Remote work has been a significant driver of St. George's population growth. The ability to work from anywhere combined with the appeal of outdoor access, relatively affordable housing (compared to California and Nevada origins), and the area's lifestyle has drawn significant numbers of remote workers and location-independent professionals.
Setting up a home office is a one-time substantial expense that pays off over years of daily use. The used market handles most of it well. Here's the breakdown.
What to Buy Used Without Hesitation
Monitors — This is the best home office used purchase. A 27-inch 1440p IPS monitor that retailed for $450–600 new is available used for $80–150. Monitors have extremely long functional lifespans. Check for dead pixels (solid white screen test) and backlight uniformity. A good monitor has more impact on daily comfort and productivity than almost any other purchase.
Ergonomic office chairs — Herman Miller Aeron, Steelcase Leap, and Humanscale chairs retail for $1,200–1,800. Used, in good condition, they're available for $200–400. These chairs hold up extremely well — the mechanism and material quality are built for years of heavy commercial use. Check that all adjustment mechanisms function and the lumbar support is intact.
Standing desks — Quality motorized standing desks (Uplift, Flexispot, Autonomous) depreciate fast when new and function identically used. Check that the motor operates smoothly at both ends of travel.
Webcams and microphones — Modest depreciation, excellent used purchases. Logitech C920 webcams and Blue Yeti microphones are workhorses that hold up well. Test before buying if possible.
Keyboards — Mechanical keyboards are particularly good used purchases. The switches have rated lifespans of 50-100 million keystrokes; "used" keyboards typically have a tiny fraction of that remaining life. Inspect for missing keycaps and test all keys.
What to Buy New or Be Selective About Used
Laptop or primary computer — This is your primary work tool. The battery cycle count, software support timeline, and specific performance requirements for your work make this more important to get right than most items. A used laptop is reasonable if you verify the specific model and condition carefully (see our electronics guide), but this is where being selective matters most.
Desk surface — Personal preference for dimensions and finish usually makes buying new the right call for desks. The desk is a long-term investment and used desks often have specific limitations (pre-drilled grommet holes, dimensions that don't work with your space).
Surge protector / UPS — Buy new. The entire job of this device is to protect expensive equipment from power events. A used UPS battery may not hold charge. Not the place to save money.
Router/networking equipment — Buy new or from a trusted seller with return policy. Router firmware support lifecycles matter for security, and older hardware may have limited support timelines.
The Southern Utah Context
The growth of St. George means there's significant corporate office liquidation and residential home office equipment flowing through the secondhand market here. When technology companies relocated or contracted, their office equipment — quality commercial-grade monitors, chairs, and desks — entered the local secondhand market.
Additionally, many people who moved to St. George from larger metros downsized their office space and brought commercial-quality equipment that's now overkill for a one-person home setup.
Total Cost Comparison
A full home office setup (monitor, chair, desk, accessories) bought new from retail typically runs $2,000–4,000 for quality equipment. Using the secondhand market for the right items (monitor, chair, desk), the same functional result is achievable for $400–800. That's the same quality, not a compromise.
Browse our current home office selection — monitors, chairs, and accessories updated regularly.