As you begin packing for your college move-in day, your list might start to get super long. After all, it’s important to make sure your bathroom caddy is completely stocked with beauty, skin, and hair products. Additionally, you have to sort through all of your favorite T-shirts and pick a humble 20 to 50 of them to bring with you. Packing light is a huge struggle, especially when it comes to your makeshift dorm kitchen with a microwave and mini fridge or shared kitchenette. However, these mini kitchen gadgets will save you space when packing, while also doing a fabulous job of elevating all of your college meals.
From tabletop air fryers all the way to a personal rice cooker, you can improve your cooking skills by using these mini appliances in your dorm. So make sure you have all your essentials in order with this list of our fave mini gadgets, and your foodie lifestyle can continue even in a small, shared space.
1. NOBVEQ Mini Bag Sealer, $10
Your chips will always be both fresh and safe from roommates with this bag sealer. This battery-operated gadget also comes with a tiny retractable knife for opening boxes and bags. It’s the ideal 2-in-1.
2. OXO Good Grips Mini Santoku Knife, $15
You don’t need to order a whole knife set for your dorm kitchenette. You can get one mini knife that is perfect for mincing and dicing veggies, fruits, cheese, and more. I mean, just look how cute this little guy is.
3. ODISTAR Mini Vacuum Cleaner, $17
Experimenting in your dorm kitchen is super fun, but the clean-up is not. Save yourself a bit of time by using this mini tabletop vacuum. Your crumbs will easily get sucked up and not end up on the floor, even though that’s the easiest thing to do.
4. Mini Silicone Kitchen Utensil Set, $15
These little utensils are both small and effective. The set’s silicone material is both easy to clean, and its size is easy to store. Your small spoon, tongs, “spoonula,” spatula, and whisk will perfectly mix small portions of your fave meals and snacks in between classes.
5. Mini Portable Veggie Chopper, $16
Wanna add a bit of fresh garlic to your microwaved or electric hot pot noodle dish? You can do just that with a mini, battery-operated garlic and veggie chopper. You can also impress your friends by making your own salsa, pesto, fruit dip, and more in your mini chopper.
6. Mini Round Ice Cube Trays, $17
Sadly, you can’t enjoy the sweet taste of Sonic’s or Chick-fil-A’s nugget ice every day, but you can get close with your own mini ice cube tray. It’s a bummer that most standard dorm mini fridges don’t come with an ice maker, but these trays store well in tight spaces.
7. Mini Cutting Board/Cheese Board, $12
When buying stuff for your dorm kitchen, versatility should always be at the top of your list. This mini board is great for chopping up fruits and veggies as well as serving them alongside some cheese and crackers. Who said you can’t entertain in a dorm room? Plus, the knife has its own magnetic placeholder so it won’t get lost.
8. JOIE Mini Grater, $8
You don’t need to store a huge box grater in your dorm when you have this mini grater at your side. Grate fresh cheese over pasta, fresh ginger and garlic into rice and meat dishes, citrus zest into baked goods, and beyond.
9. Mini Pizza Cutter, $10
Trust me when I say you’ll want your own pizza cutter throughout your whole college journey. Whether it’s cutting your frozen pizza at 2 a.m. or adding additional slices to your large carryout pie, this is a mini gadget you’ll def be using time and time again in your kitchen drawer.
10. Mini Travel Spice Rack, $20
If you don’t have the space to bring your full spice rack, you can bring a mini stack of herbs, rubs, and spices to your dorm kitchen. If you think the dining hall menu could use a little more flavor, this will perfectly fit in your backpack, too.
11. Mini Fridge Caddy, $10
Mini fridges never feel like they have enough room, but you can expand the space you have even on the outside of your dorm appliance with a specially-fitted mini fridge caddy. Store your condiments, utensils, sauces, and beyond right in these pockets.
12. Mini Waffle Maker, $10
When it comes to breakfast in college, there are definitely some mornings you want to eat anything but the dining hall food. With this mini waffle maker, you can find an easy, ready-to-make waffle mix that is dorm-friendly and use this gadget to elevate a weekend dorm brunch.
13. Mini Egg Cooker, $19
Eggs are a great on-the-go snack for college, and they’re high in protein for days when you have back to back classes. Hard boiling eggs in your dorm is SO easy with this gadget and it’s definitely a must-bring when planning your packing list.