Are Air Fryers Allowed in College Dorms? (3 Good Reasons They Aren’t)

Whether you’re moving into a dorm yourself or shipping a child off to school, the question of food preparation is bound to come up. While meal plans and cafeteria food may account for a majority of a student’s calories, it wouldn’t be a true college experience without microwavable noodles.

With that being said, there are a number of regulations that colleges place around dormitory cooking appliances. If you’re trying to think outside the box for your college experience, you may be wondering, “Are air fryers allowed in college dorms?”

In general, air fryers are not typically allowed in college dorms, and they often appear on the list of prohibited items provided by college dorms during enrollment. While air fryers would allow college students to prepare a wider variety of meals, the risk of electrical fire, strong odors, and false fire alarms make it difficult for schools to allow them on-premises.

Having an air fryer will make food less of an issue for you while in school. But as I’ve already stated, not all cooking appliances are allowed on the school premises. 

Read on to learn more!  

Are Air Fryers Allowed in College Dorms?

Every college has rules on acceptable dorm appliances. And while most schools don’t allow the use of fryers in the dormitories, others may. 

So, if you have plans to purchase an air fryer to use in school, check your school’s regulations on small appliances to see if an air fryer is prohibited. 

However, colleges that don’t allow air fryers have their reasons. And those that allow them have safety guidelines in place. If you want to use an air fryer in your dorm, you must adhere to the safety guidelines or risk being fined.

For many schools, such as Harvard, air fryers are on the prohibited items list. This is because air fryers contain a heating element that many schools consider a dorm fire risk.

So, make sure to check the rules in your dorm. If Air Fryers are allowed, you can reheat your pizzas and prepare quick meals with ease!

Why is An Air Fryer Not Allowed in College Dorms?

So, why aren’t air fryers allowed in dorms on most college campuses? Colleges that prohibit air fryers in dormitories have their reasons. Check out the possible reasons below. 

1. Increased risk of fire hazards

Air fryers can get extremely hot, making them a huge fire hazard. Students using the appliance can get careless and set the dorm and entire building on fire. 

With the lives and properties of other students at stake, colleges don’t want to take any risks. 

2. The smell of the food could permeate the entire dorm

This problem is particularly acute when using appliances like air fryers that can get super hot. They can make the smell of foods permeate the entire dorm, making other students who don’t like the smell of the said food uncomfortable.

Again, the possibility of foods cooked in air fryers getting burned is high. With this comes the risk of severely burning your food. So, when allowed to use air fryers, pay close attention to whatever you’re cooking. 

When foods cooked in air fryers get burned, the smoke is usually challenging to get rid of. When this smell permeates outside of the room, it affects other students as well. 

This is why many colleges have rules prohibiting air fryers and don’t want to take such risks. They’d rather ban the use of the appliance than subject other students to the negative impact of your poor cooking!

Again, any heating device can leave foods burnt, not only air fryers. By the way, the air fryer won’t burn foods if monitored properly. 

3. False fire alarm

Smoke from the appliance or when the air fryer gets extremely hot can trigger the building’s smoke/fire alarm. 

You can easily push a button and turn off the fire alarm at home. That can’t happen in a college dorm. 

Students need to evacuate from the building, and fire services have to be contacted when the fire alarm goes off. 

Now, what happens if the fire alarm is false? You could be fined or punished for such an act. 

So, you can see why most colleges aren’t in support of students bringing air fryers to school. 

How To Remove The Food Smells From The Dorm Room?

Certain foods may smell delicious to you, but others may feel differently about your fried fish sticks! Nobody wants to be subjected to smells they despise. And you don’t want to be the person who makes others sick when cooking. 

Here’s how you can get rid of the food smell from your dorm room before it spreads.

1. Keep baking soda on hand

Baking soda is one of the items that you should always keep on hand. Why? 

One reason is that it can take care of the food smell in your dorm. Baking soda won’t only mask the smell of the food but absorb it. 

So, if you plan on cooking something stinky, such as vegetables, tomatoes, or even fish, keep some baking soda nearby. 

Why is baking soda so active? It is a neutralizing agent. Vegetables, fish, and tomatoes are acidic foods that smell a lot. 

