I vetted hundreds of back to school deals: here are the 15 value buys I actually recommend

(Image credit: Amazon edited with Gemini) From sneakers to laptops, back to school shopping can be a financial burden. Fortunately, various retailers are offering back to school sales for students of all ages. Whether you're trying to make your dorm feel more like home or searching for today's best budget notebook, below I'm rounding up all of my favorite back to school deals.At the top of my list is the new Dell XPS 13 for $699. In our recent XPS 13 hands-on, we called it an excellent budget laptop that gives the MacBook Neo serious competition. Need to revamp your wardrobe? Amazon is slashing up to 50% off major apparel brands with deals from $6. The sale includes Adidas apparel on sale from $12.Looking for more personal recommendations? Make sure to check out our back to school guide and the Tom's Guide Savings Squad hub for more deals.Quick LinksRTIC Outback Bottle 2-Pack: was $22 now $16 @ RTICINIU Pocket Rocket: for $32 @ AmazonCushionaire Sandals: was $49 now $34 @ AmazonRoku Streaming Stick 4K w/ Voice Remote: was $49 now $45 @ AmazonTile Starter Pack: for $49 @ AmazonKeurig K-Mini Mate: was $79 now $59 @ AmazonAsics Glideride Max: was $170 now $79 @ AmazonKobo Clara Colour: for $179 @ AmazonTechnics Ear Buds (AZ100): was $299 now $234 @ AmazonDell XPS 13: for $699 @ DellTechDorm Life Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. As deals editor-in-chief at Tom’s Guide, Louis is constantly looking for ways to avoid paying full price for the latest gadgets, appliances, and apparel. With over 10 years of deals-hunting experience, Louis price checks against multiple retailers and searches high and low for the best deals to bring readers. He's also always on the look out for the best coupon codes to use when shopping. A born-and-bred New Yorker, Louis is also an avid swimmer and marathoner. His work has appeared on Gizmodo, CNET, and Time Out New York.