brightness. The review also showed the adjustability of the lamp at two points, so you can direct it to anywhere in your home office.

This Lepro desk lamp offers five color temperatures, ranging from 3000K to 6500K on the Kelvin scale, along with five brightness options. With any combination that you choose, the lighting is even and clear, and the lamp is sleek, so it won't take up a lot of space on your desk, according to Amazon customers. The 6500K temperature is great for maintaining your focus while you finish your project. You can then dial that down to 3000K for a warmer color to help you wind down towards the end of your day.

If you've ever wished that your laptop had more ports so that you can connect additional accessories and enable a second screen, you can do so with the Anker A8380 8-in-1 USB-C hub. With an average score of 4.5 stars on Amazon following more than 35,000 buyer ratings, the $53.99 gadget was described by shoppers as a simple one because you just plug it into your laptop's USB-C port with the attached cable. There's no installation necessary or any complex configurations — you just get eight extra ports right away. The customers added that they're impressed by the gadget's build quality and the solid connections provided by the ports.

Team AG's review focuses on the ports, namely a pair of USB-A ports for accessories like keyboards and printers, or for data transfer to flash drives; ports for a micro SD card and an SD card to move photos from cameras; an Ethernet port for a wired internet connection; a USB-C port for power delivery; and two HDMI ports for up to two extra screens with up to 4K resolution. That's a lot of functionality that you add to your home office with just one device, which can definitely help improve your productivity.

In your home office, setting up your desk to prevent back and neck pain begins with an ergonomic chair. You can't remain productive if you're hurting everywhere, so you should consider investing in something like the Sihoo M18. This office chair, which you can buy on Amazon for $169.99, can be assembled in less than an hour with no complicated steps, according to How-To Geek. Once you've finished, all the possible adjustments that you can make will be obvious to you, the review said, including the height, headrest, armrests, tilt, and lumbar support.

The adjustable lumbar support of this Sihoo office chair is one of the highlights in How-To Geek's review, which says it feels like a massage to the lower back. Amazon's shoppers, who have given it an average score of 4.3 stars following more than 17,000 ratings, echoed the same sentiment regarding its lumbar support, while also praising its mesh fabric at the back that keeps them cool and comfortable. Customers added that the chair feels sturdy with its premium parts and metal base, and that they don't mind sitting on it for several hours at a time — generally long enough to take you through your whole workday.

All of these home office gadgets are available on Amazon, which means they're widely accessible to as many potential buyers as possible and that there's a chance you can find them at discounts from their original prices. The products have an average score of at least 4.2 stars (out of five) on Amazon following a minimum of 1,000 ratings from the retailer's customers.

In the discussion above, we explained how these devices can boost your productivity by identifying features that can help you stay focused or otherwise get more work done. We've also highlighted comments from shoppers, as well as reviews from trustworthy websites and channels, to support our selections for this roundup.