9 must-have appliances for dorm room living

As college students prepare to head back to campus, dorm room essentials are top of mind. You’ll be studying, sleeping, eating, and entertaining in this space, so you’ll want to make sure you’ve got all the tools you need to do these things with ease. Sure, posters and LED lights show off your personal style, but they can’t serve you nourishment day to day.

Before you make any purchases, you should check your college’s residence life policies. Every college and university differs in what appliances are allowed in on-campus dormitories and residence halls, so you’ll want to make sure you only buy and bring items that are in compliance.

You certainly won’t want to haul a dorm room refrigerator all the way to campus only to have to haul it right back home. As a former Resident Assistant, I can tell you that it’s not fun for anyone to have to confiscate your beloved toaster the first week of school.

We are here to help with our vetted recommendations on what appliances and dorm room essentials are worth making space for, if they're allowed. Here’s everything you need.

1. Our favorite dorm fridge

There are plenty of non-perishable food items you can store around your room, but owning a dorm room refrigerator gives you the flexibility to store fresh fruits and vegetables, yogurt, drinks, leftovers, and maybe even some frozen items.

The market is flooded with mini fridge options, and trust us, they’re not all great. In our lab here at Reviewed, we tested a bunch to find the best mini fridges and the Magic Chef Retro 2-door Mini Fridge came out as one of our top picks.

This adorable, pint-sized refrigerator features everything you need including freezer space, smart storage options, and reliable temperature control. This fridge’s separate freezer compartment can fit frozen veggies and pints of ice cream.

2. The perfect dorm microwave

Microwaves are one of the few self-heating items that residence halls allow, so it is a top dorm room essential. It can heat up leftovers, cook pizza rolls, and pop popcorn. You can make eggs in the morning (try poached or scrambled!) or mix up a mug cake.

Of the best microwaves, we tested, our recommendation is another Magic Chef stunner for your countertop. It’s well-priced and sturdy, so it may last you into your post-grad years.

3. A budget-friendly blender

A blender is a great option when you’re dealing with limited resources. You can use it to put together a quick breakfast smoothie, post-workout shake, and more.

We recommend opting for a personal-sized blender like the Magic Bullet that is compact enough to tuck away when not in use. You can also easily wash it in a dorm bathroom.

4. A slim coffee machine

With late nights of studying followed by 8 a.m. classes, a coffee machine quickly becomes your number-one dorm room essential.

A pod-based machine can get you caffeinated quickly. Our favorite single-serve coffee maker with a reusable pod filter is the Instant Pot Solo Pod Coffee Maker.

If you're an espresso fan, the Nespresso Vertuo Next, is the way to go here. Beyond just traditional drip coffee, this machine can also brew single or double shots of espresso for money-saving homemade lattes (with the right Nespresso pods). Plus, this model is the slimmest Nespresso machine on the market, so it's easy to find space for—even in a crowded triple.

These machines brew full-bodied coffee or espresso to help you stay alert or rally after an all-nighter of studying.

5. A speedy electric kettle

If coffee isn’t your jam and you’re a tea drinker instead, then an electric tea kettle will be your best friend.

Our favorite tea kettle is the Cuisinart PerfecTemp electric kettle, which offers adjustable temperatures and heats up in just a few minutes—perfect for when you're running out the door and need your morning tea or instant oatmeal.

If you want something almost as reliable but on a budget, the Beautiful by Drew Barrymore boils even faster than the Cuisinart and also features variable temperature control. This is a great dorm room essential for making tea, hot cocoa, ramen—you name it!

6. A stylish mini oven

Dorm room cooking can be tough—even if your residence hall has a common-room kitchen, it's likely to be overcrowded or inconveniently far away.

In this case, an air fryer or mini oven is a smart option for those who like to cook but have limited access to appliances. We love the Our Place Wonder Oven for its tiny footprint and excellent ability to quickly crisp foods. Plus, it comes in a few fun colors—perfect for vamping up your dorm space!

7. A small, multipurpose electric skillet

At some point, you might find yourself missing the taste of home cooking. (Let's face it, dining hall food only goes so far.) When that craving comes, reach for the Our Place Perfect Power Pot. This stylish appliance was designed with small dorm rooms in mind. It can sear, boil, saute, and more—plus it comes with a stacking steamer for dumplings, veggies, eggs, and more. And all you have to do is plug it in!

8. A reliable rice cooker

If you don’t have access to a dorm kitchen or want to avoid sitting over a boiling pot while trying to hit the books, a rice cooker can whip up a quick, healthy meal of whole grains. We’ve tested lots of rice cookers, and the best value cooker is the Toshiba Digital Programmable Rice Cooker which not only perfectly cooks rice but also does a great job steaming frozen dumplings (aka your new go-to meal).

9. A dorm fan to stay cool

Dorm buildings' heating and cooling systems vary wildly, and across the board, colleges do not allow students to bring A/C units into their residence halls.

Whether in the heat of the summer or sweating through an overheated room in the dead of winter, you’ll need some air flow. A fan provides temperature control to your room and even white noise at night in case your place is noisy while you’re trying to study or sleep.

We’ve tested the best options of both full sized fans and desk fans, and Vornado is the hands-down favorite across both categories.

You can enjoy the Vornado 660, powerful enough to cool down your whole dorm room even at a distance, or the Vornado pivot personal fan at your desk or bedside.