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Ask HN: What work/office purchase transformed your life?

90 points by blotato ↗ HN
For me, it was purchasing a stressless recliner as my primary "office chair". I had tried a standing desk, kneeling chair, herman miller aeron, and many others. But I always ended up with various parts of my body hurting or tightening up, for example, my hips felt tight on the aeron due to my shorter stature. Switching to a stressless recliner, my body is way more relaxed now and easily productive for hours.

220 comments

[ 3.4 ms ] story [ 226 ms ] thread
throwawaysleep
What kind of desk/table did you find that worked with that? I have a 5K grand leather livi by room chair my grandfather bought for me that I adore, but using it with a desk has been a significant challenge.
blotato
I have a standing desk but it isn't necessary, it's one item I had tried years ago. It was a cheap one from amazon. I guess it's nice to precisely adjust the height, but I'm shorter so I just set the height to the lowest setting. Having a monitor arm is key so that I can tilt my monitor towards me.
harryquach
For me it's been adding plants to my desk/office. It makes the room feel more alive and vibrant. I currently have a fiddle leaf fig and a succulent pot, love both of them.
seydor
be careful, you may have a hundred in a year or so
andrei_says_
A pull-up bar for my home office. I do a couple of pull ups every time I walk through that door. Amounts to 5-15 / day.
e40
Be really, really careful about installation. I recommend something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B087FRRDN9/?ie=UTF8&th=1

I have one and it's rock solid.

tonightstoast
What is your fear? I have one that "grips" the front and back of the frame and it works really well and has for 1000s of reps.
e40
Falling. I've seen videos of that. The injuries can be severe.
andrei_says_
Mine is the grippy kind - no screws. And you’re right, a pull up bar malfunction would not be fun. No issues so far.
roland35
I think if you keep your feet underneath your body you should be ok. Just don't do any swinging crazy pullups?
dharmab
Split keyboard
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eternityforest
I don't drive, so getting to and from work is often more work than the actual work, plus, a lot of what I do isn't desk work.

I spend a lot more on on-the-go gear than office stuff.

* Tile Trackers

* Vacuum insulated water bottles, food jars, and a coffee mug

* A decent phone

* A MOLLE backpack(SOG Ninja) and accessories.

* A headlamp (Sofirn HS10, it's tiny and USB-C rechargeable)

* Zero drop barefoot shoes

* An ultra slim neck wallet

* An A5 6-ring planner for the rare occasions I'm using real paper

* Duplicate home and backpack copies of things like USB chargers

My latest purchase is some 1.8mm reflective cord.

Tied around a carabiner at both ends, so I can quickly clip my keys to my belt with one of those tactical belt hangar things, and ensure they don't fall out of my pocket.

dieselgate
What is a neck wallet? Have never heard of something like that
wddkcs
Just a wallet on a lanyard to hang around your neck, assuming it's like ones I've seen. I've seen used in less safe countries to avoid pickpockets, not sure if there's other reasons. The benefits of a fanny pack without the style.
eternityforest
They're also much harder to just randomly leave behind, especially if you mostly never actually need them because you just pay with your watch or phone
mnky9800n
Are you Anatomy Wasserman?

https://c8.alamy.com/comp/ebfcff/moscow-russia-29th-nov-2014...

rvbissell
I don't know who Anatomy Wasserman is, but I'm pretty certain that will be my "final form"
mnky9800n
He's a guy from Odessa whose famous in Russian speaking spaces (and sometimes on Reddit) for having lots of pockets filled with things.
rvbissell
On the assumption that 'Anatomy' was a spellchecker distortion of Anatoly: everything in your reply was already obvious except 'Odessa'.
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FFP999
How do you normally do your work commute? Bike, walk, public transit? Just curious.
ja27
I bought a waterproof USB-C rechargeable headlamp after having to deal with a clogged gutter in a very heavy rainstorm. My non-sealed headlamps were useless and holding a sealed flashlight while up on a ladder sucked.

