The 17 Best Gifts for People Who Work from Home [2021]
Now that working from home—whether full time or just a few days a week—is becoming the rule and not the exception, it’s likely you or your loved ones could use a home office makeover. We’ve curated a list of 17 useful yet luxurious items guaranteed to make any work-from-home experience easier, cozier and overall more efficient. Because who doesn’t need more time?
To Upgrade Your Workspace
You sit at your desk from 9-5. Upgrade your space to make sure it’s a place you actually enjoy.
1. Technics Wireless Earbuds
As remote work increases in popularity, so too has the need for clear sound quality over video conferencing. The newest earbuds by Technics, a Panasonic brand, EAH-AZ60 True Wireless Earbuds ($229.99) are equipped with 8 mm drivers and eight individual mics that utilize its JustMyVoice™ technology to deliver clear, concise communication for any WFH environment. The earbuds also support multipoint connections, which means you can connect to up to two Bluetooth devices, like a cellphone and a laptop, at the same time. Created with advanced, noise-canceling technology, the Technics EAH-AZ60 eliminate background noise and promote better focus while working from your impromptu home-office setup.
2. Costa Farms Houseplant
Adding green to your workspace can boost creativity, improve productivity and reduce stress, which is why it only makes sense to get a plant for your desk. Headquartered in Miami, where plants grow wild, Costa Farms grows a stunning array of more than 1,500 varieties of houseplants so you don’t have to. Select a beautiful plant that matches your aesthetic, like the Bird’s Nest Fern ($40) or the Philodendron Birkin ($50), and have it shipped directly to your door. Costa Farms acclimates all plants from Miami conditions to those of the average household environment before shipping, so your plant will thrive wherever you live.
3. Laura Chairs
Combining classic midcentury design with comfortable soft cushioning, Laura’s Lexi Tall Back Office Chair ($380) is a designer-quality chair at a more reasonable price point. Each chair is crafted with high-quality materials like a strengthened steel frame, durable aluminum base and vegan leather upholstery, and comes with free shipping and 24/7 customer support if you have questions about which chair is best for you.
For That Low-Maintenance Zoom Prep
These products will help you look great for all your Zoom meetings without demanding more of your time or effort.
4. Edge Desk Lamp
The newest innovation by Lume Cube, a leader in modern portable lighting for creators and communicators, The Edge Desk Light ($119.99) is specifically designed to enhance your appearance on video calls and live broadcasts. The Edge offers a range of color temperature and brightness controls so you can find the perfect custom fit for your skin tone. Doubling as a task light, the sleek and multifunctional Edge brightens workspaces, maximizes productivity and doesn’t take up precious desk space if your home “office” is more like a corner of your bedroom.
5. Women’s: Prose
Give the gift of a perfect hair day with custom hair care from Prose. Prose’s Complete Set ($88) consists of a customized shampoo, conditioner and hair mask created to meet your loved one’s hair goals and needs. You select which set to gift, and Prose sends the recipient a digital e-gift card on the day of your choosing with a link to complete an online consultation to customize their hair care set, from which scents will be incorporated to which hair troubles (like flyaways, low volume, etc.) they want to tackle.
6. Men’s: Wild Willies
A family-run business, Wild Willies offers a range of men’s grooming products so men can wear their beard proudly in a corporate setting. The Ultimate Beard Grooming Kit ($52.88) includes beard wash, beard oils and balms, the Edge shaping tool, and a travel bag—everything you’d need to tame your mane.
To Promote Wellness
Working from home means there’s not always a clear separation from your professional and personal life—which only means you need to be more proactive about building in time to unwind. These items will help with that.
7. Alerse Yoga Mat
Using performance shoe technology to develop its high-end, Earth-friendly yoga mat, the Alerse Yoga Mat ($125) is designed with extra grip to ensure your mat stays in place so your at-home workouts flow without interruption—whether your downward dog is on carpet or slick floors. Each mat is composed of 8 mm of Alerse’s thick, proprietary OmFoam, made of 75% recycled materials and 20% bio algae, which helps reduce the carbon footprint of your workout.
8. Hydragun
For those who spend the day hunched over a laptop, the Hydragun is a high-performance massage gun that offers stress relief anytime, anywhere. It comes equipped with six different speed settings and seven interchangeable heads, so you can adjust it to your own pressure preference, target specific muscle groups and tailor your massage to fit your exact needs. One of the lightest and quietest massage guns on the market, Hydragun is currently on sale for $299, making it one of the most affordable as well.
