Why You Can Trust CNET Students: Buy a discounted Chromebook, get Sony's $200 noise-canceling headphones free
The laptops start at $299, making this an especially sweet bundle. Plus, this two-in-one Hamilton Beach coffee maker is on sale for $80.
This HP Chromebook is one of several models that's on sale and bundled with free Sony headphones.
The upcoming school year is going to look quite different for most students, but one thing hasn't changed: The need for a good laptop. And if you're stuck at home or in an apartment while taking online courses, you might be grateful to have noise-canceling headphones so you can work in peace.
Best Buy has a pretty sweet offer running right now: Buy a Chromebook, get a free Sony WH-CH700N noise-cancelling over-the-ear headphone. That's a $200 value. Update: Although this wasn't originally labeled a students-only deal, it does now require you to be signed up for Best Buy's Student Deals program. It's free to join; you can do so as a student or parent.
There are over two dozen Chromebook models to choose from, though some are already sold out. A few models are priced as low as $299, while others are discounted. The HP 14C 2-in-1 Chromebook, for example, drops to $399 when you click the My Best Buy offer box just below the price.
Want something a little larger? The Lenovo C340 has a 15.6-inch screen for $399. It's also a two-in-one, with a 1,920x1,080-pixel display.
The Sony WH-CH700N noise-cancelling headphones play 35 hours on a single charge and come with Alexa for voice access to your favorite songs.
Whatever model you choose, add it to your cart, then add the Sony headphones (in your choice of black or gray). Those 'phones, by the way, are pretty swanky, with active noise cancellation technology, a 35-hour battery and built-in Alexa. (This last isn't mentioned anywhere on Best Buy's page, but Sony proper lists it as a feature.) CNET hasn't reviewed them, but they earned a 4.6-star average rating from over 3,600 Best Buy customers.
Your thoughts?
Read more: The best free and cheap perks for college students in 2020
Raise your coffee game with the Hamilton Beach FlexBrew 2-Way Coffee Maker for $80
If you follow me on Twitter, you'll know that I find myself in the market for a new coffee maker. I still want a single-serve or coffee-pod option, but I also want to be able to use my own grounds and brew a full carafe. In other words, I need a two-in-one.
Like this one: For a limited time, and while supplies last, Kohl's has the Hamilton Beach FlexBrew for $79.99 with promo code TWENTY. (I believe you can also use code USAVE20; same result.) You'll earn $10 in Kohl's Cash as well, which you can turn around and apply to a near-future purchase.
The FlexBrew (currently $100 at Amazon) ticks all the boxes. It can brew single cups (using either grounds or Keurig pods) or a full pot. There's a permanent filter for the latter option; no need to deal with disposable ones. There's also a programmable timer.
If you have experience with this machine, I'd love to hear about it. The user reviews average out to 4.1 stars at both Kohl's and Amazon -- very good, but not stellar. (That said, few coffee machines seem to rate better.)
Read more: The best coffee maker for 2020
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