2014 Gift Guide for the Remote Worker
Working remotely/from home is not only something I started doing this year, it’s something that’s becoming more and more popular. Big companies are allowing it, there are books published on it, and it makes a lot of business sense too. I thought in addition to my regular gift guides, I’d put something out there for all the remote workers and their family and friends.
Headphones and Microphone
Remote workers will spend a ton of time using these two items since it’s our primary way of meeting with coworkers and clients. Good, comfortable headphones are clutch; I wear mine for hours at a time, especially when I’m at my local coworking space, so comfort and quality are important. I strongly recommend the V-MODA Crossfades I picked up a couple years ago.
A good mic means sounding clear and crisp during meetings, and is just as much for the recipient as it is for the people who have to listen to him/her. I currently have the Samson Meteor Mic, which I really like. But below are 2 that happen to be on my wishlist
- Headphones: V-MODA Crossfades – $102
- Headphones: Sennheiser HD 598 Over-Ear Headphones – $179
- Mic: Blue Microphones Yeti – $99
- Mic: Rode Podcaster USB Dynamic Microphone – $205
Comforts of Home
Working from home means you need to be comfortable. It also means never having to put on real clothes. Slippers, PJ Pants, a solid desk chair, and a really good coffee maker are all excellent gifts to make sure your remote worker is comfortable at the home office.
- Slippers: L.B. Men’s Altin BOA Slipper ($28-55)
- Slippers: BEARPAW Women’s Loki 2 Shearling Slipper ($17.99-69.95)
- PJ Pants: Amazon’s Top Rated *I can’t actually speak to these quality-wise, but if it were me, I’d like some Ninja Turtle or Star Wars PJ Pants.
- Desk Chair: Black, Mid-Black Leather ($56) *I’ve had a chair very similar to this one for over 10 years at home and love it, but this is also going to come down to personal preference.
- Coffee Maker: Cuisinart DCC-500 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker, Black ($59.99)
- Coffee Maker: Hamilton Beach 49983A 2-Way FlexBrew Coffeemaker ($88)
- Coffee Maker: Keurig K45 Elite Brewing System, Black ($105)
Travel Gear
If your remote worker is anything like me, they get cabin fever pretty easily. I have some good stuff to make it easy for me to travel, including a good bag and an extra charger. Here’s a good list:
- Travel Bag: Timbuk2 Finder Messenger Bag ($27- a HUGE steal) *Also, anything by them is great, so look around
- Spare Charger. This varies based on the device of-course, but this looks like a good resource if you need it. Amazon also has tons.
- Coffee Gift Card: Starbucks | Dunkin Donuts | Panera Bread | Your local coffee shop also works!
- Coworking Space subscription. It’s always good to get out of the house. Find one near you.
For the glasses-wearing remote worker in your life, on-ear headphones (rather than over-ear) can be a lot comfier. I swear by my Koss PortaPro’s, which look retro, are incredibly cheap, but really do sound awesome. http://www.amazon.com/Koss-PortaPro-Headphones-with-Case/dp/B00001P4ZH/