The Captain's Cabin
Home office
A desk that has to work every weekday: smart-home basics, cable management, and a few things I have actually bought to stop the desk from turning into a pile of chargers and cords.
SwitchBot Hub Mini Smart RemoteOwnedView on Amazon
The box that ties the room together. Every Blind Tilt and the old infrared gear runs through it, and having it all automated makes my life easier than any single gadget on this page.
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It bridges infrared remotes into Alexa and Google Home, so a device with no smart features gets voice and app control without replacing it.
Skip it if everything in the room already has native smart-home support and there is no old infrared remote to bridge.
SwitchBot Blind Tilt Motorized BlindsOwnedView on Amazon
I have a lot of windows, and these run the blinds on a schedule so I never touch a wand. Paired with the Hub, they are the automation that made the biggest difference in my day.
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Clips onto the existing tilt wand and the solar panel option means it is not tethered to a wall outlet.
Skip it if your blinds pull up and down on a cord rather than tilt, since this only motorizes the tilt.
Govee LED Smart Light Bulbs, Color Changing (2 Pack)OwnedView on Amazon
Picked up a couple of these for a desk setup as an easy way to change the mood of a room from a phone.
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Two-pack, works with Alexa and Google Assistant with no separate hub required.
Skip it if your fixtures do not take a standard bulb, or you want a hub-based system for faster response.
Logitech MX Master 4 Ergonomic Wireless MouseOwnedView on Amazon
Best mouse I have ever used. I had the generation right before this one, upgraded the day this came out, and I will pick this line over any other mouse every time.
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USB-C charging, so it is one less cable style to keep track of on the desk versus the older micro-USB models.
Skip it if you play games that need a lightweight mouse, since this one is built for productivity, not speed.
Not photographed yet13
Picks I have not photographed yet. Each is labeled owned or shortlist, and each fits a gap I can name.
- Logitech MX Keys Wireless KeyboardView on AmazonOwnedI own this keyboard. It is a quiet, low-profile board that pairs with more than one device.
- NETGEAR 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged Switch (GS308)View on AmazonUsed for yearsRan one of these in the rack for years before I moved the whole network to UniFi and gave it away. Zero configuration, zero noise, and it never once needed a reboot.
- Govee RGBIC Smart Floor LampView on AmazonShortlistChanges a room's whole mood from a phone instead of a wall switch.
- VIVO 32 Inch Standing Desk Converter (DESK-V000K)View on AmazonShortlistFor anyone who sits at a desk most of the day, a way to switch to standing without buying a whole new desk.
- UGREEN Nexode 200W 8-Port Charging StationView on AmazonShortlistThe desk-charger slot on this list: one brick for the laptop, phone, tablet and headphones, from a brand whose chargers I already trust.
- Cushion Lab Seat CushionView on AmazonShortlistA dedicated seat cushion beats a bare office chair for the hours a desk job actually takes.
- Anker 8-in-1 USB-C Docking Station (Dual Monitor)View on AmazonShortlistA one-cable desk setup: plug the laptop in once and everything else follows.
- View on Amazon
- HUANUO Dual Monitor StandView on AmazonShortlistA two-screen desk without two separate arms fighting for clamp space.
- KTRIO Large Desk Mat, 31.5 x 15.7 inView on AmazonShortlistA cheap desk upgrade that covers keyboard and mouse in one stitched-edge mat.
- Foldable Under Desk Leg WarmerView on AmazonShortlistA heated tent for your legs under the desk, for the winter months in an old Chicago apartment.
- Amazon Smart Plug (works with Alexa)View on AmazonShortlistThe simplest way to put a desk lamp or a heater on a schedule without rewiring anything.
- Amazon Echo Dot (newest model)View on AmazonShortlistThe cheapest voice control for the SwitchBot and smart-bulb picks on this page, and a decent small speaker for a desk.