Which? reveals: the 10 items our team recommends for uni

Whether it's the first time you're off to student accommodation, or if you're just looking for a quick upgrade to make next term a bit more bearable, here's what we would pack.

While each of these are great to have at university, they're also excellent investments to jump-start your life beyond your student days. Choosing a good model will mean that, ideally, these will be with you for years to come.

1. Heated clothes airer

“A heated clothes airer would've been great so I didn't have to be surrounded by my housemates’ clothes drying on the radiators for days on end...”

Pros:

Cheaper than a tumble dryer and costs less to run if you're doing smaller loads.

More consistent than air drying.

Some models can hold a lot of clothing.

Dries clothing faster than on a clothes horse or radiator.

Cons:

Slower than tumble dryers.

More expensive to run with large loads.

Some are quite big, which might be hard to find storage for.

 

If you're without a tumble dryer, this is the next best thing. Getting one that dries clothing quickly will speed up laundry day so you can have more time to spend with friends, or quickly wrap up that essay you might've forgotten about. 

One heated airer you could think about getting is the Dry:Soon Mini 3-tier airer. If room is tight in your home, this small airer offers a large capacity for its size. Handy if student accommodation is tight.

2. Air fryer

“I always had to wait ages if someone else was using an oven. An air fryer would’ve been a handy alternative for when I wanted a quick cooked meal.”

Pros:

Some student accommodation might not have an oven – an air fryer is a great alternative to this.

Great for smaller portions for one or two people.

More energy efficient than an oven.

Cons:

Some air fryers can cost over £200.

You won't be able to easily cook larger meals with friends or flatmates.

Our verdict:

A great option to consider if you're without an oven. We'd recommend looking for one around £100 or less. Luckily, there are plenty of air fryers that we've tested, suitable for those on a budget, that cook well.

3. Electric heater

“My housemates refused to turn on the heating until December – even after the landlord came around to tell us to switch it on since it was putting off prospective tenants. Having an electric heater for my room would’ve been great.”

Pros:

A great way to heat up one room.

Some models can be controlled remotely with a smartphone.

Cons:

Some models can be noisy when in use.

Not capable of heating entire homes.

They're not necessarily cheaper to run than central heating.

Our verdict: 

One heater we tested, the Russel Hobbs RHCVH4002 convection heater, runs so quietly that you wouldn't know it was on if it weren't for the small light on the side. It's perfect for keeping warm while you're focusing on last-minute deadlines.

4. Mattress topper

“I wish I could’ve had a thick mattress topper to put a bit of distance between me and all of the students who had slept in my bed before me.”

Pros:

The beds in student accommodation aren't exactly known for being cosy – a mattress topper is a budget-friendly way to be a lot more comfortable.

Gives you some peace of mind knowing there's some distance between you and the mattress' previous owners.

Much cheaper and easier than buying a whole new mattress.

Cons:

Can be hard to store if you're not using it after term time is over.

Can make your bed quite tall.

Might make your bed too soft (though for some, that's not a bad thing).

Our verdict:

A university essential. Like buying a good mattress, having a good mattress topper is a great investment for your sleep and wellbeing. Plus, most of the mattress toppers we've tested cost £150 or less.

5. Electric blanket

“I lived in a freezing house with night storage heaters that didn’t seem to emit anything other than strange noises. Having an electric blanket meant I could stay nice and warm in bed.”

Pros:

Low-cost heating.

Can either get an under-sheet heated blanket or cuddly heated throw.

Cons:

Some might not heat up very well or evenly.

Feeling wires in your blankets might feel a bit odd.

Our verdict: 

They're perfect for the rainy, miserable months of winter. A heated throw can keep you warm while you're working at a desk or on a couch, while a heated blanket can heat your whole bed to keep it nice and toasty throughout the cold nights.

One electric blanket we think is worth considering is the Silentnight Comfort Control electric underblanket. It only costs 3p an hour to run, so you'll stay nice and snug without hiking your electricity bills.

