Bethany Heitman is a contributing editor at NBC Select.
25+ back-to-school must-have supplies from Amazon
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These notebooks, which have a 4.7-star average rating from over 2,500 reviews on Amazon, come in a set of 6. Each notebook has a different colored cover, making it easy for older students to use a different one for each class subject — think history, math, science and beyond. Each notebook has 70 wide ruled pages, and the spiral binding makes it easy to lay them flat for easier writing.
Sure, you could pick basic black or blue pens, but why not have a little more fun? This pack of 15 pens comes with black and blue pens but also includes a variety of other colors —like pink, orange, green, purple and teal. The fine point and gel ink write smoothly, according to the brand, and each pen has a rubberized grip for comfort and an eraser to fix any mistakes you may make. This pack of pens has a 4.7-star average rating from over 43,000 reviews on Amazon.
At under $3, you can’t go wrong with these stainless steel scissors. According to Amazon, the PVD-coated blades stay sharp beyond 100,000 cuts and the soft-grip handle is comfortable to hold. They have a 4.8-star average rating from over 55,000 reviews on Amazon.
Opt for a mechanical pencil set to eliminate the need to constantly sharpen your pencils. This one, which has a 4.7-star average rating from over 6,200 reviews on Amazon, comes with six mechanical pencils in different colors, eraser refills and extra lead. It also comes with three larger erasers intended for use when you need to erase a lot.
Have multiple kids? This set, an Amazon exclusive, comes with two 64-count boxes of crayons. The crayons are washable in case they get on your child’s clothes (or anywhere else) and there is a built-in sharpener on the box. This set has a 4.8-star average rating from over 5,050 reviews on Amazon.
This sizeable pencil case can hold up to 100 pens and pencils. It has a large zippered compartment and another zippered front pocket with 14 elastic straps to hold all your most used writing tools. The case also has a handle on one side for easy gripping and is made from washable polyester, so you can throw it in the laundry if it gets dirty. This case has a 4.7-star average rating from over 12,675 reviews on Amazon.
Need a basic calculator? Look no further than this model from Texas Instruments, which has a 4.7-star average rating from 2,556 reviews on Amazon. According to the brand, it has a three-key memory, an easy-to-read display and a power-saving LCD screen. The keyboard is also well-spaced to prevent typos.
One of our favorite rolling backpacks, this option from Rockland is made from durable polyester and equips a heavy-duty plastic stand on the bottom to keep it upright. You can choose from several patterns and designs, including polka dots, pink chevron, multi-colored hearts and leopard prints. The backpack has a 4.2-star average rating from over 3,700 reviews on Amazon.
You can’t go wrong with a classic JanSport backpack, especially for a high school student. This one comes in 38 colors and has two large main compartments for ample space for books and notebooks. It also has a dedicated laptop sleeve and zippered utility pockets. The shoulder straps are also ergonomic and padded for comfort, according to the brand.
Intended for kids between the ages of three and six, this 15-inch backpack has a chest strap to keep it extra secure, an inner name tag and two water bottle pockets. The polyester material is water-resistant, and the main compartment has a double zipper to open from either side. This backpack has a 4.7-star average from over 2,890 reviews on Amazon.
One of our picks for the best lunch boxes for kids, this option has a 4-liter capacity. The rectangular bag can hold sandwiches, snacks and more, and the brand says it’s triple-insulated to keep food fresh. It also has a zippered interior pocket that holds an ice pack to keep everything inside cool.
This PackIt lunch box can be flattened and placed inside the freezer overnight to help the walls — filled with a non-toxic cooling gel — stay cold enough to help keep food and drinks cold for hours, according to the brand. The soft-sided zip interior that can hold a kid’s bento box and a 12-ounce drink and it also has a slim exterior zip pocket that can hold ID cards, napkins, wipes and more, and its buckle handle lets your child clip it onto their backpack, PackIt says. It comes in over a dozen kid-friendly patterns and has a 4.8-star average rating from more than 645 reviews on Amazon.
This brand makes some of our favorite bento boxes for adults, and its Bentgo Kids line is just as revered — this lunch box has a 4.7-star average rating from over 59,900 reviews on Amazon. It has five compartments and the tray is both microwave-safe and dishwasher-safe, according to Bentgo. You can choose from more than a dozen designs, including dinosaurs, fairies and leopard.
