Finding the best work from home gifts can be a serious challenge, especially if you’re back at the office yourself. Luckily, we’ve rounded up the 35 top gifts for people who work from home that won’t gather dust or get swept into a drawer somewhere.
As someone who’s been working from home since before Covid made it cool, it’s been my mission to create the most optimal remote work setup using many of the items in this gift guide. Not only are these gifts practical, but they’re unique and add a bit of spark to an otherwise dull workspace.
So whether you’re shopping for your fellow work from home colleagues, or that sad soul still stuck at their kitchen table, these are the best work from home gifts for anyone staring at a screen all day long.
Our Top Picks
Take the office to the couch with this flashy lap desk. It’s a total upgrade from the one you had in high school. This lap desk is an ideal work from home gift thanks to the device ledge to keep your laptop from slipping off and a phone mount to keep the sofa from consuming it. Yes, it also has a much-needed integrated mousepad. It’s an all-in-one mobile workspace complete with cushions that keep you cool and comfortable—which is everything in the remote work world.
There’s nothing quite as important as staying organized when your home and office are one and the same. That’s why this weekly desk pad is among the best work from home gifts for friends, family, and employees. It’s convenient, minimalist, and totally practical. You get space for a weekly focus, day-by-day breakdown, to-do lists, and even a habit tracker. With 50 sheets to work through, that’s nearly a year of organization.
Keep all your ducks in a row with this leather portfolio. Aside from ducks, it also has plenty of room for documents, chargers, and pens. it even doubles as a laptop case for anything 15″ and under. The luxe leather exterior makes this ideal as a Christmas gift too. And it’s one they’ll be using for the rest of their lives, working from home or not. Talk about double duty.
Spice up your workday with some motion. Rather than standing stationary at your desk, or worse, sitting all day long, the Whirly Board turns things up a notch. It’s an innovative desk workout that enhances your balance and agility. Rather than tiring you out, the Whirly Board presents a funny gift solution to combat desk fatigue, increase productivity, and get some exercise in to boot.
Cold coffee is one of the many perils of remote work, making this smart mug among the best work from home gifts on the market. Rather than letting your coffee sit and congeal, the Ember smart mug will keep your drink hot for up to an hour and a half at the exact temperature you specify. It’s controlled easily via an app and automatically shuts off once the mug is empty. Microwave coffee who?
If he’s still taking Zoom calls in his old gym t-shirts or *shudders* a pajama top, this is the best work from home gift out there. It’s just as comfortable as any old tee but looks far nicer thanks to the high-quality construction and button-up closure. This model even spares him the tugging at a collar (yes, it’s collarless) and has added stretch for movement from the couch to the fridge. No one will blame him for wearing it every day… It is called the All Day Shirt for a good reason.
Nothing says work from home like a dust-covered, fingerprint-smudged computer. But it doesn’t have to be that way. One of the best affordable work from home gifts is this mini laptop cleaner. It gets into the nitty gritty of things to collect every speck of dirt and dust. The soft, retractable brush can reach those tricky spots, and the microfiber pad gets rid of any and all screen gunk without pesky residue left behind.
No one likes a dingy workspace, so refresh it with the gift of an artisan candle. With sweet cherry and soft cotton scents, this clean smell is energizing yet calming. Perfect for lighting in between stressful Zoom calls and large cups of home-brewed coffee. It’s mellow enough to appeal to anyone, making it a safe bet as a work from home gift for couples stuck at the dining room table together.
Anyone working remotely from a laptop needs a stand to prop their computer up. This is one of the best work from home gifts that turns a makeshift workspace into something more professional. Get ready for improved posture and overall comfort while you’re typing away or crunching numbers. This aluminum contraption is suitable for most laptops, plus it’s completely detachable for easy transportation. Which is just as well, considering once they start using this laptop stand, they’ll never want to work without it again.
Japanese culture is best known for hyper minimalist yet ultra-functional designs. And this minimalist pen holder certainly fits the bill. Created for sleek desk organization (who needs more than one pen anyway?), this small unit can hold a single pen (maybe this HMM plummet pen from Huckberry?). It might seem like overkill to you but to the minimalist in your life its simplicity heaven, making this is one of the best work from home gifts you can hope for.
Would you rather work from a cafe than at home? Then this remote worker gift will certainly come in handy. This backpack is any remote worker’s dream. It includes a 15″ padded laptop compartment, external pockets, and thoughtfully integrated D-rings for an easy closure no matter how stuffed the bag is. Whether you’re hitting client meetings or visiting the office after months away, you can bet this backpack will be in tow.
