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Working from home gives you the freedom to customize your workspace in ways you can’t in a traditional office. Part of that is the ability to integrate or install a variety of gadgets that could potentially boost your productivity and improve your experience. There are actually a lot of gadgets that will instantly upgrade your home office. Air purifiers and diffusers to keep the air fresh and smelling nice, RGB and smart lighting to illuminate the space in neon hues, and even a tablet or laptop you can take with you around the property or to a local coffee shop.
Whether you’re nestled up in a cozy home office, relaxing on a hammock in your backyard, visiting the local cafe with free Wi-Fi, or working wherever the muse takes you, there are some gadgets that stand head and shoulders above others. They truly change the way you not only experience work but also the space around you. Those are what I would describe as the perfect Bluetooth gadgets for working at home or wherever. Collecting, installing and using them can really make the difference between a super productive day and one that’s stressful and challenging. I’ve put together a few to help you get a head start on achieving your perfect home workspace.
Noise-canceling Bluetooth headphones
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Everyone recommends headphones, and it’s an obvious choice, I know, but hear me out. Whether you prefer earbuds or classic over-the-ear headphones, not just any pair will suffice. Working from home can also bring distractions, not unlike the office, with the sounds of kids screaming or playing, clanking dishes, or barking dogs. If you’re working out of a new spot in public, like a restaurant or cafe, there might be lots of noise there, too. Noise-canceling headphones, specifically, let you turn on an ambient noise reduction mode to tune out all those pesky background sounds.
Keep in mind, you don’t have to use them to listen to music or podcasts. You can simply put on more calming tones or environmental audio that’s not a distracting, overstimulating clash of chaos. For instance, the Sony WF-1000XM5 noise-canceling earbuds, a highly rated pair, feature special noise-isolating ear tips and premium noise cancellation, thanks to proprietary processors that remove background audio with help from dual feedback microphones. Basically, they make everything quieter so you can focus. If you’re looking for a couple of additional top choices, Consumer Reports has the low-down on the best noise-canceling headphones money can buy.
Find a good pair, and they’ll completely transform your workspace and environment for the better. Fewer distractions are always a good thing.
Conference-friendly speakerphone
The goal for this guide was to step outside the box a little. That’s why this entry includes two options for Bluetooth-enabled speakerphones: one more basic, the other more advanced, but both equally invaluable during business hours. The Anker PowerConf is a tabletop conference speakerphone with 360-degree coverage thanks to six built-in microphones. It also delivers smart voice enhancements to keep you sounding clear to those on the other side, and has a large 6,700mAh battery for 24 hours of continuous call time on a single charge. Bluetooth 5 allows you to sync your phone or laptop, and it works with popular apps like Zoom, GotoMeeting and more.
Similarly, the Insta360 Wave is a Bluetooth-enabled, Zoom-certified speakerphone with an 8-microphone 3D array. It’s also compatible with an attachable webcam, so you can handle video and audio from a single device. AI-powered noise reduction and conferencing features help you lead the perfect meeting, including with automated assistant support and AI transcriptions.
In either case, it’s excellent to have a speakerphone handy for those work meetings, client meetings, and beyond. Most professional offices have expensive equipment and a huge meeting room to make this work. You can do it with a relatively affordable Bluetooth device.
A smart and modular stand-up desk
I’ve been working from home for nearly two decades now, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned in all that time, it’s that remaining sedentary for long periods, eight hours or more per day, is just not good for you. Not only is it a proven health risk, but it can dampen productivity and creativity, the latter of which I have to maintain all day, every day. But everyone has to work to survive, and most of the time that means sitting at a desk. How do you get around sitting all day? The best solution is to install a standing desk, or rather, a motorized one that lets you switch between sitting and standing positions.
The Uplift V3 standing desk is a solid example, but it also incorporates Bluetooth and app controls, alongside a modular design. You do have to purchase a Bluetooth adapter separately or simply choose a desk that comes with one, but once you do, you can use the app to adjust desk height, get movement reminders, track daily standing goals, calibrate settings, access a digital assistant, and much more. As for the physical desk, it’s highly modular, allowing you to swap out designs, like the actual desktop style, add in optional grommets for cords and cables, get mounts or accessories like a functional gooseneck desk lamp, and change out the keypads. That said, if you don’t like this model’s design, there are many, many more Bluetooth-enabled desks out there.
Bluetooth adjustable desk lamp
The lighting in your office is important. During video calls, conferences, and meetings, when you’re trying to read, or when you’re working at the desktop, it’s good to have directable lighting. But achieving great lighting is more complex than flicking a switch and turning on overhead lights in your office or living room. Sometimes, opening windows can let in too much light or cause glare, and having a big light on all day is too much, as well. That’s when it’s excellent to have a smart desktop lamp.
If you don’t want app controls, the BenQ e-Reading desk lamp is a good choice. You can adjust brightness, temperature, and dimming with physical knobs on the lamp itself. Or, you could opt for Lepro’s clamp-style desk lamp for a budget-friendly option.
Alternatively, the Govee Desk Lamp, gaming light bars, or the Philips Hue Iris smart LED table lamp are Bluetooth and smart-assistant-enabled choices. They employ designs other than just traditional gooseneck-style lamps, but also give you a variety to choose from. With these smart lights, you can use a mobile app or a voice assistant to customize colors, set dynamic scenes and activate light effects. Don’t worry, if all of that is too distracting, you can also set a neutral white or warm light, as well. It’s a smart way to bathe your workspace in pleasant radiance. Moreover, a bright, adjustable desk lamp is one of the recommended ways to set up a desk that prevents neck and back pain, per the experts.
A foldable keyboard and mouse combo
Since the focus is on Bluetooth-enabled gadgets, you should have known that a keyboard and mouse would come up as essential office items. While a mechanical or full-size keyboard and ergonomic mouse are most often recommended, they aren’t terribly portable. The true beauty of working from home, depending on what you do, is that you can work from anywhere, even if it’s just moving around inside your home or property. But to do that, you’ll also need reliable mobile gear. A foldable keyboard and mouse combo provides precisely that.
A foldable keyboard is mostly designed for travel. You can fold up the device for easy stow-and-go and bring it with you on a plane and to various hotels and workplaces. But it’s also a great option to move around your local area. The ProtoArc XKMO1 foldable keyboard and mouse combo takes that a step further, bundled with a hard carrying case. Also, it’s a full-size keyboard with a number pad when set up, and it comes with a matching precision mouse. They’re rechargeable via USB-C, offering hundreds of days of continuous battery life each. You could also use them to work from a set-top or mini PC connected to a TV. Grab these, connect them to your computer or laptop, sit back on the couch, and plug away. The ProtoArc has over 2,900 reviews with a 4.4 out of 5-star rating. However, if you don’t like this particular model or want to look at yourself, there are quite a few others on Amazon and elsewhere.
