Low Budget: Amazon Fire HD 8″ – $50

If you want to spend the minimum amount of money on a useable tablet, it doesn’t get any better than the Amazon Fire 8″ tablet. At $50, you get a good 8″ tablet with most of the basic tablet functions covered.

The downside of this model would be the frequent ad displays (there is an ad-free model as well) and mid range performance but for the price you pay for, it’s hard to complain.

Recommended: Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 – $162

Though only available through AliExpress, if you want a full android tablet with very good performance at a reasonable price, the Mi Pad 4 hits it better than any tablet sold in the US. Similar tablets in this range would normally cost around $300+ so it is probably one of the best purchases you’ll be able to find. The slim bezel and long battery life is also unmatched within the US.