7 Dorm Essentials You Can Use in Your Teeny Tiny Kitchen

In a perfect world, you’d have a massive kitchen, complete with multiple ovens, a spacious island, and enough cabinet space for every cooking gadget you can imagine. In reality? Your kitchen is the size of a coat closet. I should know: My kitchen is so small, I only have room for a mini-fridge.

We’re not going to sugarcoat it for you: Cooking in a small kitchen is difficult. Not only do you have limited counter space for cutting, peeling, and prepping your meals, you probably don’t have room for large items like food processors and waffle irons.

But just because you’re working in tight quarters doesn’t mean your cooking should suffer. Turns out, lots of stuff that’s currently being marketed for college kids heading back to school can totally be useful in your small space.

1. Lekue Omelette Maker, $15: This little guy makes omelettes in minutes (so it’s great for busy mornings, too). Just crack and beat your eggs, add some ingredients, and nuke the whole thing. You will need a microwave, though.
2. Lekue Microwave Grill, $40: Speaking of microwaves! This thing is seriously mind-blowing. It makes burgers that’ll taste like they’re fresh off the grill, even though they were made in the microwave.
3. Keurig Compact K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker, $66: We can’t be the only ones whose motto is, “But first, coffee.” Skip the lines at your corner café and get your own compact coffee maker, which won’t take up a ton of space.
4. Joseph Joseph Nesting Bowl Set, $42: From munching on popcorn during midterms to whipping up a batch of chocolate chip cookies, nesting bowls have never let us down. This compact nesting set from Joseph Joseph features a colander, strainer, and measuring cups.
5. OXO One Stop Chop Manual Food Processor, $30: If you don’t have room for an electric food processor, this manual is the next best thing. It’s great for making salsa, guacamole, pesto, and more.
6. NutriBullet 12-Piece System, $60: Same for this if you don’t have room for a bigger blender. This can make single-serving smoothies and comes with a bunch of attachments that also won’t take up a ton of room.
7. Dash Mini Waffle Maker, $20: A waffle maker may seem like a luxury in a small kitchen, but this one is so mini, you can easily find a home for it. And then you can have waffles! Any time you want!