Lifestyle
5 Appliances Every College Student Needs in Their Dorm Room
Living without a kitchen is tough for foodies. It’s even harder when you’re alternative is your school’s dining hall. While B-Plate is good and De Neve has decent comfort food, their food is far from a home-cooked meal.
All year, I’ve had to squander any thoughts I’ve had about preparing my own food. That was until I found out about five killer products. Easy to use, store and clean, these appliances are all dorm-room friendly (and can be hidden from your RA effortlessly in the event of a surprise room inspection). Check out these hack-cooking products for your dorm room, so the next time you get the urge to cook something up with your roommates, you can.
Microwave
Essential to all dorm rooms, a microwave is the most basic of appliances that a college student should have. Use it to make microwavable eggs for breakfast or a delicious chocolate mug cakefor dessert (or breakfast, should you be craving one to help you through a hangover).
While not always cheap, investing in a microwave is a must. Some schools will rent them to you for the school year, so make sure to investigate whether or not this is a possibility before you purchase your own.
Microwave Pasta Cooker
Newer on the product scene, this microwave pasta cooker is a college student’s Godsend. It’s super easy to use, and allows you to cook a delicious bowl of hot pasta within minutes. Mix in with some pesto or red sauce (that you can heat up in your microwave), buy a couple bottles of wine, and invite your friends over for a night in.
Toaster Oven
Toaster ovens are the adult version of an easy-bake oven and are my personal favorite. While normal toasters only allow you to toast bread or a bagel, a toaster oven lets you toast, heat, defrost, and even bake.
There are more extensive settings depending on the model (such as a “pizza” setting which reheats your day old slice to make it taste as fresh as it did the night before), but even the most basic toaster oven lets you concoct a multitude of recipes.
Personal Blender/Juicer
Everyone and their mother has tried (or has wanted to try) the latest juicing trend. Rather than spending upwards of $5 on pre-pressed juice from Pressed Juicery or grabbing a fresh, but not-so-healthy smoothie from B-Café (they add ice cream instead of yogurt to most), invest in a personal juicer/blender.
Products, like the NutriBullet (which is MUCH cheaper than a Vitamix), allow you to blend your own ingredients together in your dorm room. The blending tube yields just one serving and doubles as a to-go cup, which is perfect for busy college students who want healthy snacks they can take on the go.
Mini Grill
More versatile and less expensive than a panini press, a mini grill is the perfect appliance to round out your dorm-cooking abilities. From grilling burgers to sautéing vegetables for a stir fry, this product has got you covered. You can even make a Nutella-banana grilled cheese without having to get dressed or leave your room.