Know someone heading off to uni?
There’s a very long list of things they apparently “need”.
Six matching wine glasses? They’ll have one left by October.
A 12-piece saucepan set? Ambitious.
A tiny decorative plant? Dead by Freshers’ Week.
Forget the Pinterest uni kitchen. If you’re helping them pack, or looking for a genuinely useful leaving gift, start with the stuff they’ll actually use.
1. Something That Makes Dinner With Minimal Effort
Daewoo 2L Compact Single Drawer Air Fryer
First week of uni: “I’m going to cook proper meals every night.”
Third week: chips.
The Daewoo 2L Compact Air Fryer is made for exactly this level of ambition. Its compact size makes sense in smaller kitchens, while simple manual controls mean you don't need a degree to work it.
Chips, chicken, veggies, leftovers. Chuck it in, turn the dial and get back to the important stuff.
Like avoiding the reading they said they'd do yesterday.
Shop the Daewoo 2L Compact Air Fryer
2. A Toastie Maker
Daewoo 2 Portion Sandwich Toastie Maker
Bread. Cheese. Whatever else is hanging around in the fridge.
Congratulations, they've made dinner.
A toastie maker is there for the mornings they've slept through their alarm, the post-night-out hunger and the evenings when cooking anything involving standing and a saucepan is off the cards.
Shop the Daewoo 2 Portion Sandwich Toastie Maker
3. The Very Obvious Stuff Everyone Forgot
Daewoo Grey Kensington Jug Kettle & 2-Slice Toaster Set
You’ve got the fancy kit. New bedding. Plates. Storage boxes. Possibly enough stationery to last until retirement.
But how are they making a brew in the morning?
The Daewoo Kensington Kettle & Toaster Set covers two uni essentials in one: caffeine before a 9am lecture and toast after a 2am night out.
Not glamorous. Will be used approximately 400 times more than the garlic press.
Shop the Daewoo Grey Kensington Kettle & 2-Slice Toaster Set
4. A Way to Dry Three Weeks' Worth of Washing
Daewoo Medium 3 Tier Electric Heated Clothes Airer
They could do a sensible load of washing every week.
Or they could wait until they've run out of clean underwear and wash their entire wardrobe at once.
For option two, there's this.
With three tiers and room for up to 30kg of laundry, the Daewoo Heated Airer gives you plenty of drying space without relying on the tumble dryer. It folds down too, which is rather useful when your bedroom is already the size of a cupboard.
5. Something to Drown Out Your Flatmates
Daewoo Boom Beat Pro 40W Bluetooth Boombox Speaker
Freshers pre-drinks? Kitchen playlist? Someone having an unnecessarily loud phone call in the corridor?
Speaker.
The Boom Beat Pro packs 40W stereo sound, colour-changing lights and up to five hours of wireless playback. It's also got a carry handle, so it can follow the party from the kitchen to wherever they all end up.
DON'T NEED: Half the Stuff on That Uni Checklist
They don't need a garlic press.
And they definitely don't need an entire professional kitchen because they've decided this is the year they “get into cooking”.
Start with the things that'll actually make uni life easier.
Something that will cook dinner for hungover them. Somewhere to dry your clothes. And something loud enough for pres.
