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School may still be out for the summer , but the back-to-school shopping season is here. If you or a loved one are heading to college this fall, now is a great time to stock up on dorm-room essentials.
Whether you're looking for dorm room essentials or all the basics for a new apartment, we've got you covered in the kitchen department. Here are some of the best finds for small kitchen spaces, according to verified buyer ratings.
Top products in this article:
Keurig single-serve K-Mini, $60 and up (reduced from $90)
Brita stainless steel water filter bottle, $30
Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 (6-quart), $94 (reduced from $130)
Furnishing a new kitchen can be daunting, but we've done the work for you in tracking down top-rated small kitchen appliances and accessories. From a retro-style mini fridge that won't be an eyesore to handy multifunctional kitchen appliances, here are top-rated kitchen gadgets for a dorm room or first apartment. We even found some great appliances on sale.
We found mini coffee makers, egg cookers, mini fridges and more dorm-friendly appliances to help you (or your favorite student) set up a college dorm-room kitchen.
The single-serve K-Mini can brew a 12-ounce cup of coffee in a few minutes. Just 5 inches wide, the K-Mini is significantly smaller than most coffee makers on the market. The removable drip tray can accommodate travel mugs, so you can easily take your coffee with you to class.
If you're worried about all the single-use K-cups you might run through, check out these reusable K-Cup pod coffee filters ($12) that work with your favorite ground coffee.
Keurig single-serve K-Mini, $60 and up (reduced from $90)
A quick and easy dorm-room breakfast solution, this egg cooker can make soft-boiled eggs, hard-boiled eggs, poached eggs and even omelettes. It comes with a boiling tray, poaching tray, omelette tray and measuring cup, all of which conveniently fit inside of the compactly designed cooker for storage. Plus, there's an automatic shut-off feature.
This retro-style mini fridge isn't just functional; it's adorable, too. At 3.3 cubic feet, this dorm-sized fridge is perfect for keeping all your essentials cold. Also available in red.
Comfee retro mini fridge (3.3 cubic feet), $191 and up
Not the right mini-fridge for you? Wayfair has a large number of dorm-friendly refrigerators starting at just $46.
Complete the retro dorm room look with this vintage-style microwave. It comes with nine preset programs including popcorn, pizza, reheat and more. It also comes in red and green, but you can get the biggest discount on the color pictured.
Comfee retro microwave (0.9 cu ft.), $100 (reduced from $135)
Need something a little bit bigger... or even smaller? Wayfair has a selection of countertop microwaves starting at $81.
This 20-ounce stainless steel water bottle's leak-proof straw lid features a built-in Brita filter, so every sip of water tastes fresh, even if the tap water on campus isn't the best. Available in five colors.
Brita stainless steel water filter bottle, $30
While you're stocking up on dorm room cooking essentials, you might want to grab a set of dishes too. This lightweight and durable 16-piece dinnerware set is microwave, dishwasher and freezer safe. The set includes four bowls, four cups and eight plates. Crafted with eco-friendly wheat straw, this set is 100% BPA free.
Wheat straw 16-piece unbreakable dinnerware set, $20 (reduced from $25)
Blender bundles, air fryers and more kitchen upgrades to help you out in your first apartment.
Use a K-Pod to make a single cup of coffee for yourself, or use ground coffee to make up to 12 cups for you and your roommates. Want to wake up smelling the coffee? You can program the Keurig K-Duo coffee maker to automatically brew a carafe up to 24 hours in advance.
Keurig K-Duo coffee maker, $170 and up (reduced from $190)
This massive 12-in-1 air fryer also functions as a toaster oven, slow cooker and dehydrator (to name a few). Thanks to its large capacity, it can cook up to six slices of bread at once. You can also use that space to bake a 12-inch pizza or even to roast whole chicken. It makes a great all-in-one cooking appliance to invest in for a first kitchen.
Cosori air fryer toaster oven, $150
If you're not ready to drop a ton of money on a high-end Vitamix blender, try this more affordable 72-ounce countertop blender from Ninja. Boasting a 4.7-star rating on Amazon, this blender features a 1,000-watt power base with ice-crushing technology, making it perfect for smoothies. It comes with a recipe guide with 25 chef-inspired recipes.
Get the Ninja professional blender now for $10 off at Amazon.
Ninja professional blender, $89 (reduced from $100)
If you only buy only one kitchen appliance for a new apartment, that appliance should be an Instant Pot. This 9-in-1 Instant Pot model functions as an electric pressure cooker, rice cooker, slow cooker, yogurt maker, steamer, sauté pan and food warmer. You get two other tricks, too: a sterilizer and a sous-vide function that allows you to keep your cooking water at a constant temperature. The machine has 15 customizable programming options. Plus, it's on sale right now.
Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 (6-quart), $110 (reduced from $130)
The Ultramax water dispenser from Brita can hold up to 27-cups of filtered water in a space-efficient, fridge-friendly design. Features include a locking lid and a precision pour spigot.
Brita Ultramax extra large 27-cup filtered water dispenser, $49
Now that you've got the appliances covered, it's time to get cooking. This 34-piece kitchen set includes all the essential tools you might need to get started, including two fry pans, a saucepan, a dutch oven, a baking sheet, a muffin tin, a colander, a microwave rice cooker, five measuring cups, four plastic containers, stainless steel tongs, a nylon spoon, slotted spoon, slotted turner, egg whisk, scoop and spaghetti spoon. The best part? This starter set is $30 off right now at Bed Bath & Beyond.
Simply Essential 34-piece kitchen starter set, $50 (reduced from $80)
Looking to grab some new dishes to go along with your new apartment? This medallion dinnerware set includes four bowls, four mugs and eight plates - all of which are dishwasher and microwave safe. Right now you can save a whopping $64 on this sleek debossed dinner set at Bed Bath & Beyond. Also available in white and gray.
Wild Sage Sana Medallion 16-piece dinnerware set (pink), $16 (reduced from $80)
First published on August 2, 2022 / 8:00 AM
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