11 of the best student kitchen essentials to take to university this year
Heading off to university this September? Avoid overpacking with this definitive guide to the best uni kitchen essentials – with everything you need to create tasty student meals
Students don't always get the best press when it comes to cooking, but let's face it – even professional chefs would be at a loss with cheap, low-quality kitchenware.
Shopping around for budget-friendly items is sensible when maintenance loans can only take you so far. But, if you want to invest in next-level kitchen kit that will go the distance (and help you elevate your cooking skills too), you've come to the right place.
Whether you're going into halls or returning for a new term and now living with friends, I've compiled a definitive guide to the tried-and-tested appliances, cookware and utensils I think are worth adding to your uni packing list – to help you ultimately create less waste and save more money long-term.
Once you have your equipment, don't forget to check out Good Food's student recipes, student meal ideas, healthy student suppers and top 10 basic recipes to take to university.
Best deals on student kitchen essentials
Hoping to see some offers on the products in this guide? We regularly scour the market to find the biggest savings from a range of retailers, and these are the best we've discovered so far.
Good Food in partnership with Tower products – available with 40% off using code GFUNI40 when you spend £50.
- Good Food pasta jar |
£24.99£14.99 at Tower (save £10 or 40%) - Good Food biscuit canister |
£22.99£13.79 at Tower (save £9.20 or 40%) - Good Food salt and pepper mill |
£24.99£14.99 at Tower (save £10 or 40%) - Good Food 6-piece utensil set |
£49.99£29.99 at Tower (save £20 or 40%) - Good Food 4-piece utensil set |
£39.99£23.99 at Tower (save £16 or 40%)
More student kitchen essentials deals:
- Cosori Air Fryer Lite 3.8L |
£99£89.99 at Amazon (save £9.01 or 9%) - Lakeland mini electric rice cooker |
£34.99£27.99 at Lakeland (£7 or 20%) - Salter Megastone 3-piece saucepan set |
£54.99£40.80 at Amazon (save £14.19 or 26%) - Joseph Joseph Nest 9 Plus bowl set |
£60£43.48 at Amazon (save £16.52 or 28%)
For even more savings, take a look at our round-up of the best kitchen appliance deals and find out how we put each product to the test, so you can shop with confidence.
If you're moving into a uni halls of residence, you should also check your university's rules on students bringing their own electrical appliances, as they'll likely need to be PAT-tested.
Best student kitchen essentials at a glance
Gadgets and appliances
- Air fryer: Cosori Air Fryer Lite 3.8L, £89.99
- Rice cooker: Lakeland mini electric rice cooker, £27.99
- Toastie maker: Tower 3-in-1 deep-filled sandwich maker, £39.99
- Blender: Ninja Blast portable blender, £49.99
Cooking equipment
- Mixing bowl set: Joseph Joseph Nest 9 Plus, £60
- Chopping board: ProCook wood fibre chopping board, £16
- Colander: Zwilling stainless-steel colander, £24.95
Pans and trays
- Saucepans: Salter Megastone 3-piece saucepan set, £52.99
- Frying pan: ProCook Soho Cookware non-stick frying pan, £29
- Knife: Circulon chef's knife, £30
- Baking tray: Lakeland standard baking tray, £5.99
Best student kitchen essentials to buy in 2025
Cosori Air Fryer Lite 3.8L
Available from Amazon (£89.99)
Ideal for quick snacks like pasta chips, buffalo cauliflower wings and sweet potato fries, air fryers have become a must-have kitchen gadget in recent times. This compact Cosori model comes with a good variety of presets, and at 3.8 litres, it's the ideal size for a student kitchen.
The touchscreen controls are a doddle to master – even if you're an air-fryer novice – and I liked the tactile accents on the handle and cord storage at the back. During cooking it was impressively quiet too, and because it's easy to clean, all it needs is a simple wash and wipe after you've finished using it.
Read our full Cosori Air Fryer Lite review and our guide to the best air fryers.
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Lakeland mini electric rice cooker
Available from Lakeland (£27.99), Amazon (£34.99)
Like many students, I had a very carb-orientated diet while at university, so I can say with some certainty that I would have got lots of use from a rice cooker.
This compact model from Lakeland is the ideal size for a small kitchen and can make one-to-two portions of fluffy white or brown rice in as little as half an hour. You can even use it to make porridge – great for fuelling up ahead of a busy day of lectures. Read our full guide to the best rice cookers.
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Tower 3-in-1 deep-filled sandwich maker
Available from Tower (£39.99)
Speedy and delicious, the toasted sandwich is a staple of student cooking, particularly when they're filled with lots of oozing melted cheese. This budget toastie maker is perfect for classic cheese toasties and has three interchangeable plates, so can also be used for waffles and paninis.
This model is the perfect size for supermarket slices of bread, and in test our toasties were crisp and well sealed, with a warm, fully melted middle. You can also fit a generous amount of filling in each. Read our full guide to the best toastie makers.
