Advice, cookbooks and emergency pot noodles: Your best gifts for university students

Advice, cookbooks and emergency pot noodles: Your best gifts for university students Results day has arrived and Telegraph readers share their present ideas for loved ones heading off to study Save Comment speech bubble icon Gift this article free Gift article Give full access to this article, free time. You have 15 articles left to gift, this month. Log in or Subscribe Copy link X Icon twitter Facebook Icon facebook WhatsApp Icon whatsapp email Add us as preferred source Share article Log in or Subscribe Copy link X Icon twitter Facebook Icon facebook WhatsApp Icon whatsapp email Rachel Avery Community Editor Published 13 August 2026 7:00am BST Save Comment speech bubble icon Share article Log in or Subscribe Copy link X Icon twitter Facebook Icon facebook WhatsApp Icon whatsapp email Gift this article free Gift article Give full access to this article, free time. You have 15 articles left to gift, this month. Log in or Subscribe Copy link X Icon twitter Facebook Icon facebook WhatsApp Icon whatsapp email Add us as preferred source Rachel Avery Community Editor Published 13 August 2026 7:00am BST When it comes to sending a child or grandchild off to university, it can be tempting to fill their room with every conceivable gadget. So to help, we asked the Telegraph Recommended Community for their best gift recommendations and their suggestions ranged from desk lamps to cookery books and supermarket gift cards. Here are the essentials worth buying. Kitchen basicsFrom cupboard essentials to electrical appliances and cookbooks, most readers say they’d gift kitchen equipment. Thinking back to his university days, reader TJ, 43, from London, says “the main essentials are around kitchen items and good long lasting food”. “It’s nice to have some bits to cook for others as well and to make friends quickly,” he adds. Susan, 54, from the West Midlands, agrees, recommending “basic cooking equipment” as a key staple and “distinctive cutlery, plates and cups that are easily identified”, which are particularly useful for shared accommodation. “A box of store cupboard ingredients such as olive oil, soy, stock cubes and spices to use when cooking,” is also well-received, she says. Air fryers are a popular appliance choice among university students Credit: Clara Molden for The Daily Telegraph To add to the store cupboard list, Eric, 66, from London, insists on equipping students with an “emergency pot noodle supply plus a large bottle of peri peri sauce”. “Both our sons went to university many years ago,” says Nigel, 64, from the South West. “One of the most appreciated parental contributions was the big supermarket shop on arrival.” You can’t go wrong with a simple cookbook, according to Brenda, 78, from the South East. “My son still has the basic recipe book I gave him when he went to university 30 years ago.” She also advises “a supermarket gift card, basic crockery and cutlery and loo rolls”. Small kitchen appliances are also practical and long-lasting gifts. An air fryer is a popular choice, according to readers like Jay, 48, from the West Midlands: “It is the only thing [his son] has asked for.” Communal living comes with its trials as discovered by Deborah, 65, from the East of England, and her son, but she found a simple solution. “The food we’d put in the communal fridge, only an hour or so before, was nicked while I was driving home,” she says. It was also down five flights of stairs. “I got him a small fridge for his room. It made his life so much easier, especially for breakfast,” she explains. “Over 10 years later, it’s still going strong, particularly at Christmas, when a bit more fridge space is needed.” For Terence, 85, from the North West, his son and grandson’s most used item was their George Foreman grill: “Toasted sandwiches are easy and quick.” Bedding and laundry staplesEasy-care bedding and laundry staples are popular suggestions too. One reader from the South East insists “a heated clothes airer is absolutely essential”. “It was the first item on our list. There is no way to complete a degree without one of these,” they add. Reader Graham’s university essential was a dehumidifier to tackle damp clothing and harsh smells Credit: Carly Page Marisa, 51, from the East of England, bought her children a new duvet and pillow at the start of every year, “goodness knows why looking back,” she says. “Other than that they enjoyed buying for themselves.” “Definitely a clothes airer, but unheated given climate change and how hot it is becoming,” says Ajay, 51, from London. For Graham, 71, from Yorkshire, a dehumidifier was an essential: “University