Back-to-school season is in full swing, and as families scramble to adjust schedules, check off school supply lists, and upgrade tech gear, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. And no wonder—according to the National Retail Association, back-to-school spending is expected to reach $38.8 billion and back-to-college, a whopping 86.6 billion.
Families with kids in elementary through high school plan to spend an average of $874.68 on essentials like clothing, shoes, electronics, and supplies. College students and their families are expected to spend an average of $1,364.75 . While laptops and Chromebooks are must-haves, there are plenty of smart accessories and fun gadgets that can save your family time, money, and sanity all year long. Here are some of our top picks for the best back-to-school gadgets of 2024 for students from preschool to college.
A LAPTOP THAT PROMISES DURABILITY:
The ASUS Zenbook S 16 is the ultimate laptop for students who need a balance of power and portability. With its ultrathin design and stellar durability, it’s perfect for carrying between classes. The 16-inch 3K OLED touchscreen offers vibrant visuals, while the latest AMD Ryzen processor and built-in Copilot AI Assistant key ensure you can breeze through assignments with efficiency. And it is all backed by a fast-charging battery that lasts all day to boot!
Price: $1400
A DRIVE THAT KEEPS YOUR INFO SAFE:
With up to 6TB of storage, Western Digital’s new My Passport Drive ensures you’ll never run out of space for your photos, videos, and assignments. Its slim, durable design makes it easy to carry around campus, while the robust construction means it can handle your on-the-go lifestyle. Plus, with built-in password protection and automatic backups, your important files stay safe and secure, wherever you are.
Price: $65+
A NEW KIND OF SCHOOL SAFETY SYSTEM:
There’s so much new tech to better protect kids 24/7. Verkada leads the charge with its innovative solutions. Using a network of sensors and cameras, Verkada monitors temperature, motion, and noise to detect potential dangers. From spotting weapons entering school premises to identifying the growing issue of vaping in bathrooms and hallways, the system acts as the school’s eyes, ears, and even nose. (No cameras in sensitive areas like lockerooms and bathrooms.) The sensors alert staff in real-time to vaping incidents, achieving impressive results. It’s been a huge success—cutting vaping by more than 80%, with monthly alerts dropping from over 600 to under 100. This tech proves that enhancing school safety and respecting student privacy can go hand in hand.
FOR STAYING CONNECTED WITHOUT DISTRACTION:
Parents want to stay connected with their kids. They want to talk and text without giving their little ones and teens full internet or social media access. One of the best solutions for that is to give your kid a good old-fashioned flip phone. We found a perfect example at Walmart—Straight Talk’s Nokia 2760 flip phone. It’s equipped with 4G LTE, a 5MP rear camera and video recorder, Bluetooth, and GPS capabilities. It supports essential apps and popular games but steers clear of the more addictive ones. This device provides a simple and safe way for kids to stay in touch without the distractions and risks of modern smartphones. (For more on flip phones, check out Jenn’s USA Today column on them.)
Price: $30
KINETIC MOLDING SAND FOR ENDLESS FUN:
Every once and a while it pays to go low-tech and get some hands on play of another kind: Kinetic Sand SquishMotion Playsets are an absolute delight. Kids can let their imaginations run wild, creating chomping sharks, smiling suns, and shooting stars in three vibrant sand colors. The set includes five fun tools, like a crinkle cutter and stamper heads. Plus, the handy case keeps everything tidy, making cleanup a breeze after a creative play session
Price: $18
A CAP THAT BLENDS:
The high-tech Cruz BlenderCap screws onto most wide-mouth bottles like HydroFlask or Stanley or even small peanut-butter jars. It also comes with a vacuum-insulated bottle that can keep your drink cold for 24 hours.
Load up your ingredients, twist the cap on, turn it all upside down, and the ultra-high-powered blender works its magic anywhere, anytime. The whole unit is rechargeable and holds about a week’s worth of battery power, depending on how much you use it.
At 1.5 pounds, the blender cap is a little heavy to stash in your purse or backpack, but it’s perfect for a dorm room!
Price: $150
A KID-SAFE TABLET THAT FOSTERS CREATIVITY:
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ Kids Edition is the best new kids’ tablet we’ve seen in a long time. It comes kid-proofed with a protective Puffy Cover, three Crayo-Pen styluses for various types of art and creativity, and a built-in stand. This tablet makes the perfect introduction to tech and gadgets for kids because it offers a safe space to explore, learn, and create. It also comes with the Samsung Kids app pre-installed, making it super easy for parents to set crucial guardrails, like screen time limits and restricted access to certain sites…all while empowering children to explore, grow, and learn safely.
Price: $269
A PORTABLE AI-POWERED VOICE RECORDER:
Meet Plaud Note, the world’s first ChatGPT-powered AI voice recorder, designed to keep you organized and on top of your game. With just one press, you can start recording, and it takes care of the rest by transcribing and summarizing the content, thanks to its integration with ChatGPT. This device proves to be incredibly useful not only for business professionals but also for college students juggling lectures, study sessions, and project meetings. It helps you to stay productive and creative, no matter where you are.
