Product Review: Lasko 5435 Max-Endurance Oscillating Ceramic Heater

 

I use this as a space heater at work because my office can get a bit cold in the winter, even with the building heater running. It works very well to keep a relatively small space warm. It is a bit loud, so if you do have to be on the phone quite a bit, you may have to turn it off to hear the phone call. Other than that, however, it is a good option if you need extra heat in a single room.

Product Review: HUANUO Dual Monitor Mount Stand

 

I got this to have my two 32" monitors up off my desktop, and allow for them to be side by side, since my job requires me to have multiple programs like Word, Adobe Acrobat, and at least one internet browser screen open at one time, along with Outlook. I have a limited amount of space for my office setup right now so I cannot get the monitors exactly side by side (one is a bit lower than the other), but if you have a wide enough space they are able to be put side by side, with or without a laptop between them.

Overall, the stand is easy to assemble. It can be mounted just by screwing the base to the tabletop in almost a C-Clamp like manner, or you can drill into the table. This will depend on how thick your table is. All of the adjustments are made with one of the included Allen wrenches, which you definitely do not want to lose track of. It can be assembled in about half an hour, give or take, and the instructions are fairly well-written, but I did have to refer to the pictures a few times to figure out how to attach things.

It is definitely sturdy once you get it put together. I did have to adjust the arms once the monitors were on to keep them in place (when I initially put the monitors on, the arm kind of drifted down), but once everything is tightened, they stay in place just fine. I absolutely recommend this if you are looking for an inexpensive way to get dual monitors set up.

Product Review: Jabra Evolve 75 UC Wireless Headset

 

I have to participate in many calls and web meetings in my job. Working from home made it harder to do so just trying to use computer audio and my cell phone. This works very well as a solution. The headset has excellent noise reduction, it seems like people can hear me well on the other end. It has 14 hours of battery life on a full charge, which, depending on how often you are on the phone, can last several days.. The only issue I have found is that if you are on a web meeting on your computer, then later, after the meeting is over, want to use this with your phone, you will need to turn it off and back on so it can re-pair with your phone. Aside from that, this works great, and although a bit pricey, is worth it.

Product Review: Paper Mate Flair Felt Tip Pens, Medium Point (0.7mm), Black, 2 Count

 

They are perfect for things like signing cards, marking events on calendars, etc. Basically, it is good for anything that you may want to use something darker and thicker than a ballpoint pen on, but not as thick as a "regular" Sharpie or a wide marker that has a lot of bleed through.

Product Review: FLEXISPOT EN1 Height Adjustable Standing Desk

 

I got this to use in an office corner of my renovated basement since I am stuck working from home due to COVID-19. A couple of things to note about putting it together. First, as it says on the product page, this will come in two boxes. One with the pieces for the frame, and one with the desktop. I got the frame first (on a Tuesday), then got the desktop the following Monday. So, you will not be able to assemble the entire thing right away. Second, you will need two people to assemble the frame because the legs are too heavy to hold up with one hand while screwing on the part that holds the crossbar. Third, you will need a drill and/or electric screwdriver to put this together. An electric screwdriver makes it easier to screw the base to the tabletop (and the power box and lift controller to the tabletop). The former you need because there are not pre-drilled holes for all the spots that need screws. For me, the hardest thing about putting it together was aligning the base with the holes on the tabletop that you need to screw the legs to the table. Unless you are very lucky you will have to adjust the crossbar after you put the base together when you are screwing it to the tabletop. You also need to be very careful when connecting the piece that turns when the motor engages not to turn the motor winch too much when you are tightening the bar (it will make sense in the instructions).

Overall, the instructions are written better than most for these types of put it together yourself furniture pieces. You do have to look at the pictures to see exactly how things should be aligned, but it is not too hard, even if you are not very handy or much of a DIYer. The desk is very heavy and sturdy once put together and does not feel flimsy like a lot of things you have to assemble. You can move it up and down using the arrows on the control box, or you can program up to three heights using programmable buttons. So far, I am very satisfied with it and would absolutely recommend it.

Product Review: IUKUS PC Microphone with Mic Stand

 

I use this for audio/video conferencing on my home computer when I work at home. The people on the other end seem to be able to hear me well and I have not had any issues with feedback or had anyone comment about my audio cutting in and out. It is really handy that it comes with a small tripod and can sit on a desk, and has a long enough cord that you can easily move it out of the way when not using it, and move it closer when you are. It is a great deal when using it in that context. I do not use it for gaming, so I am not sure how well it does or does not work for doing that.

Product Review: PHILIPS Computer Monitors 328E9QJAB 32" Curved Frameless Monitor

 

I have a job that routinely requires me to have multiple documents and applications open at one time (e.g., Word, Acrobat, Outlook, and a web browser at the very least), and because of the Covid-19 pandemic, my office instituted a mandatory work-from-home policy. Therefore, I got a couple of these to connect to my laptop via a docking station. They are relatively easy to set up. The only thing I found a bit tricky is that the power button is on the back of the monitor, just on the other side of the Phillips logo in the middle of the bottom of the monitor.

If you connect via an HDMI cable the picture is very crisp, and you can easily display multiple documents/applications at one time. I just have the monitors at eye level and do not have any problem seeing any portion of the screens. I am not sure how it would be affected if the monitor is moved above or below eye level. It does have a speaker that emits okay sound, and you can connect an external speaker via a jack in the back of the monitor to get better sound out of it. Overall, If you are looking for a relatively large, widescreen monitor that is inexpensive, I definitely recommend this one.

Product Review: Amazon Basics USB 3.0 Universal Laptop Dual Monitor Docking Station

 

This is pretty much a plug-and-play device, with the caveat that you need to install the drivers before you connect it to your computer. I am not sure what happens if you do not, but the instructions make clear to do that first, and if you do, it is very easy to get up and running.

My office instituted a work-from-home policy during the COVID-19 pandemic, and I needed to connect multiple monitors to my laptop in order to efficiently work from home. This has one HDMI port, one port that allows you to connect a monitor with a VGA connection, and then has several USB ports so you can connect a flash drive, an external hard drive, or whatever other USB devices you would like. It also allows you to connect speakers and a microphone if you so desire. The only thing I would have liked it to have is two HDMI ports so you can connect two monitors via HDMI. Aside from that, I am very satisfied with it.

Product Review: VicTsing Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo

 

I bought this was looking for a better wireless keyboard-mouse combination, mainly because my old wireless mouse was a total pain to use. This is much better than my old one, but not perfect, and not as good as the more expensive Logitech models. The only thing that the keyboard is missing that would be nice to have is a hotkey for the calculator. Aside from that, it has a nice feel (but the keys could be softer), and the mouse is responsive and does not have issues with scrolling that my old one did. I am not sure that it would be all that good for a gaming keyboard, but if you mainly your computer to surf the internet and use Word or Excel or something like that, this is a decent to good, inexpensive option. But, if you really prefer softer touch keyboard keys, this will not be a good option for you.