So, if you have an itty bitty city kitchen, you probably have a not so itty bitty monthly rent due for the tiny apartment that houses your itty bitty kitchen.

And if that’s the case, you’re thinking pots, pans, lemon juicers, cheese graters, blenders, toasters, panini presses?

Where am I going to put all this stuff? And more importantly, how the heck am I going to pay for it all?

Michael Symon and Bobby Flay seem to have a tool for every task. A mango slicer? Really Chef Flay?

Let’s talk about the absolute basics. On a budget. Because yes, a cast iron skillet would be amazing to have, but do you realistically have the cash for it after security deposit, broker fee, and first and last month’s rent?

So here’s what I’ve found I use most often and need to get a great meal on the table.

A soild cast iron pot. Mine is enamel coated so it doesn’t require the same fuss as a non-coated cast iron skillet. I chose a pot over a skillet because I still get the benefits of cast iron, even heat distribution and a nice heavy bottom, but have the flexibility of browning, braising, frying or making soups. Enamel coating makes clean up a breeze. And also makes this pot pretty enough to go from stovetop to table for serving. Again, these can get pricey, but I scored this one at Home Goods for like $40.

I also like the purple pot a lot. It’s aluminum, so it’s lighter than the cast iron one. It’s also wider and a bit shallower, so I can use this in place of a frying pan. In fact, since getting this, I reach for it before my frying pan 9 times out of 10. Again, pretty enough to go from stove to table. And again, I scored this on a deal site for around $40.

The best part of these two pots? They look great kept out on the stove. I don’t really have that much cabinet space to store pots and pans, so being able to leave these out as decorative accents is a real space saver. They also add a nice bit of color to the otherwise white and gray space.

Good knives. There’s no arguing here that knives are to the chef what the paintbrush is to the artist. Invest in a nice set that will last you a while (buy cheap buy twice and end up spending more any way) but don’t break the bank. I bought mine on Rue La La. You can get deals online.

Other random things every kitchen needs, a few wooden spoons (nobody likes stopping mid-cook-a-thon to wash the only wooden spoon in the house), a spatula, ladle, potato masher (you’re rolling your eyes and thinking you will never ever have a use for this but since I got mine, it’s made a lot more than a Thanksgiving starchy side dish), and serving spoon (I bought mine as a set- it’s WMF so amazing quality, but scored a deal on vente-privee.com), an immersion blender (totally obsessed), a pizza pan or a cookie sheet (something flat that you can bake things on), something to bake things in like a casserole dish or a pie pan (I have a 9 inch stoneware pie pan that I’ve used for everything from pies to quiches to brownies), and, probably the best small kitchen tool, a cutting board that can rest over your sink . This will save you so much space, you have no idea.

Spacing of space, where the heck does all this stuff go?

The two pots stay out on my stove. My kitchen has only two drawers (one holds silverware and the immersion blender and the other holds random things like  kitchen towels, pot holders and bottle openers) so my wooden spoons live in a pretty pitcher within reach of the stove, and my WMF set came with this nifty container to neatly house everything on the counter. Baking dish, pie pan, cookie sheet and pizza pan ( I have all four but really you can choose two) are tucked in the drawer under the stove. And the cutting board leans on the counter between the refrigerator and the knife set, which comes with its own wood block home.

Are there other gadgets out there? You betchya! Do I have some of them? You betchya! Here’s some:

Toaster: throw bread under broiler to toast, you just have to watch it as it can burn quickly

Blender: nice for smoothies and mixed drinks, but if you have the immersion blender you can throw the ingredients in a bowl and blend away. Because you’re holding the blender, you can have more control over the thickness and/or chunkiness of what you’re blending

Stand mixer: I’m big on stirring cakes and batters by hand with a whisk or a wooden spoon.

Ice cream maker: Yup. I got one. My mom gave it to me for Christmas. I didn’t care if I had to throw out some shoes to make room for it, it was going to be in the apartment. I have clear priorities. Ice cream trumps fashion every time.

So there’s my list of needs for the kitchen. Did I miss anything?

Let me know yours!