After working from home became mainstream in the spring, many of our favorite home office items could no longer be bought online. But now many of these items are back in stock - and for the first time in a long time, our favorite webcams, monitors, and USB microphones are back in stock. These peripherals, accessories, and services can enhance the remote work experience and enhance your home office setup.
Gifts that make working from home easier
The must-haves for a remote worker are obvious: a full-size keyboard, wireless mouse, and an external monitor. But there are a handful of other gear out there - from a proper desk to Blue light blocking glasses a good pair of noise-canceling headphones - it can make your work day less frustrating, more productive, and more comfortable. Our recommendations for the ultimate home office basics are below. We will update this list regularly as we review new products.
More stuff to keep WFH running smoothly
Joshua Goldman / CNET
It's not my favorite webcam - that would be the Logitech StreamCam, which has been hard to find for the past few months - but the C920S will do the job. The picture quality and sound recording are pretty good, and the clip-on design makes it suitable for an external monitor or laptop. The physical privacy screen is a beautiful, trust-building flourish that promises to protect you and your office space from prying eyes.
If it's sold out, you can use a tripod and your phone's HD camera for video chatting. Find out how to do it. If you're looking for other devices to use to enhance your online meetings, we've got a roundup of devices for video chatting.
Blue microphones
The Shure MV5 digital condenser microphone combines a no-frills setup and high-quality audio in a compact form factor. I wouldn't recommend it for high stakes recording projects, but it will certainly improve the sound quality of your Zoom meetings and other web conferencing interactions. It comes with USB-C and Lightning cables.
When you're ready to spend more and can find it in stock, the Blue Yeti is an even better microphone for the advanced user. It has three capsule microphones, four pickup patterns (for different types of recording) and just enough controls to optimize your sound without overloading you with overly technical functions.
Sarah Tew / CNET
she can Use Apple peripherals with Windows computers. However, if you're looking for an alternative Bluetooth keyboard that works from Windows PCs to Macs and iPads to phones, the Logitech K380 is it(about $ 30) is a good choice. Pair it with up to three devices and switch between the individual devices at the push of a button. Read our Logitech K380 review.
Sarah Tew / CNET
When your kids are invading your office and you really need to avoid the distractions of your home setup, headphones are a great way to keep focus. Crossfade 2 Wireless from V-Moda is comfortable to wear and offers absolutely stunning sound quality - with full bass and high details. While the headphone design comes too close to the steampunk aesthetic for me, the audio, intuitive controls, and rugged design more than make up for it. And these headphones, which come in three different color combinations, are currently on sale for $ 200.
A backup tip: The Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 offer great wireless noise cancellation and cost significantly less than comparable models from other companies. They're also comfortable to wear, sound great on phone calls, and are smart enough to stop whatever you're hearing when you take them off. If you need more options - including true wireless AirPods models - check out our list of the best noise-canceling headphones. Read our Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 review.
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The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions about a disease or health goals.