It's handy even when not on your head since you can angle it almost anywhere.

ted_bunny
Shoe recs? My Feiyues are crucial to me but they look kinda junky.
eternityforest
I've been wearing Unshoes sandals and Xero Hana shoes when it's winter or I'm going to work.

I've been really thinking about getting a pair of Keen Sparta 2 work shoes though because I keep randomly doing stuff where safety toes would probably be a good thing.

I also spend probably under $50 a year, total, on all clothes and shoes together, so I'm not exactly an expert.

ted_bunny
I probably spend $50 a year on replacing my worn out feiyues, so you're a step ahead of me!
tomwojcik
Would you be able to share a picture of your setup? I can't imagine a desk and a stress recliner, and I have similar problems with my posture. Also tried many chairs, including kneeling rocking chair.
blotato
I have the stressless recliner, standing desk, single large monitor, monitor arm to tilt my monitor towards me since I'm reclined, ergo split keyboard which I rest on the arms of the recliner, and a small table right next to my recliner where I put my trackball mouse, phone, and water. The standing desk isn't necessary, it's just what I've had all these years, but it's nice to precisely adjust the height of the desk based on comfort. The monitor arm is key so that my monitor remains parallel to me. Imagine sitting in a normal office chair, the monitor would be vertical - since I'm reclined, I need to tilt it accordingly.
joegahona
Are you willing to share a link to the specific chair you have? "Stressless" appears to be both a brand name and a type of recliner, which makes it difficult to search for.
blotato
I got the Stressless Reno https://shop.stressless.com/en/c/recliners/reno I visited a local furniture store that's a certified retailer of Stressless and got to try a bunch of models out. I brought my keyboard with me to simulate how it'd feel. The thing to look for - your body should be so relaxed you almost start napping in 10-15 mins. There should be zero tension in your shoulders or your neck (i.e. chair should not push your neck forward or else you'll get headaches).
nazarewk
hands down best purchase for me was a split keyboard. Had a hard time justifying it, but 2 years in it does wonders in terms of chest/back comfort compared to traditional keyboards.

second best purchase was a quality all-mesh office chair (locally purchased Ioo in my case, similar to aeron). My primary motivation was coping with heatwaves in the southern/top floor apartment (it worked great). Generally high quality and comfort warranted a second purchase for my wife after ~6 years. I was sceptical about ageing of the mesh material over the years, but after ~8 years of use you can hardly tell it apart from a freshly unboxed chair.

tomcam
Teeny teeny computers like the old MacBook Air. Mind you, I’m a workaholic and enjoy work. Buying computers that are usable but are so small you don’t mind carrying them around all day is a giant productivity hack. You can work on the bus, when your doctor runs late, etc.
mnky9800n
Assuming your work is something you can do in two minute increments
tomcam
I have a chaotic home life, so I have always optimized for it. You can do things like write some CSS, debug a problem with a webpage, optimize a query or at least think about it, send a useful text, etc.
tra3
how do you not lose context? sometimes when I come back to my desk I have no clue what I was working on or what the problem is.
tomcam
I take lots of notes and comment code extensively!
vegasje
Is the old Air still the best option in this space, or have other manufacturers stepped up in recent years?

Last time I looked (a few years ago) the Air was far and away the best performer.

itbeho
The late 2020 M1 Air is my favorite of the many laptops I've owned over the years.
tomcam
New Airs are just fine. I have one. I still prefer my old one, but the screen resolution is low enough that I have trouble with some websites.
cbovis
I don't know if "transformed my life" would be the right term but I always harp on to colleagues about my Polycom. I was skeptical when originally buying it but the purchase has ended up being one of my favourite things on my desk.

My laptop is docked and closed so using the built in mic and speaker isn't a great experience on remote calls. I don't like the experience of using headphones for a call because of the effect they have on how I perceive my own voice.

With the Polycom on my desk I just join a call, have everything set up automatically and get a great speaking/listening experience. Connectivity issues have been extremely rare and I can't remember the last time I needed to mess with settings unlike my Airpods which feel 50/50.

