Hard times don't mean college students have to give up healthful,
tasty food. These appliances will come in handy whether your son or
daughter lives in a dorm or an off-campus apartment. And while this gear
won't turn your college-age cooks into an Iron Chef, it can save them
some money and add variety and spice to their diet. (Suggested reading
for rising college students worried about packing on the pounds during
freshman year: "
Fast Food Nearby: Convenience, But at What Cost?" )
Compact Refrigerators
The "dorm-room refrigerator" moniker shows how closely compact refrigerators
have become identified with college life, but only some of the models we
tested made the grade. Many models have a single temperature-control
dial, so you can't find an ideal temperature between the refrigerator
and freezer sections. And all that
we tested for this report are comparative
energy hogs.
Only
two refrigerators we tested had freezer sections that were able to keep
frozen confections from turning to mush, and the 3.7-cubic-foot Avanti 308YWT, $200, flunked basic refrigeration. Choose the 4.6-cubic-foot Frigidaire FRC05L5D, $150, if your student will be a frequent frozen-food diner. Tell your
kid to discard frozen foods that have been stored above 40°F for more
than two hours, and print out these
food-storage tips for him or her.
If you're willing to
sacrifice capacity and freezing ability, the 2.5-cubic-foot capacity Sanyo SR-2570M,
$130, combined reasonable performance and capacity with quiet
operation; it also falls within the size limits imposed by many
colleges. The 1.8-cubic-foot Haier HSA02, $100, the only recommended small cube-sized model, performed the best by far as a refrigerator and was quiet.
Coffeemakers
If your student will make just a cup or two at a time, consider the standout $25 Melitta and $30 Cuisinart in our
ratings (available to
subscribers);
both brew in a thermal container that can be taken to class.
Multiple-cup standouts include a $40 Michael Graves model and the
top-rated Cuisinart model, $99. If you want a model with a built-in grinder, check out the Mr. Coffee GBX23, $50, or the DGB-600BC, $160.
Smaller-footprint
pod coffeemakers would seem an excellent choice for college, especially
since they're simple to use and create less mess. But they require more
expensive custom pods to brew coffee, so you might be better off
stuffing your care packages with a
top-rated coffee from our latest report.
Microwave Ovens
As with compact refrigerators, the usable space
microwave ovens provide often is less than manufacturers claim, sometimes by up to 50 percent.
When shopping,
bring the boxes or clean, empty containers from your kid's preferred frozen
foods to the store to see whether they fit inside the oven.
The best countertop
models take the guesswork out of cooking and have settings for foods
like popcorn, oatmeal, and pasta as well as for reheating or defrosting.
Among
recommended models (available to
subscribers) the Kenmore 6325[2], $130, bested the sharp-looking Panasonic Inverter NN-SD697[S] $160, at defrosting. And although it's not a conventional microwave oven, the $150
NuWave Pro Infrared Oven excelled at cooking some foods (especially chicken); it takes up about the same amount of space as a microwave.
Toasters and Toaster Ovens
If your choosing between these two appliances, go for a
toaster oven.
You lose some bread-toasting performance but will be able to cook up
snacks to satisfy late-night snacks munchies. Some toaster ovens can
even roast a whole chicken or toast six slices of bread at a time.
The
T-Fal Avante Elite's convection cooking and four-position rack make this $100 model an excellent oven. Its electronic touchpad and a removable crumb tray make for easier cooking and cleanup. If you want a regular toaster, one capable Proctor Silex Cool-Touch model costs only $15, while a $50 KitchenAid model offers offers increased style and performance.
Full ratings are available to
subscribers.
Blenders and Food Processors
These appliances
will let students create nutritious smoothies—and those over 21 can
concoct postexam potables—but you'll want to watch our noise
ratings to keep your kids from awakening neighbors. The Braun PowerMax MX2050, $50 was the best of the bunch in these areas. A
capable food processor can help students vary their diets, and the KitchenAid KFP715[WH], $100 excels in nearly every category except kneading dough. Check out these
recipes designed for a food processor.
Vacuums
Small vacuums, sweepers/brooms, and hand vacuums can keep dorm rooms neat. The problem is to get kids to use them. The Bissell Versus 76T8,
$80, boasts bright colors and a boomerang-shaped head that lets it fit
into tight corners and edges better than almost every other stick vac.
Its nonconformist design might inspire students to appreciate its form
enough to actually use its functions, although it's not an option for
carpets since it lacks a brush. The Black & Decker PivotPSV1800 $100, boasts a unique design that folds for better reach under furniture and for storage and is cordless. Check out our free buyer's guide to vacuums (ratings available to subscribers).
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