Very few can have the expansive kitchens featured in mansions on TV, so with the limited space, which pans are your must-haves? Once you have these four, you may not need more.

Pan # 1 Non Stick Skillet/Saute Pan

In a household, a non-stick skillet is way more useful than a stainless steel one. In a normal week, the home cook would cook eggs, do a stir-fry, and possibly make desserts like pancakes or crepes. Why make your life harder by avoiding a non stick skillet? Pick a high quality one and you can also sear meats and fish (and get good color too!) in them. Some examples would be the Green Pan, Tefal , Calphalon or Vollrath.

Pan # 2 Stainless Steel Stock Pot

Whether it’s the 5- or 7-liter version, a stock pot is something you’ll need. You may not take the time to make your own stock, but it will be an excellent vessel with which to cook pasta because of its height. It’s also excellent to use when making big batches of local soup dishes like bulalo or sinigang which have plenty of meat, bones, and the like. There are plenty of inexpensive stock pots in department stores.

Pan # 3 Small Sauce Pan/Pot

A good quality sauce pan or pot is a must, especially for modern households. Most families range from 2 to 5 people so a huge 4- or 5-liter pot may be too big. One pot that’s 500 ml to 2 liters, depending on the size of your household, will be perfect for stews and soups. It’s an essential vessel for reheating leftovers too! Get yourself a good quality, heavy-bottomed one, like Kitchenaid or Salad Master, to make sure it will last.

Pan # 4 Cast Iron Skillet

It may be expensive and you may have to take the effort to season it, but it will be worth it. Cast iron holds heat well and it is extremely versatile. You can take it outdoor for camping or beach outings, and you can put it in the hottest of ovens. Excellent for searing, hearty stews like baked beans and the like, the cast iron skillet is way durable too. It serves as a great sizzling platter for sisig and steaks as well. An added bonus? It makes for a nice-looking serving plate. There are some good American-made cast iron pans at your favorite cooks’ stores.

Sharwin Tee is chef and host of Lifestyle Network's Curiosity Got the Chef, which airs every Wednesday at 930 pm with replays on Saturdays at 6 pm and Sundays at 1030 am. He is also a personal chef and culinary instructor. Find him on Twitter (@chefsharwin) and Facebook (Chef Sharwin Tee).