After years of study, revision and exams, the road to university is in its final leg.
A-level exam results were released on August 13 this year, with millions finding out exactly where their hard work is taking them next.
Oxford or Cambridge, Imperial or King’s, Bristol or Warwick; whatever cathedral of academic excellence is beckoning, it’s time to get properly excited - and time to prepare for the adventure that is halls living.
For the vast majority, setting yourself up in a hall of residence is the first time you’ll have lived away from home. You’ll not only have new neighbours, but new flatmates as you find your feet in a brand new city. Some creature comforts are essential to help you settle in, alongside all the practical kit you need to eat, sleep, bathe and live independently.
Your new room may come furnished with the basics - think single bed, some storage, cheap crockery and basic cleaning supplies - there are some things you’ll want to take fresh from the packet.
Bedroom essentials include cosy bedding that will serve you just as well in the depths of winter as they will in spring and autumn when the weather turns. A few trinkets to brighten up your desk will make it a more inviting place to study. Reliable tech that will keep you connected and entertained is as essential as a decent set of pots and pans to stop you from spending your entire student loan on takeaways before the end of term.
Have a root around your garden shed for camping equipment that can be repurposed and packed up for halls - think lights, folding chairs for new friends and Bluetooth speakers that won’t overwhelm your room.
There’s a lot to think about, and to ensure you don’t miss anything essential, we’ve put together the ultimate halls shopping guide for freshers. Because while Amazon offers express delivery (not to mention half-price Student Prime Membership), it won’t be able to do much when you emerge from your first shower to realise you’ve forgotten to pack towels.
Below, we’ve split up the list by categories to make it easier to shop, making sure we stick to a student-friendly price point across the board - with one or two exceptions for luxuries where we think it’s worth the splash.
Our maxim? Buy well, live well - yes, even at uni.
Shop now
Best budget microwave oven under £200 for kitchen convenience
Best cheap TVs for quality on a budget
Best laptops for students to buy for quality at an affordable price
Best frozen meals to fill your freezer with tasty and easy to heat classics
Best inflatable camping furniture: Comfy couches, beds and chairs for the great outdoors
Student tech essentials
Echo Show 8 (Newest gen)
Why buy a product that can only do one thing when Amazon’s Echo is so great at wearing multiple hats? This bedside companion has it all, from an 8-inch screen that can display time, date and temperature, to a stereo speaker that allows you to play music, the radio or talk to folks back at home. The smart assistant speaker can even set your alarm for you just by issuing a simple voice command. It doesn’t get higher spec than this.
Buy now £149.00, Amazon
Ultimate Ears Miniroll speaker
For a palm-sized speaker, this gadget makes its presence felt the second you turn it on. Large controls on the front make it easy to tweak the volume, cranking it up or down as the party demands, while simple on/off and play/pause buttons on the side keep things simple.
It’s built for the outdoors, and will survive splashes, drops and dusty environments, making it the perfect portable tent sound system when you’re crashing about between festival sets. The design is sealed apart from the USB-C charging port, which you can seal with Blu Tack if you’re really worried about water or dust working its way in.
It can reach a max of 87dB, which is very loud indeed, reaching a range of 40m. Pick a crowd-pleasing track, and party on.
Buy now £46.97, Amazon
Belkin 15000mAh Battery Pack - Black
Going out of town for a couple of days with no access to power? Don’t sweat it, just pack Belkin’s 15,000mAh battery, which is enough to load up a state-of-the-art smartphone up to five times, all from a deceptively demure-looking 340g durable plastic case.
That equates to around 43 hours of call time or more than 30 hours of web browsing. Impressed yet? Just in case you need more of a reason to invest in this model, the power bank also boasts two universal USB-A ports and 5V 3.4 amps.
As well as smartphones and tablets, it can also revive smartwatches, fitness bands, headphones, portable speakers, action cameras like GoPros - even small drones. It has temperature regulation to prevent overheating and four LED indicators which let you know how much power is left within.
Well thought out and designed by one of the most trusted names in tech, Belkin’s lightweight battery pack is a sound tech investment you can rely on in the years to come.
Buy now £29.95, Amazon
Seenda Foldable Bluetooth Keyboard
Perfect for working remotely or on the move, this tri-folding keyboard unfurls into a full-size design and comes complete with a touchpad mouse with the ability to right-hand and left-hand click.
