Given the alternative between a cutthroat hot-desk culture and retreating into the domestic sphere, it’s unsurprising that hybrid and remote working is still very much on the agenda. Whether you’re looking to improve your focus, clear your desk, or simply reshape the mental space that is the home office, we’ve rounded up a dozen new products, including working-from-home tech, that’ll keep you productive without defiling your domestic workspace.
A desirable dozen remote working aids
1. Coffee machine by nunc.
Most of us need a ready source of caffeine, and the new nunc. espresso machine will appeal to those who like every aspect of the brewing ritual and aren’t afraid to get technical. Created by design agency Phoenix and start-up Next Level Coffee in Konstanz, Germany, the machine comes in two parts, a brewing machine and a grinder, both of which are networked together. Rather than use capsules or pods, nunc.’s system relies on Next Level Coffee’s delivery service, with a wide range of different curated coffees.
These are supplied in a special container that slides straight into the grinder. As the beans are ground into the portafilter, the separate machine warms itself up so that’s instantly available to use. You can then adjust the parameters to match your taste – everything from grind size, dose, pressure, flow and temperature, as well as the type of milk you’re using, and – so reasoning goes – a perfect cup of coffee will be created. Naturally, enthusiasts will enjoy the ability to tweak and refine every facet of each cup.
nunc. Coffee Machine, €2,499, nunc.coffee.en, @nunc.coffee
2. Terra Computer Cases by Fractal Design
While laptops and Mini PCs pretty much dominate the desktops of most homes (and offices), if you need to build a bespoke PC, then Swedish designer Fractal has got it covered. Taking inspiration from contemporary architecture without losing sight of the practical requirements of a high-performance PC case (perforations for cooling, space for sizeable graphics cards), the Terra range is distinguished by its sleek lines, aluminium cases, and the inclusion of a solid walnut fascia panel that’ll go nicely with a rack of vintage hi-fi or vinyl storage.
Fractal Terra Series, more information at Fractal-Design.com, @FractalOfficial
3. Lofree Flow 100 mechanical keyboard
Experienced typists swear by mechanical keyboards, claiming that the limited travel of the typical laptop keyboard (or worse still, the touchscreen keyboard) doesn’t have the physicality and tactility of a true typing experience. Companies like Lofree have sprung up to make modern keyboards with silky smooth movements, as well as colour and switch choices and the ability to switch out the keys for a lighter touch if that’ll help you whip up the maximum words per minute.
Named for its 100 keys (a smaller ‘DOT’ model is also available without the number pad), the Flow is slim and can be used for both PCs and Macs. The aluminium case is paired with backlit keys as well as both USB-C and Bluetooth connectivity, with a long-lasting internal rechargeable battery.
Lofree Flow 100 mechanical keyboard, £149.55, Lofree.co, @Lofree.co
4. FxBlox from Functionland
Shaped in close collaboration with Yves Behar’s Fuseproject, the FxBlox is targeted at power users who need somewhere to stash their data outside of the big tech clouds. A modular desktop server system, the system resembles a small cityscape with a subtle but distinctive colour palette. Under the skin is a new decentralised storage network, powered by opensource software and with same levels of functionality as the big data warehouses. The difference is that you keep the servers at home.
Functionland, from $399, Shop.FX.land, FX.land
Fuseproject.com, @fuseprojectsf
5. Logitech MX Brio Ultra HD 4K webcam
Logitech’s new MX Brio is the company’s latest and most sophisticated 4K webcam. Representing a subtantial uplift in quality from in-built devices, the MX Brio comes with an integrated privacy shutter, a twin microphone set-up to reduce background noise, and a tilt mechanism that allows you to easily move the camera to share information at hand, like sketches or models.
Capable of up to 60 frames per second at 1080p (or 30fps in 4K mode), the MX Brio is available in Graphite and Pale Grey. AI technology has been deployed to enhance the face and improve lighting regardless of the backdrop, and there’s a full suite of manual controls to change the field of view and the exposure rating. The case design also incorporates post-consumer recycled plastic.
Logitech MX Brio webcam, £219.99, Logitech.com, @Logitech
6. BOOX Palma ePaper reader
BOOX has brooked the gap between a pocketable phone and a conventional e-reader with its new Palma. The new device combines an ePaper screen with mobile form factor – a 6.13in screen, for example – as well as a few added extras along for the ride, including a camera, front reading lights and water resistance.
The advantages of ePaper – easier on the eye, far longer battery life – are paired with expandable storage (up to 128GB) and the ability to download Android apps from the Google Play store. It won’t replace your phone, but as a compact device on which to hoard digital books and other information, the Palma is a handy gadget to have around.
