Gift guide · 12 ideas
First apartment gifts
For the first place of their own, which currently contains a mattress, a lamp and a box of mismatched mugs.
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The first apartment is furnished from the old bedroom and whatever the family could spare, and the gaps show in the first week: no toaster, no tools, one bare bulb in the ceiling. A housewarming gift that fills one of those gaps gets used every day for years, which a bottle of wine and a plant don’t.
These are the things people don’t buy for themselves until they have to, chosen for a small place and a small budget: nothing that needs a garage, a yard or a big kitchen. Each idea comes with our pick from one of our top lists.
A household tool kit
The first bookcase arrives in a flat box before any tools do. A kit with a hammer, a level and every screwdriver bit means they stop borrowing from the neighbor, and it hangs the pictures too.
Amazon Basics 142-Piece Household Tool Kit
$30–$50
Enough to hang pictures and handle the small fixes around a home, in a slim turquoise case: an 8 oz hammer, slip-joint pliers, an auto-lock 10 ft tape, a 9 in torpedo level, eight hex keys, a bit driver with 20 bits, precision screwdrivers, scissors and a utility knife, plus a 100-piece hardware kit.
What owners say: Owners call it a great starter set with a sensible spread of tools for small repairs, and like that it stays compact. The case divides them: sturdy for most, quick to crack for a few.
A closer look: The slim case slides into a kitchen drawer, a closet shelf or under the bed. Its hex keys are SAE sizes, so keep the metric keys that come with boxed furniture alongside them, and restock the hardware kit as picture hooks and screws run low.
- 142 pieces
- Hammer, level, tape and bits
- Slim case fits a drawer
A 2-slice toaster
Nobody buys their own toaster in the first month; they eat untoasted bread and pretend it’s fine. A toaster on day one means breakfast in the new kitchen before the boxes are unpacked.
BLACK+DECKER 2-Slice Toaster with Extra-Wide Slots (T2569B)
$30–$50
A plain, compact two-slice toaster that does the basics well: extra-wide slots for bagels and thick artisan bread, six shade settings, and settings for bagels and frozen bread. It sits neatly at the back of a small counter.
What owners say: Owners find it simple to use with its three settings and like its traditional look; some say one side toasts lighter than the other, and the cord is very short.
A closer look: Use the frozen setting for bread or waffles straight from the freezer rather than turning the dial up, which tends to char the outside first. Each slot takes a bagel half, and the cord is short, so give it a spot right beside an outlet.
- Extra-wide slots
- Bagel and frozen settings
- Sits neatly on small counters
A small air fryer
Dinner for one without turning on an oven that heats the whole apartment. A small air fryer does chicken, fries and reheated pizza better than the microwave they were going to use.
Cuisinart Basket Air Fryer with Window (4.5 qt, AIR-160)
$50–$75
A 4.5-quart basket behind a window with its own light, so you can watch fries crisp without pulling the drawer and letting the heat out. Four presets cover fries, wings, frozen snacks and vegetables, and it beeps when it’s time to toss the food.
What owners say: Owners reach for it instead of the microwave or the big oven, especially for meatballs and fries, and like how quiet and quick it is, though a few say it doesn’t quite get up to 400°F.
A closer look: The 8-inch-square cooking surface takes about 2 lb of wings or a 3.5 lb chicken, so it suits one or two people, or a side dish for more. When the toss reminder sounds, pull the basket and shake it; the fan pauses while it’s out and starts again when it goes back in.
- 4.5 qt basket
- Fits a 3.5 lb chicken
- Window with its own light
A cordless stick vacuum
A first apartment is small enough that one charge does the whole place. It hangs in a closet and gets used far more than a big upright would, which is the point.
Tikom V500 Cordless Stick Vacuum (450W)
$75–$100
Six LED headlights on a floor head that tips 90° and turns 180° help this 5.5 lb, 450W stick around chair legs and under the couch. The battery comes out to charge on its own, or the whole vacuum hangs on its wall dock.
What owners say: Owners rate the suction and the choice of settings, and find it deals well with fur and spilled litter while staying light and simple to use. Battery life is where they part ways: plenty for some, short for others.