The compact folded dimensions make it easy to slip into a weekend bag or backpack, and it pairs with any Bluetooth-supporting device, including iOS and Android handsets. It even comes with a collapsible phone stand to help you create a mini workstation when you’re away from home.
I have very few grumbles about this folding keyboard; it’s probably the most useful thing I’ve ever bought from Amazon. The touchpad mouse takes a little getting used to and it would be nice to see this keyboard in more colours, but these are minor criticisms.
Similarly, the two-hour charge time is a small price to pay for 150 days of battery life on standby mode. In all, this folding keyboard is an excellent piece of tech that will raise productivity levels when you’re remote working in the truest sense - and all at a price you just can’t quibble with.
Buy now £34.19, Amazon
Student bedroom essentials
Silentnight Deep Sleep 5cm Single Mattress Topper
Make a lumpy Halls bed feel brand new. How? A mattress topper is your undercover secret. They’re much lighter outlay than forking out for a new mattress, and you can easily take it with you when you move in your second year. Silentnight’s Deep Sleep design is a plush 5cm thick and comes with easy-fit straps to keep it secure when you’re asleep.
Buy now £29.99, Amazon
Slumberdown All Seasons 3-in-1 Single Duvet
You'll need a good duvet to go over that bed, but one that will see you through all seasons. Slumberdown's design is made up of two duvets that you can clip together or use separately, giving you three options to play with. Combined, the cosiest pairing is 13.5 tog.
Buy now £22.00, Amazon
The Simba Hybrid Pillow
Simba has revolutionised the pillow game by creating a customisable design that has made it easier than ever to achieve the perfect level of height, firmness and support to match your sleeping patterns - whether you doze off on your side, back or front.
The pillow comes with hundreds of the brand’s specially designed Nanocubes that you can add or remove. This also comes in handy for temperature regulation as they are crafted from an open-cell foam to facilitate impressive airflow.
Buy now £100.99, Amazon
Piglet in Bed Botanical Green Gingham Linen Blend Duvet Cover
It’s not cheap, but look, high-quality bedding rarely is. Piglet in Bed is one of my favourite places to pick up bed linen that’s so nice, I have trouble getting out of bed in the morning (for all the right reasons).
The linen blend is cosy and comfortable against the skin, getting softer with every wash. Duvet covers, pillowcases and bed sheets are all sold separately too, so you can buy a few bits to go with what you’ve already got, or splurge on a bundle.
Whichever option you pick, you won’t regret it.
Buy now £139.00, Piglet in Bed
Loop earplugs Quiet 2
These are a popular choice for those looking for ear protection on a budget. With nine products in the range, Loop’s Quiet 2 are said to be best for “deep focus, travel, commutes, and napping”.
They’re ideal for clubs, loud transport, and travel, as they’re ultra-light and easy to carry around (they come in a small disc travel case). They also come in four stylish colours.
Loop’s distinct style means the earplugs sit comfortably in the ear with the signature loop shape on display from the side; from a distance, they look like they’re part of a curated ear.. While they won’t offer full sound protection, they’re a great choice for day-to-day protection if you live in a noisy city or attend loud events.
Buy now £19.95, Amazon
Addison Ross Block Bobbin LED lamp
The demand for cordless lamps shows no sign of dimming, and now luxury homewares brand Addison Ross has thrown its hat into the ring.
The offering? A 30cm tall model that echoes the playful curves of its bobbin shakers with an LED light at the top and a simple USB-C port for charging at the base.
A full charge offers 10 hours of light, which you can adjust through three light levels to help you create the right mood, and it comes with some charge straight out of the box, so you can set it up right away instead of waiting for it to power up in the dark.
It's perfect for illuminating twilight feasts or making your space feel more inviting without running wires everywhere.
Buy now £125.00, Addison Ross
Student bathroom essentials
Christy Supreme Hygro Refresh Bundle
One towel for halls just won't do - you'll need to wash it at some point. Keep another bath-sized towel in your rotation and plenty more smaller towels on hand with this Christys bundle. You'll get a pair of face cloths, two hand towels, and two bath towels in the colours of your choice, which should help you tell them apart from your flatmates'.
Buy now £106.00, Christy
SURI Sustainable Electric Toothbrush
The global burden of plastic waste and cost of using a manual (the average manual toothbrush costs approximately £1.50 and should be replaced every three to four months as stated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which equals £4.50 per year as opposed to SURI’s 94p annual equivalent based on the average life-span), means that switching to SURI really is a no brainer.