Any tech fiend jumps at the opportunity to keep their devices in one place, and this charging dock is one of the best remote work accessories available. Cables galore aren’t ideal for remote workers. This wireless device streamlines the charging process and has room for an iPhone, Apple Watch, and Airpods, all in a compact package. This life-saving dock is one of the best gifts for remote people already working in a tight environment.
Speaking of keeping cables at bay. Every remote worker will love the idea of hiding pesky cables instead of letting them slowly take over their home office. This nifty wooden top box has room for dozens of cables, and if that’s not enough, there’s a second box for any leftovers. The innovative design has an opening to feed cables through for regular use, so you only get what you need, when you need it. It even comes with cable ties and holders to use either inside or out of the boxes for extra organization.
Turn their workspace deluxe with a Jordan Belfort-worthy desk accessory. This leather desk pad doesn’t come cheap, but it’s worth every penny thanks to the luxurious construction and Montblanc brand name. The flexible leather supports handwriting or other desk activities, and the suede backing keeps it from sliding all over the place. Finished with the signature Montblanc logo, you’ll feel like you’re in a penthouse on Wall Street.
Best of the Rest
After staring at a screen for nearly 20 hours a day, you need a pair of blue-light glasses to block harmful rays. Not only do they look sharp, but blue light glasses actually help mitigate screen time fatigue, headaches, and stress. Plus, they protect your eyes so you can see more natural colors. Basically, they’re any remote worker’s best friend. This pair from Meller makes one of the best work from home gifts and comes in seven colors to match your unique style.
It may be a bit much to purchase an entire standing desk as a work from home gift, but there’s a perfect middle ground. A standing desk converter can be used in any current workspace. This tiered desk riser lets you reach new heights (literally), and it allows for a dual monitor, even if you’re working in a cramped setting. The entire workstation can rise to a standing height to help improve concentration, focus, and productivity.
Anybody working from home needs a reliable coffee maker. That’s just a fact. Rather than spending $5 a day on cold brew, save your money and time with this cold brew coffee maker. Extremely simple to use, dependable and delicious, this is a purchase worth every sip.
With all the Zoom calls flying around these days, one of the best work from home gifts is a video conference lighting kit. Who doesn’t want to look their best when the moment calls? This nifty device has five color and brightness options, along with a clip for a computer and a standing mount. At a budget price, this is one of the best small gifts for anyone trapped in video call land.
The standing desk craze is real. But you could make life a bit cushier with an anti-fatigue floor mat. This nifty cushion brings comfort back to standing with high-density foam thats soft on your knees, feet, and back. Standing for long periods of time has met its match. Plus, it’s stain-resistant. If you knock your coffee over, it’ll wipe right off of the mat rather than staining the carpet.
While some may think organization makes a boring work from home gift, it’s actually the present that keeps on giving. Instead of having papers and devices strewn across the workspace, throw in some classy structure. This bamboo paper tray has room for everything and then some. Choose between ten, seven, and five slots, and watch those babies fill up fast.
Anyone working from home needs a dependable notebook to jot down important information. And maybe even feelings once in a while *screams into the abyss*. This sleek set of four leather notebooks offers variety and something nice to look at during those long days in front of the computer. Delivered in a box set, two of the notebooks are spiral bound, while the other two are tape bound, composition book style. No matter how you like to take notes, this set has you covered.
If you’re addicted to La Croix or are known to crack open a cold one midday (we’re not judging), this is one of the best work from home gifts. While it may look like your regular, run-of-the-mill koozie, it’s actually a stainless steel insulated drink holder. It gets better—it suctions to your desk so it can keep your drinks cold for hours without accidentally spilling them on your laptop.
Always searching for a pen? This is one of the best work from home gifts if you’re looking for something small but meaningful. This aluminum number has a magnetic cap to keep it nearby for all of the important chicken scratch to come. There’s even a loop in the top of the cap so it can clip onto anything. When it’s back to the office, this pen will be coming with you.
Sitting all day can really take a toll on your body. The solution is this lumbar support pillow. Not only will it keep you comfortable all day long, but the special contour design specifically relieves lower back pressure. No more complaining about that aching breaky back anymore.