9. Women’s: WorkRobe
WorkRobe offers a line of soft yet corporate-approved robes. The Button-Down Robe ($89) is tailored and professional enough for a Zoom meeting, but still cozy to ensure your ultimate comfort while working from the kitchen table. The brand balances what every WFH-er strives to achieve: business on top, comfort on the bottom.
10. Men’s: MagicLinen
Linen no longer has to be reserved for special occasions, because MagicLinen’s comfortable hooded Waffle Bath Robe ($114), made from a soft, lightweight linen-cotton blend, is meant for relaxing and unwinding. The puffy waffle weave elevates the robe with a unique look and texture. Plus, each MagicLinen item is made without using any harmful substances and chemicals and shipped in environmentally friendly packaging—so you’ll feel good about what you’re wearing.
11. Overland Slippers
Sink your feet into the most comfortable slippers to take your work “commute” to the next level. Overland’s Classic Australian Merino Sheepskin Slippers ($99) are available in both men’s and women’s styles and an array of colors. Crafted by master artisans, these plush slippers come with a memory foam midsole for luxurious support and durability. And on the chilliest days, roll up the sides and transition to a high-top pair that looks cool while keeping you warm.
To Spice Up Your Lunch Breaks
Your stomach will thank you.
12. Caraway Sauté Pan
Working from home calls for more home-cooked meals, and the tools to cook them right. Available in stunning jewel tones, Caraway’s Sauté Pan ($135, lid included) is incredibly versatile—it’s large enough to steam vegetables or cook up a chili for the whole family. And its ceramic-coated interior makes cooking (and perhaps more importantly, cleaning) easier than ever. Caraway’s entire line of cookware is designed with a mineral-based coating that won’t leach toxic materials into your food, and releases up to 60% less CO2 when produced compared to traditional nonstick coatings.
13. Rise Gardens Personal Garden
Eating healthy is proven to boost your brain. The Rise Gardens Personal Garden ($279) empowers you to grow your favorite herbs and vegetables from home all year round. Compact enough to sit on a shelf or countertop, the hydroponic garden is WiFi-enabled and mobile app-controlled—all the care instructions, like when to add nutrients, water, etc., are guided by tech so everyone can have a green thumb. The Personal Garden comes with nutrients and eight seed pods of leafy greens and assorted herbs to get your custom garden started.
14. Garrett Wade Stainless Steel Stovetop Espresso Maker
Garrett Wade’s Stainless Steel Stovetop Espresso Maker ($49+) brews an authentic Italian espresso to get your workday started on the right side of the cuppa. The espresso maker is incredibly easy to operate: Simply pour in water and coffee grounds to the recommended levels, set a double walled Stainless Steel cup ($9.50) on the built-in platform, place over a medium flame, and in minutes a rich stream of delicious brew flows into your cup. Recommended for those who like to start the day feeling accomplished, and caffeinated.
Because a Polished Home Is a Polished Mind
Here are a few items to elevate your home so your mind is free to do its best work.
15. Parachute Percale Sheet Set
For those whose bedroom is now their regular Zoom background, upgraded bedding may be the perfect gift that keeps on giving. Crafted in Portugal from 100% premium, certified long-staple Egyptian cotton, Parachute’s Percale Sheet Set ($169+) is soft, lightweight and breathable, making it suitable for all sleepers—especially those who tend to run warm. Offered in a range of earth tones, these sheets will upgrade both your sleep and style.
16. Levoit Air Purifier
Always have a “clean” office with your own personal air purifier. Levoit’s Core 300S Smart True HEPA Air Purifier ($149.99) encapsulates 99.97% of airborne particles 0.3 microns in size, like fine dust, pollen and pet dander, and can be controlled via voice control with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant™ through the VeSync app. The small, chic device packs a punch—it can purify the air in a 219 square foot space up to five times an hour, and all with a built-in quiet mode so it won’t disturb your meetings.
17. Skeem Design Cloches + Candles
Skeem Design offers a wide variety of candles and handblown glass Match Cloches ($38 to $52) with 120 aesthetic yet functional matches, a strike-on-bottle flint and cork topper. Designed to be repurposed, Skeem Design puts a modern spin on the classic glass cloche in colors ranging from smoke to violet and moss to elevate your bookshelf, side table or home office.
Photo by @alicerubik/Twenty20
Megan Nicole O’Neal is a writer with a passion for storytelling, traveling and whenever possible, mixing the two. The UCLA alum lives in Los Angeles; more specifically westside coffee shops with equally strong wifi and dark roasts. Connect with Megan on Twitter at @megan_n_onealor her website mnoneal.com.