The following are a collection of books and products I have found valuable in my own life. They are all Amazon Associate links, so they do help support this site, but I am only listing products I’ve genuinely found to be a blessing or that I would personally encourage others to buy.
To make things easier to figure out, here’s the table of contents for this page…
Logitech Ergo K860 Wireless Ergonomic Keyboard – Split Keyboard, Wrist Rest, Natural Typing
This keyboard is worth every penny of the cost (I spend the majority of every day at a PC). I have other ergonomic keyboards (for example this one is only $40 as of 6/22/2026), but this has been, hands-down, the best. Look for it on sale as it will drop to $129 at times (I picked it up for that price). If you’re not on your PC all the time, it may be a little pricey, but I would still recommend this to you. With the option to use this (and the mouse below) on three different devices with a single Bluetooth receiver, you can switch between controlling 3 devices with one keyboard/mouse combo. I have multiple devices and this feature is an amazing benefit.
Logitech M720 Triathlon Multi-Device Wireless Mouse w/ 6 Programmable Buttons
I bought this one mainly because it also allows you to use this mouse on three different devices (same as the keyboard above). Being able to use three devices from one keyboard/mouse is helpful for IT people. The feel of this mouse is also solid (not premium) and it works consistently well. All the programmable buttons can sometimes get in the way but it’s not a major issue.
STREBITO Electronics Precision Screwdriver Sets 142-Piece with 120 Bits Magnetic Repair Tool Kit
This little toolkit has come in handy for working on laptops and for working on servers. It’s pretty good build quality, especially for $28 (current price as of 6/20/2026). And it would likely help with a variety of other repairs around the house as well.
StarTech.com 11 Piece Computer Tool Kit – PC Repair Tool Kit with Zippered Vinyl Carrying Case
It may seem pretty basic, but it covers the basics of what you need when working on PCs. I had a couple of other tools I added to mine over the years (a set of needle-nose pliers, a better Phillips Screw Driver) and then eventually got a few more tools to the point where I ended up just getting a small toolbox to dump everything into. So, I usually will carry the above toolkit and this stuff with me when I’m working on a PC.
MATEIN Cable Organizer Bag, Large Travel Storage Bag
I bought the medium sized bag in April of 2021 and use this all the time. I love having my cords and electronics organized and this is such a great tool for that.
SHOKZ OpenRun Bone Conduction Open-Ear Bluetooth Sport Headphones, Running Workout，Sweat Headband, IP67 Sweat Resistant, 8H Playtime, Mic, Black
My Amazon says I have purchased this item at least 3 times (not including the ones we bought at BestBuy/Sams). We use these to be able to hear what’s going on around us when we’re outside but when we still want to listen to an audiobook or listen to some music. Being bone conducting and open-ear, you can hear your environment and hear your music. Great set of headphones!
Swissdigital Design Laptop Backpack w/ Integrated USB Charging Port and RFID Protection
This backpack I’ve had since January of 2024. Still using it. Carries a great deal on the regular and while it does have a broken zipper, I still use this thing because it holds so much and hasn’t torn at all. Durability on this thing is it’s main selling point. The price point ($99 right now 6/20/2026) is a little rough.
ASUS ROG Flow Z13 (2023) Gaming Laptop Tablet, 13.4” GeForce RTX 4050, Intel Core i9-13900H, 16GB LPDDR5, 1TB PCIe SSD, Wi-Fi 6E, Windows 11
This thing has probably been my favorite laptop ever. I bought an older version of this one a while back before the significant inflation on PC and PC supply costs (I got it for $1600). This thing is the most portable laptop I’ve ever had. I bought it for it’s portability, storage space (1 TB!), and power (I’ve gamed on this thing with some solid games) and I still use it on the daily. I’ve had a Surface Pro 6, and this thing far outstrips one of those and isn’t that much different in price (presently it’s $1700ish 6/20/2026). The form factor allowing me to remove the keyboard if I want to use it as a tablet or having the kickstand so I can watch movies on it is so appealing. I love taking this thing everywhere I go. The one major annoyance is that the power cord for this thing constantly has one part of it that disconnects from the power-inverter with the slightest pull. The second problem is minor; it doesn’t come with an integrated stylus.