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Ninja Blast portable blender
Available from Currys (£44.99), John Lewis & Partners (£44.99), Amazon (£44.99), Very (£44), Ninja (£49.99), Argos (£50)
Space can often be limited in a student kitchen, so compact appliances that take up little room (or can be tucked away in a cupboard) are your best bet.
This blender from Ninja comes with a 530ml cup, a sip lid with a handle, cup cover, blade cover and USB-C rechargeable motor base and charging cord. The lid is designed to be leak-proof, so you can also pop it in your bag and take it on the go.
Blenders also aren’t just for smoothies and shakes – you can use them to make sauces or soups, which is great way to save money rather than buying pre-made jars or tins from the supermarket. Read our full guide to the best blenders.
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Joseph Joseph Nest 9 Plus bowl set
Available from Amazon (£43.48), JosephJoseph (£60)
Mixing bowls can be snack holders for movie nights, serving bowls for salads and vessels for combining what's left in the fridge into the ultimate leftover surprise.
This nest of nine from Joseph Joseph is the ultimate space-saving set, fitting five measuring cups, a colander, sieve and a small jug with a pouring spout stacked within the footprint of its largest 4.5-litre mixing bowl.
Being plastic, they’ll survive drops and knocks, are lightweight and brightly coloured, making them easy to spot in packed shared cupboards. Read our full review of the best mixing bowls and the best measuring spoons.
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ProCook wood fibre chopping board
Available from ProCook (£16)
A must-have item in any uni kitchen, chopping boards are one of the most useful bits of kit for cooking prep. But while plastic boards are generally cheaper and can go in the dishwasher, they can shed microplastics, which is why I'd always recommend going for a wood or wood fibre option instead.
Wooden chopping boards require a bit more maintenance, so if you want an easy-to-care-for option, this wood-fibre board from ProCook is a great pick.
It's made from a compressed wood fibre composite, which is dishwasher-safe, and offers a good amount of room for everyday chopping tasks. Because it’s black, it’s also less at risk from heavy staining. Read our guide to the best chopping boards.
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Zwilling stainless-steel colander
Available from Zwilling (£24.95)
If you plan on cooking a lot of pasta at uni – and trust me, you probably will – a colander is a must. You'll get much better longevity from one made of stainless steel than plastic, which is why I'd recommend this option from Zwilling.
It works as a cross between a sieve and a colander, which means it’s versatile, and it’s ultra-solid too. It doesn’t have a base, either, so you can easily stack it in the cupboard.
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Salter Megastone 3-piece saucepan set
Available from Salter (£52.99), Amazon (£54.99)
When it comes to saucepans, I'd recommend buying the best you can afford as they'll need to withstand lots of use. You can choose just one size, but a set like this one from Salter – which comes with 16cm, 18cm and 20cm saucepans – will give you a bit more flexibility.
They're also made from robust PFOA-free forged aluminium and can be used on all hob types. Their statement design makes them easy to identify in a shared kitchen, too. Read our guide to the best pan sets.
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ProCook Soho Cookware non-stick frying pan
Available from ProCook (£29)
A frying pan is a student kitchen must-have – great for omelettes, stir fries and speedy dinners. I'd recommend getting a non-stick pan like this one from ProCook, particularly as it's so easy to take care of – just make sure you don’t use any metal utensils with it as you can scratch the coating.
It's also lightweight and easy to hold, and I found the non-stick to be really effective. Read our full guide to the best non-stick frying pans.
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Circulon chef's knife
Available from Circulon (£30)
A good chef's knife is another item that – when cared for properly – should stand the test of time, but it's worth learning how to use it safely first, keeping the tips of your fingers in and cutting on a flat, stable surface (read our knife skills guide for more). This eight-inch knife from Circulon is ideal for essentially every chopping task, and its soft-grip handles offer excellent stability and control.
If you'd prefer something smaller, this six-inch knife from ProCook might be a better option or you can simply look for a good-quality utility or paring knife instead. Check out our guide to the best knife sets for more tried-and-tested picks.
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Lakeland standard baking tray
Available from Lakeland (£4.99)
When you're shopping for student kitchen essentials, you want decent kit that you won't have to replace in a hurry – without leaving a dent in your budget.
This Lakeland tray is a robust and reliable option, with a three-year guarantee and two layers of non-stick. At 30 x 21.5cm, it's also impressively versatile – it's oven-safe to 230C, and also freezer and dishwasher-safe too. Read our guide to the best baking trays.
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More uni kitchen essentials reviews
Best hand blenders
Best toasters
Best food storage containers
Best kitchen gadgets under £10
Best reusable water bottles
10 gadgets to save you money in the kitchen
Best knife sets
Best eco dishwasher tablets
Student recipes and guides
7 healthy student recipes
Basic recipes for your first year as a student
10 vegan student recipes
10 vegetarian student recipes
Essential recipes for university
Our best ever student recipes
Cheap and healthy recipes
How to sharpen knives
Which kitchen equipment could you not live without at university? Leave a comment below...
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