Featured in this article
A Great Paper PlannerRoterunner Purpose PlannerRead more$35
Amazon (B5)
A Solid BackpackHerschel Supply Heritage BackpackRead more$90 $63 (30% off)Amazon
If You Prefer PursesAway The Everywhere ToteRead more$158
Away
Some Good SmellsPura MiniRead more$11Pura (Scent Cartridges)
Whether it's your freshman year or you’re a returning student, picking the right dorm-room essentials is important but can be tough. You want quality gear that won't let you down by midterms, but you might need to be mindful of space or budget limitations. I’m here to help you find the best stuff to fit your needs.
This guide is filled with everything you might need during your upcoming semester: an affordable (but capable) laptop, a versatile backpack, audio gadgets, bedding upgrades, and other fun tech to level up dorm life.
Updated July 2026: I’ve added new products for the new school year, including a coffee maker, a utility cart, a smart alarm clock, and a rug. I also removed some older picks and ensured links and prices throughout.
A Great Paper Planner
- Photograph: Nena Farrell
- Courtesy of Roterunner
Roterunner
Purpose Planner
$35Amazon (B5)
$28Amazon (A5)
$35Roterunner (B5)
$28Roterunner (A5)
Even though basically everything is digital these days, a paper planner like this one—my favorite overall—is great for jotting down important schedule updates. Plus, putting pen to paper can be quite therapeutic. What I love about this planner is that it’s inexpensive, has monthly and weekly spreads, and includes two open pages for notes each week. Because it's undated, students can use it however they choose. It's flexible enough to work for basically anybody.
A Solid Backpack
Courtesy of HerschelSave to wishlistSave to wishlistHerschel Supply
Heritage Backpack
$90 $63 (30% off)Amazon
You don't need to spend a ton to get a well-made backpack for class. Herschel's Heritage Backpack was my college bag of choice, and it's still holding up, years following graduation. It has a 15-inch laptop sleeve and enough room for bulky textbooks in the main compartment. My one gripe is its lack of a water bottle pocket. The bag is made from durable 600-denier polyester with a faux-leather bottom and handles. —Brenda Stolyar
Not your style? Check out additional backpack suggestions in our Laptop Backpack Buying Guide.
If You Prefer Purses
- Courtesy of Away
- Courtesy of Away
- Photograph: Boutayna Chokrane
Away
The Everywhere Tote
$158Away
The Away Everywhere Tote really can go … everywhere. It has a water-resistant nylon body that looks great and can withstand the demands of daily life. Inside, it has a padded 16-inch laptop sleeve, multiple slip pockets, and a key clip. There's an exterior zip pocket, plus the whole thing zips shut. It's also available in many cute colors. I wish it had a dedicated water bottle slot, but it's still a great, well-rounded bag that will look good to and from class.
For more options, check our guide to the Best Tote Bags.
Some Good Smells
Photograph: Kat MerckSave to wishlistSave to wishlistPura
Mini
$11Pura (Scent Cartridges)
$35Pura (Mini)
Dorm rooms can get very stinky, very quickly. But most don’t allow residents to burn candles due to the fire hazard. This miniature diffuser solves for that issue. It's our favorite essential oil diffuser for small spaces. Its companion Pura app offers scheduling, scent-strength control, and automatic vial detection to help make sure you never run out. (Trust that this doesn’t happen often, though; one scent vial lasted our tester several months). You can also change the color of the light and rotate the direction of the plug.
-Reviewer-Photo-(no-border)-SOURCE-Boutayna-Chokrane.png)
A Mattress Topper
Courtesy of Brooklyn BeddingSave to wishlistSave to wishlistBrooklyn Bedding
CopperFlex 401 Mattress Topper
$399 $279 (30% off)Brooklyn Bedding (Twin)
$599 $419 (30% off)Brooklyn Bedding (Queen)
Skip the mattress pad and get this instead. Depending on the size of your dorm bed, you might need a twin or a twin XL. (Or maybe you're lucky and have a bigger bed.) This mattress topper is our favorite for dorms, and it comes in whatever size you'll need. It's a whopping 4 inches thick, so it'll make your bed extra-comfortable. It's also cooling and antimicrobial thanks to its copper-infused memory foam construction and GlacioTex cooling covers. It's dense and deep, and it’ll ensure you won't feel like you're sleeping on a folding table.
