Dorm room living presents unique challenges that require creative solutions, especially when it comes to food prep and other day-to-day essentials in a space barely larger than a walk-in closet. The days of relying solely on dining hall meals and campus convenience stores are long gone — today's college students want the independence (and budget control) that comes with preparing their own snacks, drinks and simple meals. Small appliances designed for compact spaces help fill that gap.
The key to successful dorm room appliances is finding multipurpose items that maximize functionality while minimizing space. Every square inch matters in dorm rooms, so the best appliances serve multiple purposes, operate quietly and are as compact as possible.
In this article: Magic Bullet Blender, Small, Silver, 11-Piece Set, Cosori Electric Kettle and DASH Rapid Egg Cooker
Amazon's "Off to College" storefront is full of affordable solutions that work for dorm rooms while meeting real-world needs. These carefully selected appliances handle everything from morning coffee routines to late-night-study snacks, while still being easy on the wallet. Check out our picks for under-$100 small appliances below.
Magic Bullet Blender, Small, Silver, 11-Piece Set
This compact personal blender includes 11 pieces for making smoothies, protein shakes and tackling food prep with a space-saving design that's perfect for dorm room countertops. The single-serve cups also make it easy to clean up and take drinks on the go.
This glass kettle heats up fast for making coffee, tea and instant meals. It has an auto-shut-off feature for safety (a must in dorms) and no plastic comes in contact with water.
The DASH Rapid Egg Cooker makes six hard-boiled, poached or scrambled eggs at a time — and can even make omelettes. It has an automatic-shut-off switch for foolproof eggs, and it's compact which is great for dorms.
Aroma Housewares Aroma 6-cup (cooked) 1.5-Qt. One-Touch Rice Cooker
This one-touch rice cooker prepares up to 6 cups of cooked rice at a time and includes both cooking and warming functions. And did you know rice cookers can make much more than rice for creative students?
Utopia Kitchen 34-Ounce 1-Liter French Press Coffee Maker
This glass coffee press brews rich coffee and tea without electricity, perfect for dorm rooms with limited outlets and space.
HiLIFE Steamer for Clothes, Portable Handheld Design
The HiLIFE Steamer is portable and handheld, great for removing wrinkles from clothes without all the bulk of an ironing board.
Keurig K-Mini Single-Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker
Quickly brew single-serve cups of coffee in 6- and 12-ounce sizes using K-Cup pods with this mini Keurig that also has cord storage for tidy dorm room organization.
IRIS USA WOOZOO Air Circulator Fan with Remote
This black oscillating fan has eight speeds, adjustable tilt and a remote control for ultimate convenience keeping air circulating and dorm rooms feeling fresh, not stale.
COMFEE' EM720CPL-PM Countertop Microwave Oven
This small, compact countertop microwave is packed with features like ECO mode, sound on/off (so roommates won't be bothered) and easy one-touch buttons to reheat meals. The simple controls and safety features make it ideal for students with limited cooking experience.
This HEPA filter air purifier covers rooms up to 200 square feet, removing 99.9% of mold, viruses, smoke and allergens with whisper-quiet operation.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
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