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Ask HN: Best WFH Purchases?

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Re: Ask HN: Best WFH Purchases?

#31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm sorry I've been searching steelcase and Herman Miller for a chair for awhile. what does "Real" mean here?

By "real" I mean a chair actually designed for 7-hours a day 5-days a week usage and warrantied as such. Ergonomics and build quality is key. Expect to pay around $1K.

Thanks for the clarification. I'm trying to find a aftermarket one in the DC area, its been a loooong wait, a lot of garbage floating out there.

Re: Ask HN: Best WFH Purchases?

#33

I found that I never used a standing desk when I had one, and the health benefits are dubious. I bought a decent Microphone (jlab talk pro) and a $200 Webcam (Logitech brio 4k). Since all of my interactions are over Webcam I wanted to have something better than the default laptop Webcam. Also I do my work on a desktop I would also recommend building a PC. I run several docker containers at once and the company issued…

> health benefits are dubious

Are they? Certainly if you stand still for hours I'd be skeptical for that, but while you are standing at your desk you are able to do all kinds of movements that you are not while sitting. And you are also not able to slouch (which I personally do like crazy after sitting for only a few minutes).

Anecdotally I've been using a standing desk for a couple weeks. For most of this year I've been having difficult sleep due to my back several days a week, but in the last week I haven't. Just generally my back has been fine, which I haven't been able to say for a while.

Re: Ask HN: Best WFH Purchases?

#34
Working from home since 2007, I do keep my setup very simple:

- good quality chair

- single 27" monitor with adjustable arm (to level it with my eyes)

- Microsoft Sculpt ergonomic keyboard and Logitech G603 mouse

- mouse pad with wrist rest

- audio interface (Focusrite Scarlett 2i4) and high-ish quality microphone (AKG)

- Sennheiser open headphones (HD 518 I have for ages) and KRK studio monitors

At the end the highest impact is having dedicated room with doors that close. Especially when kids are around.

Re: Ask HN: Best WFH Purchases?

#36
I've worked remotely with access to varying amounts of equipment, and the only four things I find I really miss when I'm without them are:

- A quiet, uncluttered workspace

- Good microphone

- Good external monitor

- Good coffee

Re: Ask HN: Best WFH Purchases?

#37

"Real" Chair (Steelcase / Herman Miller) and four-legged standing desk (better stability). Plus a handheld "mouse" (ELECOM Relacon) so when I'm reading I can stand differently or do light movement/exercise. Blowing $2.5K on a desk + chair is a lot, but also not a lot depending on your perspective.

Depends on the person RE the chair, some friends seem to get various pains with Herman Miller chairs, I see practically no difference having used one vs using cheapo ones. But if it works for you then more power to you!

Adding to your anecdotes, I bought a HM Aeron chair and cannot sit in it for extended periods due to back pain. Had to go back to a “normal” chair.

Re: Ask HN: Best WFH Purchases?

#39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm sorry I've been searching steelcase and Herman Miller for a chair for awhile. what does "Real" mean here?

By "real" I mean a chair actually designed for 7-hours a day 5-days a week usage and warrantied as such. Ergonomics and build quality is key. Expect to pay around $1K.

> Expect to pay around $1K.

You pay a lot less if you get one refurbished.

Re: Ask HN: Best WFH Purchases?

#40
Other people have said, but I want to say it again; the chair. Oh yes, the chair.

But also what goes around it; if you get that wrong, you can have the perfect chair and not benefit from it. The chair is perhaps the starting point, but it's only one part of the whole system.

If where your feet go isn't comfortable, you'll sit on the world's greatest chair wrong. If the desk you sit at places the keyboard at a position that's not good, you'll stretch or compress your arms, or maybe the chair's armrests are in the way of your elbows or forearms and you're under constant tension all day as you work.

My feet don't rest on the floor; the desk has a little platform under it about five centimetres above the floor; that's pretty good for me. The desk has a sliding horizontal keyboard plate that puts the keyboard about 5cm above my thighs. When typing, I am in a little enclosure formed by the chair and sliding keyboard-shelf, which means my elbows are literally at the side of my hips and the base of my hands rest on the very top of my thighs. I can feel that my arms are very much in a relaxed state, and the natural curl this gives my hands is almost the same shape as they are when typing.

That's a lot of text about my specifics, but it's to push my point. It's not just having a great chair, a great desk, a great footrest (if that's your thing; I like my legs slightly extended, hence the raised plate to rest them on - some people like their feet placed firm to the floor). It's the whole combined setup allowing you to tune to your own human factors and ergonomics.

A cheap chair and cheap desk that allow you to sit and work just right for yourself is far better than an expensive combination that puts you under constant tension or stretch. It's better to spend the time to find a great setup for yourself than big money on items that individually are excellent but won't combine to be just right for you.

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