Don’t forget the bedding! Bring a sheet set, throw blanket, and extra pillowcases.
A Tiny Fridge
Courtesy of CooluliSave to wishlistSave to wishlistCooluli
Mini Fridge
$56Amazon
Depending on your college dorm, you might have access to a bigger refrigerator. This mini fridge is perfectly personal-sized. It holds just six cans, so you can stash your seltzer water, yogurt, or other snacks—or, if we're being real, your emergency supply of energy drinks. The box also works well as a skin care fridge or can double as a warmer, if you're interested in that for some reason. It's quiet, it's small, and it comes in lots of fun colors. It won’t hold magnets, but you can always decorate it with stickers.
A Reusable Notebook
Photograph: Nena FarrellSave to wishlistSave to wishlistRocketbook
Fusion Plus
$30Amazon
$45Rocketbook
Tired of buying new notebooks on repeat? Rocketbook's notebooks use special paper that feels like a super-thin whiteboard. They come with an erasable Pilot Frixion gel pen and a microfiber cloth that lets you wipe the page clean (after getting said microfiber cloth wet) when you're done using it. Rocketbook makes a variety of notebooks and styles, but WIRED reviewer Nena Farrell recommends the Fusion Plus, since it gives you a nice variety of page styles, including classic monthly and weekly pages and project-management layouts that are great for group projects.
Rocketbook also has a companion app designed that helps to keep everything organized. You can use the app to digitize notebook pages and send them to Google Drive, Slack, Trello, OneNote, and a handful of other options. There are a handful of icons on the bottom of each page that you can mark so that once you scan a page into the app, it'll recognize what to do with the information. You can customize the commands in the app for where to send everything based on the icon (maybe class notes get saved into a Google Drive folder, for example, while project lists are emailed to your computer). —Brenda Stolyar
Great Noise-Canceling Headphones
Photograph: Ryan WaniataSave to wishlistSave to wishlistSony
WH-1000XM6
$458Amazon
$458Walmart
$458Best Buy
If you're easily distracted, having a pair of noise-canceling headphones at school may help you stay productive. The Sony WH-1000XM6 pair has a terrible name, but it’s an excellent option. The headphones are comfortable, stylish, and foldable, and come with an included carrying case and on-board touch controls. The noise-cancellation feature works great, helping you to stay locked in while studying. Plus, they offer fantastic sound quality when you use them for actually listening to music.
The Best Laptop
- Photograph: Luke Larsen
- Photograph: Luke Larsen
- Photograph: Luke Larsen
- Photograph: Luke Larsen
Apple
MacBook Neo
$690Amazon
$749Walmart
$699Apple
The Apple MacBook Neo is the best MacBook for students. It's affordable, it looks great, and it's repairable—which is a great feature in a laptop that’ll get lugged around campus on a daily basis. This device does have a few limitations with its display and ports, but if you can manage your tabs and you don't need the utmost in performance power, it will do the job just fine. Read more in our guide to the Best Laptops for College Students.
A Portable USB Hub
Photograph: Luke LarsenSave to wishlistSave to wishlistPlugable
USB-C 9-in-1 Hub (USBC-9IN1E)
$50Amazon
$50Plugable
This USB hub has all the ports your laptop doesn't: USB-A, USB-C, HDMI, and Ethernet, plus card readers. It's also powerful enough to support newer laptops that require a bit more oomph. It can support an external display, too. It's got everything you need. For other picks, read our guide to the Best Hubs and Docks.
Our Favorite Tabletop Air Purifier
Photograph: Lisa Wood ShapiroSave to wishlistSave to wishlistCoway
Airmega 50
$80Amazon
$80Coway
Since you'll be spending a lot of time in your dorm, I suggest investing in an air purifier to ensure you're always breathing clean air. Space is limited in the room, which is why the Coway Airmega 50 is so great for the setup; it can sit on a desk or a table, taking up the same amount of space as a roll of paper towels. Its built-in sensor triggers both auto mode and the air quality indicator light. It's quiet, too.
