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.