40 Products on Amazon for Designers

Based on my research, the Steelcase Gesture is nearly unanimously considered the best available office chair. I actually own an older model, the Steelcase Think, which I’ve been using since 2007. The Gesture looks better in almost every way, and I am considering upgrading. The Aeron is also nice, but it’s a pretty old design. I think there are now better chairs available, such as this one. Update: I just dropped the $1k on this and it was totally worth it. Most comfortable chair I have ever used.

This is the desk that I work at every day. I split my time between standing and sitting—when my lower back hurts from sitting too long, I push the preset and raise the desk to standing height. When my legs get tired, I lower it back down. The bamboo and white design looks gorgeous.

I’ve brought my iMac on road trips before—it’s not fun. I stored it in the original box it came in, and it was ridiculously hard to get back in the styrofoam packaging. I haven’t used this carrying bag before, but it looks like a better solution and has excellent reviews. You could also get a more padded, heavy-duty case like this one.

Shrimp friends that keep you company on your desk while you work. A completely self-sustaining, sealed ecosystem with zero maintenance or feeding required. I’ve had mine for four years, and all the shrimp are still doing great.

If you suffer from any kind of pain in your wrist or fingers from holding a mouse all day, then you really need to try a vertical mouse. Instead of laying your hand flat like a traditional mouse, a vertical mouse keeps your arm upright in a more natural handshake position. This mouse has been a gamechanger for me and has really helped reduce discomfort in my hands and fingers. I charge it via the USB port on the back of my iMac, and it lasts for months.

This is what I drink when I really need to sit down and get some work done. Lion’s Mane is a natural nootropic that supports creativity, focus and concentration. And there is real science behind the cognitive benefits. It has a pleasant, slightly sweet taste. Just mix with hot water and enjoy.

This is the laptop stand I use whenever I need to work on my MacBook for any prolonged period of time. Hunching over a laptop laying flat on a table is terrible for your neck and back. This stand raises the screen to eye level and is adjustable with three height levels. It’s extremely sturdy and collapses into a small stick you can throw in your backpack. It fits most Mac and PC laptops.

Use this stand instead of a stack of books to get your iMac to eye level. Having your monitor at a proper height will help prevent unnecessary strain on your neck. This stand is adjustable with four different height options and features a hidden cubbyhole for storage. It has a soft leather top and a reversible magnetic front plate that can be switched between walnut or aluminum.

I listen to music all day long while I work, and these are the speakers currently sitting on my desk. They sound incredible, and I love the aesthetic of the real wood finish.

If you work in a busy office (or at home with kids around), noise canceling headphones are a must-have. They block out what is happening around you and help you get into a deep flow state. I own an older corded model, but these fancy new ones are wireless, with a battery life of up to 20 hours.

The Gather modular desk organizer, designed by Ugmonk, will help keep your workspace free of clutter and all your essential tools within easy reach. The unit is made out of solid hardwood, and each piece can be rotated and positioned in hundreds of different ways courtesy of an innovative grid system.

I stand on this mat when working at my standing desk. It really does work—I find that I can stand comfortably much longer when using this mat. I’ve had it for five years, and it hasn’t lost any of its cushioning.

I prefer a brightly lit workspace (it makes me feel awake and more productive), and this is the lamp I currently have in my office. The built-in energy-efficient LEDs have a 20-year lifespan, and the light it produces is warm and inviting, not harsh like fluorescent bulbs. I love the minimalist design and how the top piece is rotatable so you can reposition where the light reflects. It comes in a variety of colors to match your decor.

I keep this lamp on my desk in the dark winter months to help regulate my circadian rhythm and elevate my mood. It’s especially useful when working in the early morning when it is still dark outside or if you don’t have access to a window with natural light. I run it for a few hours in the morning, and it makes me feel much more awake and alert. It features 10,000 LUX brightness with full-spectrum, UV-free white light.

A white noise maker is an absolutely crucial piece of equipment if you work from home with young kids around. I have two of these in my office and run them both constantly. The Dohm units use real fans, which sound much more soothing compared to the harsh, digital kind.

My Apple Airport router recently died after ten years of use. I went to buy a replacement but saw that Apple had discontinued the product and no longer makes any routers. So instead, I picked up the new Nest WiFi. I absolutely love it. You can set the internet to pause on specific devices at certain times of the day using the app on your phone. Now our Apple TV disconnects at 10pm every night, forcing us to stop watching Netflix and go to bed.

Designers can use the new iPad Pro as a complete laptop replacement, especially when combined with an external keyboard. It can run design apps like Photoshop CC, and you can even use a mouse or trackpad with it. You can usually pick it up on Amazon for the same price you’d pay at the Apple Store.