accommodation was invariably damp with clothes being dried and cooking, the dehumidifier was well used.” Technology investmentsWhen buying investment pieces, the general consensus is to seek discounts and budget-friendly options. Some readers, like Sheila, 64, from the South East advise to wait until living arrangements are in place before buying basic items. Too often they are “thrown away after one year, which is a real waste of money, she argues. It’s better to invest in something like “a good quality laptop but not top of the range in case it gets bashed around or lost or stolen”. For laptops, readers favoured budget or refurbished options as best for students Credit: Alun Taylor Adrian, 57, from the East Midlands, agrees saying “a decent laptop with a protective case” is key, as well as “a cheap mobile phone, preferably an old, refurbished model, which isn’t a theft target”. Although not an essential for everyone, Konstantinos, 55, from London, suggests “a reliable second-hand car is the most essential item at the moment, so you can commute to university while staying at home”. The little thingsBeyond the big-ticket items, readers have plenty of suggestions for easily overlooked essentials. Robert, 52, from the South East, recommends a set of notebooks, while Pip, 79, also from the South East, suggests a small foldable fan and face flannels. Peter, 65, from London, meanwhile, says a mug with their name on it is a must. Reader Kimberley, 67, from the South West found a few things that her son considered essential when living in his communal flat a few years ago: “Tea towels, a desk lamp, a waste paper bin, nail clippers and a mobile phone with a good contract so he could phone home to ask those all important questions.” If in doubt, perhaps this tip from Anna, 69, from the South East will provide some inspiration: “I sent my daughter off with a care package of things to cheer her up when she missed home.” Teach them life skillsFor some readers, however, basic life skills are much more important than gadgets or kitchenware. “As a grandmother it’s more important that I give advice rather than buying stuff,” says Hilary, 77, from Wales. She prefers to teach her grandchildren “to cook simple, healthy meals”. Sue, 62, from Yorkshire shares a similar sentiment and makes a plea to parents. “Make your children cook, clean and do the laundry before they go,” she says. “You’re setting them up to be miserable and useless. I had to help a fresher use a tin opener.” Set money asideOthers prefer to provide a few extra pennies in their grandchildren’s pockets. Damian, 55, from Yorkshire, has been depositing money for his grandchildren into a savings account, which will be accessible when they go to university. Recipe boxes and meal kits are a great way to ensure that students eat well Credit: Sam Rice Similarly, Geoff, 69, from the South West, suggests making a monthly payment into your child’s account. “Not a silly amount, just enough for a weekly shop,” he says. “Whether they choose to use it for that is up to them, they are adults after all.” University is a long way off for Ella’s son, but if she could buy him one thing, it would be a food box subscription. “Students have a remarkable talent for finding money for a night out, yet somehow the fridge ends up empty, says Ella, 47, from the North East. “Knowing he had healthy meals arriving each week would give me peace of mind, wherever he was.” Best Value Air Fryer Ninja Air Fryer AF100UK £95.85 Read review Buy now Best Value Sandwich Toaster Breville Ultimate Deep Fill £29.99 Read review Buy now Best Value Heated Clothes Airer Dunelm 3 Tier Heated Airer £95 Read review Buy now Best Value Dehumidifier Devola 12L Compressor Dehumidifier £119.99 Read review Buy now Best Value Duvet Soak and Sleep Soft As Down Microfibre Duvet £36 Read review Buy now Best Value Pillow For Side Sleepers Snuggledown Side Sleeper Pillow £17.1 Read review Buy now Best Value Student Laptop Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 £899.1 Read review Buy now Best Value Recipe Box Gousto £3.2 Read review Buy now Join the conversation Show comments The Telegraph values your comments but kindly requests all posts are on topic, constructive and respectful. Please review our commenting policy. Copy link X Icon twitter Facebook Icon facebook WhatsApp Icon whatsapp email The Telegraph values your comments but kindly requests all posts are on topic, constructive and respectful. Please review our commenting policy. Related Topics A-level results day, Further education License this content You need to be a subscriber to join the conversation. Find out more here. Log In Subscribe Advertisement More Stories