Essential cookware for a student kitchen

A lot of students don't get the best press when it comes to cooking. In reality, even a professional chef would be lost with a cupboard full of broken or rusted pots and pans. Let us help you get a good start by finding the best and healthiest dorm kitchen necessities. No matter if you’re moving into student halls or a shared house, a simple set of essentials will ensure that regardless of how underprepared you might feel for university, you’ll have all the tools needed to cook yourself a decent meal at the end of each day.

Whether it’s you or a loved one about to start university, there is so much to think about and plan. It’s important to pack the right kit, so here’s our guide to the essential cookware for a student kitchen, including all the crucial pots, pans, and utensils to help bring out your inner head chef.

It’s a well-known fact that rice is one of the staples of student diets because it’s easy to cook and goes with pretty much anything. You can make cooking rice even easier by purchasing a decent rice cooker, like the VonShef Electric Rice Cooker, which has a 300ml capacity making it perfect for portion control. Or, if you prefer to cook for a crowd in your halls, you could opt for the 1.8L Rice Cooker & Steamer Pot, capable of making up to 8 cups of perfect fluffy rice in just 25 minutes – a student’s dream.

Next is a set of essential pots and pans - if you're an undergrad with a tight budget, bulk buying makes sense, especially when it comes to pots, pans, and kitchen utensils. Your pan sets should preferably be non-stick, to ensure that even if one of your fellow trainee chefs leaves your pots in a mess, you won’t need to worry about your pans being ruined.

And if you invest in a set of non-stick pans, you are also guaranteed healthier meals as the non-stick interior requires less cooking oil. All of our essential pan sets have highly engineered induction bases, so even when you leave behind the burned electric rings of student accommodation to greener pastures, you can take your pans with you as they’re adaptable to all hob types, even induction!

What’s the use of cooking up some lovely rice and veg to eat and having nothing to eat it off? Plates and bowls are definitely essential in a student kitchen, and this is another scenario where buying in bulk is a great idea. This is also an area where you can show a bit more of your personality – you don’t just have to go for the plain white dinner plates when there are so many colours and patterns out there to choose from.

You could pick an exciting pattern, or even go classy with some marble-effect dinnerware like our 12pc Melamine Dinner set. The white and grey marble design adds a touch of elegance to your student kitchen table, and the melamine material makes it durable while maintaining that porcelain look. They are also great for packing up and taking out with you on a picnic or impromptu camping trip with your new friends.

Silverware is another necessary kitchen item that young students can’t live without. Knives, forks, spoons, and teaspoons are indispensable in a student kitchen for all the late-night coffees, the early morning toast, and occasional late morning eggs.

You can match your silverware with your dinnerware too if you’re feeling particularly put together, but most importantly you need to ensure that your silverware won’t damage your dinnerware – the 12pc Matte Black Dinner Set is constructed from heat-resistant, durable ceramic, which means this set is microwave, and dishwasher safe.

Now that we’ve covered most of the essentials, it’s time to take a look at some of the different kitchen utensils you can get to spice things up and spread your culinary wings now that you’ve flown the nest. 

Still, figuring out portion sizes? Why not make things easier and invest in some airtight food containers or even ovenproof ones like our 2pc Glass Ovenproof Containers? Whether you're trying your hand at making a lasagne for the first time or just baking some veggies, these containers are up to the job. As they’re both air and water-tight, there will be no nasty spills or food smells getting mixed up in the shared fridge!

For simple one-pot meals, lidded saucepans are useful, while double non-stick pieces make cleaning up a breeze. Our 15 Piece Aluminium Cookware Set is ideal for budding new chefs, as it includes 3 different sized saucepans with lids and two different frying pans. A pizza cutter and cheese grater are among the smaller items included that you can't live without. One of the best features is that the saucepans and frying pans can be used on any type of hob, including induction hobs, because you never know what kind of hob you’ll have until you get there!

Know any students starting or heading back to university this year and wondering what to get them for Christmas?  Well, you can’t go wrong with some thoughtful kitchen gifts! As most students are just starting their adult lives, there is nothing nicer than having a beautiful but practical gift to help stock their new flats and houses.

Why not help them bring out their inner barista with a premium cafetière to help power through late night study sessions? Try our 3 Cup Cafetiere with Spoon, which is so easy to use: simply scoop in your favourite ground coffee and add the required amount of boiling water.

In just 4 minutes your coffee will be ready to filter - use the specially designed plunger to sieve out the ground coffee from your brew and enjoy. Or go for our 8 Cup Cafetiere with Spoon Costa Coffee Bundle for a gift that will give them a real buzz. 

For the ideal student kitchen Christmas gift that will likely last them their entire university career (and hopefully beyond), go for a cast-iron casserole dish.

These resilient and versatile pans can only improve with age, and they are ideal for any student meal, particularly for those who don’t have the greatest reputation in the kitchen!

Cast iron dishes have superior strength, conductivity and heat retention, and with the Grey 3.8L Cast Iron Casserole Dish from VonShef, you are also guaranteed a non-stick enamel interior which ensures nothing can stick or burn! You can even opt for a more festive red colour with our red ombre 6.4L Cast Iron Casserole Dish.

If students are known for anything, it’s probably their partying! Why not help the student in your life keep their partying classy with some professional barware as a kitchen Christmas gift?

Cocktail shakers, drinks dispensers, and novelty glasses are all gorgeous additions to a student kitchen and their party lifestyle. For the cocktail lovers, try one of our stunning cocktail sets, including the Manhattan Cocktail Set in a classy silver, or the Iridescent Cocktail Set in rainbow steel.

Whatever style you have, ensuring that you have the essential university kitchen set makes healthy and exciting meals a certainty – plus mum won’t have to worry about you not eating well!

Our VonHaus collection of kitchen essentials helps you cover all the bases, whilst also leaving room in your cupboards for some of our more exciting kitchen utensils and gadgets. Alternatively, for more cooking inspiration, head on over to our blog.