If you’re still hell-bent on taking notes by hand, this is one of the best work from home gifts to keep them all in one place. Better than a simple notepad, this digital device works as a reusable notebook. Fill it again and again without a single piece of physical paper. It has a whopping twenty pages you can wipe clean like a whiteboard and a faux leather cover that creates the illusion of a high-end scratchpad. That said, the real practicality of this device comes with the partner app, which lets you upload notes for easy reference down the line.
Even if you dress to the nines for your remote job, you’re unlikely to throw on fancy footwear just to sit at home all day. Why cram your feet into rigid leather when they can comfortably sit in slippers? This classic pair from UGG is nothing short of timeless, not to mention some of the coziest on the market. While you may be business on top, this work from home gift will keep you comfy in the footwear department.
This gift not only lets you listen to music, but you can also drown out loud roommates, noisy neighbors, or screaming babies. While there are newer models of the Bose QuietComfort headphones, this iteration reigns supreme in the areas of comfort, quality, and overall noise-canceling capabilities. They’re wireless thanks to Bluetooth compatibility, and they have two degrees of noise-canceling to toggle through. When it comes to focused work time, these are a must-have.
If you’re constantly fumbling for your glasses, this stylish eyewear stand ensures they never get too far. A flashy desk accessory with plenty of function, this work from home gift is sure to be your new saving grace.
Coffee is also known as rocket fuel for most people who stare at screens all day. This sampler box holds about half a pound’s worth of freshly ground or whole single-origin coffee beans. And they’re from small-batch producers worldwide, so you can find your new global go-to.
Staying hydrated can be surprisingly hard when sitting in the same place all day long. A dependable water bottle is one of the best work from home gifts to keep that valuable H2O nearby on the clock. This particular bottle has motivational time markers to encourage water drinking throughout the day.
Give the gift of lasting comfort. If you’re still working from your hardback kitchen chair, this ergonomic office chair will knock your socks off. It really is one step closer to the remote work setup of your dreams. This fully adjustable mesh chair offers plenty of lumbar support, with supportive armrests, breathable material, and an easy setup. Talk about an instant upgrade.
More interesting than your average desk calendar, this Jeopardy! tear off date pad brings some fun into the monotony of remote work. Perfect as an affordable gift for the trivia buffs, each day comes with a new question with the answer printed on the back. Not only does it track the date and major US holidays, but it also makes for epic scrap paper.
If you’re busy typing away with way too many other people floating around, this door sign is for you. With four options to toggle between, this nifty device lets everyone know when it’s appropriate to enter and when they better keep their paws off the door handle.
Upgrade your remote work set up with a ten-foot charging cable. This practical device is a 3-in-1 charging cord with a micro USB, USB-C, and an iPhone lighting cable, all stemming from a single cable. Instead of getting tangled in cords every day, you’ll be whispering a genuine thank you for this handy contraption.
The back isn’t the only body part to watch out for when it comes to working from home. Spending hours with your feet against the hard ground can be harsh on your joints. not to mention wildly uncomfortable in general. Crafted from high-quality memory foam, this footrest will actually mold to your foot to relieve pain. It’s as comfortable as humanly possible while also promoting circulation and body alignment.
What to Look For When Buying The Best Work From Home Gifts
What They Like
First, consider what they like. Are they into tech? Super organized spaces? Funky devices or trying new trends? All of this will guide you toward what kind of gift to look for. The goal is something that will resonate with them rather than getting swept into the junk drawer.
What They Need
It’s equally important to think about what they need. Do they need help staying organized? Do they need to drown out surrounding noise? Is their workspace super uncomfortable? Consider what they would truly benefit from. It’s all about choosing a gift they actually need. If you keep this in mind, they’ll wind up with a stellar addition to their home workspace.
Their Line of Work
Finally, it pays to keep in mind their line of work. People who have to keep up Zoom appearances will likely want a different type of gift than your friend who exclusively works from the couch. If they’re in the more professional realm of remote work, choosing a gift that amplifies this is a winner. But if you’re shopping for someone who keeps it cozy, you can probably skip the standing desk.
FAQ
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If you’re wondering what you should get someone who works from home, consider options like a standing desk converter, laptop stand, smart coffee mug, or a desktop organization device. If the person you’re shopping for prefers a more comfortable work from home environment, they’ll enjoy gifts like slippers, a lap desk, or a foot rest.
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The best work from home gifts ultimately depends on who you’re shopping for. But at the end of the day, it all comes down to gifting them a useful addition to their home workspace, rather than something that just creates clutter. Air on the side of practical if you’re not sure, and choose gifts like organizers, a laptop cleaner, or headphones. And if all else fails, there’s always coffee.
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