35 Products People Who Work From Home Actually Use
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35 Products People Who Work From Home Actually Use

Apr 19, 2024

We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed collects a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.

Make your workspace ~work~ for you.

BuzzFeed Staff

Promising review: "I needed some extra shelf space for my home office, especially now that we are working from home for the rest of the year. This was so so simple to set up and holds everything I need without any issues. You can also assemble it as you please which is a great feature!" —TanzA

Get it from Amazon for $25.99 (available in six colors).

You can set the timer for 5-, 10-, 15-, 20-, and 30-minute blocks by rotating it to the time you want. Then it will start the countdown. There are also four volume options in case you don't want to disrupt any other people in your home.

Promising review: "I love this timer to keep me on task while working from home! For the price, I was honestly impressed with the quality. My only suggestion would be an option for the display to stay backlit. You can press the snooze button on top to light the display for about five seconds, but that’s not super convenient if you have it rotated in timer mode, plus you have to actively press the button rather than just glancing at how much time is left. Honestly, this is a very small quibble that I could fix simply by not working in a dimly lit room, but it’s really the only critique I have. All in all, this is a fun and functional desk accessory!" —Angela Reiber

Get it from Amazon for $18.99 (available in 30- and 60-minute configurations and six colors).

Promising review: "Best purchase I have made in years. Only had it two days, but the first words out of my mouth to my wife were, 'I can work for hours like this.' If you work from home and like to work on the couch, recliner, breakfast nook, patio, etc, and you have your computer in your lap, this is an absolute must-have. Not only does it keep your legs and lap cool, but it also keeps your computer cool and able to process much more efficiently." —Trent Thiel

Get it from Amazon for $22.39+ (available in three colors).

Promising review: "I work from home in a small apartment, and this really made my setup work the way I want it to. I need to use all six plugs, plus I like to keep my phone and Mi-Fi charging while working, too. This was the perfect thing for me to get everything plugged in and essentially retrofitted into a built-in apartment wall desk setup that was intended for the large desktop towers of the late '90s. I’m ordering a second one in hopes it transforms another part of my weird floor plan. Bonus: The USB ports seem to fast-charge my iPhone XS Max. I can go from dead to fully charged in about 90 minutes." —Moose

Get it from Amazon for $17.97+ (available in two styles)

Promising review: "Why did I not know about this before now??? I am a travel agent working from home and take loads of notes. I am so happy to be able to scan phone call notes with clients into their trip records! If they do not book right away I can scan and save notes to another file and retrieve them without leafing through a load of paper! Woo-hoo! I can see so many uses for this product for just about anyone who takes notes or even journals regularly. I see that new version was introduced to the market that has lined pages...which I felt was the only thing lacking." —ellen

Get it from Amazon for $33.99+ (available in two styles and 16 colors).

Promising review: "My husband purchased this umbrella for me as a gift. I work from home and love to work outside, but seeing my laptop screen can be a struggle. This umbrella is perfect for enjoying the outdoors while working. It is adjustable in three points, so you can maneuver it to almost any position you may need. I don't even have to wear a hat to see the screen because it blocks the sun so well." —NYRed

Get it from Amazon for $23.28+ (available in two sizes and nine colors and patterns).

The environment will even thank you for reducing your paper use. The whiteboard also comes with a dry-erase marker, an accessory channel (to hold the marker), and a storage drawer.

Promising review: "Never thought something analog would be SO useful in my daily routine. I work from home and am constantly project managing multiple complex strategic projects. Having pertinent information directly in front of me and top of mind has done incredible things for my productivity. Never would have imagined it would make such a difference. For a nominal investment, I highly recommend it if you have trouble keeping up with things."—Captainflapjax

Get it from Amazon for $30.15+ (available in five styles).

Plus, it's so easy to make! Just add 6 tablespoons of your favorite coffee in the filter, fill it with water, and let it sit in your fridge for 24 hours. Then just take the filter out of the pitcher and enjoy your coffee!

Promising review: "I love this! Working from home, I find this has saved me from going to Dunkin' every day." —Tiffany DL

Get it from Amazon for $27.99+ (available in two sizes).

And to learn more, read our full Takeya cold brew maker review.

Promising review: "This is awesome and I love it. I work from home and I’ve been trying to keep my desk free from papers. This thing is awesome! The bottom pocket is large enough for me to store my day planner. I mounted it to the wall with a Command hook and it was easy-peasy! An attractive and functional way to sort and store paper. I love having all the papers I need readily available and visible so it reminds me that they're there, but not they are not overtaking my desk and irritating me." ⁠—Mandy

Get it from Amazon for $10+ (available in four colors).

