CLEVELAND — As summer winds down, students will probably be asking for a few upgrades to their school supplies. And with inflation, finding ways to save on school items might be tougher than acing a pop quiz. That’s where Consumer Reports can help, with great deals on top-rated products to help students with a refresh.
Consumer Reports tracks the prices of many of its top-tested products all year, so it knows exactly when they go on deep discount. Here are some to look out for in this early school-year edition of Best Time to Buy.
When shopping for school items, comparing prices can help you save upfront. Think about dollar stores, office supply stores, and wholesalers, which can be great options for shopping.
If your student needs processing power that can fit easily in a backpack, look no further than a top-rated tablet. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is now $300 at Best Buy. CR says the Android tablet is ideal for students, with a 10.4-inch screen and 128GB of storage.
Next, keep parents, siblings, or roommates happy with a new pair of around-the-ear headphones. The Bose SoundLink II are now on sale for $142.49 at Amazon. CR says the lightweight, wireless Bluetooth models delivers very good sound quality.
Next, a successful school year may mean keeping everything organized with a label maker. The Brother P-Touch Cube Label Maker is now $59.98 at Walmart.
And for college kids with early-morning classes, save the trip to the cafe with a coffee maker of they can own. The Hamilton Beach Coffee Maker is now on sale for $80 at Amazon.
And finally, here’s an idea for a low-cost way to upgrade a dorm room or kid’s study area. The smart lightbulb from Wyze is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home and is on sale for $15 at Amazon.
Are you looking for something else? CR says other items currently on deep discount are laptops, fitness trackers and smartwatches, Bluetooth and smart speakers, noise-canceling headphones and earbuds, curling irons, and luggage.
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