ARTICLE
6 game-changing kitchen gadgets for uni life
February 20, 2024-3 min read
Tired of two-minute noodles and takeaway pizza? These kitchen gadgets will help you create tasty, convenient and cheap meals to rival any meal delivery. Think versatile stick mixers to blend smoothies and pancake batter, the classic sandwich press, and even egg cookers to make breakfast a breeze (because who really knows how to poach an egg?).
Whether you’re cooking for the house or making Monday night meals for one, these six genius gadgets will give you instant kudos in the kitchen.
Genius Gadget #1: The Air Fryer
No chips are crispier than those emerging from an air fryer drawer. This benchtop appliance works a lot like an oven to perfectly roast, cook and fry foods with the magic of rapid hot air circulation. Easy to use and easier to clean, this uni cooking essential has your late-night snacks sorted. Think chocolate brownies or french toast, party snacks and many other surprising air fryer eats.
Shop Air Fryers
Tefal Easy Fry Classic Air Fryer
Philips Air Fryer Essential Compact
Russell Hobbs 5.7 Litres Brooklyn Air Fryer
Genius Gadget #2: The Sandwich Press
Your toasties are in good hands with this expert appliance. Don't take a chance on a charred sandwich – warm-up and ready lights indicate the perfect temperature and toastiness. You and your mates’ meals are sorted, with space for up to four sandwiches at once, while a slim design lets you slip it in the cupboard after lunchtime.
Prefer a gourmet sandwich? Adjustable height control means you can seal the ham and cheese with anything from sandwich bread to thick-cut sourdough. For lazy student cooking, the humble sandwich press doubles as a non-stick hotplate for frying Sunday morning bacon and eggs.
Shop Sandwich Presses
Breville the Toast & Melt Sandwich Press
Sunbeam Cafe Style Sandwich Maker 4 Slice
Genius Gadget #3: The Egg Cooker
Whether you’re a soft boiled, hard boiled or poached kind of person, you can add up to eight eggs at once and let the egg cooker do its thing. You can even cook an omelette! Egg cookers are not just for eggs, either – pop in the vegetable steaming rack for easy dinner prep. “Appliances like egg cookers are a blessing for small student kitchens. Savvy features such as built-in timers and automatic switch-off make mealtimes easy and speedy,” says Tracey Ellis, The Good Guys Buyer – Portable Appliances.
“Appliances like egg cookers are a blessing for small student kitchens. Savvy features such as built-in timers and automatic switch-off make mealtimes easy and speedy.”
Shop Egg Cookers
Kambrook 3 Way Compact Egg Cooker
Sunbeam Poach & Boil Egg Cooker
Genius Gadget #4: The Capsule Coffee Machine
All those morning cafe runs add up. Get a budget-friendly caffeine hit with a capsule coffee machine. Sleek designs look pretty on your benchtop, while a simple set-up dispenses barista-quality coffee with the press of a button. Made for missed alarms and coffee on call, these machines heat up in as little as 25 seconds. For convenient uni living, choose from a library of capsules to flavour your cap, latte or long black.
Shop Capsule Coffee Machines
Lavazza Jolie Plus Espresso Gun Metal
Nescafe Dolce Gusto Dolce Gusto S Plus Black Machine
Nespresso Essenza Mini Solo Capsule Machine
Genius Gadget #5: The Stick Mixer
Save on the elbow grease and grab a stick mixer for all your blending, whisking, stirring and chopping needs. As the compact cousin of Mum’s hand mixer, this handy tool has a single shaft for mixing in bowls and cups to save you extra washing up. When it comes to cleaning, just give the blades a rinse or pop them in the dishwasher. A host of attachments make it your one-stop prop – it can blend your breakfast smoothie, chop ice for frozen cocktails and much more.
Shop Stick Mixers
Kambrook Turbo Boost Stick Mixer
Kenwood Triblade XL Plus Hand Blender
Braun MultiQuick 3 Hand Blender
Genius Gadget #6: The Rice Cooker
Whip up a week’s worth of rice in a rice cooker. Use fresh and fluffy rice to level up your stir-fry while saving on meal-prep labour. Rice is also super cheap to buy, so your budget will thank you, too! Some rice cookers can handle up to 10 servings at once, so you can share it around or store leftovers in the fridge for later. Friends running late for dinner? The stay-warm mode keeps cooked rice warm until you’re ready to serve.
Shop Rice Cookers
Kambrook Rice Express 5 Cup Rice Cooker
Russell Hobbs Turbo Rice Cooker
For a student-savvy kitchen, visit The Good Guys in-store and online. Got the gadgets? Get the budget-friendly recipes to match, and make your student meals all-round winners.