A Portable Party
- Photograph: Ryan Waniata
- Photograph: Ryan Waniata
- Photograph: Ryan Waniata
JBL
Flip 7
$150 $100 (33% off)Best Buy
$150 $100 (33% off)Amazon
$150 $100 (33% off)Walmart
$150 $100 (33% off)JBL
The JBL Flip 7 strikes the perfect balance of mobility and sound. It's water-resistant, durable, and pleasing to the eye, and there's a built-in carry strap. Most importantly, it sounds great, with enough punch to do your playlist justice. The battery lasts up to 14 hours on a single charge, or 16 if you opt to use its Playtime Boost mode.
Check out more speaker recommendations in our Bluetooth Speaker Buying Guide.
-Reviewer-Photo-SOURCE-Ryan-Waniata.jpg)
Peace and Quiet
Courtesy of AmazonSave to wishlistSave to wishlistLoop
Quiet 2 Ear Plugs
$25Amazon
$25Loop
Dorm rooms aren't always the best sleeping environment, but a good pair of earplugs can help you tune out your roommate's snoring or the party next door. The Loop Quiet plugs are the brand’s best model for sleep. This pair is made entirely of silicone and is comfortable to wear no matter how you prefer to sleep. I don't love the carrying case, but I do love that the Quiet plugs offer two ear-tip styles in four size options.
A Totable Tablet
- Photograph: Brenda Stolyar
- Photograph: Brenda Stolyar
Apple
iPad (2025, A16)
$449 $399 (11% off)Best Buy
$449 $399 (11% off)Amazon
$449Walmart
$449Apple
If you don't want to lug your full-size laptop everywhere, the iPad makes a compelling alternative for both homework and hangout time. The iPad (A16) is our favorite model for most people. Workflow improvements in the last few versions of iPadOS make it possible to get some real work done. Videos, ebooks, and games all look incredible on the crisp, nonreflective screen, and the crazy-fast A16 Bionic chip inside means the device is up for just about any task—though you should note that it isn't compatible with Apple Intelligence. It works with the first-generation Apple Pencil, the USB-C Apple Pencil, the Smart Folio, and the Magic Keyboard Folio.
Check our list of the Best iPad Accessories for additional fun gadgets.
For Chill Hangs
Courtesy of 3MSave to wishlistSave to wishlist3M
Command Strips
$11Amazon
Pins leave holes in your walls, tape rips the paint off, and sticky goop leaves oily marks. That's why I really like these 3M Command Strips. They're strong enough to hold a poster or even a framed picture (use four or six for bigger items), and they peel right off when you move out. Simply follow the instructions for easy removal. 3M makes clips and different types of hooks, too, for whatever you need to hang. —Brenda Stolyar
A Compact Air Fryer
Photograph: Brenda StolyarSave to wishlistSave to wishlistDash
Express Digital Tasti-Crisp Air Fryer
$60 $51 (15% off)Amazon
$50Wayfair
The problem with most of our favorite air fryers is that they're all too big for a dorm room. But this little one from Dash should do the trick, and it requires very little space. With a capacity of just 2.6 quarts, it's best for single servings and smaller portions. The basket and removable nonstick base are dishwasher-safe (a nice feature, though you probably won’t make use of it in your dorm room), and the presets include a custom setting so you can easily get back to your favorite mode.
A First-Aid Kit
Photograph: Louryn StrampeSave to wishlistSave to wishlistWelly
First Aid Kit
$25Amazon
$25Target
First-aid kits are college-dorm essentials. There are lots of options from Welly that are bright and easy to find. Make sure your kit is always stocked with bandages, antibiotic ointment, antiseptic wipes, over-the-counter pain relief, plus some cold and flu medicine. I also recommend including Tums, Pepto-Bismol, cough drops, and Narcan. It's better to be safe than sickly (and unprepared).
