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The 18 best back-to-school items you can get on Amazon

School shopping can be done virtually.

The 18 best back-to-school items you can get on Amazon Credit: Reviewed / PostIt

Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission.

Back-to-school season is officially here, and that means it’s time to hunker down and actually look at the required school supplies list. Because whether schools are IRL or virtual this coming fall, you’ll still need the materials to actually complete assignments this school year. While specific items vary depending on grade and area, you can likely find most of your school supply needs at Amazon—and have it arrive at your door fast if you’re shopping last minute thanks to Prime shipping.

From top-rated lunch boxes to the ever-necessary No. 2 pencil to a whiteboard that will keep you organized, these are the 18 most popular back-to-school items you can get at Amazon.

1. Colorful gel pens for note-taking

Paper Mate Gel Pens
Credit: Paper Mate

The smoothest glide.

Gel pens are better than regular pens, it’s true. They glide more smoothly and are less likely to smudge, which is essential for fast scribblers. With over 15,000 reviews and a 4.8-star rating on Amazon, these ones from Paper Mate are a fan favorite and reviewers say they dry quickly. Plus, they come in a ton of colors for more organized note-taking.

Get the Paper Mate InkJoy Gel Pens for $21.14

2. Highly rated mechanical pencils

BIC Pencils
Credit: BIC

A fun pencil means a good test, right?

For work that you find yourself erasing a bunch—like math—pencils are essential. Reviewers love these No.2 sparkly ones from BIC, stating that the lead is sturdy and that they come with a quality eraser.

Get the BIC Xtra-Sparkle Mechanical Pencil, 24-Count for $10.99

3. Spiral notebooks for every subject

Mead Subject Notebooks
Credit: Mead

A notebook for every subject.

This highly-rated 6-pack for notebooks from Mead is great for those who want a separate notebook for each subject. They’re affordable and reviewers say they’re strong enough to last the year.

Get the Mead Spiral Notebooks, 6-Pack for $13.97

4. A thick, durable binder

Case-It Binder
Credit: Case-It

A binder that will survive the entire year.

As much as thin, plastic binders are great for separating subjects, they’re often flimsy and will tear before the end of the year. A padded binder is much more secure, and the Case-it Mighty Zip Binder is great for multiple subjects, too. It has five section tabs for multiple subjects, sturdy rings and a firm backing, and pockets for pens, calculators, and other miscellaneous school items.

Get the Case-it Mighty Zip Tab 3-Inch Zipper Binder for $24.89

5. Four-pocket folders to hold miscellaneous papers

Five Star Folders
Credit: Five Star

Keep your papers in check.

Random papers (i.e. tests, assignments, and homework) need their own designated spot so students don’t lose them. These Five Star 4 Pocket Folders have more than 900 reviews and a 4.7-star rating on Amazon. Reviewers love how durable they are (enough to last the school year) and that the four pockets allow them to organize important pages up front.

Get the Five Star 4 Pocket Folders, 6-Pack at Amazon for $11.44

6. Wide-ruled paper for note-taking

Wide Ruled Paper
Credit: Mead

For those of us with larger handwriting.

If you have larger handwriting, wide-ruled paper is the way to go, and having some loose leaf paper is always a good idea for extra note-taking paper. Reviewers on Amazon like this pack from Mead, which has more than 1,000 positive reviews stating that it's thin enough to not take up too much space in a binder yet doesn't tear easily.

Get the Mead Loose Leaf Paper, Wide Ruled, 200 Sheets for $2.50

7. Highlighters for expert organization

BIC Highlighters
Credit: BIC

Bright colors make homework more fun.

With more than 6,000 reviews and a 4.7-star rating on Amazon, the BIC Brite Liner Highlighter is quite popular. This pack comes in assorted colors, which is great for separating out key facts in your notes, and reviewers say they don’t streak or bleed through paper.

Get the BIC Brite Liner Highlighter, 12 Pack for $5.69

8. Erasers to cover up mistakes

Pentel Eraser
Credit: Pentel

Keep these handy.

Let’s be honest: The erasers that typically come on pencils are terrible. They’re far too dry and are so small that you use them up before you're even done with the pencil. Amazon reviewers love this 10-pack of Pentel erasers because it’s affordable and the erasers do a great job of removing mistakes.

Get the Pentel Hi-Polymer Block Eraser, 10 Pack for $6.99

9. Sticky notes for more note-taking

PostIt Notes
Credit: PostIt

Stick a note everywhere.

Sticky notes are great for jotting down quick assignment reminders and flagging pages of textbooks. Reviewers love the classic Post-It Notes, which have been dubbed "America's No. 1 favorite sticky note." People praise these sticky notes for sticking to almost anything, being the perfect size, and coming in a variety of bright colors.

Get the Post-it Notes for $5

10. Glue sticks for various craft projects

Elmer's Glue Stick
Credit: Elmer's

Don't worry. These glue sticks are washable.

