Best buys · 5 picks

The desk

The things you touch for eight hours a day are the last place to save twenty dollars. These are the ones people end up with after trying the cheaper version first.

Logitech MX Master
The mouse

Logitech MX Master

The mouse people who sit at a desk all day end up owning: a proper thumb rest, a scroll wheel that free-spins through long sheets and charts, quiet clicks, and it switches between three computers.

Buy it for
Spreadsheets, charts, anything that is not competitive gaming.
Skip it if
You play fast shooters. Get a light gaming mouse.
What to look for, the cheaper option and the step up →
The headphones

Sony WH-1000X noise-cancelling headphones

Among the best noise cancelling you can buy, comfortable for a full day, with battery for a week of commutes. When a new generation launches the previous one usually falls in price, and this page will show you when it has.

Buy it for
Open-plan offices, flights, a house with children in it.
Skip it if
You want them for the gym. Buy earbuds that can get sweaty.
What to look for, the cheaper option and the step up →
The keyboard

Keychron mechanical keyboard

A mechanical keyboard that works with Mac and Windows, wired or over Bluetooth, for about what a big brand charges for a membrane one. Typing all day on it is noticeably less tiring.

Buy it for
Anyone who writes, codes or trades for a living.
Skip it if
You share an office with someone who hates the sound. Pick a model with quiet switches.
What to look for, the cheaper option and the step up →
The reader

Kindle Paperwhite

Easy on the eyes, a battery measured in weeks, and waterproof enough for the bath. The best way to actually get through the books you keep buying.

Buy it for
Commuters, travelers, anyone who reads in bed.
Skip it if
You read mostly PDFs and textbooks. The screen is too small for them.
What to look for, the cheaper option and the step up →
The monitor light

BenQ ScreenBar

Sits on top of the monitor and lights the desk, not the screen, so there is no glare and no lamp taking up space. A small thing you use every evening.

Buy it for
Late nights, early mornings, desks without a window.
Skip it if
Your monitor is curved or very thin at the top. Check the fit first.
What to look for, the cheaper option and the step up →