It's your first Saturday morning in your new apartment. You start whipping up some pancakes, sliding across the kitchen as you pride yourself on your keen shopping ability to remember every ingredient you'd need -- even the baking powder. You crack an egg, open up the bag of flour and reach in the drawer for the -- wait, wait a second. Where is it?

The measuring cup. Then it dawns on you -- your kitchen, though complete in pancake and waffle components, is lacking almost indefinitely when it comes to cooking tools. No measuring cups (neither liquid nor dry), no whisks, and you wouldn't complain about having a few more pots and pans, maybe even a casserole dish.

But you're in an apartment, and space -- if not budget, too -- is limited. Here are some time, space and budget-friendly kitchen gadgets that can help spice up your kitchen.

1. A Dutch oven.

Although heavy (and costly depending on the available sales), a Dutch oven is a great space saver, not to mention flavor saver. It can go on a stovetop or you can throw it in the oven. Two functions, one pot. And most dishes made in the Dutch oven, especially when put in your actual oven, are slow-cooked, so the flavor really bursts.

2. Spice jar measuring spoons.

Not your ordinary set of measuring spoons, spice jar measuring spoons are oblong, not round. Basically, you can easily measure a teaspoon of oregano without trying to shake some out of the jar and making your kitchen look like it snowed herbs. The best part? They're typically within the same price range as a regular set of measuring spoons.

3. Perfect Beaker measuring cup.

So you may have to get a little brand specific on this one, but measuring apparatuses like Emsa Perfect Beaker

4. Rubber spatula.

More specifically, a heat-resistant rubber spatula. It's perfect for making sure your marinara sauce isn't burning on the sides of the pan, scrambling an egg in the pan (which saves time and dishes to clean), not to mention scraping every last bit of peanut butter out of the jar. And you won't have to worry about scratching your non-stick pan. Just to top it off: you can pick your color to give your kitchen a little sprucing.

5. Instant-read thermometer.

The recipe may say the chicken will be done in 25 minutes, but every oven is different and cooking temperatures and times vary with altitude too. Just check the back of a brownie box. An instant-read thermometer can save you from a trip down food-poisoning lane.

6. Pasta pot.

Having a strainer is great. Having a strainer as part of the lid or that sits right inside the pot is heaven. The strainer that sits inside the pot is particularly handy if you wear glasses, as you can avoid momentarily blinding yourself from the steam as you try to aim boiling hot water down the drain. Side note: pasta is versatile, and has many quick-dish offerings.

7. Glass mixing bowls with lids.

Let's start with the more obvious use: mixing. Baking a cake? Tossing a salad? These bowls will come in handy, especially if you don't have the space for a stand mixer (in which case I recommend a hand mixer -- less expensive and having to hold the mixer is fine unless you plan on making meringue). I suggest getting the set of four or more: the smaller ones can double as chili or soup bowls and the larger ones are great serving dishes. Plus, if there are leftovers, you can put the lid on and straight into the fridge it goes, saving you on cleanup.The lids also have the measurements labeled for added ease.

So log onto your Amazon account, find the nearest Bed Bath & Beyond and by all means, call your mother to double-check the proper temperature of a cooked chicken.