Heading Off to College? This Electric Cooker Will Be Your New Best Friend (2025)

We compiled a list of dorm room essentials so there is one less thing for you to worry about! It can be stressful to narrow down what you need for your dorm room. Whether you’re an incoming freshman or an upperclassmen, the right items can help make dorm life as comfortable as possible.

From furniture and bedding, to fun decor and smart storage solutions, we want to help you make this a stressless experience. To do this, we have cool and practical items that’ll complete your college packing list in no time! Below you’ll find a range of items any college student will find useful – and will work in any dorm room.

Some dorm room essentials include our favorite mattress topper, comfortable bathrobe and storage necessities. Some of the best picks are from the Good Housekeeping Institute's testing (so you know they're worth it!). Worried about closet space? We have solutions to maximize a closet, like space-saving hangers that’ll keep clothes organized and wrinkle-free. We even added a few kitchen and bathroom essentials like cooking bowls, rolling laundry baskets and a handheld vacuum cleaner. Don’t worry we also threw in a few things that are fun and will help you make your dorm feel like a home.

So, make your back-to-school experience the best one yet with this curated list of affordable dorm room essentials from popular retailers like Amazon, Walmart and more!

This versatile rolling bin can be used as a laundry basket or an organizer — your call. Lock the wheels to keep the bin in place, while storing towels and detergent in the two side pockets when ready to use. The basket is even waterproof and foldable, making it convenient to store and use in the bathroom.

This pack comes with hanging strips, wire hooks and utility hooks to make decorating blank walls a breeze. Use the strips to hang photos and grab the hooks to display smaller (and lighter!) items like keys, belts or hats.

It's soft and has a hood —what else do you need? Take it from a reviewer who writes, "The robe is lightweight but still has that fuzzy fleece softness." Plus, the waist belt is adjustable and there are two front pockets for any items you would want to keep close at hand.

Purchase these battery-operated string lights, with 50 clips attached, to display college and family photos. There are eight lighting modes, including flash and waves, that can easily be controlled with the remote.

When relaxing in your dorm room alone or with friends, you may appreciate being able to stream Netflix, Hulu, YouTube and more with a Fire TV Stick. It can be plugged right into the TV's HDMI port, and it comes with Alexa to find and play content easily.

A mirror is a must-have for your room. This over-the-door pick, which comes with two adjustable hooks for hanging, is available in multiple sizes. It's even shatterproof!

Forget bottled water — keep cool, fresh H2O on hand in this pitcher with filter. It’s easy to pour, has an easy-fill locking lid and can hold up to six cups of water.

If ramen noodles are your go-to, purchase this set that has everything you'll need to enjoy your favorite meal. It comes with a soup bowl, a drain bowl and a small bowl at the top. The large and small bowl are microwaveable and can be used for heating other meals like spaghetti and oatmeal. Bonus: Chopsticks are included!

Featuring a mouse pad, phone slot and dual-bolster cushion, this lap desk will make working on the bed, couch or chair a comfortable experience. What’s more, the desk comes in various colors, such as marble, silver carbon, espresso, oakwood and blush pink.

Get yourself a pan that’ll cook and sauté food without a stove anytime and anywhere! The pan has a non-stick coating to make fried rice, eggs, chicken, steak, noodles and more! Even better, it has over-heating protection and boil-dry protection for safety.

If a caddy isn’t your preference, you may prefer a shelf instead! It’s designed to fit on any form of bed, from metal dorm beds and lofted dorm beds to dorm beds with side rails. It even has a cup holder, a phone holder and a sturdy surface for a laptop.

With over 139,000 Amazon reviews, the Good Housekeeping Institute named Bedsure’s fleece blanket one the best for its “impressively soft feel, according to testers,” and its ability to remain soft after washing. Choose from 28 colors to stay cozy on those chilly nights.

With this set, you'll get hand towels, bath towels and washcloths — two of each! Cotton Paradise describes them as being soft, thick and “light enough to wrap up and relax for hours.”

Get this colorful pack of six pens that’ll help you stay motivated throughout the day. Just look down — each pen is emblazoned with a positive saying like “Chase Your Dreams” and “Honor Your Feelings."

There's no substitute for a good night's sleep and this mattress topper can help. The Good Housekeeping Institute describes it as having a "subtle layer that's more affordable and discreet than other toppers." It's soft and comfortable, along with being filled with polyester microfiber to keep it evenly spread out.

Hangers are a must-have for college students. This velvet pick is designed to keep clothes from slipping. Plus, they're thin enough to maximize closet space and have a swiveling metal hook. What's more, this pack of 60 has a range of colors to choose from.

Consider these space-saving hangers that'll really make the most of closet space, while keeping clothes organized and wrinkle-free. Your purchase gets you eight hangers that can hold up to five garments vertically or horizontally.

Featuring eight AC outlets and three USB ports — all attached to a 5ft. or 10ft. cord — this surge protector will allow you to charge all of your devices simultaneously — whether you're laying on the bed or working at your desk.

Here's a three-piece sheet set that's breathable and cooling. You'll get a pillowcase, a flat sheet and a fitted sheet. Choose from a selection of sizes (Twin, XL, Full, Queen) and a range of colors like lavender, baby blue, brown and yellow.