A guide to everything students need to go back to school, according to product reviewers

At Insider Reviews, we've written a ton of articles detailing the best back-to-school essentials. Here is a master list of everything you'll need.

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• Although onsite learning is an uncertainty for many students this fall, we have worked to round up the best school supplies, many of which are useful for virtual learning as well.
• Here on the Insider Reviews team, our job is to help our readers find the best products and services out there. We've compiled a list of all our back-to-school articles so you can easily find what you're looking for.
• Whether you need a lunchbox for your kindergartener or a laptop for your senior year of college, we have an article or guide to help you find the best back-to-school supplies.
• The CDC has compiled a series of COVID-19 guidelines for teachers, parents, and students who are returning to on-site learning.

Back-to-school season is stressful at the best of times. Between making sure your student has the right number of notebooks, folders, and every textbook on their list, the sheer amount of supplies they have to stock up on can make your head spin. And if you're sending them off to college, that's a whole new — and much longer — list of supplies they'll need to leave the nest.

Here at Insider Reviews, we've made it our mission to research and test all the gear your kids will need for a successful school year. From backpacks and lunch boxes to laptops and printers, we've put together this list of dozens of reviews and buying guides to bring you the best of whatever you're looking for. 

We've also included a selection of health and safety supplies for both kids and adults to ensure students and teachers alike can stay safe if they're going back to classroom learning amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

If you're looking for just the basics, these are the best back-to-school essentials:

• The best backpack for students: JanSport Big Student Backpack
• The best school notebook: Five Star Spiral Notebook 1 Subject
• The best laptop for college students: Dell XPS 13
• The best kids' lunch box: Pottery Barn Kids Mackenzie Dual Lunch Box
• The best 2020 planner for students: Mead Planner

For an in-depth dive into all of our above picks as well as the rest of our back-to-school content, click on a link below to find all our articles by category:

Classroom essentials

Whether students are learning at home or in the classroom, they'll need many of the same school supplies. We've rounded up all our guides on school supplies below.

• The best school supplies for students K-12
• The best kids' lunch boxes
• How to pack a nutritious school lunch
• The best backpacks for students
• The best school notebooks
• The best binders
• The best 2020 planners
• Supplies to buy for a high school teacher's classroom

College dorm essentials

Moving into a dorm room often means living on your own for the first time, so in addition to notebooks and pens, you'll also need all your own bedding, towels, and anything else you might need day-to-day. We have guides to all the basic necessities for dorm life.

• The best college supplies and dorm room essentials
• The best twin XL sheets
• The best alarm clocks
• The best towels
• The best shower caddies
• The best microwaves
• The best mini fridges
• The best affordable vacuums
• The best backpacks
• The best lunch bags
• The best printers for college students
• The best futons
• Home entertainment gear great for college dorms

Tech essentials

More and more schools are integrating laptops into their daily learning, and it's even more important to have the right tech when students are attending school virtually. Whether you need a webcam to add to your preexisting setup, or you want to invest in a new laptop that your child can use for years to come, we have great tech guides geared specifically towards students' needs.

• The best laptops for college students
• The best budget laptops
• Apple's best back-to-school sales and deals
• The pros and cons of using an iPad for school
• The best work from home tech gadgets
• The best tablets
• The best iPads
• The best affordable printers
• The best tech for college students
• The best smart notebooks

Virtual learning

Transitioning to virtual learning was a bit of a shock at first, but as a new school year starts, we're starting to recognize how to make the most of it for kids and parents alike. We've compiled several resources and tools to help your kids thrive in a homeschooling environment.

• Virtual learning tools that can help your child adjust to online classes
• Fun learning aids for kids with ADHD
• Educational toys and activities for elementary-age kids who are on break from school
• Free and affordable online resources to keep toddlers busy at home
• Zoom and Google Hangouts compared
• The best webcams
• The best headphones for kids
• The best mesh Wi-Fi systems
• The best kids' desks

Health and safety supplies

Keeping students healthy and safe is always a top priority for parents, teachers, and us at Insider Reviews. Supplies like disinfecting cleaners and hand soap have always been classroom must-haves, but this year, you'll need to add a kid-friendly cloth face mask to their supply list. Here are all our guides to health and cleaning supplies.

• Where to buy cloth face masks for kids online
• Top-rated cloth face masks to buy on Etsy
• The Insider Reviews team's favorite cloth face masks
• How to safely travel to college campuses for move-in day
• The best disinfecting cleaners
• The best hand soap
• Top-rated cleaning supplies for every room in your house
• The best bathroom cleaning products
• Where to buy affordable latex gloves
• The best hand sanitizers