Some bosses may be insisting that their staff return to the office, but with the swinging number of positive Covid-19 cases in recent weeks, hybrid work is definitely here to stay. It’s now more necessary than ever to set up a productive “WFH station” that has all the essentials you need to stay focused and comfortable while working at home. Here… these should improve your quality of life.

EverDesk+ Adjustable Standing Desk

The market for height adjustable standing tables has soared since last year’s Circuit Breaker, and there are a few brands who have come out on top for their marketing efforts (their advertising and viral campaigns are all over Facebook!), and of course quality of products. There’s the obvious choice of Omnidesk (there are versions for kids too), and the rebranded EverDesk+ (previously known as AmpDesk/ErgoEdge).

Above: the EverDesk+ system is a height-adjustable desk that includes peg boards, table shelves, monitor arms, laptop stands and more.

The EverDesk+ edges out the Omnidesk just slightly by price. Both offer very similar desk finishes, legs and eco-system of accessories, but the EverDesk+ starts from $599 for the Lite, while the most affordable Omnidesk, which is the Zero, starts at $659 (and the table is curved, which I’m not a fan of). I have to admit though, that the new Omnidesk Wildwood+ collection is gorgeous, but on the pricey side. EverDesk+ offers a similar Natural Wood series that has a beautiful Aged Darkened Walnut top with the brand’s usual bells and whistles (such as the UniGroove Cable Stopper and Health Coach.

Above: EverDesk+ health coach.

The EverDesk+ is priced from $599. Assemble your desk at everdeskplus.com.

Ergomeister FAEZ8ERG Ergonomic Office Chair

Above: The Ergomeister FAEZ8ERG office chair.

This office chair has fully adjustable features; you can adjust its headrest, backrest, lumbar, armrest and seat, and it’s made with a premium mesh material that is cool and breathable so you can really sit on it for long hours in total comfort. And because it’s so customisable, it makes a particularly good chair for anyone with back problems or injuries. If you want to try it out at home, there’s a 60-day risk-free trial; and when you eventually do buy it, there’s a 15-year warranty.

Above: Close-up of Ergomeister FAEZ8ERG features.

The Ergomeister FAEZ8ERG Ergonomic office chair 8 series is priced at $899. Available from ERGOMEISTEROFFICECHAIR.COM.

Huawei MateView Monitor

Above: The Huawei Mateview.

We previously reviewed Huawei’s new flagship computer monitor and have to say it’s really one of the best we’ve ever tried. The display is crisp but not painfully so, the colours are vibrant and gorgeous, connectivity is simple and quick, and the minimalist case design is discreet and functional. Whether you use a desktop or laptop, this monitor is going to make your eyes very happy and you more productive.

THE HUAWEI MATEVIEW IS PRICED AT $998, AND AVAILABle on SHOPEE. THERE’S ALSO A PROMO WHERE YOU GET $140 OFF WHEN YOU PURCHASE THE VOUCHER FOR $1 ON SHOPEE BETWEEN 1 TO 8 SEPTEMBER.

LOGITECH ERGO K860 Split Ergonomic Keyboard

This ergonomic keyboard is the recipient of several design awards, and for good reason; it is specifically designed to give the user better posture, less strain and more support for the wrists. The curved, split keyframe may look like something you have to get used to, but once you start using it, you’ll soon realise that it feels good — really good. Your usual typing feels less of an effort and your hands, arms and shoulders feel more relaxed. This is one luxury that we can all appreciate now.

The Logitech Ergo K860 Wireless Ergonomic Keyboard is priced at $199 and available on Shopee.

Canon MAXIFY GX6070 Printer

Above: The Canon Maxify GX6070 printer.

I have a Canon PIXMA G7070 that I use at home and absolutely love it. It prints extremely fast and one full tank has lasted me for more than a year (believe it or not), considering I’ve been printing pages and pages of school test papers for the kids to practice on. Just based on the specs, Canon’s new MAXIFY range sounds even more incredible; to begin with, the ink bottles can print far more pages than my G7070 — the brand claims that it can print up to 9,000 pages in B/W and 21,000 pages in colour! Furthermore, the pigment ink has a better formulation that dries super quick and resists fading and accidental exposure to water or moisture. The rest of the features are pretty standard — it prints, scans and copies, has an auto document feeder, easy ink refilling, and can connect to your devices wirelessly.

The Canon Maxify GX6070 Printer is priced at $769 and available from canon’s ONLINE STORE.

Seagate FireCuda Hard Drive

There’s nothing worse than running out of space on your computer, and then realising you don’t have an external hard disk lying around to back up your data. Seagate is one of the most reliable brands of hard drives and all the hard disks have a simple plug-and-play system that’s compatible with USB 3.2 Gen 1. We really like this gaming version that’s sleek, small and light, and has customisable RGB LED lighting. If you’re a gamer, turn off all the lights in the room and create your own “epic atmosphere” (their words). The product ratings for this on the Shopee page are pretty good with almost everyone saying that it’s easy to set up and the RGB feature works great.

Above: Seagate FireCuda Gaming Hard Drive.

The Seagate FireCuda gaming hard drive is available in capacities of 1TB ($109) , 2TB ($129), and 5TB ($219) on the Seagate official SHOPEE store.

myFirst Sketch Book

Above: myFirst Sketch Book.

If you’re a parent working from home, you’ll know all the challenges keeping young kids occupied and entertained. While Lego and Play-Doh are great distractions, it’s only a matter of time before all the Lego pieces are in every corner of the house, and every Play-Doh colour is… universal brown. That’s where devices come in, and keeping it nice and educational, check out myFirst Sketch Book, which is an extremely light (just 335g) drawing pad with a built-in memory that can connect to your iOS and Android devices — meaning you can save and share all those stickmen figures! A full battery charge lasts up to 50 hours and the internal memory can store more than 1,000 drawings.

myFirst Sketch Book is priced at $99.90 and available at MYFIRST.TECH.