Promising review: "I work from home, and if you do too you may also encounter this odd scenario: Merely closing the door to one’s office is not actually a reliable method to let others know you are working. I can’t say enough good things about this sign. It is a far better design and quality than expected at this price point. The sign is a dial style, and really sturdy. The dial even has a click-in-place feature to prevent your status from accidentally moving when the door swings shut. Gone are the days of people thinking you’re available when you’re not! Well, at least you have forewarned them! I am extremely happy with the sign, and can recommend it to anyone who might need a little extra assistance in deterring work interruptions!" —Conscious Consumer

Get it from Amazon for $9.95 (available in black and white).

Promising review: "I work from home and sit at a desk in front of a computer for a minimum of 10 hours per day. I used to have to get up at least hourly for breaks that never helped to alleviate the 24/7 sciatica pain down my left leg. And long hours at my desk would leave my whole body sore. I've only had this cushion for one day, and my sciatica is barely noticeable, and I woke up today in no pain after using it yesterday. I'm a small person, so I can see how this might not be a good fit for everyone, but for me, it's already had a positive impact. I think because they are just cut foam with gel top and a thin cover that they will probably wear down easily, especially since I sit for so long, but it's a reasonable price and if I get six months at a time out of one, I'll consider that a pretty decent return on my investment. :)" —T. M.

Get it from Amazon for $35.16+ (available in three colors).

Promising review: "I love this light and tripod stand. No, I am not a makeup or selfie influencer, but I do work from home and have found my office lighting is terrible. When I have conference calls it is impossible to not look like I work in a dark closet. I place this light up above my computer and it has been a real game changer for my at-home setup. The lighting options are great, and I love the use of the remote for when I make training videos." —Shannon Smith

Get it from Amazon for $26.99.

The light is powered via USB and has three light colors and 10 brightness levels.

Promising review: "I don't have the best light in my living room. Working from home, I have had my fair share of Zoom and Skype meetings and without this light, my face was shaded no matter how hard I tried to get light. Now with the different shades of light as the day passes, I can change the light brightness and not look like I'm in a dungeon." —Paige Ruark

Get it from Amazon for $19.79.

Promising review: "As a teacher working remotely from home, I needed something to help me organize all of my files, teacher manuals, workbooks, and supplies! Now everything has its place! Not to mention how pretty it looks! Instructions were simple and easy to follow… Assembly only took a couple of minutes!" —Lori R.

Get it from Amazon for $26.97 (available in two colors).

Promising review: "I ordered this desk in a pinch. I live in Brooklyn in a smaller apartment where I quite frankly have no space to have a freestanding desk with my other furniture. When my company implemented a WFH policy last week, I took a gamble and ordered this desk because 1) I could collapse it and tuck it under my bed when I wasn't using it, and 2) It was spacious and sturdy looking enough to actually do work on. I received it today, and I am beyond pleased. No setup required — quite literally took it from the box, slid it from collapsed to open, and began working on it. I cannot recommend this enough for the price, functionality, and delivery speed!" —Sydney

Get it from Amazon for $75.99+ (available in two styles and seven colors).

Promising review: "This is a work-from-home game changer. I've been working remotely for most of the last two years, and this has been the single best purchase I've made toward WFH health. I previously used to cycle between my office desk and dining table, but since purchasing this I've been working wherever I want in my house. Anywhere I can be seated I can bring this surface and work. It's lightweight, the two pads are set to give lots of airflow across your lap (though shorts-wearers beware: The fabric may be slightly more coarse than you'd want against bare skin)." —TheWiseTurtle

Get it from Amazon for $49.99+ (available in three colors).

Plus, you can remove the velvet cover for easy cleaning!

Promising review: "My feet have found heaven! After just over a year of working from home, I've finally decided to invest in some home office upgrades. I was on the fence about a footrest, but the new desk chair I had purchased had a few comfort issues, and I thought this foot rest might help address those. I wasn't wrong! From the first moment my feet landed in the plush comfort of the foam, I haven't wanted to take them off of it. As a fairly active person most of my life (basketball, horseback riding, running, etc.) I haven't been kind to my body. My back, knees, hips, and feet have all paid the price. This footrest has helped alleviate much of the daily pain I deal with, and at a far cheaper price than the ergonomic chair." —Wild-Haired Gurl

Get it from Amazon for $39.95+ (available in two styles and four colors).

Each planner comes with 50 tear-off sheets the size of a standard piece of paper.

Promising review: "These notepads helped me reframe and focus every day working from home during the pandemic. I used to use a daily planner, but working from home changed how I need to plan my work tasks and personal tasks. I found this helpful for both!" —kristenjoann

Get it from Amazon for $14.99.

The set includes a wireless keyboard and a wireless mouse with a USB receiver. Pick up some AA batteries — both will need them!

