Kitchen equipment for a student.

[Joanbunting Profile]

Jersey GD has just started he first term at uni and I would like to give her something to help her with food prep. She is a more than decent cook, is living in halls with a kitchen between 5. They are not allowed toasters and such things in their rooms but I suspect that whatever she has will be safer stored in the room and not left in the kitchen.

I want to pay about £50,00. What would you buy - she has things like knives and a couple of pans ?

[Binky Profile]

My nephews at university like the toaster bags from Lakeland. You can make a lovely, late-night oozy cheese toasted sandwich without having to worry about mess (they're about £5, I think).

A small microplane to grate chocolate over puddings or parmesan cheese (and will lend flavour and interest to soups, pasta dishes, salads etc) is something else I would buy. Students don't think of these things. Are they about £15?

There is always bound to be left-over food, so a set of good quality containers that can be labelled and left in the fridge. Ours are ancient Tupperware, but there must be a modern equivalent.

If none of those appeal, a young female relative loves her Nutribullet. It's an easy way to get fruit and veg into the diet, and washing up is easy (something important to busy students). However, they are over your stated budget limit so you'd have to look out in your local Aldi for their equivalent (I have seen them for £20 in the UK).

[Stokey Sue Profile]

You could get a decent slow cooker from somewhere like Argos from about £20
https://www.argos.co.uk/browse/appliances/small-cooking-appliances/slow-cookers/c:29573/

With only 5 to a kitchen that should be ok left switched on

Our top thing was coffee making equipment.

I think woks are also good? Stir fries good student fodder; need the flat bottomed kind that works on an electric hob as they are never let loose on gas. Again, Argos or Amazon would have a good choice. Although I am a fan of carbon steel woks generally, I’d go for one that her kitchen sharers can’t reduce to a lump of rust for her

[scullion Profile]

two of the things i bought for mine when they went to uni, and that were used, were the slow cooker, as sue suggests, and a stick blender - leftovers can always be made into soup and put in a flask for the following day.
the other thing that got nicked from our kitchen was the pasta pot - students eat a lot of pasta - a big pot with an integral drainer is useful for more than just pasta.
oh yes, they also used a pressure cooker quite a lot.

[Binky Profile]

coffee making equipment in my house is a glass cafetiere and a bag of good quality ground coffee. Not expensive to buy and easy to use, so I think a good idea for students.

[jeral Profile]

I'd suggest an IOU until GD has had time to settle into routine, or the lack of one, to give her chance to figure out what she could most do with or misses from mum's kitchen.

There's little point in things that mean extra clutter or things you'd feel you have to guard with your life so as not to upset gran. I couldn't even list all the things my son somehow lost although weirdly he seemed to go through bath towels at a rate of knots.

[Amyw Profile]

I’d definitely go for a little slow cooker . Ideal for curries, chillis etc . A woks a good idea too A’s stir fries are very popular and quick/cheap too. Some pretty wine glasses/tumblers might be nice for pre drinking sessions .

Just as a little novelty , you can get nice hot chocolare sets with a cute mug, chocolate sprinkles , marshmallows etc , so every time she uses the mug she thinks of you

[Badger's Mate Profile]

I used to keep a slow cooker in my room in halls. Once, a batch of braised red cabbage caused a scare, people walking along the corridor reported a gas leak

[Joanbunting Profile]

Thanks for the suggestions. She doesn't drink coffee or tea so maybe a fizzy water maker
I had wondered about this:
https://www.lakeland.co.uk/31822/Lakela ... ooker-1-8L.

I thought I would send a Lakeland gift voucher and make a few suggestions then she can choose.

[Sakkarin Profile]

I know it's sacrilege, but probably a microwave oven!

I was trying to work out the other day what I'd need if I downsized dramatically, and realised a microwave was pretty high on the list, I'd say more so if a student, and time was at a premium.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Won’t there be a microwave in the kitchen? Standard equipment these days I’d have thought

[smitch Profile]

Should be a microwave, there was one in my (catered) halls back in 2001.

I'm trying to remember my days organising accommodation tours in a previous role, I'm sure there was at least one microwave in self-catering kitchens. I've just had a look at our accommodation office website and the photos of catered kitchens do show microwaves. Our accommodation isn't great, so I'm sure if we offer it, other unis will do too.

[Pepper Pig Profile]

I’d have a cheap non stick pan and a cheese grater. Plus a chopping board. I kitted each of my lot out at IKEA because I knew nothing that returned home after three years would be usable.

[Sakkarin Profile]

Ah, I missed the "kitchen between 5" in the OP...

[jeral Profile]

A microwave (provided) was all that was allowed in my son's uni + a kettle. No hot plates or anything else electric being deemed a fire risk.

Halls tenure might be for only a year before having to find alternative rented accommodation which might have more kitchen equipment anyway (e.g. cooker, pots and pans).

An open IOU or a fallback named bank account might be worth offering. It can be very hard to manage a budget initially - and even harder to admit not managing to mum and dad as if falling at the first hurdle.

[Joanbunting Profile]

She messaged me yesterday to say she really would like the multicooker so it's on it's way. I have no fears about her managing her finances. She has been working Saturdays and in holidays to save to go to uni and her mum is a chartered accountant !!

[jeral Profile]

I'm sure the multicooker will serve her well

As for finances, putting knowledge and reality together doesn't always equate at least initially but as long as GD can go to someone without embarrassment it's a good feel safe comfort assurance.

[Otterspocket Profile]

My niece started two weeks ago , among the things I got her were a set of small coloured coded chopping boards in a stand , a good general purpose knife , plastic storage containers that stored into one meat unit , a colander , wok and some wooden spoons and spatulas

[Rainbow Profile]

My niece started two weeks ago , among the things I got her were a set of small coloured coded chopping boards in a stand , a good general purpose knife , plastic storage containers that stored into one meat unit , a colander , wok and some wooden spoons and spatulas

She's a lucky girl to have such a generous aunty

And the multi cooker sounds like a really useful present too, Joan