If we’ve learned anything over the past two years, it’s that you can’t second-guess what this pandemic is going to do next.
It has, however, caused one permanent shift – working from home is here to stay in some shape or form, with many people either devoting a part of their house to it, or building a bespoke office in the garden or garage.
But you need the right equipment to make sure you are comfortable and remain healthy. Here we look at some gadgets for this new working world.
Kensington Orbit Fusion Wireless Trackball
£59.99
There are two good reasons to buy this (or, indeed, any) trackball mouse when working from home.
Firstly, it can either prevent or ease the pain of carpal tunnel syndrome – something that is becoming quite common in less-than-perfect environments. Secondly, it takes up less desk space.
But what makes the Orbit Fusion stand above its competitors is the scroll ring. Navigating is a lot easier.
The buttons are also well placed and are quite large, so your thumb instinctively goes to them. Build quality is also excellent for the price.
VonHaus Adjustable Height Sit-Stand Desk
£179.99
Cases of back pain have rocketed since lockdown. Doing a day’s work from the kitchen or dining table is not viable long-term. Investing in an adjustable desk, like this one, is ideal.
A crank handle means you can position it exactly right, and the quality of the finish makes it feel as sturdy as a piece of office furniture.
Aside from a proper chair, this might be the most important piece of kit for a pain-free working day.
VonHaus Standing Desk Anti-Fatigue Mat
£24.99
Nothing in life is easy. So you’ve got your standing desk to ease your back pain, but now you find you have sore feet (or even new posture problems).
VonHaus have developed this mat to ease such discomfort. Maybe it’s because I am heavier than the average dude (or have wonkier feet), but this seemed to be of limited use. It helped a bit, but may benefit others more. Best used without shoes.
Netgear Orbi Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi System (RBK50)
£329.99 (but shop around)
Almost worse than physical pain, is the anguish of losing your wi-fi connection. Having proper, reliable coverage is a necessity, not a luxury.
Netgear’s Orbi system uses the Mesh system, in which each Wi-Fi point “talks” to the other, to distribute signals over the network, ensuring far better coverage.
Consisting of two stations (more can be added), it should cover a 4,000 square feet house with a high-speed 2.2Gbps connection.
Once set up (very easy), we found the connection to be rock solid, and always at 100%. In fact, it is so reliable, we’ve almost forgotten about it. Highly recommended.
Russell Hobbs Clean Air Compact Purifier
£79.99
Staying healthy while working from home, isn’t just about posture.
Air quality is important too. Chances are you are working in one of the smaller rooms of your house with laptop, printer etc spewing out all sorts of worrying stuff.
Of course, we should all be opening windows anyway, but in cold weather an air purifier is a good idea.
Russell Hobbs’s is nice and compact for smaller spaces, and is very reasonably priced too.
The HEPA filter traps smoke, pollen and dust, as well as bacteria and viruses as small as 0.3 microns. Would have been nice if came with a remote, but otherwise, a stylish and important addition.