Therefore, you need a neutralizing agent, such as baking soda, to absorb the smell of your acidic foods. And yes, baking soda does a good job in this regard. It would keep the pH level balanced and reduce the odor drastically. 

2. Add baking soda to the trash can

Before pouring dirt into your trash can, sprinkle some baking soda on the bottom of the trash bag. You can also sprinkle baking soda on dirt that already stinks.

Baking soda is an odor-absorbing superhero, and it’s versatile too. You can use it to stop the smell of food from spreading to the entire dorm. 

3. Use a plug-in air freshener or Oil Diffuser

Use a countertop or the plug-in air freshener or essential oil diffuser while cooking to deodorize your kitchen before the smell of your food spreads to the entire dorm.

These devices are superb at getting rid of smoke-related odors, including viruses, mold, and even bacteria. 

Benefits of Using An Air Fryer in College Dorms

Air fryers make cooking enjoyable and quick. Check out the benefits of air fryers below. 

1. Give you more healthy options

Though you may not associate fried foods with good health, an air fryer doesn’t require the use of oils that make most fried foods unhealthy. Instead, it gives you the option to prepare types of foods that you might not otherwise prepare with only a microwave.

Those of us who’ve already been through our collegiate journeys remember late nights with a plastic cup of watery noodles. With an air fryer, your health options increase dramatically.

2. Low maintenance and ease of use

Air fryers are super easy to maintain, and the frying basket is dishwasher-safe. You only need to deep clean this appliance once a week. Obviously, if you’re living in a dorm, you may not have access to a dishwasher. But a good hand wash from time to time should do the trick as well.

Using air fryers to cook is also a breeze. Just put the food items in the frying basket and turn the appliance on. That’s it!

3. Easy storage

Air fryers are perfect for college life. Lightweight and size make air fryers super easy to transport and store. 

Small sizes also make air fryers ideal for dorms’ small counter spaces. 

4. Lets you cook with less mess

Cleaning up the mess after cooking can be frustrating and tiring. Students don’t even have time to dedicate to these tasks, given the huge workload on their shoulders. 

So, if you want to prepare meals and have less mess to deal with, get yourself an air fryer. 

By the way, you need less oil to cook in an air fryer. And this means that your cooking area won’t get messy. 

5. Zero radiation risk

Foods prepared in air fryers are 100% safe to consume.

6. Reheat foods

You can quickly reheat your leftover pizzas and other foods if you have an air fryer.

Safety Instructions To Follow For Using An Air Fryer In College Dorms

Does the college you attend allow the use of air fryers? If not, then you’re out of luck. 

If the school authority permits air fryers, follow the instructions below to use yours safely. 

• Read the appliance’s instructional manual to know how it works. 
• Unplug your air fryer immediately after you finish cooking. Please don’t leave it plugged in.
• Ensure the basket isn’t oily or greasy after cooking—clean the appliance when you finish cooking. 
• Be careful while removing foods from the basket. Remember it will be very hot. Use a spoon or mitten to take out the food. 
• Does your room boast a good ventilation system? If yes, go ahead and use your air fryer. If it doesn’t, desist from using an air fryer. 
• Always use quality air when cooking. 
• Soak the air fryer basket for a while before washing. Avoid hard scrubbing. 

What Cooking Appliances Are Allowed in Dorms?

The rules on cooking appliances in dorms differ from one college to another. 

So, if you’re a freshman, below are the appliances your school might accept. However, you still have to check to be completely sure. 

You may wonder, are toasters allowed in dorms? What about Crockpots? Check out the list below to find out what appliances are allowed in college dorms.

• Food steamer
• Rice cooker 
• Coffee maker
• Crockpot
• Electric kettle
• Waffle maker
• Bread toaster
• Microwave
• Food dehydrator
• Crepe maker

Summary of using air fryers in college dorms

If you’re wondering, “Should I get an air fryer for college?” The answer is, probably not. Most schools don’t allow them, but you may luck out and end up at a school that does! Every college decides what appliances students can and can’t bring to their dorms. 

You need to check what your school permits before buying any appliance you plan to use in school.

Air fryers are beneficial and can help you make healthy and nutritious meals. But if your school permits using this appliance, please follow the guidelines on safely using an air fryer. 

Also, make sure to be aware of those around you, and don’t inundate them with strong smells if you can help it.