BOOX Palma, $279.99, Shop.Boox.com, @Boox.Global
7. Native Union Desk Range
Native Union continues its mission of providing simple, no-nonsense desk accessories with a range of chargers, cables, mats and stands. The last is an ergonomically efficient way to raise your laptop or tablet to eye level, made from solid aluminium with thoughtful design touches like a pen tray and a range of colours. There’s also a three-in-one desktop charger that’ll accommodate a watch and earbuds as well as a phone, and compact USB-C fast charger.
Desk Essentials range from Native Union, laptop stand, £64.99, NativeUnion.com, @NativeUnion
8. Team 7 filigno writing desk
Sebastian Desch has designed a new writing desk for Austrian furniture manufacturer Team 7. A transformable object, the filigno home office desk appears to be an elegant dresser. Concealed within the rectangular desk is a sliding top that extends the work surface and provides storage and space for a monitor, together with cable management, USB ports and even an optional wireless charging pad.
A new addition is a monitor lift that allows you to raise and lower a stowed monitor for additional display space when needed. Available in a wide variety of solid woods, including walnut, cherry, oak and beech, the filigno is both a superb storage solution and a good way of shutting up shop at the end of the day to maintain a work/life balance.
Team 7 filigno writing desk, more information at Team7-home.com, @Team7moebel
9. Asus Zenbook Duo Dual-Screen Laptop
Asus’ latest laptop is a world first, offering twin 14in screens overlaid by a detachable Bluetooth keyboard. The new Zenbook Duo is a high-specification device aimed at those who spend most of their time at a desk but need to bundle up their working ensemble into a portable package with no hit to performance. The twin-hinged 3K touchscreens can be used side by side or vertically, with a heavy-duty folding stand neatly incorporated into the rear of the case.
For smaller spaces and a more portable footprint, the keyboard snaps into place above the lower screen (which also charges it up) to create a conventional laptop setup. Weighing in at 1.35kg it’s not substantially heavier than a regular laptop, with plenty of connectivity (3 x USB-C sockets, plus regular USB and HDMI and a conventional headphone jack). Under the hood is 32 GB of memory, an Intel Ultra 9 processor and up to 2TB of storage space. There’s also support for the optional Asus Pen 2.03, transforming all that screen acreage into space to draw and create. Alternatively, the lower screen can be turned into a virtual keyboard and touchpad.
This is a well-thought through device that makes the most of its capacities, being easy to reconfigure without appearing gimmicky or unnecessary. A large battery and Harmon/Kardon speakers with support for Dolby Atmos are also contained within the simple, unshowy case design. Windows has excellent inbuilt support for shunting different applications and programmes around the twin screens, making it easy to arrange information and have everything to hand. A gesture control system allows you to open up a single window across both screens for maximum impact.
ASUS Zenbook Duo, from £1,999.99, Asus.com, @Asusuk
10. Bento Jot organiser
Designed to appeal to the more meticulously minded stationery enthusiast, NOOE's new Bento Jot is a desktop organiser for the already organised. Featuring 12 high-quality stationery products neatly placed within a four-layer ‘Bento-style’ box, the idea is that you have everything to hand without endlessly rummaging through drawers. The trays can be stacked for neatness or spread out across your workspace, depending on the kind of project you’re undertaking.
Bento Jot by NOOE, details at Kickstarter.com
11. 849 Ballpoint pen by Caran d’Ache and Nespresso
This, the sixth collaboration between two leaders in their respective fields, the Swiss companies Caran d’Ache and Nespresso, advances the latter’s recycling journey still further. Nespresso’s aluminium Kazaar capsules are given new life in the form of the company’s longstanding classic 849 ballpoint pen, with the same midnight blue colour as the compact coffee containers.
Nespresso often gets it in the neck for the apparent wasteful of the process, but the Swiss company is at pains to point out that its pods are ‘endlessly recyclable’ (as is all aluminium) – it’s just a case of bringing them to a recycling point. Fellow Swiss company Caran d’Ache seized the opportunity to showcase recycling in action, and the 849 is an enduring design that has been on the market since 1969, with an interchangeable cartridge refill system that allows it to last for ever. (Fans of the written word on paper should also check out our pick of classic fountain pens.)
Caran d’Ache + Nespresso 849 pen, £55, carandache.com, @carandache, Nespresso.com
12. Refurbished classic modern clocks by VEEB Projects
Swiss workshop VEEB specialises in timepieces and information displays of every stripe, building custom enclosures that can track the price of stocks, Bitcoins or your YouTube follow count. We prefer its range of refurbished clocks, however, which take iconic midcentury designs and update the internal via new electronics that hook up to internet time via your Wi-Fi connection. The Basel-based workshop prides itself on retaining the original electric mechanism, connecting it to its own device to keep accurate count.
Examples in stock include a vintage Bakelite Pragotron clock, for example, which started its life in 1950s Czechoslovakia. The firm was founded in 2020 and specialises in unique electrical projects that refresh and refurbish classic designs.
Clocks from 330 CHF, available from VEEB Projects, VEEB.ch, @v_e_e_b