I personally have the Plantronics P7200 but there's many good options out there. Plus points for being able to expense it to my employers work from home allowance.

car
The Jabra Speak series are also great.
natdempk
If you ever want to go back to headphones, open-back headphones can avoid basically any issues with voice perception.
sailorganymede
headphones which were really good. blocks out all the noise in our “vibrant open” office
pbnjeh
Message from my former self. For years, I balked at the prices of the Bose. In retrospect, I wish I'd paid it much earlier.

I'd tried some inexpensive ones, and I'd read about how nothing can cancel all noise. Nonetheless, the Bose are far better than the earlier inexpensive ones that had soured me on the idea. I've never tried the Sony's, but I've read (ha!) that they're fairly comparable.

And the Bose I can wear all day without discomfort. Also not true of other pairs I'd tried.

I'm out of that environment, now, but the amount of stress I might have saved myself...?

My QC 35 II's may have been defective; despite very attentive care with them, the ear pads started failing within a year. :-( Nonetheless, if they were my only option and I were again in such an environment, I'd begrudgingly (because they should last longer) pay that every year.

P.S. I can't listen to music while working. I just need peace and quiet. Maybe a gentle sound of waves in the background, or the like, but nothing my brain/attention will "lock onto" and try -- whether I want it to or not -- to interpret.

P.P.S. Skip the Bose 700's. Known for being notably less comfortable. A clear mistake in redesign that had since been reversed in newer models (but the 700's are still for sale).

bennyelv
I'll second spending money on a chair. Spend as much as is required to find one that works for you.

After years of compromising and not wanting to spend what looks on the surface like silly money on a chair, I splashed out on a Herman Miller Mirra 2.

It's so comfortable that I'm pretty sure I could sit on it for the rest of my life and I'd never be in any pain, and it's in its 10th year of service without anything breaking, degrading or wobbling.

Best investment I've ever made!

unvs
We have the Mirra 2s at the office and I'll second this. Great chairs!
bdcravens
The Aeron actually works great for me, but I realize each person's body is different. In my case, it relieves pressure on my lower back, where I've had a lot of bone density loss due to a medical condition.
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zubairq
A Valvomo Netsurfer chair - made work comfortable again
scyzoryk_xyz
Trackball mouse - took several days to learn, and no more carpal tunnel syndrome or fore-arm tension in general.
menshiki
AirPods Pro without a doubt. It's the only item in my life that if it broke, I would immediately buy a replacement. I used them in the office to isolate myself from other people and when I'm walking outside to isolate myself from cars.
nailer
The mic quality is so poor though. I have to turn off Bluetooth to record voice notes to people.

Also if you drop them the earbuds always go flying.

aaomidi
I fucking hate that I can’t tell my phone to use my phone mic and not the AirPods mic. At least I can on laptops.
ja27
I got a case with a snap closure after having to crawl under the car multiple times to retrieve an earbud. I hate the bulk of it but beats the alternative. I used to keep an odd-sized wide rubber band around the case instead but lost it somewhere.
unsupp0rted
With AirPods Pro I can’t walk next to a street and have the other person hear me on mic. For $300 you’d think I could.
e40
I can't wear them because they really hurt after about 20 minutes.

Indoors, I use AirPod Max. They have the same benefits. They are really overpriced, but I can use them all day without any negative effects. The quality is superb.

One caveat: don't workout in them. They have issues with moisture.

moooo99
I can recommend the Bose QC45 or the Bose Headphones 700 as a less overpriced and more compatible alternative to the Max. Very good audio quality, comfortable fit (although the Headphones 700 tend to be rather tight depending on your head shape), and great noise canelling.
gnicholas
How did you choose them over Bose and Sony? My understanding is that they are more expensive and heavier than both of those. Is the noise cancellation so much better that it outweighs the cost and weight considerations?
e40
I have a pair of QC35's (v2, I think). They're OK. I'm in the Apple ecosystem and decided to try them with the idea of returning them if I didn't like them.