A glue stick is essential for all the various craft projects younger kids do as well as poster projects for the older ones. It’s often one of those things you don’t think about having before you need them, so be sure to have these on hand. Elmer’s glue sticks are a long-time favorite for being washable, and this 30-pack will ensure you don’t run out of glue sticks when one dries out.

Get the Elmer's All Purpose School Glue Sticks, 30-Pack for $10.99

11. A whiteboard that works for your schedule

Whiteboard Calendar
Credit: Mommy Marvel

Stay organized this school year.

Whether you’re virtually learning or heading into the classroom, it’s important to keep track of all the due dates of your big assignments. That’s why a whiteboard calendar can be a huge help. This one is dry erase, meaning you can constantly make changes to your schedule, and there’s the option to with weekly or monthly planning. Even better, it includes markers and has over 3,000 positive reviews to back up its functionality.

Get the Mommy Marvel Dry Erase Monthly Calendar Set for $17.99

12. A stylish backpack to hold all your gear

Fjallraven Kanken Backpack
Credit: Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar

This colorful pack is a great choice.

Even if classrooms are still virtual this year, a new backpack can make things feel a little more normal, plus it gives students a place to store all their school supplies. When we tested backpacks for students, the Fjallraven Kanken earned our approval as our favorite casual backpack—a.k.a it looks good outside the classroom, too. It’s quite durable and can fit a decent amount of stuff, but it doesn’t have ventilation, so it may get a bit sweaty if you wear it for too long.

Get the Fjallraven Kanken Laptop 15" Backpack for $119.95

13. Laptops that are ideal for students

Asus Flip
Credit: Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser

A good choice for most students.

While most college students need a laptop, with more virtual learning in the cards, most students could use an upgraded laptop to get stuff done. We recommend the HP Envy X360, which is the best laptop for students we’ve ever tested. It has a battery that will last the school day, a powerful processor, and can handle occasional gaming. For a slightly more affordable option, we also recommend the Asus Chromebook Flip, which is about $100 cheaper, and doubles as a tablet and performs school related tasks well.

14. The best tablets for students

Apple iPad
Credit: Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser

The Apple iPad is our favorite tablet on the market.

Tablets are also a great addition for some new school tech, as they allow speedy note-taking without lugging around a laptop. For younger kids, we recommend the Amazon Fire 8 Kids Edition because it's sturdy, portable, and has great image and audio quality, as well as parental control. High school and college students will prefer the Apple iPad, as it’s the best tablet we’ve ever tested and has incredible features like a long battery life, high-resolution display, and access to the largest library of apps, media, and more. It’s a no-brainer.

15. Lunch boxes that will keep food insulated

LunchBots Large Trio
Credit: Reviewed / Lisa Lawrence

Win packed lunches this year.

For students heading into school, a lunch box with good insulation is essential if you’ll be transporting food to and from home. That way, you’ll ensure your food stays fresh and cold before you nibble. After testing lunch boxes, the bento-style LunchBots Large Trio was our top pick because it makes lunch fun and easy to organize, which is good for picky eaters. Though, you do need to pack it in an insulated bag. If you’re looking for more insulation, we recommend the Coleman Soft Cooler, which is our favorite lunch cooler and is basically a mini freezer, requiring no ice packs.

16. A planner to track all the assignments

Panda Planner
Credit: Panda Planner

Stay organized with this undated planner.

In these hectic times, a planner is more than necessary to stay on top of all your assignments. Plus, it feels good crossing off each task as it’s completed. With over 5,000 reviews on Amazon, the Daily Panda Planner is an excellent choice. It comes not dated and has daily, weekly, and monthly sections designed to help with prioritization and reflection.

Get the Panda Planner Daily Planner for $19.97

17. The best water bottle we’ve ever tested

Brita Water Bottle
Credit: Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser

Keep your water cool and filtered.

Between classes (or Zoom meetings) and all the assignments, it can be hard for students to actually remember to drink water. But a water bottle serves as a great reminder to hydrate. Brita makes the best water bottle we’ve ever tested as it's insulated (actually keeping water ice cold throughout the day), holds 20 ounces of water, and has a filter, which is great if you're refilling your bottle with questionable fountain water.

Get the Brita Premium Filtering Water Bottle for $24.99

18. Noise-canceling headphones to zone into work

Headphones
Credit: Reviewed

Tune into every lecture.

From listening to your study playlist or trying to watch a virtual class on Zoom without disturbing anyone, noise-canceling headphones are essential for blocking out everything else and tuning in. The Sony WH-1000XM3s are the best noise-canceling headphones we’ve ever tested for their expert active noise-canceling technology that allows you to control how much of the world you block out. But others might want to opt for our favorite pair of true wireless headphones, the ever-popular Apple AirPods.

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