The Breaker Times

David Pierce is The Verge’s editor-at-large. What is an editor-at-large? It means, he says, “well, nothing. I write stories and make podcasts, and I write a newsletter called Installer, but mostly, I spend a lot of time trying to convince people to like to-do list apps as much as I do.”

We asked him to tell us a bit about his workspace.

It looks like you’ve set up your office in a basement rec room. 

Yeah, it’s a basement / office / guest room / storage closet / play area / designated dog sleeping spot, all in one. I used to have a more office-y office in our house, but then we had a kid, so now that’s my wife’s office — I got shunted to the basement because I don’t mind how cold it is down here all the time. Whenever we have kid #2, I don’t know what we’re going to do.

Between the couch, the liquor cabinet, and the basketball hoop, not to mention the sliding doors leading to your yard, it feels like a comfortable space.

It’s nice down here! I have deep regrets about only buying a 42-inch TV for this space because, with a little work and a much larger screen, this could be a pretty great place to hang and watch movies. But even now, it suits me pretty well, especially when it’s nice out and I can keep the sliding doors open all day.

The main downside of this setup is that all that stuff is also my background on video calls and when we record podcasts. So, I’m forever torn between wanting it to feel comfortable and fun and needing it to look at least a teensy bit professional and put together. It means I spend a lot of time moving blankets and pillows on and off that couch. 

Could you tell us a bit about the desk itself?

The desk is a black Ikea Alex desktop on top of two white Ikea Alex filing cabinets. I’ve tried a lot of different desks over the years, and it turns out what I need more than anything is just space. This desk is nothing special, and I really wish I could convert it to standing, but it’s humongous and cheap, and it does the job. The tabletop itself is starting to get pretty scuffed, though, so it might be time to swap out that part.

The other furniture-y stuff on top is from Ugmonk’s Gather collection, which I wrote about a while back and bought after I finished the story. I have the 2×3 Organizer Set and the Large Monitor Stand, both of which are really expensive for what they are, but I love the way they look — and the story and intention behind them. 

I just had to look up the name on Amazon: it’s the “HON Office Chair Black | Ignition 2.0 | Ergonomic | Adjustable Tilt, Swivel Wheels, Comfortable for Long Hours,” which should tell you basically everything you need to know about how good and fancy it is. I bought it in 2021 for $332, after a huge amount of research because I just couldn’t splash out on a properly high-end desk chair. I’ve had back problems forever, and this one has actually served me quite well — it’s starting to tatter a bit, and one of the arms just split open a few weeks ago, but I sit in this thing for too many hours a week, and I’m living to tell the tale.

Here’s the long one: tell us about the various tech devices you’re using.

My computer is an M1 Mac Mini, which I love and also cannot wait to upgrade to whatever Apple launches next. It’s plugged into a 27-inch Dell UltraSharp U2723QE monitor, which I recently got and love so far. There’s an Insta360 Link webcam on top of it. 

I have a surprising amount of Logitech gear: I use the MX Master 3S mouse and the MX Keys S keyboard, both of which are best-in-class as far as I’m concerned. I use the Z207 computer speakers, which are aggressively mediocre, but they were like $40, so whatever. 

My phone and my Apple Watch mostly charge on the Twelve South HiRise 3 charging stand, which is nice and minimalist but so infuriatingly slow I just want to throw it out of a window sometimes. I need to upgrade this thing. 

I have a 13-inch iPad Air on the desk (it’s a review unit, so it won’t be this one forever, but there’s always some tablet here) for when I want to watch something while I work or for when I’m testing an app or game. When I have something really long to read, too, I’ll sometimes grab the iPad and kick back in the chair instead of staring at my monitor.

My podcasting setup is a Shure SM7B mic on a Rode PS1 arm, attached to a Cloudlifter (if you know you know), attached to a Scarlett 2i2 interface, plugged right into the Mac Mini. I use an Elgato Ring Light to make my face look less bad on camera. The other part of the setup is two pillows I put on my desk to dampen sound — is that technology? I use the same Sony MDR7506 headphones as every other podcaster out there; I’ve had this pair for years, though I’ve had to replace the earcups a few times. When I’m not wearing my headphones, they hang on an Audio-Technica AT-HPH300 headphone hanger, which is totally unnecessary but makes my desk feel less cluttered.

That’s all the permanent stuff; everything else is a rotating cast of gadgets I’m testing, things I bought but will definitely either return or give to a family member, and charging cables. There are always so many charging cables.

You’ve got fewer decorations in your workspace than many of your colleagues, but it’s hard to miss that adorable Father’s Day art.

I hadn’t noticed it until you said it, but every decoration in this basement is made by a family member. My wife did the painting that’s behind me on every podcast and meeting; my mom painted pictures of both our dogs, which sit on the mantle behind me; and my son seems to come home from daycare with artwork two or three times a week. Sometimes, it’s not very good (don’t tell him I said that), and sometimes, my wife and I fight over who gets to hang it up. Luckily when it’s Father’s Day art, I get to win.

And then there’s the Lego plant, the Lego chef, and the Rubik’s Cube under your monitor.

Both Lego things were wedding favors! The plant from my wife’s best friend’s wedding, very recently — both bride and groom were super into plants, and they made one of these for every guest. The chef is from one of my best friend’s wedding, a few years ago; the couple picked Lego characters that they felt best represented each guest. I never asked him why I was a chef, but I love it. I aspire to his facial hair.

The Rubik’s Cube I bought during the pandemic, in a fit of boredom when I decided to learn two things: to juggle and to solve a Rubik’s Cube. I did learn to juggle! Still can’t solve this thing. But it’s not leaving my desk until I learn it. Plus, it’s just really fun to fiddle with during calls.

It looks like you’re reading Character Limit: How Elon Musk Destroyed Twitter. How’s the book? 

It’s great so far! I always try to keep a print book on my desk as a way to check out of work or just stop looking at screens for a few minutes. I should probably read rather than scroll TikTok, you know? Usually, it’s, like, a superspy novel, but right now, it’s this one. Even having followed and covered this story closely, some of the details are mind-blowing. And not usually in a good way.

Anything else we didn’t cover that you’d like to add?

You might have noticed the bunch of dangling cables off to the right side of my desk. That is the best thing I ever did; I drilled a hole in the back of the filing cabinet, stuck a power strip in there, and made myself a charging drawer. Sometimes, I charge things inside and keep it neat, and that’s also where I keep all the things that charge on a mat or pad or whatever else, but mostly, it’s just that big drape of cables. It has a Lightning cable, a Micro USB cable, a couple of proprietary ones for various gadgets, and a bunch of USB-C cables. It’s not pretty, but boy, does it make life easier never needing to go looking for a plug or a cord. Charging stations for the win!

Photography by David Pierce / The Verge