Alienware Aurora R10 Gaming Desktop – AMD Ryzen 9 5900, 32GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 10GB GDDR6X, Windows 10 Home – Lunar Light
This is a model newer than the model I have (I have the R9), but they are already putting out Alienware Aurora R15s. It blows my mind that Amazon only has one of the R15s (almost twice the price). What I did was purchased a base model PC (a long while ago) and then upgraded the RAM after I purchased the desktop and added an HDD. The cost of the peripherals back then was cheaper if I purchased them on my own and installed them myself and the price difference was significant. This model looks similar to what I have. Casing has been a blessing because of the way that it keeps so much dust out. It’s been a work-horse for me though and does everything I’ve wanted it to do. If you want an even better PC, the next best option is the Alienware Aurora R14 (best bang for buck in the next step up since it’s $800 cheaper than the R15). I would not recommend anyone buying the newest and best PCs unless you have a mission critical task that really depends on speed/power in your PC and you’ve got the money to spend on it (or you have someone else paying for it).
Seagate Expansion 8TB External Hard Drive HDD – USB 3.0, with Rescue Data Recovery Services
8 TB is a solid size for an external backup. Most people only have a 1 TB hard drive in their daily use PC. I managed to purchase a 24TB version for the price of what an 8 TB version is going for today (inflation/war with Iran has caused prices on things to skyrocket). But for the data-hoarder in your life (like me) it’s best to have a backup plan that includes 3 backups, in 2 places, with 1 being an offline backup (3-2-1 rule). If you want a bigger size, be prepared to pay for it. They still have the 22TB version.
Logitech Brio 4K Webcam, Video Calling, Noise-Cancelling mic, HD Auto Light Correction, Wide Field of View
The Logitech Brio webcam is my default webcam when I film a quick YouTube video. I bought it as I worked remotely a lot and had a lot of online meetings that made having this a boost to being able to have quality conference calls. It’s pricier, but it is one of the better cost-effective options if you don’t want to buy a full DSLR for recording YouTube videos which are often priced well over $1,000.
Canon EOS R7 Kit
If you want to go extreme on your image quality when taking photos or doing videos for online content, while still having a really nice field camera for vacations/trips, this is the camera I chose in 2023. It’s a nice setup and works well. And it’s a really big step up from the Logitech Brio above.
Logitech Creators Blue Yeti USB Microphone for PC, Mac, Gaming, Recording, Streaming, Podcasting, Studio and Computer Condenser Mic with Blue VO!CE effects, 4 Pickup Patterns, Plug and Play
Logitech Creators Blue Yeti USB Microphone for PC, Mac, Gaming, Recording, Streaming, Podcasting, Studio and Computer Condenser Mic with Blue VO!CE effects, 4 Pickup Patterns, Plug and Play – Blackout
This microphone is something I use for conference calls, recording for YouTube videos, and for the occasional time when I get a few minutes to play a video game with family/friends. It’s an entry-level microphone for anyone who wants to have a quality sound.
HPE Networking Instant On Switch Series 1830 24-Port Gb Smart-Managed Layer 2 Ethernet Switch with PoE | 24x 1G | 2X SFP | 12x CL4 PoE (195W) | Fan-Less
A great entry-level switch for a home network/lab that needs to hook up a number of devices. It is managed, layer 2 w/ PoE, so it hits all the pieces an entry level switch should have for less than $500 at the time of this posting (6/20/2026).
KYY Portable Monitor 15.6inch 1080P FHD USB-C, HDMI Computer Display HDR IPS Gaming Monitor w/Premium Smart Cover & Screen Protector, Speakers
Having a portable monitor makes working remotely, in a coffee shop, or anywhere else for that matter helpful when you get asked to multitask. Sometimes you just need to look at two things at once. For $70 (as of this writing 6/20/2026), this portable monitor has saved my fingers a lot of additional clicking and swiping to find the right documents I need to switch between.
2 Pack Surge Protector Power Strip with 6 Outlets 4 USB Ports 5-Foot Long Heavy-Duty Braided Extension Cords Flat Plug 900 Joules 15A Circuit Breaker Wall Mount
We bought these surge protectors back in 2020 and have loved them ever since we got them. We’ve been a big fan of the USB outlets on the bottom of these things.
ASUS ZenDrive Black 13mm External 8X DVD/Burner Drive +/-RW with M-Disc Support
I don’t typically use this, but when I need a DVD/CD drive for something, having a drive I can just quickly grab and go helps. It’s capable of doing anything I used to want to use DVD/CD drives for, so for $40, I’m happy with it.
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