6. A pair of noise-cancelling headphones

“I was at university during the clubbing boom of the 90s. The guy who lived above me on campus seemed to play thumping house music from the moment he woke up to the moment he went to bed. A pair of noise-cancelling headphones would have been invaluable.”

Pros:

Active noise cancelling is a great tool which can help you focus and block out unwanted noise – you don't necessarily need to listen to music.

Headphones with good noise cancelling means you won't need to turn up your music to very high volumes in louder areas.

Getting a good pair should last you a long time, and will also sound great.

Cons:

Can get very expensive, very quickly – plus, price tags often don't equate to sound quality.

You'll need to recharge wireless headphones.

Headphones can last a really long time, but wireless headphones have a much more limited lifespan than their wired counterparts.

You'll need to be careful wearing them out in public, as they can reduce your awareness.

Our verdict: 

One thing to keep in mind is that most noise-cancelling headphones these days are wireless through Bluetooth, which can get pretty expensive. There are some great pairs available for under £200. We'd recommend trying to get a pair that fit you comfortably.

7. A really good laptop

“I was luckily enough to get a new laptop for my undergrad, but it was so slow that I hardly used it. It lived an agonisingly sluggish life which ended when it conked out in the middle of a final exam.”

Pros:

Can get lots of computing power in a portable package.

Getting the right laptop can power more power-intense programs such as Adobe Photoshop or Premiere.

Can save money by buying refurbished.

All-in-one: don't need to buy a separate keyboard, mouse, monitor or webcam.

Cons:

Can get quite expensive quite quickly.

Not the most ergonomic without spending extra on accessories.

Limited upgradability: some models have all their components soldered to the motherboard.

Some models might not have great battery life.

Our verdict: 

If you're after the best laptop for your buck, read our guide on the

8. A smart speaker

“It’s tough to admit, but I couldn’t live without my smart speaker. Using it to play music is great, but its reminders and timers I lean on the most – I’d be forgetting an awful lot without it.”

Pros:

Can help you stay organised with reminders and timers.

Digital assistants can be really useful, and several speakers have support for your preferred one.

Cons:

Most smart speakers will record you whenever you talk to it – we'll let you know in our reviews if it's a severe issue though.

Some brands might not support competing digital assistants.

Our verdict: 

9. An iPad or other tablet

A tablet to jot notes, read digital textbooks and watch lectures on was really helpful. Plus, in my free time I had a big screen to watch movies and play solitaire.”

Pros:

Easier to carry than a laptop.

Can use a keyboard and mouse, or draw with a pen, stylus or your hands on most models.

Great if you're doing lots of sketching or drawing.

Cons:

Not as much computing power as a laptop.

Some budget models don't have loads of storage.

Our verdict:

If you've already got a laptop, like taking notes with a pen and paper but don't want notebooks, or are going to be doing a lot of digital drawing or sketching for your degree, a tablet is a perfect uni addition for you.

If you're after a tablet, be sure to check our  to snag a bargain

10. Dehumidifier

“Having a dehumidifier would’ve been great, but one that wouldn’t have cost a fortune in energy bills – old, damp student houses were not fun.”

Pros:

Combats damp.

Can help air dry clothes more quickly.

Helps the air in your home feel less sticky.

Cons:

You'll need to change the water tank often.

Can be loud while running.

Running costs can be really high for some models.

Our verdict: 

It might not be the flashiest item on this list, but it is a good investment if your home suffers from damp. They're also one of the more expensive items on this list, so unless your accommodation has a damp problem, you probably don't need to bend over backwards to get one.

We wouldn't recommend spending more than £300 on one.

Are “uni starter packs” worth it?

What should I take to university?

Be sure to check your university's website if you're having trouble remembering what to pack – they might have a checklist or tips on their student life pages. UCAS has tips on what to pack, too.

source https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/which-top-university-picks-aeE4o1D37RiS