Best Amazon Prime Day back-to-school deals — my 9 top picks from just $17

Contigo Cortland Chill 2.0 Water Bottle: was $30 now $24 @ Amazon
Hydration is key for any student of any age — especially in the summer heat — and this stainless steel, vacuum-insulated water bottle should do the trick. Featuring a spill-proof lid, 24-ounce fill capacity, and an integrated handle for easy portability, it’s rated to keep cold drinks cold for 24 hours, and hot drinks hot for 6 hours. In short, it’s the perfect on-the-go hydration station.

Under Armour Hustle Sport Backpack: was $45 now $33 @ Amazon
For high schoolers and college kids, a good backpack is absolutely essential, and this one features UA Storm technology to deliver a water-resistant, stain-resistant finish that’ll stand up to the elements. There’s a soft-lined laptop sleeve inside that’ll hold up to 15-inch laptops, and an adjustable bungee cord in the front to quickly stash a jacket, pair of shoes, or other sports gear when they’re on the move. 

Arzopa Portable Monitor: was $129 now $85 @ Amazon
Many undergrads might already have a good laptop for school, but sometimes one monitor just isn’t enough screen real estate for assignments that require an excess of open browser tabs. This 15.6-inch, 1080p FHD anti-glare display is bound to boost productivity in an instant via dual USB-C ports to create a dual screen setup. But wait, there’s more! When study time is over, students can connect their Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PS4, or PS5 to unwind with friends.

Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Tablet (64 GB) + Backpack: was $205 now $86 @ Amazon
Want to give your preschooler the ultimate edge this year? The Fire HD 8 Kids bundle includes one year of Amazon Kids+ (ie, a digital subscription designed for kids to safely learn, grow and explore). Youngsters can enjoy thousands of ad-free books, games, videos, apps and more, with up to 13 hours of continuous use per charge. Bonus: the bundled backpack will help keep them organized.

Amazon Fire HD 8 (2022): was $164 now $89 @ Amazon
Amazon's Fire tablets have always been a more affordable alternative to Apple and Samsung tablets and they're even cheaper now. This deal in particular has the current-gen Fire HD 8 tablet with case on sale for $89. In our Amazon Fire HD 8 (2022) review, we were seriously impressed by this budget-friendly tablet. If you're looking for a cheap and cheerful tablet with a bright screen, great battery life, and strong speakers, the Amazon Fire HD 8 is the perfect device.

Amazon Fire TV Cube: was $139 now $99 @ Amazon
When study time is over, the Fire TV Cube is perfect for vegging out with roommates to the latest from Netflix, Disney, Hulu, and other popular streaming services. Powered by an octa-core processor, students can use this streaming media player to control their (compatible) TV, soundbar, and receivers with their voice — right from the couch.

 JBL Tune 770NC: was $129 now $99 @ Amazon
When it’s time to hit the books, drowning out distractions from the outside world is no easy task. These killer cans offer active noise cancellation (ANC) to keep students focused during crunch time; activate Ambient Aware and TalkThru in the JBL Headphones app to interact with fellow humans again. Bonus: the foldable design is easy to toss in a backpack.

Amazon Kindle Scribe (16GB): was $369 now $259 @ Amazon
As the only Kindle equipped with a digital notebook and pen, this understated slab might be your student’s new best friend. They can use it to journal, sketch, and send handwritten notes via email, just to name a few fancy features. The 10.2-inch, 300 ppi glare-free display reads as naturally as traditional paper, and the battery can last for weeks on a single charge. Plus, with more than 13 million titles available on the Kindle Store, boredom is never on the table. 

HP Smart Tank 7301 Wireless All-in-One Printer: was $419 now $279 @ Amazon
We might live in the digital age, but that doesn’t mean paper is completely defunct, and every student can use a quality all-in-one printer. The HP Smart Tank 7301 comes with up to two years of ink (~8,000 color pages and ~6,000 black-and-white pages) right out of the box, delivering top-notch color photo quality to boot. The HP Smart app lets them print right from their phone or laptop, and the spill-free ink refill system is a cinch to use.