Best gifts: Top tech gadgets and tools for the remote worker

The $89.99 Hover X+ is a practical, portable "lap desk" which, while designed for gamers, can also be a valuable tool for remote workers who do not always use a home office.

Created for 11-, 13-, 15-, and 17-inch laptops and suitable for most smartphones and tablets, the lapdesk can be used to create a mobile workspace no matter where you are.

See it now: iSkelter

When you're on the move as a remote worker, sometimes you may need to work on public transport or in other places where there doesn't happen to be a desk setup handy. In these cases, a product such as the $19.99 Geyes folding keyboard, a Bluetooth-enabled, portable accessory that can connect to iOS/Mac OS, Android, and Windows devices, among others, could come in handy.

See it now: Amazon

The £219 ($285) Earin M-2 wireless headphones, a potential replacement to Apple's earbuds, use NXP technologies to stay linked to your mobile device without breaks in connectivity. The noise-canceling devices, which are very small, feature a touch-based interface for controlling your music, phone calls, or summoning Siri, Alexa or Google Assistant.

See it now: Earin

Sometimes, the most useful gadgets are also some of the cheapest. If you are looking for a gift for someone constantly on the road, the $9.49 Grippy anti-slip mat is a small -- but valuable -- choice. The mat can be used to stick anything from keys to smartphones on a car's dashboard.

See it now: Iwantoneofthose

Remote, freelance, and self-employed workers often may need to print, scan, and sign documents as part of their role or in a bid to secure new contracts. In order to make this requirement less of a hassle, the $189.99 Fujitsu ScanSnap iX100 mobile scanner, which is compatible with both Windows and Mac systems, can be used to wirelessly scan documents in a matter of seconds.

See it now: Amazon

When you work remotely, you may need to swing out of your home office from time to time and travel. In these cases, an $31.99 Anker PowerCore 10000 could be a great accessory to own, considering the power bank is light enough to be thrown into a bag but powerful enough to charge a variety of mobile devices.

See it now: Amazon

Apple's $629+ iPad Pro could make a great gift this year for users of the macOS operating system who are looking for a new tablet to synchronize their information and work on the move.

The tablet comes in 10.5-inch or 12.9-inch Retina Display variations, as well as up to 512GB storage, an A10X Fusion chip, 12-megapixel camera, and 4GB RAM.

See it now: Apple

The $799+ Microsoft Surface Pro is another gift for remote workers, which is likely to be received with appreciation. The tablet comes with Windows 10 Pro and sports a 12.3-inch PixelSense Display, up to 1TB storage, up to an Intel i7 processor, and up to 16GB RAM.

Also: Microsoft's refreshed Surface Pro, Laptop and Studio: New specs, pricing, availability

See it now: Microsoft

As a remote worker, having multiple screens, monitors, and the ability to throw content up between them can be highly useful while completing projects.

A valuable gift for this purpose is the $35 Google Chromecast, a second-generation device that can be used to stream everything from browser sessions to YouTube videos, movies, or television shows.

See it now: Google

The $12.95 MOS magnetic cable organizer is a useful gift or stocking filler for your average home worker. There's nothing more annoying than ending up with a jungle of cables to untangle at the end of the working day, but thanks to this device's magnetic surface, such daily annoyances can be avoided.

See it now: MOS

As a long-distance employee or contractor, sometimes you find yourself working in all manner of environments -- complete with their own noise challenges.

Whether on a plane, a train, or in a home office with noisy neighbors, a pair of noise-canceling earbuds can be of real value. The $249 Bose QuietComfort 20, albeit a pricey investment, could make a great gift.

See it now: Amazon

There are many advantages to remote work, but sometimes, a disadvantage is that there is no such thing as a standard working day. As such, sleep patterns might become erratic, and so a comfortable wearable that monitors sleeping patterns and stress might be worth investing in -- or giving as a gift.

The $74.95 Garmin Vivosmart 3 has a built-in heart rate monitor, all-day stress tracker, and is able to monitor physical activity, calories burned, and more.

Also: CNET: Garmin Vivosmart 3 review

See it now: Amazon

It can sometimes be far too tempting to work without stepping a foot outside for long periods of time. As the day goes past, however, a fitness tracker such as the $199.95 Fitbit Versa could make a great gift for a remote worker who sometimes needs reminding they should take a step back and go for a walk on occasion.

The lightweight smartwatch is compatible with both Android and iOS and is able to monitor physical activity and can also be used for smartphone connectivity.

Also: CNET: Fitbit Versa review

See it now: Amazon

To make workflows more efficient, a simple solution is a programmable mouse, such as the $74.99 Corsair Scimitar Pro. While designed with gaming in mind, there is nothing stopping workers from using the same functionality to increase the speed of daily tasks at the desk in a variety of applications.

See it now: Amazon

Another peripheral option is the $9.95 Jelly Comb plug-and-play wireless mouse. The mouse is affordable and slimline, and can be thrown into a bag and fished out for remote work in tandem with many different devices and operating systems.

However, if you will be using this mouse with a USB-C connection, you will need to buy an adapter.

See it now: Amazon