The NC isn't hugely better, but the transparent mode is kickass. I use it all the time.

I think they are overpriced, but after more than a year with them I'm happy I have them.

Note that they were really tight when I got them and I saw a post on reddit about bending the top bar to make them looser. Before doing it I couldn't wear them more than an hour at a time. Now I can wear them all day.

I have a bias against Sony, for many reasons (over the years), though I have no doubt their headphones are really good, too.

unsupp0rted
Try Comply memory foam ear tips with AirPods Pro’s. I can do 5 hours no prob. Near 7 I start to really feel them.
e40
I had to "adjust" them to make them comfortable. From another reply:

> Note that they were really tight when I got them and I saw a post on reddit about bending the top bar to make them looser. Before doing it I couldn't wear them more than an hour at a time. Now I can wear them all day.

I found the comment:

https://www.reddit.com/r/airpods/comments/mpjwp8/finally_sol...

Regarding the AirPod Pro's... I can't wear them for even 30 minutes without pain, but I will look into the suggested tips. With the original tips, how long can you wear them?

cocoa19
I really wanted to like them. They kept falling out of my ear with all tips, and at almost $300, I didn’t want to have to buy aftermarket foam tips or ear hooks.

The sound is great and the Bluetooth pairing is excellent though.

DamnInteresting
I had the same issue, so now I use them without any of the tips. The noise cancellation isn't quite as effective, but they're still better than average earbuds.
ja27
My gen 1's had so many issues with the earbuds having crackling and squealing when set to anything but no processing mode. Swapped them through support I think five times before the program expired.

Bought the gen 2 USB-C ones as soon as they got discounted and love them. The noise cancellation is noticeably improved. I'm mostly fine with the stock tips but do have some of the Comply foam tips which give a little tighter seal.

roland35
I think the microphones used for noise cancelling were prone to getting damaged, same thing happened to my gen 1s too
zamadatix
On the flipside, unless you're specifically referring to the newer Max model, getting away from earpods and using around-ear headphones led to a MASSIVE boost in my comfort level after a day of work.
Symbiote
A silent (fanless) desktop computer.
ensocode
Walking pad (TR5000-DT3). Keeps me fit for the last 2 years and all back pains are gone since used daily.
mnky9800n
Do you find problems typing with it?
ryandetzel
Do you ever sit, I like the idea of this but I try to do half/half so moving this out of the way every time I switch feels like a pain
PrivateButts
I'll second what others said about chairs and nice keyboards. If you're going to spend a lot of time using it, it might as well be a good one. Some other things that helped me with a mainly work from home life:

- A very large desk with a ton of space to tinker with things. I got an corner desk, with one wing holding an electronics workbench, and the other kept clean for working on my 3d printer or camera or taxes, etc. PC is in the center

- Monitor arms, they are just night and day better than stands

- More monitors, I went up to 3, but I've been thinking of adding more or swapping one with a lg dual up

- Stream Deck, really nice to add macros to your workflow. It's also got nice integrations with Teams and Discord for helping with calls

- Wireless headset, I use a steel series one. Very nice to be able to get up and get water or a snack during a meeting and not miss anything

- EInk notebook, I hate typing notes, and this replaced my pile of scratch pads

- Nvidia Broadcast, noise cancellation you can apply to both yourself and the shit audio your boss's laptop mic makes

Not a purchase, but I've taken the time to make some simple scripts to improve my workflow lately and it's been great. I have one that I use multiple times a day that just turns on my webcam and light, then opens OBS in virtual cam mode. When I close OBS it turns off the cam and light. It may just change 4 clicks to 1 click but it's quite nice in practice.

