My most used gadgets right now (although it changes every few years) are my small Lodge Logic cast iron frying pan and a very small plastic cutting board I bought in a 2-pack at Ikea. The cutting board stays in that little bit of space in front of my coffeemaker so when I just need to do a little bit of chopping or whack the top off a carrot I don't have to drag out a big board. (All that lovely counter space in my pictures of weekly vegetables? That's my mother's kitchen, not mine. My kitchen is much smaller.
) The frying pan stays on the stovetop, all the time.
I'm in the market for a small cast iron dutch oven, enamelled or not, and One Good Knife. I'm with you, Shel, my knives are junk and I don't have the money to invest a lot in knives. Since I've been getting these vegetables, though, I realize how much I NEED a good all-purpose knife.
Edit: My Keurig coffeemaker!! How could I forget? It tops the list.