High-Tech Dorm Room Essentials Every Student Needs

From Google Drive to Dropbox, there are countless ways to store your documents in the cloud. But if you have a sizable media or document library, backing it up on an external hard drive is a good idea. It’s just too easy to kill your laptop with a drop or spilled drink, especially in a tiny dorm room. The WD My Passport 5TB goes for less than $150, but if you don’t need quite that much storage, you can choose a 1TB, 2TB, or 4TB model. (Here are the best external hard drives for Macs.)

We strongly recommend carrying emergency supplies to your campus activities. The Tech Kit(Opens in a new window) from Pinch Provisions contains a 2-in-1 charging cable, USB wall charger, microfiber cleaning cloth, phone/tablet stand, webcam cover, and more.

Hopefully, you have tons of friends, but that doesn’t mean you can’t add one more: Alexa. A smart speaker like the fits-anywhere Amazon Echo Pop(Opens in a new window) shouts out the answers for you when you have pressing questions, reads to you, guides you through meditation, and even orders you a pizza. It also serves as a speaker for music and podcasts. And if you have any Alexa-controlled devices in your room, you can use it to control them.

Whether you’re making TikToks, taking classes via video, or starting up a vlogging career in your spare time, this Sutefoto Smartphone Vlogging Kit(Opens in a new window) has all you need (well, except for a 3.5mm adapter for phones that don’t have headphone jacks).

Dorm rooms may be small, but they attract an outsize share of dirt. You could break your back trying to reach every nook and cranny with a handheld vacuum, or you could schedule a clean-up session with an automated helper. Robot vacuums are usually pricey, but the iLife A9 Robot Vacuum costs less than $100 and can be controlled by your phone.

A space as cramped as a dorm room is bound to have some cleanliness issues. The Townew Trash Can helps keep odors in check: This smart trashcan senses when the bag is nearly full and replaces it with a fresh new one, a boon for busy college students.

Let’s be real; we have far too many electronic devices and, chances are, not enough plugs in a dorm room. The TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip HS300 offers six outlets for your laptop, a light, your minifridge, and any other appliance that needs one. An additional three USB Type-A ports can charge your phone or power a reading light. This smart surge protector works with most personal assistants to set schedules and even shut off specific plugs independently of other devices.

The Tech Smart Avalon Faux Headboard(Opens in a new window) from Pottery Barn Teen has a USB port and a three-prong outlet built in, so you can text, stream, and study from bed without your devices running low. It attaches to a wall with included velcro mounting and comes in six colors.

If you need to save milk or fruit for breakfast, or keep any other food cold, the Galanz Retro Compact Refrigerator(Opens in a new window) is both adorable and useful. It fits easily into cramped quarters, contains a good amount of food, and even has a small freezer compartment for ice-cube trays and a frozen meal or two. If your roommates “borrow” anything, they can leave a note on the front.

Don’t let that coffee get cold and stale. The Ember Mug 2(Opens in a new window) smart mug keeps it at your preferred temperature as long as your cup is full.

Don’t let all your money go down the drain. Save some laundry-day quarters with the compact Malamaa Foldable Washing Machine(Opens in a new window), which can wash several items of clothing at a time. It folds down to a small square when it’s not in use.

You might not think you have any space for a clothes dryer, but the Letton Portable Clothes Dryer(Opens in a new window) requires just a small place to hang when it’s in use. It folds down to next to nothing afterward. The Letton handles a few light items and doesn’t require any special hookups.

In college, there are far more pressing matters than making sure your clothes aren’t wrinkled—unless you have to go on a job interview, lead a campus tour, or have a meeting with the dean. The PurSteam(Opens in a new window) can get clothes looking neat without taking up as much room or time as an iron and ironing board.

This lap desk(Opens in a new window) gives you a study surface anywhere. It has a place for all your devices, so you can type on your laptop while comfortably using a mouse and also keep a tablet or phone propped up next to the screen. There’s even a place to slide in a stylus or pen.

The Unitree Pump(Opens in a new window) is a smart gym that can go anywhere. It takes the place of dumbbells, barbells, and leg extenders. Using its app, you can get a full-body workout. The Unitree Pump has reverse charging, too, so as you exercise, the device gets pumped up too.