Promising review: "So, I just transitioned to work from home and wanted a cool keyboard for my new workspace. I tried two others, and they worked but I wasn’t 100% happy with the style, shape, or color. A friend showed me her keyboard, and I fell in love with it. Her’s was the pink/colorful option. I immediately went on Amazon and found the purple/lilac colorful and ordered. I received it today, and I’m so pleased. I’m one of those who love hearing the click-clack sound of keys being hit with my nails and the weight of the keyboard is nice and heavy — it feels well made. I’m still getting used to the mouse it’s a wider shape than I’m used to, but it works and matches my keyboard. Now if only I could find a purple monitor, LOL. I highly recommend this keyboard. Happy typing!" —Kimberly Renee

Get it from Amazon for $28.79+ (available in 11 colors).

PLUS: This also makes sure that your air-conditioning doesn't escape under your doors, thus saving you energy and money!

Promising review: "This product works really well! I needed a quick fix to my home office situation. I live in an apartment in Manhattan and never noticed how much sound comes in and out until I had to be on conference calls working from home! This little tape made a big difference, took me a couple of minutes to install." —Sandra Hernandez

Get it from Amazon for $7.97+ (available in two lengths and in five colors).

This machine has six modes: white noise, thunder, ocean, rain, summer night, and brook. It can run continuously or you can set a timer for 15, 30, or 60 minutes.

Promising review: "As we're all on COVID alert and working from home, I don't have a 'quiet space' from which to work. So I bought this to drown out the sounds of the TV and other every noise at home. Works great. Can just leave it on or switch to the time mode if using it for sleep. The sounds are pretty continuous so you can't easily identify when the loop starts over again." —db

Get it from Amazon for $23.99+ (available in three colors).

Promising review: "This is an absolute game changer now that I am working from home. It helps my posture and the colors match my MacBook Pro almost exactly if you don't hyper-examine it. It does have a little extra shine, but it is still matte. The stand is very sturdy and has quickly become a favorite to use any time I use my Mac." —ZAraiza

Get it from Amazon for $39.90+ (available in two styles and in six colors).

Read more about the effects of light on circadian rhythms at the CDC.

Promising review: "I work from home at night. I never see the light of day during the winter. This light has been a joy to have and gives great light at my desk to work with with the benefit of mimicking sun exposure. It’s very easy to use and to replace bulbs." —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $59.99.

The soft bristles help sweep away dust and crumbs. Plus, the bristles retract for optimal storage.

Promising review: "I WFH, so my laptop as accumulated its fair share of crumbs, dust, and other debris. This was the perfect cleaning tool. The brush side easily sweeps away particles and the rubbery wedge side helps to scrub out gunk in-between keys. The best part is that it easily fits into the pen holder on my desk." —Andrea G.

Get it from Amazon for $8.99 (available in two colors and a combo pack with a laptop cleaner).

Promising review: "I was hesitant to buy this monitor because I had never heard of the brand and am always a skeptic. I wanted a portable monitor for when I work from home. I also utilize this as a third monitor with my laptop and second monitor. I've had this product for almost a year and can only say great things. It works perfectly. It comes with a foldable case, which can double as a stand. It also comes with a USB-C to USB-C cable, a mini-HDMI to HDMI cable, and a power adapter (with a USB-A to USB-C cable). I couldn't have asked for a better portable monitor! Don't hesitate!" —A. C. Pham

Get it from Amazon for $119.99+ (available in 11 styles).

You can use this with any Mac, PC, and Chrome laptop that's between 13 and 17 inches. It attaches with magnetic device-safe metal plates, so you can move it around from room to room. Plus, you can rotate the display to customize it to fit your workstyle perfectly.

Promising review: "I recently purchased this since many of us are working from home these days. It makes my job and my life easier and does not take up space as a large monitor connected to your laptop would. The customer service rep was amazing and answered my questions. You can use the same SideTrak on a different laptop if you need to (for work/personal use). It's interchangeable. I highly recommend this monitor. I'm very happy with it." —Fightergirl

Get it from Amazon for $299.98 (available in black and silver).

Promising review: "I'm an art teacher, and working from home during the coronavirus outbreak was going to put a lot of strain on my wood desk (which I keep mostly for show but now am forced to use for work). I ordered this desk pad because mint green is my favorite color, and I wanted something to protect my desk from paint and other art supplies. It arrived today, and it was so cute! It's exactly what I wanted. It's thin enough not to add too much bulk to the desk, the color is so fun, and it wipes off easily. I love that it's reversible, too, so I'll probably use one side for making tutorial videos for my classes and the other for when I'm painting. I was worried that it wouldn't lie flat because it came rolled up, but it lay flat immediately. And it came with a cute little belt in case I need to roll it back up again and store it!" —Jill S

Get it from Amazon for $10.19+ (available in three sizes and in fiv color combinations).

Read more about the effects of blue light and eye strain at UC Davis Health.