Price: $160
A DEVICE THAT KEEPS YOUR PRECIOUS ITEMS SAFE:
Kini takes security to the next level with its high-performance motion detection, perfect for making sure kids don’t get into prescriptions, firearms, or other dangerous stuff—and for dorm rooms where your college-age kid keeps their money, jewelry or other precious belongings. This tiny gadget, roughly the size of a matchbox, attaches easily to anything you need to protect, sending an immediate SMS alert the moment someone tampers with it. Easy to set up with just a phone number, Kini offers real-time notifications, so you always know what’s happening. With long battery life and customizable sensitivity settings, this discreet device fits seamlessly into any setting.
Price: $65
GOURMET PIZZA AT ANY TIME:
Bring authentic stone-baked pizza to your dorm room or kitchen with Piezano! This electric pizza oven lets college students, high schoolers, and busy parents make delicious, gourmet pizzas without needing a full kitchen setup. Featuring dual control heat zones, it heats a real ceramic stone to 800°F in minutes—no gas, wood, or charcoal required. Just plug it in, set it, and enjoy pizza like a pro. Perfect for a quick, tasty dinner after a long day of classes or studying, this oven makes it easy to whip up a personal pizza that rivals your favorite pizzeria’s offerings. And, it’s available in two new colors—red or cream—giving your kitchen or dorm just the right pop of color.
Price: $107
A HIGH-QUALITY STREAMING OPTION THAT DOES IT ALL:
The 2-in-1 Roku Streambar SE is an easy way to add 4K streaming and crisp, clear sound to a dorm room, apartment, or really any space you can think of. It’s also perfect for cutting the cable cord, offering more than 2,500 streaming channels and access to 300,000+ movies and TV episodes, plus games, music, sports, international programming, kids’ shows, and more. The Streambar has an easy-to-use interface with channels that launch in a snap and just really sets the right vibe for movie night. It sounds big and streams big. But the price is just under $100. Amazing.
Price: $100
A PHONE + PLAN THAT WONT BREAK THE BANK:
Looking for an affordable phone plan for your college-aged kid? Check out Cricket Wireless’ latest deals. Right now you can snag a new Motorola Razr for $200 on a new line. Plus, from now through September 5, you can get a bunch of different, sought-after devices and eligible accessories for a $1 down payment. What’s even better: you can get $ 35 bucks for every referral during August for as many as 20 referrals. Hey, those totally adds up! Sharing is caring and all of that.
Price: $200 for new line customers and switchers
CASH BACK ON ALL YOUR FAVORITE STUFF:
We all want to shop smarter, discover deals, and earn cash back, right? If you have a PayPal account, you’re already on your way. With PayPal Rewards, you can save on everything from tech to fashion to school supplies. Simply click to save the offer you like on your mobile device, wait for a redemption message, and the discount is automatically applied at checkout. Plus, you can stack these cash-back offers with your favorite card, including the PayPal Cashback Mastercard, which gives you an additional 3% cashback.
Price: No cost to join.
POINTERS FOR OUR NEW AI-IN-SCHOOL REALITY:
On a serious note: Everyone’s talking about AI in the classroom. It’s kind of a new superpower that boosts how anyone can learn, write, and create…if it’s used the right way and for the right reasons. TURNITIN works with schools around the world to promote originality and integrity in students’ work and recommends parents and students familiarize themselves with this new tech. Here are a few top tips from them:
- Experiment with ChatGPT yourself so you will know what the technology feels like.
- Speak with your kids and learn the policies including the do’s and don’ts.
- Where it makes sense, spend time with educators who are on the frontlines to find out how they’re using it too.
- STUDENTS: Be transparent about when and how you use AI in your writing and research.
Find more tips on their website!
A FAN THAT FITS IN YOUR KID’S BACKPACK:
JisuLife’s portable, folding USB fan has a rechargeable battery that will keep you cool for hours, whether you’re holding it or using its built-in stand to prop it up on a table. Plus, it looks like a cute little bear when packed up to throw in your purse or bag. I don’t think you can ask for much more from such a cool cub.
Price: $19
A COFFEE-MAKER THAT COMES IN CLUTCH:
Sometimes, group discussions and late-night cram sessions call for more than the occasional cup of the black stuff. A Nespresso machine may sound like a bit of a luxury, but it will feel well worth it when you’re running on fumes during finals week and have both coffee and espresso at your fingertips. We like the Nespresso Vertuo Pop Plus, but there are a ton more to choose from.
Price: $130+
A CUSTOMIZABLE LUNCHBOX:
Making sure the kiddos actually eat the lunch you’re sending them to school with is no small feat. That being said, your little learners are sure to take some pride in brown-bagging it if you let them customize their tray and lunch bag with a custom-ordered PlanetBox (and magnet pack).
Price: $25.46+
We have a whole more to tell you about, so keep coming back to techish.com for the very latest. You can also roll on over to our social media, ask us anything, and tell us what back-to-school tools are on your must-have list this year!