WIRED has refreshed its back-to-school dorm gear guide with a batch of picks aimed at the usual campus constraints: too little space, too few outlets, questionable mattresses and the shared-room funk that no admissions brochure photographs.
The publication says the August 2025 update adds products for the new school year, including a Cooluli mini-fridge, a Brooklyn Bedding mattress topper, an Anker power strip, a Welly first-aid kit, the Pura Mini scent diffuser, a Homedics humidifier, Pottery Barn blackout curtains, a LectroFan sound machine and a desk fan. WIRED also says it removed older picks and checked the guide for accuracy.
As with most commerce guides, the caveat is the machinery behind the list. WIRED says its editors choose the products independently, while also disclosing that it may earn compensation from retailers or purchases made through its links. Translation: useful recommendations can still ride on affiliate rails.
Organization, bags and the laptop-hauling problem
For students who still need a system that does not depend on battery life, WIRED recommends The Happy Planner 2026 planners. The guide lists versions starting at $20 on Amazon and $30 through The Happy Planner. WIRED says the planner line includes multiple layouts, student-focused pages and removable pages, with extension packs for adding months or tracking items such as budgets and fitness goals.
For carrying gear, WIRED highlights the Herschel Supply Heritage Backpack, listed at $63 on Amazon, down from $90 at the time of the guide. WIRED writer Brenda Stolyar says she used the bag in college and that it continued holding up years later. The listed specs include a 15-inch laptop sleeve, a main compartment with room for textbooks, 600-denier polyester construction, and faux leather on the bottom and handles. Stolyar’s complaint is practical: no water bottle pocket.
WIRED also points students toward Away’s Everywhere Tote, listed at $158. The guide says the tote has a water-resistant nylon body, a padded 16-inch laptop sleeve, several internal slip pockets, a key clip, an exterior zip pocket and a full zipper closure. WIRED says it comes in multiple colors, while noting the same annoying omission as the Herschel bag: no dedicated bottle slot.
Power, smell control and sleep
The Anker 20W USB-C Power Strip is WIRED’s answer to the dorm-room outlet lottery. The guide lists it at $20 on Amazon and says it includes three AC outlets, two USB-A ports and one USB-C port. WIRED says the 5-foot cord should cover many room setups, with a 10-foot version available. The cube can fast-charge compatible smartphones at 20 watts, according to the guide, but WIRED flags one limit: it is not a surge protector.
For rooms where candles are banned as fire hazards, WIRED recommends the Pura Mini scent diffuser. The guide lists the device at $35 and scent cartridges at $11 through Pura. WIRED says the app controls scheduling, scent strength and light color, and that the unit can detect vials automatically and rotate its plug direction. One WIRED tester reported that a scent vial lasted several months.
The update also adds several comfort items, according to WIRED: a Brooklyn Bedding mattress topper, Homedics humidifier, Pottery Barn blackout curtains, LectroFan sound machine and a desk fan. The logic is not complicated. Dorms tend to be loud, dry, bright at the wrong hours and furnished with beds selected by procurement, not mercy.
This story draws on original reporting from WIRED.