The latest generation Magic Keyboard magnetically attaches to the iPad Pro, essentially turning it into a fully functional laptop. It features a full-size keyboard, a trackpad that supports Multi-Touch gestures and even an on-screen mouse cursor in iPadOS.

The Apple Pencil can turn your iPad into a professional illustration tool, replacing the need for an expensive drawing tablet such as the Wacom Cintiq. Especially now that the latest generation iPad Pro can run full versions of Photoshop and Illustrator.

Once you use wireless headphones, you’ll never be able to go back to using the wired kind. No more getting cords tangled on the dog’s leash. They are so comfy that I sometimes forget I am even wearing them. You can typically order these for cheaper on Amazon, rather than buying directly through Apple.

The BenQ monitor is marketed as a display made specifically for designers. I’ve seen it highly recommended on numerous review sites as the number one choice for professional creatives. It’s not cheap, but still much less than the six grand you’d have to drop for Apple’s Pro Display XDR. It has Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) connectivity, so it will pair nicely with your MacBook.

My office faces a busy road, and I often work with my window open, so I’m planning on picking up this air purifier. It is ranked as the number one choice by both Wirecutter and Top Ten Reviews out of all the HEPA air purifiers they have tested.

A beautiful minimalist trash can for your home office. The wooden lid is removable, and there is a metal ring inside that holds a plastic bag out of view.

The newly redesigned Ember smart mug lets you set the exact temperature of your coffee and keeps it warm for 1.5 hours on a single charge. Set it on the included charging coaster to keep it at the perfect temperature all day.

Keep your coffee hot on the go. Features a magnetic closure on the lid opening and super tough YETI construction. This one is dishwasher safe, unlike a lot of other double-wall vacuum insulated travel mugs.

I recently gave up caffeine, but this is what I used for years to make my pour-over coffee every morning. The timeless, iconic design has earned a spot in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art. They make a version with a glass handle that is more functional, but the one with a wooden handle and leather tie is much more elegant.

This beautifully designed electric kettle is perfect for making your pour-over coffee in the morning. It features a variable temperature control that lets you dial in the precise temp for brewing loose leaf tea, and the long gooseneck spout makes for accurate pouring.

This is my favorite typography book that I own—yes, even more so than Bringhurst. It’s not about typography; it’s about typefaces. But it is a monumental work that showcases the evolution of type from the days of Gutenberg to modern times, and reading it will expose you to the entire history of typography and give you a new perspective on graphic design.

Type gathers together a massive assortment of type specimens from a private collection dating from 1628 to 1938. This work is primarily visual and doesn’t include as much historical analysis compared to The Visual History of Type.

Emil Ruder was a Swiss designer famous for his contributions to the International Typographic Style (Swiss Style). Typographie is his magnum opus on typography and grid systems.

This is one of my favorite fiction novels and is the perfect gift for anyone who works in tech. The protagonist is a web designer, and the plot revolves around a mysterious cult obsessed with a fifteenth-century type designer.

This book chronicles the entire history of the American furniture company Herman Miller, known for their mid-century modern aesthetic. Clocking in at over 600 pages and featuring thousands of illustrations, it’s an excellent gift for anyone who appreciates clean, modern design.

These small paper notebooks from Draplin Design Co. make a perfect gift for any designer. Their iconic covers set exclusively in Futura look straight out of a Wes Anderson film. The small size easily fits in your back pocket.

These are perfect for cleaning the smudges off your glasses and computer screen. I ordered a six-pack and use them for everything—they really do work great. The soft microfiber material won’t leave scratches, and if you hand wash them, you can reuse them over and over again.

This is that one beanie that everyone has. You should probably own one in each color, especially umber and mustard yellow.

The perfect dad hat for your normcore fashion collection.

This is what I wear every day during the cold winters here in Bend. This version of the jacket is insulated with goose down, so it keeps me toasty warm. There is also a lighter version without down filling for warmer climates. The iconic Greenland jacket is a classic, timeless design that hasn’t changed much since its origins in 1960s Sweden. It’s by far the most expensive item of clothing that I own, but I plan on wearing this jacket for the rest of my life.

Fjällräven first developed the Kånken backpack in 1978 to help prevent back problems in Swedish school children. This modern version has been updated to accommodate a laptop but still retains the iconic design. It’s available in 13-inch, 15-inch and 17-inch sizes to hold a variety of laptops.

Designed by Bryce Wilner, these gorgeous gradient puzzles are described as “a vibrant way to meditate on color.” The 1,000 piece version is supposedly extremely difficult and will challenge your color perception abilities.

This is what sits on my desk and provides me with spiritual inspiration when working on Typewolf. Just kidding, my wife won’t let me get this, but I still think it is pretty badass.