Back to school essentials for $100 or less

The 2021 school year is full of uncertainties, but whether the students in your life are returning to the classroom full-time, staying remote or adopting a hybrid learning model, they're going to need school supplies and gadget essentials to help them work — and play.

To help, CNET has assembled three of the best back-to-school essentials that cost $100 or less.

WHAT Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2

THE COST $99.99

AVAILABLE FROM ultimateears.com

This wireless speaker is a colorful alternative to more expensive models from Anker and Bose. It's compact and offers better — and bigger — sound than some of its slimmer and smaller rivals. It really can float and has better battery life than the original Wonderboom, too.

Like its predecessor, the Wonderboom 2 is fully waterproof and comes in multiple color options. What's different is the IP67 rating that means it's dustproof, more shock-resistant and also able to float. It also has 30% better battery life — up to 13 hours at moderate volume levels, according to Ultimate Ears — and you can link two together to create a stereo pairing by simply pressing a button on each speaker.

WHAT Logitech MX Keys

THE COST $99.99

AVAILABLE FROM logitech.com

A great way for a student to step up from that cramped laptop (or iPad) keyboard is with Logitech's MX Keys, arguably the smartest low-profile Logitech keyboard available. It has "spherically dished" keys that cradle the tips of your fingers, and the keyboard is responsive and tactile. In that sense, it's similar to Logitech's Craft keyboard, which lists for twice the price.

The keys light up as your hands approach and there's a sensor that adjusts the illumination according to the lighting conditions. You can also turn off the light if you want to save battery life. The dual layout is designed to suit both Mac and Windows users, and the MX Keys is compatible with Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android systems. Using illumination, you can get 10 days of operation on a full charge or up to five months with backlighting turned off. When it's time to recharge, the battery indicator LED glows red and you can continue using the keyboard while charging via USB-C.

WHAT Apple AirTags

THE COST $99 (four pack), $29 (single)

AVAILABLE FROM apple.com

Know a student who's always losing stuff on campus? In the locker room? Or just around the house? If they own an iPhone, giving them a set of AirTags could be just the ticket. Once slipped into a backpack or a jacket, those items become trackable thanks to the AirTags using every nearby Apple device as a range finder.