I’m a SURI convert. This brush delivers dentist-approved results while causing zero harm to the planet. The brush is low-maintenance yet high-functioning and doesn't feature any unnecessary bells and whistles that would ramp up the price tag. The incredible 40-day battery life is also a big draw, especially if you’re a regular traveller.
Brush time has never been so scintillating. My teeth feel cleaner than ever. And ultimately, if it’s good enough for Gwynnie - it’s good enough for me.
Buy now £95.00, Amazon
SFXULIX Large Capacity Travel Cosmetic Bag
If you're not lucky enough to score an en-suite room for halls, carting your things back and forth to the shared bathroom is going to get old fast. Keep bathroom bits safe from other people's splashes with this waterproof beauty bag instead. It's large enough to accommodate essentials like razors, dental floss and extra toothbrush heads along with a few choice toiletries. Cheap (but crucially, doesn't look it), and available in a wide choice of colours.
Buy now £12.33, Amazon
Student kitchen essentials
Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer
Best for: portable fresh cooking
Ninja’s latest air fryer is a dream and I wish I had it sooner, as I think back to all those dry chicken meals I choked down while prepping for my last bodybuilding show. It’s perfect for anyone who is on a diet, meal-prepping or travelling but doesn’t want to sacrifice taste or quality.
Ninja is elite when it comes to air frying - and the Crispi offers versatility, whether you prefer air frying, roasting, keeping food warm or recrisping leftovers. Even when you’re not travelling, it’s especially useful for smaller kitchens since it combines multiple functions in one appliance. The glass containers are durable, thermal-shock resistant, and surprisingly easy to clean.
However, there are a couple of downsides. The crisper plates, particularly the rubber feet, feel brittle and can wear down with continued use.
It isn’t wireless since it uses a recharegable battery, so not as portable as I thought. You will need a power socket to use it. That said, the cooking performance is brilliant, and it’s a solid choice for anyone looking to make quick, crispy meals on the move or lacking space in the kitchen.
Was: £179.99
Buy now £104.80, Amazon
Our Place Wonder Oven
Best for: aesthetics
The six-in-one appliance from Our Place comes with an air frying function, but it can also bake, roast, toast, reheat, and broil, making it an invaluable piece of kitchen tech.
The compact dimensions make it ideal for small households or spaces - for instance, you could feasibly use it in a caravan as long as you have mains power. A nifty reheat function means you can get rid of your microwave. Steam infusion ensures food comes out crispy on the outside and juicy inside: the best combination for everything from fries and wings to cookies.
Comes with a one-year warranty and a 100-day trial period.
Buy now £195.00, Amazon
Our Place Ultimate Cookware Set
Best for: style and function
As cult as cookware gets, Our Place offers beautifully designed, non-toxic cookware for the busy and space-strapped home chef.
Most pieces offer a multifunctional element, which means you can donate tatty and handed-down kit, freeing up space in your kitchen cupboards. This bundle is ideal for moving home, heading to uni, or if you just want a uniform look across your cookware tools.
For your money, you'll get mini and full sizes of the Always Pan and Perfect Pot, plus a versatile Griddle Pan and ceramic baking dishes. There's not a drop of PTFEs, PFOAs, other PFAS, lead, and cadmium in sight, with the non-stick coating being crafted from ceramic instead.
The set comes in a variety of colours, offering a nice change from the usual black and silver options. We adore the lavender look; an easy way to inject some fun and colour into your next meal prep.
Buy now £395.00, Our Place
Mepal Multi Bowl Cirqula 3-Piece Set
Sick of the same old plastic boxes? Try Mepal, a set of food-safe boxes offered in a range of bright colours, so you can organise food by type - or just add some cheer to your freezer drawers.
Hues aside, each one offers an airtight seal that can be placed in the fridge or freezer, microwaved, put in the dishwasher or used as servewear (something to remember when we start picnicking again).
The three-piece set comprises a 750ml, 1500ml and 3000ml box, so you've got options for meal prep and bulk cooking as well as lunch.