A closer look: At up to 32 minutes it suits an apartment or one floor of a house better than a big home in one go. The touch screen shows the suction level, the battery and any fault, and the dust cup empties with one press over the trash can.
- Runs up to 32 minutes
- Anti-tangle brush
- Removable battery charges separately
A down-alternative comforter
The bed is the one thing that was carried from the old room. A proper comforter is the difference between a mattress on the floor and a bedroom.
Bedsure Down Alternative Comforter (Queen)
$30–$50
A soft polyester-filled comforter that works on its own or as a duvet insert: eight tabs around the edge hold a cover in place, and box stitching keeps the fill spread out, wash after wash. Bedsure makes it in eleven sizes, from Twin to Alaskan King.
What owners say: Owners find it soft and cozy through the night without getting too hot, and plenty use it without a cover because it looks good on its own. Size and thickness divide them: some wanted it bigger for a king bed, others thicker.
A closer look: Out of the box, shake it out and leave it flat for a day or two so the fill can recover, as Bedsure advises. Wash it on its own in cold water on a gentle cycle and tumble dry on low. For a king bed or a deep mattress, one of the oversized sizes gives more drape over the sides.
- Queen, 88 x 88 in
- Wash cold, tumble dry low
- 8 tabs hold a cover
A pair of good pillows
The pillows that came with them are probably the ones they had in high school. A fresh pair is a slightly boring gift that improves every single night.
Utopia Bedding Hotel Bed Pillows (Queen, 2-pack)
$20–$30
A plain, hotel-style pair with a striped 250-thread-count polycotton cover and soft hollow polyester fiber that shapes itself around the head and shoulders. They also make sense for a guest room or a dorm bed.
What owners say: A hotel feel is what owners mention first, and a few minutes in the dryer fluffs them up quickly. Neck support, staying power and how long they last all split opinion.
A closer look: Utopia Bedding advises spot cleaning rather than a full wash, so a pillow protector under the pillowcase keeps them fresh for longer. They’re on the soft side, so side sleepers who want more height can stack the pair.
- Pair of queen pillows
- Plush polyester fiber fill
- Shapes to head and shoulders
A small rice cooker
For the first year of cooking for one on a budget: a pot of rice that looks after itself leaves the stove free for everything else.
Aroma ARC-363NG One-Touch Rice Cooker (3 cups)
$20–$30
One button and no menus: add rice, fill to the water line marked in the ceramic pot, press the button, and it switches itself to keep warm when the rice is done. It makes up to 6 cups of cooked rice and handles oatmeal, chili and soups too.
What owners say: Owners say the rice comes out right every time, the size suits a small household, and the nonstick pot washes well in the dishwasher. A small number had theirs quit within months.
A closer look: Leave the lid closed until it clicks over to keep warm, then give the rice a few minutes’ rest before fluffing it with the spatula in the box. Away from dinner, it keeps a dip or a side dish warm on the buffet at a party.
- 3 cups uncooked rice
- One-touch cooking
- Switches itself to keep warm
A scented candle
The quickest way to make a rented box smell like somebody’s home. One good jar lasts the winter and covers the smell of the previous tenant’s choices.
WoodWick Vanilla & Sea Salt Ellipse Candle with Crackling Wick (16 oz)
$20–$30
The flat wooden wick crackles softly as it burns, the sound of a small fire in the room, and the wide ellipse jar lets the wax melt right across so the vanilla and sea salt scent comes through evenly. It’s poured from a soy and paraffin blend, with up to 50 hours in it.
What owners say: Owners say it keeps going past the burn time on the label, find the crackle calming and love the scent, though some feel it costs more than a candle should.
A closer look: Before each lighting, pinch off the blackened tip of the wooden wick so the flame catches and keeps crackling, and keep it out of drafts. Put the wooden lid back on once the wax has cooled to keep dust off the surface.
- Burns up to 50 hours
- Vanilla and sea salt scent
- Crackling wooden wick
Smart plugs
A lamp that comes on at dusk and a fan that turns off from the phone, in a place where nothing is wired for it. They plug into the outlets already there, so there’s nothing to ask the landlord.
Kasa Smart Plug HS103 (4-pack)
$30–$50
Four plugs that work with both Alexa and Google, so they suit a Google Nest home or one with both assistants. Away Mode switches lamps on and off at random so the house looks occupied while you’re out.