A Sound Machine
Photograph: Martin CizmarSave to wishlistSave to wishlistLectroFan
High Fidelity White Noise Machine
$54Amazon
This top-recommended sound machine is compact and offers classic fan noise as well as different-colored noises. There may be nights when you're homesick or when you accidentally study-chugged too many energy drinks, and your mind is racing. This little machine may help you relax and get some quality shut-eye.
A Small but Mighty Humidifier
-SOURCE-Lisa-Wood-Shapiro.jpg)
Photograph: Lisa Wood ShapiroSave to wishlistSave to wishlistHoMedics
Ultrasonic Humidifier CMTF14
$50Homedics
Dorm rooms are notoriously dry and drafty. Putting a small humidifier like this one on your nightstand may help you breathe easier and may even help with dry skin. The humidifier also includes a nightlight, plus a place to add essential oils, if you want to scent the air.
A Pod Coffee Maker
- Photograph: Louryn Strampe
- Photograph: Louryn Strampe
- Photograph: Louryn Strampe
Keurig
K-Café Smart Single Serve Coffee Maker
$200 $100 (50% off)Keurig
$200 $140 (30% off)Amazon
$200Walmart
For coffee drinkers who prioritize speed in their machine of choice, this pod-style coffee maker is an excellent option, with readily available refills. It has a built-in milk frother, so you can make your own specialty beverages without paying $8 for the same at the local chain coffee spot. The machine is easy to clean, and the water reservoir is large.
A Drip Coffee Maker
Photograph: Matthew KorfhageSave to wishlistSave to wishlistZojirushi
Zutto 5-Cup Drip Coffeemaker
$85Amazon
$100 $90 (10% off)Wayfair
Students who want to consume caffeine by the pot rather than by the cup might consider our favorite affordable drip coffee maker. The entire brewing process is automatic with basically zero bells or whistles, but the resulting coffee is flavorful and consistent every time. It also doesn't take up much counter space.
A Smart Alarm Clock
-Reviewer-Photo-SOURCE-Nena-Farrell.jpg)
Photograph: Nena FarrellSave to wishlistSave to wishlistHatch
Restore 3
$170Amazon
$170Hatch
The Hatch Restore 3 is a popular sunrise alarm clock that doubles as a sound machine. Some of the features are paywalled behind a monthly subscription that costs $5 per month or $50 per year, but you don't need to subscribe to get good use out of the device. The alarm can help reinforce positive sleep and wake-up routines, and the Hatch even has fun features (not paywalled) like guided meditation, which stands to help around finals season.
More Accessories to Consider
All of us at WIRED have complicated desk setups that make working from home easier. You don't have to go that hard for a dorm room, and you probably only have so much space to spare anyway. See our full work-from-home guide for more options, but these are some of our favorite desk accessories worth considering—plus some more options for around your dorm room.
Photograph: Kat MerckAecooly Chic Touch Control Desk Fan: I tested this fan all summer last year for our Best Fans guide, and my friend's son took it to school for his first year at the University of Colorado. It's going to be hot for move-in week, and this fan is not only powerful, but its 8-inch-tall body fits in a suitcase, it’s USB-C rechargeable, and it’s quiet enough (36 decibels on low) that it won’t bother roommates or interfere with studying. —Kat Merck
Ruggable Pamir Ivory Washable Rug: I like this washable rug because it's durable, it looks great, and it's supremely easy to clean. A rug is one of the easiest ways to make a room feel more grown-up, and this one won’t break the bank.
AmazonBasics 3-Tier Utility Cart: I use this utility cart in my kitchen, and I'm about to get another for my bathroom. It's easy to put together and makes good use of vertical storage space. Use it to organize school supplies, toiletries, accessories, or whatever else is taking up space in your half of the dorm room.
BenQ ScreenBar Computer LED Lamp: WIRED editor Julian Chokkattu swears by this desk lamp, which only works if you have an external monitor on your desk. It hangs over the top of the screen and illuminates your workspace. Best of all, it takes up zero space on your desk!
Monoprice Extra Wide Length Microfiber Desk Mat: This mat is soft and doubles as a mouse pad, which is great for students who use a separate keyboard and mouse.