greyhound291
Which EInk notebook do you use?
PrivateButts
BOOX Note Air2. It's pretty good for what I need. The fact that it's Android underneath is really nice.
zeagle
I use a boox ultra c. I really like it and take notes, draw, read but the color is not great for this generation.
lazyeye
I think a problem with multiple monitors is eventually you start getting neck problems due to constant head pivot movements. Its like you are watching a tennis game, all day, every day, for years.
iamwpj
Yes to the large desk! I have a dining table with the leaves taken out. I can't believe how tiny home desks are. No one would tolerate a 28" depth at work -- why do we just accept this in the home?
mnky9800n
I hate the price tag but the apple studio display just works. The speakers are nice, the camera works without input, it plugs into my MacBook and I didn't need to change the settings to keep it closed and running. Maybe I'm living in 2005 where all this sounds impossible but I find it really makes it ten times easier to show up to work and just get working instead of fiddling with settings each morning.
e40
I feel the same about my AirPod Max. Overpriced but it works so damn well, especially with other Apple products.
car
Current setup:

- Humanscale Freedom chair with headrest, gel seat and gel arm rests

- Accell Thunderbolt 4 Docking station, 96W USB-C w/ 2x Dell 2715q

- Logitech MX Master mouse & MX Keys keyboard

- Fry's mousepad

- Xiaomi Mi Monitor Light Bar w/ remote

- STM Myth 18L Laptop Backpack

- Jabra Speak 510

benrapscallion
Logitech MX Vertical mouse
bluefirebrand
Yeah, I went from lots of wrist pain to none by switching to a vertical mouse. I don't think I'm ever moving to a trackball though.

I think a split keyboard will be my next investment, based on the comments in this thread.

KyleJune
Yea, I've tried a lot of different types of mice. The Logitech MX Vertical mouse has been the best for me so far. For split keyboard, I was using Microsoft Sculpt but after having my second one break, I decided to go up market to the ergodox ez. I think it's worth it but it is harder to get adjusted to.
anotherevan
I damaged my elbow (lateral epicondylitis) and found the MX vertical was much more comfortable and less pain inducing.
keshet
Changing desk height to standing height and buying a saddle stool.

I used to bike to work but as soon as I sat down at my desk I felt like I was cutting my body at the waist. My lower body/legs were some kind of passive appendage stuck to my chair.

The first week of working while standing I kept looking for a chair to sit on, it was really distracting and I felt tired.

I bought a saddle stool with enough height so that I can transfer back and forth between standing and sitting. The stool has no back support and my legs are still fairly straight (like sitting on a bar stool) so my body is still much more active than just sitting in a chair.

Definitely life-changing. I have suffered from lower back pain all my life. If I have to go back to sitting in a chair for more than a few days I feel my back starting to lock up. In the standing/saddle configuration this doesn't happen.

Here is a random example: https://shop.lfhair.com.au/product/saddle-stool-ch-841/

patatino
I have a random chair, a random desk, a random monitor, a random keyboard and mouse, and I never had any problems with anything at all. I feel lucky I have not had problems with my eyes, hands, or back doing this for 20+ years.
mrtedbear
The biggest transformation was getting an RH Mereo chair. For me it's solved the back and leg issues caused by poor posture.

It's the first chair to make me sit comfortably & correctly [1].

Also transformational were:

* Corne split keyboard

* Benq e-reading lamp

* Galaxy Tab S8+

* Sit/stand desk

* Cheap foldable laptop stand from AliExpress (laptops by default seem terrible for posture).

[1] https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2018/08/13/6360250...

stevenicr
Would like to hear about the tab S* is transforming what exactly? I have a couple similar and there was a time when I used one a LOT in bed - but living conditions have changed and I don't get to use as much as I used to -

wondering how others are using them these days.

PebblesHD
Investing in actual office space that isn’t directly in my bedroom space, with a large solid desk on a standing frame, and a 50” ultrawide with a KVM in it. Everything just works, I can focus, I have good music and speakers, and when it’s time to finish for the day I can turn it all off with one button and walk out.

In my case this was done by moving to a larger house with a seperate office, but this could easily be a shed, a wework, or a rented commercial suite, but the separation really helped.