What owners say: Owners find setup in the Kasa app easy and switching lights from the phone simple, and it gets on well with both Alexa and Google Home. Some had a plug drop off the Wi-Fi or stop working inside a year.
A closer look: Group the four into a scene in the Kasa app, every lamp in the living room for instance, and switch them with one tap or one voice command. A countdown timer suits one-off jobs too, such as turning off a humidifier an hour after bedtime.
- Four plugs in the box
- Works with Alexa, Google
- Group plugs into scenes
A nonstick skillet
Most first kitchens start with whatever pan came from home, scratched and slightly warped. A good one makes weekday eggs easy and dinner for friends possible, and cooking at home becomes a habit.
Tramontina Professional Non-Stick Fry Pan (12 in)
$20–$30
The kind of pan you’d find on a restaurant line: thick, NSF-certified aluminum that heats evenly and a reinforced non-stick that lets eggs and omelets slide straight out. Twelve inches gives room for bacon and eggs for four or a big batch of fried rice.
What owners say: Owners call it restaurant quality: it heats evenly, eggs and omelets slide out, and it cleans up quickly. Flatness splits them, with some finding it stays true and others that it rocks once hot.
A closer look: The red silicone sleeve slips off the cast steel handle when the pan goes into a 400°F oven, then back on for a cooler grip on the stove. Let the pan cool before it meets cold water, since a sudden chill is what warps aluminum, and a flat base matters most on a glass-top.
- 12-inch non-stick pan
- Oven safe to 400°F
- Lifetime warranty
A floor lamp
Rentals tend to come with one harsh bulb in the ceiling and nothing else. A slim lamp in the corner makes the place feel lived in by evening, and it moves to the next apartment too.
GOEBLESON Floor Lamp with Linen Shade (64.6 in)
$10–$20
A beige linen shade softens the light, the slim pole is black metal on a base just 7.9 in across, and you turn it on by stepping on a switch in the cord. Any E26 bulb of up to 60W fits, so the light can be as warm or as bright as you like.
What owners say: Owners like how little floor it takes up and how easy the foot switch is to use, and find it gives a good, warm light in a corner or beside the sofa.
A closer look: Its narrow base slips into the gap between a sofa and a side table, or into a corner where a wider lamp wouldn’t fit. An LED bulb keeps the linen shade cool, and swapping between a warm and a daylight bulb is an easy way to change the mood of the room.
- Linen shade, 64.6 in tall
- Switches on by foot
- Black metal pole
Heads up: The bulb isn’t included: a warm-white LED of about 800 lumens, the usual 60W equivalent, suits the shade.
View on Amazon See our top 5 floor lamps →A Bluetooth tracker
New keys, a mailbox key and a building fob, and a new habit of putting them down somewhere different. A tag on the key ring finds them from an iPhone, so nobody’s late for work searching under the couch.
UGREEN FineTrack Tracker Tag (Apple Find My)
Under $10
It uses Apple’s Find My network, and its CR2032 battery lasts over two years.
What owners say: One-tap setup wins praise, and for many it links up with Find My without a hitch. Not for all, though: a few couldn’t get it to connect, and accuracy, battery life and loudness all get mixed reports.
A closer look: There’s no app to download: it adds straight into Find My on an iPhone, and the left-behind alert pops up if you walk off without it. It has its own key ring hole, but no water rating, so it’s best on keys and bags rather than anything that might go for a swim.
- Works with iPhone and iPad
- Over 2 years battery
- No app to download
Heads up: It works only with Apple’s Find My, so it needs an iPhone or iPad.
View on Amazon See our top 5 Bluetooth trackers →Tips for first-apartment gifts
- Ask what size the bed is before you buy a comforter or pillows: a first apartment is often a full, not a queen.
- Check the kitchen before you buy anything with a plug. A galley kitchen has about two feet of counter and three outlets, and the air fryer and the toaster will both want them.
- Go in with siblings or friends on the bigger things, and give the small ones on moving day, when a candle and a tag for the new keys are worth more than they will ever be again.
Photos are illustrative, some computer-generated. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra. How we pick · How this works.
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