Upgrade Your College Dorm in 2018 with These 12 Must-Have Gadgets
Credit: NYT
Dorm life can be equally exciting and terrible. There aren't really many ways to get around that. But still, there are a variety of things you can do to make the whole experience much more comfortable. And while living in a dorm isn't all about the things you put in it, there are devices and gadgets can certainly help make your dorm feel like a better place. That's why we've gathered a list of 12 gadgets and products that can add utility, functionality or flair to your dorm room. Use the right arrow to browse 12 must-have gadgets to upgrade your college dorm room this school year.
12 Instant Pot Duo Plus Mini
College is notorious for introducing poor eating habits — but you don’t have to settle for takeout and top ramen. More than that, a small cooking investment now can save you tons of money in the long run. Enter the Instant Pot. It has an online cult following for a reason. It’s a slow cooker, meaning you can whip up amazing meals with very little effort. But it’s also a pressure cooker, which means the food will be done twice as quickly. You can’t beat that.
11 TREBLAB Z2 Wireless Noise-Cancelling Headphones
Dorm rooms get loud. But rather than yelling at your neighbors for playing their music too late into the night while you’re studying, you could just get a pair of noise-canceling headphones. The TREBLAB Z2 is fairly affordable as high-quality headphones go. But they certainly don’t compromise on the audio or build quality. Being wireless, these headphones also won’t add to your dorm room’s wire clutter. And they have enough battery for up to 35 hours of listening time.
10 Amazon Echo Dot
You may have a digital assistant at home, but there’s no reason why you can’t have a smart “dorm” speaker at school. And when it comes to home automation on the cheap, it’s hard to argue with the Amazon Echo Dot. From checking the weather forecast to asking questions when you’re doing homework, the Echo Dot is an affordable way to bring Alexa into your dorm room. It’s also extremely small. And while its audio quality isn’t the best, you can connect it to a Bluetooth speaker for jam-out sessions.
9 JBL Flip 4
Speaking of Bluetooth speakers that work with your Echo Dot, it pays to buy one that has some versatility. The JBL Flip 4 packs some serious, 360-degree audio quality — including no shortage of bass — into a portable form factor. It’s plenty loud enough for dorm rooms, but you can also take it with you for house parties or wherever else you might want to jam out to your favorite music. And don’t worry about getting it wet in the rain or at a pool party — it’s waterproof.
8 Roku Streaming Stick
Sure, you can binge Netflix or watch Hulu on your laptop. But sometimes, it’s nice to close the lid and view your favorite TV shows on a larger screen. When it comes to streaming hardware in a setting where space is at a premium, a Roku streaming stick is the perfect solution. Just plug it into any TV with a USB port, and you can watch a wide range of content on your usual streaming platforms. Better yet, it’s also incredibly portable — so you can take it with you for movie-night and binge marathons on the go.
7 ECOVACS DEEBOT N79S Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Your dorm room is going to get dirty. But between studying, working and maintaining some semblance of a social life, you obviously don’t have time to vacuum it regularly. Luckily, there’s a robot for that. This smart vacuum will automatically tidy up your floors for you — both carpet and hardwood. Best of all, you can control it from your Amazon Echo or smartphone. That means you can get the DEEBOT to clean up when you forgot to tidy the room before company comes over.
6 Wi-Fi Hidden Camera Wall Charger
Dorm rooms involve living with other people. Whether or not you trust those people is up to you, but you can buy yourself a bit more peace of mind. That’s where this Wi-Fi camera, disguised like a normal power adapter, comes in. Set it up when you and your roommate are gone for the day, and it’ll alert you when there’s movement detected in the room and let you view a live video feed. Just remember to read up on the legality and ethics of hidden cameras — and don’t spy on your roommate.
5 Rocketbook Wave
If you prefer handwriting on paper over jotting down notes on a tablet, then the Rocketbook Wave may be the best notebook you can buy. Why? Because, unlike most paper products, this one is reusable. That’s right. You just stick the Rocketbook into a microwave and it’ll magically erase all of your notes. Not only that but if you download the corresponding iOS and Android app, it can automatically upload your notes to the cloud — so you’ll have them digitally anyway.
4 Hamilton Beach 12-Cup Coffee Maker
An army may march on its stomach, but the rest of us undoubtedly run on coffee. Sure, this may be one of the most boring items on this list. But it could also be the one you’re most thankful for in the midst of all-nighters and early mornings. It’s a 12-cup coffee maker, but a good-looking one. And rather than use a normal carafe, this one holds the coffee internally and dispenses one cup at a time. That means you just brew some joe in the morning and have some coffee waiting for you later. And you don’t have to worry about that glass pot breaking, either.
3 Gorilla Power 5-Port USB & Power Dock
Between all of your (and your friends’) gadgets, there will never be enough ports. But you can have a nice little setup to keep all of your most important devices charged and tidy. The GorillaPower packs 5 USB ports to charge all of your devices, as well as two two-way AC power sockets (so you can plug in your coffee maker or other non-USB electronics). The dock portion of it will also keep your devices organized and tidy.
2 URPOWER Essential Oil Diffuser
Let’s get one thing clear. No matter how cleanly you are, there’s a good chance that your dorm room might be plagued by weird smells. That’s just what happens when tons of people live in close proximity in relatively small quarters. But you can combat this unfortunate reality with a simple essential oil diffuser. This sleek model is highly rated and diffuses plenty of mist to cover up any questionable odors. Just buy your favorite essential oils — or go to the store and decide which ones you like — and breathe easy.
1 Back to the Roots AquaFarm
When it comes to dorm rooms, form might very well win out over function. But that doesn’t mean you can’t add some personal touches to liven up your space. And what better way than to have a pet and a plant? You may not think you’ll have time for a pet, but you do. Just feed your fishy friend once a day and you’re good. An aquafarm is a self-cleaning system: the fish will fertilize your plants and the plants will clean your water. You can even grow fresh herbs. What else could you ask for in a college pet?