Promising review: "I started working full time from home due to COVID, like everyone else, and I started to get a lot of headaches, my eyes were dry and heavy, and I was having issues with my sleep. My friend pointed out I was on the computer now all day long when I had barely used computers before. I bought these glasses and have used them for about a week and they are amazing!!! I feel so much better and my body feels much better at the end of the day! I only wish they were a little lighter, and they are a little tight behind my ears." —Meghan McCutcheon

Get it from Amazon for $11.99+ (available in 11 colors and five multi-packs).

Promising review: "Worth the wait — took a little longer to get here than I'd have guessed for a Prime item, but the shipping details were accurate and this thing is AWESOME. I work from home and sit at a desk for eight hours a day. This thing does a great job keeping your heart rate elevated, and it's super quiet so you wouldn't be disturbing anyone even if you were in a crowded office. I would give it 6 stars if I could!" —Jon

Get it from Amazon for $198.

Not only is the rolling desk bike compact, but it's also heigh adjustable to make it fit perfectly for you. The pedaling is also quiet, there's eight resistance levels, and it will track your mileage, RPM, and more.

Promising review: "I had been looking for ways to move my body more while working from home when I came across this bike! It was super easy to set up right out of the box and has a VERY small footprint so it doesn't take up too much space in my tiny apartment. Definitely still getting used to being on a bike seat, but as far as bike seats go, it is comfy enough to work and ride for a good few hours. The desk can be a bit wobbly if not screwed in all the way, but when I set it up it was the perfect size and sturdy enough for my laptop. I also absolutely love being able to see the stats on how far I've ridden. Totally recommend for anyone working from home and feeling super stagnant!" —Kaitlin P.

Get it from Amazon for $349.30+ (available in black and white).

Promising review: "I work from home and sitting too long in my ergonomic desk chair would make my back and hips ache. When I would use my standing desk adjuster and work from a standing position, it would be great for a while, but my knees would ache. When I ordered this, it comes with the small ball, I didn’t think I would be able to use it. However, all I had to do was lift the small ball off the base and put a large stability ball on the chair. I use it every day. It keeps my back and hips from aching. Very happy with this!" —Michelle K Smith

Get it from Amazon for $69.98+ (available in five colors).

Promising review: "After having to work from home for months and with my high-stress job, my anxiety has been through the roof. I opened these up and immediately fell in love with them, but what really shocked me was that my cat saw me playing with them and immediately ran over to come and play too. She played with them all day! I used them to help keep me calm before I had to give a Zoom presentation, and it worked. I did forget to hold on to it while actually presenting, but nevertheless, it eased my anxiety prior to having to speak." —Kelly

Get a set of five from Amazon for $12.99.

Promising review: "I absolutely love these! I saw them in a recent article on a list of must-have Amazon products and decided to give them a try since getting things cleaned up and organized is somewhat my thing, so any items that help me do that are always on the top of my list. These are so cool! My husband and I both work from home and have tons of charging cords for us and our kids and they’re usually just dangling around. This helps us keep those organized and neat, making them not only look better but easier to find. The adhesive seems good so it should last, but I got some extras just to have handy for the future. Highly recommend!" —Milica P.

Get a set of six from Amazon for $6.92.

Promising review: "I am not sure how people can hate this. It is so simple. It required no setup and the magnets that hold the bottom compartment on are strong. I literally did zero work for this product to help me out so much in my everyday life. It clears up my desk clutter and charges my electronics. Plus, it looks and feels quality for the price without paying a crazy amount for such a simple concept. I use an iPad Air, an iPhone 6S, and an iPhone 7. Because I work from home, my work and personal electronics have to mix but stay organized. This holds them all. I don't have problems with it not holding phones or anything like others have mentioned." —Rachel R

Get it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in six styles).

Founder Anthony Mazlish started this small biz when he realized there weren't any businesses focusing on ergonomically designed chairs and other comfort products. Before you add this to your cart you can pick between the basic office chair or massage style, one of nine different fabrics, with or without a headrest, two seat widths, two foam styles, plus adding wheels and/or a footrest.

Promising review: "This chair actually adjusts your back. You can feel your spine adjust throughout the day which is amazing. I work from home and in meetings all day, and this chair saves my back and rear end from fatigue." —Steve G.

Get it from X-Chair for $1,149.99 (customization available).

The reviews in this post have been edited for length and clarity.

Promising reviewI love this timer to keep me on task while working from home!Promising review:Promising review:From the first moment my feet landed in the plush comfort of the foam, I haven't wanted to take them off of itThis footrest has helped alleviate much of the daily pain I deal with, and at a far cheaper price than the ergonomic chair.Promising review:Promising review:It comes with a foldable case, which can double as a stand.comes with a USB-C to USB-C cable, a mini-HDMI to HDMI cable, and a power adapter (with a USB-A to USB-C cable)Promising review:It makes my job and my life easier and does not take up space as a large monitor connected to your laptop would.Promising review:I feel so much better and my body feels much better at the end of the day!