If your kid prefers a hot lunch, consider the OmieBox, part bento box, part thermal container. The OmieBox comes in six colors and includes a stainless steel thermal container to keep hot foods hot and double-insulated boxes to keep cold items fresh. It has a 4.6-star average rating from over 8,250 reviews on Amazon.
NBC Staffers were sent a few samples of the Owala water bottle and this particular model became a favorite of NBC Select commerce editor Lindsay Schneider. “It has a dual-sipping system that I really like,” she says. “You can sip through the straw or throw your head back and sip like you would out of a glass, so it’s really versatile.” Plus, the bottle’s dual-wall insulation helps keep drinks cold for up to 24 hours at a time, according to the brand. The bottle is available in a range of sizes and color combinations and would be a good option for an older student who plays sports or likes to carry water with them all day.
This bottle is made of durable stainless steel that can keep beverages cold for up to 24 hours, according to the brand. The bottles come in several fun colors and it has a condensation-free exterior, so it doesn’t leave droplets on the outside from cold beverages, according to the brand. One thing to note: This bottle is not dishwasher-safe, so you must hand wash it. It has a 4.7-star average rating from over 2,700 reviews on Amazon.
This is the water bottle I sent my 3-year-old to preschool with. It doesn’t leak, has a handle on the top that makes it easy for her to carry and she loves the silicone straw to sip from. It holds 12 ounces of water, which feels like just enough for a toddler, and is vacuum-insulated to keep drinks cold for up to 12 hours.
We consider these bed risers a dorm room essential. The adjustable bed risers lift the bed a few inches off the floor and can be useful to create storage space underneath. They come in a set of four and have a 4.5-star average rating from 19,733 reviews on Amazon.
Another of our favorite dorm essentials is this lap desk folds flat, making it easy to transport and store away. It also has a built-in cup holder and a slot that acts as a stand for tablets, phones and books. While this is great for college students, it could also come in handy for high school students doing homework in bed or on the couch. This lap desk has a 4.5-star average rating from 1,527 reviews on Amazon.
This organizer will help your kid keep their at-home desk tidy. It comes in fourteen colors and has slots and drawers to hold pens, pencils, paperclips and more. This faux leather desk organizer has a 4.7-star average from over 1,630 reviews on Amazon.
The Keurig K-Mini made our list of best coffee makers and is great for the small dorm room space. It can brew anywhere between 6 to 12 ounces of coffee and it comes with a removable drip tray, so you can fit travel mugs up to 7 inches tall, according to the brand. The coffee maker also automatically turns off 90 seconds after your last brew, according to Keurig.
Keep your dorm clean with a cordless vacuum. This model is under $100, lightweight, powerful and versatile. It can be adjusted between upright, handheld and stick setups. Though it has a short battery life, it will have no problem cleaning smaller spaces like a dorm room.
The MacBook Air (M3) is one of our top laptop picks for students. It is lightweight and ideal for storing in a backpack that may already be packed with textbooks. It also features a MagSafe charger that magnetically snaps in and out of the charging port. This laptop weighs less than three pounds and, according to the brand, has 18 hours of battery life on a single charge.
If your student has hours of homework, an ergonomic mouse can be more comfortable to use. This one connects via Bluetooth or wirelessly through the USB-A receiver. Both the AA battery and the wireless receiver are neatly stored inside the mouse’s bottom. It is also available in right-handed and left-handed styles.
One of our favorite budget headphone models and a recipient of our 2023 Giftable Tech Award, these affordable pocket-sized earbuds can be a great tool for students while they’re studying. They come with a charging case that includes a built-in USB cable, so you’ll never find a way to plug it in. The earbuds have a 32-hour battery life so they can be used for quite some time.
Our top pick for the best e-reader of 2023 thanks to its large 6.8-inch screen, thin border and glare-free display, the Kindle Paperwhite reads like real paper but is much more durable than a typical paperback due to its waterproof design. It also has an adjustable warm light to minimize eye strain while reading at night and a battery life that lasts up to 10 weeks on one charge, according to Kindle. It’s Bluetooth compatible in three colors, so you can pair it with an Audible subscription if you prefer to listen to audiobooks.
Bethany Heitman is a contributor at NBC Select and a journalist who regularly covers beauty, home and lifestyle.
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