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The best home office furniture and tech: Upgrade your workspace

What is the best home office furniture? ZDNet chose the Vari Electric Standing Desk. However, if you're setting up a home office or you've decided to upgrade your current home office for full-time work, we have great suggestions for you.
Vari Electric Standing Desk | Best overall option
Vari Electric Standing Desk
Vari Electric Standing Desk
Best overall option
View now View at Amazon
Herman Miller Aeron Ergonomic Office Chair | Best ergonomic chair option
Herman Miller Aeron Ergonomic Chair
Herman Miller Aeron Ergonomic Office Chair
Best ergonomic chair option
View now View at Herman Miller
StarTech.com Clamp-On Monitor Shelf | Best desk accessory
stand.jpg
StarTech.com Clamp-On Monitor Shelf
Best desk accessory
View now View at Amazon
Varier Variable Plus Balans Kneeling Chair | Best alternative seating option
Varier Variable Plus Balans Kneeling Chair
Varier Variable Plus Balans Kneeling Chair
Best alternative seating option
View now View at Amazon
Leermart Adjustable Footrest | Best for additional comfort
Leermart Adjustable Footrest
Leermart Adjustable Footrest
Best for additional comfort
View now View at Amazon

Working from home has become more common than ever before. However, many of those who are fortunate enough be able to work from home are still optimizing their home office desks.

Most of us at ZDNet have worked from home for years. We have a lot of experience not only in the migration to working from home but what it takes to set up an optimal working environment. Therefore, we've compiled a list of the best office furniture that we believe can truly optimize productivity. There are definitely more expensive options out there, and there are less expensive. What's presented here are really good options that should serve you no matter what your home office looks like.

We think the Vari Electric is the best home office furniture option thanks to its versatility and its high praises from reviewers. Go from sitting to standing throughout your workday as this desk can quickly transform from 25.5. inches tall to 50.5 inches. 

This desk is ideal for individuals up to 6 feet 6 inches tall. Choose between a 48-inch or 60-inch long desktop that are both 30 inches wide. It can handle weights of up to 250 pounds and has a motor that operates at under 45 decibels. 

The Vari Electric Standing Desk comes in five colors as well as stunning wood finishes like Butcher Block, Reclaimed Wood, and Darkwood. 

Pros:

  • Extremely stable design
  • Programmable controls
  • Custom colors and designs

Cons:

  • Doesn't have a keyboard tray
  • Expensive model

Also: Best standing desks

If there is an iconic symbol of the ergonomic office, it's the Aeron chair. A piece of office-acana since 1994, Herman Miller tweaked the design a few years ago to bring it up to modern standards. Since we last looked at it, it's dropped in price as well.

Besides being a design icon, the Aeron is the chair many professionals swear by because of its spine and posture support, support of the pelvis, adjustable lumbar support, and breathable back mesh. If you insist your office chairs have a headrest, you can add one of many available on Amazon. This one, by Atlas, is also a classic design.

Pros:

  • Different types of support for your body 
  • Iconic design 
  • Super comfortable 

Cons:

  • Super expensive 
  • No headrest 

Also: Best office chair

It might not seem that a monitor stand is all that special, but when you're trying to reclaim desk space or you need a place for a keyboard, a monitor stand can be a huge win. Over the years, we've seen stands that just sit on the desk and raise it up, but this is something new and cool. 

It's a shelf you can add to your desk by clamping it to the back or side of your desk. That makes it temporary, but structurally strong. Plus, it's large enough to not only just hold the monitor, but other gear as well. And it creates a good space under the monitor for your keyboard and more.

Pros

  • Easy way to level-up your desk setup 
  • Inexpensive 
  • Clips onto your desk instead of simply sitting on your desk

Cons

  • Make sure the clamps can fit on your desk 

Kneeling chairs are more ergonomic than desk chairs since they decrease posture slope and ease lower back pain. But if you're not entirely set on the kneeling chair concept, this chair option could be a great compromise. This chair could be a great introduction to kneeling chairs since its seat is at a little less of an angle, and its added back support provides the ability to lean back that you're used to with a desk chair.

You can sit in this chair in a much wider range of positions than your average kneeling chair (such as turning it around and leaning your chest against the backrest while your feet are square on the floor) to always find comfort matter what. Like other options on this list, it also rocks back and forth.

Pros:

  • Has back support as well
  • Classic Norwegian design
  • More ways to sit

Cons:

  • Limited color options
  • Not adjustable 

Also: Best kneeling chairs

Getting foot support can be important when sitting at your computer for hours at a time. Your Apple Watch can remind you to get up and walk around every hour, but even so, after working for a few hours, you might feel the need for better support.

This is one of the best footrests on the market because it does double duty as a leg rest. If you want to take five minutes and stretch out your feet, you can. It also allows you to adjust it to many different positions, to help support any part of your lower legs that need help.

Pros:

  • Affordable
  • Adjustments make it easy to use in multiple ways 
  • Can help improve posture 

Cons:

  • Challenging set up
  • Make sure it is securely clipped 

What features to look for in office furniture?

From chairs, to desks, to desk accessories, there are many types of office furniture to add to your space. But the main thing to look for when considering office furniture is how something can make it easier to work. Look for comfort features, quality design, and products that level-up your workspace and increase your productivity. 

What is the best office furniture?

Our pick for the best office furniture is the Vari Electric Standing Desk since it allows you to change up your working position easily. However, any of the options on this list are great for adding comfort and productivity to your workspace—it really depends on what you are looking for. 

Choose...

If you want...

Vari Electric Standing Desk

A standing desk option

Herman Miller Aeron Chair

A comfortable, ergonomic desk chair

Clamp-on monitor shelf

To effectively raise your laptop, computer, or monitor 

Varier Variable Plus Balans Kneeling Chair

A different seating option that can improve your posture 

Leermart Adjustable Footrest

Added comfort to your feet while sitting at your desk

How did we choose these office furniture options?

We decided on these picks based on both in-depth product research and our own experience using them in our own home office setup. When choosing these products, we considered price, purpose, special features, and more.

Are there alternative office furniture options to consider?

Here are a few others to look into:


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