Buy now £32.66, Amazon
Kitchen Gadgets 5 Pieces Space Saving Kitchen Accessories
Short on space, but not on culinary ambition? This space-saving set of utensils has the most popular pieces in one bundle, from a veg peeler and mini grater to a bottle opener. Perfect for small spaces like student kitchens or taking with you on your next camping trip, they’re made from robust ABS plastic and have been designed with lefties as well as righties in mind.
Buy now £9.43, Amazon
Tianlong 4pcs Mini Foldable Desk Crates Storage Box
Homeware hounds know these collapsible crates have been in every millennial-friendly interiors from Wandsworth to West Ham. With an appealing retro feel, they’re the sort of storage you won’t mind keeping in plain sight. This bundle of four comes in sweet pastel shades, offering an easy way to add a splash of colour as well as sort your knick knacks.
Buy now £8.99, Amazon
Student store cupboard essentials
COOK
Hand-prepared and quickly frozen to lock in the nutrients, COOK has turned our heads with its selection of dishes to stick in the freezer and save us from the lure of a takeaway. The company has developed a series of meal boxes that contain everything needed for a delicious and nutritious meal at home.
Options include Meal boxes for one, which comprise 14 options, including hearty, robust dishes like chilli con carne, fish pie and a roasted veg lasagne. Stash them in the freezer, ready for rainy day meals or something quick and healthy when you haven’t got time to cook from scratch.
Buy now £80.97, COOK
Craveable by Seema Pankhania
The days of living on beans on toast are over, thanks to viral chef Seema Pankhania. Her first cookbook is full of flavourbomb recipes that fit the bill, however you're feeling - in the mood for savoury, sweet, or just something to soak up the student union bar hangover.
Buy now £17.03, Amazon
The Spice Tailor Indian Curry Cooking Sauce Kit 6-Pack Mixed Selection
Easily found on most supermarket shelves, The Spice Tailor (from TV chef Anjum Anand) is one of the simplest kits to follow with no more than three steps to guide you to dinnertime glory. I’ve tried the Butter Chicken, Tikka Masala and Black Daal kits and was so impressed by the results coming out of my kitchen without breaking a sweat.
Kits typically include packets of dry spices, and perhaps two ready-made simple sauces to add at specified intervals. Instructions are kept streamlined and simple, meaning more adventurous types can customise with extra veg or spices if they like - I threw in some chopped tomato that needed using up into my daal. It doesn’t baby you either and leaves you to sort your own sides, adding to the sense of independence.
This six-pack bundle is themed on famous Indian curries, but the brand also offers Japanese and Chinese cooking kits amongst others.
Buy now £26.50, Amazon
itsu King Prawn Gyoza 12 Dinner Dumplings
A good dumpling can turn a meal - or a day - around. Now you can make restaurant-style ones at home thanks to Itsu's at-home range.
While they come in lots of flavours, this king prawn version is the one you'll most often slung into our shopping basket. They're packed with juicy chunks of prawn with a little chilli to contrast against their natural sweetness.
You can have them in soups and broths, but we like them part steamed, part pan-fried with crispy little bottoms.
Buy now £4.45, Waitrose
Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Special Selection Olive Oil 500ml
A towering name in the wonderful world of EVOO, Italy's Filippo Berio needs no introduction - at least, not to foodies.
The brand is one of the best-rated olive oil producers, with this EVOO as much of a status symbol as a Kitchenaid on the counter or Sonos sound system in the lounge. Smooth and complex, the oil has a light flavour that makes it ideal for dipping and dressing.
If you wish to cook with it, the good news is that you only need a little to get things nicely sizzling.
Buy now £5.00, Amazon
Ottolenghi Garlic, Date & Scotch Bonnet Marinade
Whether used to zhush up a salad, fried egg, or to marinate chicken overnight, Ottolenghi’s latest pre-made marinade is a veritable spicy yet balanced delight. Described by Ottolenghi as a “friendship of opposites”, fermented garlic balances the spice of the scotch bonnet, while date molasses adds a subtle hint of sweetness.
Buy now £4.00, Waitrose
Vitabiotics WellTeen Multivitamin Tablets
Instant noodles may be quick to prepare and tasty to inhale (especially when you’re ravenous), but they won’t do you many favours nutritionally speaking.
Balance the scales by stashing some Vitabiotics WellTeen supplements in your cupboard to give your immune system a boost. This one comes packed with iron to support making red blood cells and a cocktail of 24 other nutrients to keep you boosted when you’re burning the candle at both ends.
Buy now £7.55, Amazon
