Why You Can Trust CNET The Best Back-to-School Deals You Can Find on Amazon Right Now
Score great savings on pencils, backpacks, calculators and more -- all without leaving home.
- Desiree's previous work has appeared in various print and online publications including Search Engine Land, PCWorld, Wired magazine and PBS MediaShift.
School is about to start again, and that means it's time to stock up on everything your kid will need to feel prepared for the first day. Shopping for school supplies can quickly add up. From buying notebooks and pencils to backpacks and water bottles and everything in between, it's a lot. But if you do your shopping online at a retailer like Amazon, not only can you score some pretty great deals, but it will also save you a lot of time.
We've scoured Amazon to find the best bargains you can get on back-to-school supplies this year. Note that it's easier to take advantage of these deals if you have a Prime membership. And college students can sign up for Prime Student, which allows them to use Prime at half the cost, or $7.49 a month after a free six-month trial.
Back-to-school supplies deals
Cross a bunch of things off your list at once with this all-in-one supplies kit from Sharpie. It comes with Crayola markers, crayons, three Elmer's glue sticks, a standard 12-inch ruler, scissors, notebooks, erasers and more. It also includes a pencil box, which is essential for stashing away the smaller items.
If your student will be in middle school, high school or college, chances are they'll need a scientific calculator. But if you've ever shopped for a scientific calculator, you know how expensive they can be. This Texas Instruments model is reasonably priced and does the job. It's easy to use and a great size that fits nicely in your hand.
- Crayola colored pencils (36-pack): $6 (save $4)
- Ticonderoga wood-cased pencils (12-pack): $3 (save $2)
- X-Acto electric pencil sharpener: $24 (save $13)
- Elmer's scented clear glue sticks (4-pack): $15 (save $5)
- Five Star spiral notebook, 3-subject, college ruled paper: $5 (save $5)
- Five Star spiral notebook, 5-subject, college ruled paper: $7 (save $5)
- Easthill high-capacity pencil case: $12 (save $4)
- Pilot FriXion ColorSticks erasable gel ink stick pens (16-pack): $20 (save $9)
- Post-It sticky note pads (6-pack): $6 (save $6)
- Prismacolor Premier colored pencils, 72 pack: $50 (save $8)
- Paper Mate Pink Pearl erasers (12-pack): $10 (save $3)
Back-to-school tech deals
A full laptop is a splurge, but if you're looking for the best bang for your buck -- and to get something with more computing power and longevity than a Chromebook -- the M1 MacBook Air is tough to beat at this price. Back at its lowest price ever, this is a whopping $249 less than you'd pay at the Apple Store (though the education discount there and Apple's back-to-school gift card might even that out a bit). Yes, this is a 2020 model, but even this first-gen Apple Silicon chip will run rings around older Intel-powered models.
Most students carry around a phone these days, which means they'll need a decent set of noise-canceling earbuds, too. While the new AirPods 3rd Generation are a nice upgrade, the AirPods 2 are now selling for around $100 and sometimes a little less. While they don't sound as good as the AirPods 3 and have a longer stem, they fit some people's ears better. (And kids with smaller ears may prefer these older AirPods due to their slightly smaller design.)
- Beats Solo3 wireless on-ear headphones: $130 (save $70)
- iWalk LinkPod Y2 portable charger: $26 (save $20)
- Apple Pencil (2nd-gen): $89 (save $40)
- Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook: $398 (save $32)
Backpacks, lunch boxes and water bottles
This classic backpack is durable, comfortable, and has enough space to fit plenty of supplies without becoming too unwieldy. A nice-to-have feature is the padded laptop compartment, since a lot of students now need to bring Chromebooks or tablets to school. Plus, there's a handy USB port with a built-in charging cable so students can charge their devices on the go.
- Adidas Excel 6 backpack: $42 (save $18)
- Rockland double-handle rolling backpack: $31 (save $49)
- Bentgo Kids lunch bag, multiple patterns: $23 (save $17)
- Bentgo Kids Bento-Style 5-compartment lunch box: $26 (save $14)
- Gatorade 32-ounce sports squeeze water bottle: $13 (save $6)
- Hydro Flask 24-ounce standard mouth bottle: $24 (save $16)