I set up a new home office for permanent remote work - here are the 8 purchases that helped me create my ideal workspace
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Steven Cohen/Insider
- I recently moved to Florida and set up a new home office in my apartment for permanent remote work.
- A wide desk, mechanical keyboard, and comfy chair all help me create an inviting workspace.
- Read more about why you can trust our tech team to provide the best product recommendations.
After nearly a decade in New York, I recently moved to Florida. The move means I'll be working remotely on a permanent basis, and that gave me the perfect opportunity to put together a new home office.
New York is infamous for its tiny apartments, and my old place definitely fit that bill. I made do with a cramped room that forced me to set up my desk in what should have been a closet. It got the job done, but was far from ideal.
My new apartment offers a lot more space, and that's allowed me to create a more comfortable office. And, since I don't have to worry about upsetting coworkers, I can even indulge in some killer speakers and one of those ridiculously loud mechanical keyboards I've always wanted.
Though my office is still a work in progress (cable management is my next project), I've been happy with my purchases so far. If you're looking for home office ideas, these products all make worthwhile buys.
Steven Cohen/Insider
For my new desk, I wanted something wide with a rustic style. I ended up going with this 55-inch CubiCubi desk. The surface isn't real wood, but it looks nice and it offers plenty of space. The metal frame is sturdy and it even features a hook to hang my headphones.
A comfy office chairSteven Cohen/Insider
After testing a few desk chairs at a couple stores, I found this WorkPro 4000 chair that delivered the comfort, adjustability, and price tag I was looking for. So far, it's served me well during regular eight-hour work days. The only complaint I have is that it's easy to accidentally move the armrests around, but that's really just a nitpick.
A mechanical keyboard for tactile typingSteven Cohen/Insider
I finally made the leap to a mechanical keyboard, and I love the way it's improved my typing experience. Mechanical keyboards feature physical switches to give you tactile feedback. You can get quiet models, but I opted for Logitech's K845ch with Cherry Blue switches to get that satisfying "clicky" feel. It also features illuminating keys with five backlight modes.
Desktop speakers for crisp soundSteven Cohen/Insider
These Jamo S 801 bookshelf speakers sound fantastic, with crisp highs and deep lows that are a step above typical computer speakers. The only downside? They require a separate amplifier for power. This super-compact AD18 amp from SMSL ($144.99) does the trick just fine.
A big monitor with plenty of workspaceSteven Cohen/Insider
As someone who tends to have an endless row of tabs open, I always find myself needing as much screen space as possible. This LG 32-inch QN600-B monitor gives me the area I need to organize multiple windows on screen.
However, as much as I've loved using this monitor, one pesky defect popped up recently: a thin line of vertical pixels. This doesn't seem to be a widespread problem, but a couple customers on Amazon have complained about similar issues.
Thankfully, the monitor has a one-year warranty, and I initiated a work order with LG to get it repaired. The company will reimburse me to ship it out, and it should be fixed within 10 business days. I still think the monitor remains a good value for the price I paid, but needing a repair is never ideal.
A USB hub for multiple devicesSteven Cohen/Insider
I use a 2017 MacBook Pro for work and it only has two USB-C ports. Since I want to have a monitor, keyboard, mouse, and power adapter all hooked up at the same time, this presents a problem. The solution is this Lionwei USB-C hub. It has multiple ports so I can plug in everything I need.
I also added an Ablewe USB Switcher ($21.99) so I can simultaneously connect the same keyboard and mouse I use with my MacBook to my PC. This lets me easily switch control to my Windows system with the press of a button.