Ikea Skubb Underbed Storage Case: When former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano lived in a tiny NYC apartment, she stowed four of these storage bins under her bed to hold every item of clothing that her closet couldn't accommodate. The same tack works well for college beds, which generally have ample room underneath. These cases can hold off-season clothing, shoes, or anything else you may need, like party supplies. Amazon has a bunch of similar options.
Dalykate Backpack Laundry Bag: One reality of dorm life is that you may need to hike your dirty laundry down a few flights to the laundry room. This hamper has a pocket to hold your detergent and backpack straps for portability, and it’s not as bulky as a laundry basket. It's what WIRED editor Julian Chokkattu uses to head to his laundromat.
Crocs Classic Clogs: You need a pair of shower shoes. Trust me when I say that you do not want to deal with athlete's foot in a college dorm. These Crocs are my favorite for shared showers—they're not fussy to walk in, easy to slide out of when you're balancing on one leg to wash your feet, and they dry quickly, too. Alternatively, you could go with a dedicated pair of flip-flops or slides. And don’t forget a shower caddy for your toiletries!
Govee RGBIC LED Light Strip: String lights are cute, but this light strip from Govee is much more fun. You can easily adjust the colors and brightness using the smartphone app, and you can trim down the lights to suit the space.
Basic Cleaning Supplies: I didn’t realize how much stuff I was forgetting when I first moved into my dorm. Make sure you remember household essentials, like laundry detergent, paper towels, dish soap, disinfectant wipes, and washcloths. You might also want a little broom and dustpan.
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Louryn Strampe is a product writer and reviewer at WIRED covering deals, beauty, home goods, and gifts. She’s written about Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Prime Day, and other shopping holidays since 2013, offering tips and tricks and sleuthing out fact-checked discounts for fun and for a living. She previously covered ... Read MoreWriter and ReviewerTopicsShoppingbuying guidesgift guidesback to schoolcollegeschoolsparentingThe Best Automatic Litter Boxes Tested by Our Spoiled CatsWith these high-tech automatic litter boxes, gone are the days of scooping and smells. Welcome to the future.Molly Higgins28 Amazing STEM Toys Approved by WIRED KidsWe found lots of math-filled and science-rich toys for tiny nerds to assemble, bake, squish—or even tear apart and rebuild.Simon HillThe Best MagSafe and Qi2 Power Banks for Your PhoneKeep your iPhone or Qi2 Android phone topped up with one of the best portable chargers.Simon HillOur Favorite Smartwatches Do Much More Than Just Tell TimeThese WIRED-tested wearables reduce your reliance on a phone while keeping you connected.Boutayna Chokrane The Best Wi-Fi Routers to Reach Every Corner of Your HomeDon’t suffer the buffer. These WIRED-tested home routers will deliver reliable internet across your home, whatever your needs or budget.Simon HillThe Best Portable Power Stations for Blackouts, Camping, or Van LifeWhether you’re going off-grid or safeguarding against blackouts, these beefy, WIRED-tested batteries can keep the lights on.Simon HillThe Best Keyboards for Work and PlayWhether you’re looking to boost your productivity or your Fortnite stats, these are the top keyboards for the job.Henri RobbinsThe Best Portable Chargers and Power Banks for All Your DevicesKeep your phone, laptop, handheld gaming console, and other electronics running with these travel-friendly power banks.Simon HillThe Best Qi2 and MagSafe Wireless Chargers for Your PhoneTop up your Qi2 Android phone or MagSafe iPhone with a magnetic wireless charging stand, pad, car charger, or power bank.Simon HillThe Best Hiking Boots and Shoes for Any AdventureFrom strenuous hikes and serious summits to weekend rambles in the park, these boots help you make the most of your time outdoors.Chris Haslam23 Gift Ideas for the Cook in Your LifeFrom the best air fryer to frying pans to knife sharpeners anyone can use, these ideas will keep the curious home chef in your life tinkering away.Matthew KorfhageThe 10 Best WIRED-Tested Pet CamerasWhether you’re near or far, keep an eye on your fur baby with our favorite pet cameras.Molly Higgins
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