Tools we should all have.

For those of us unfortunate enough not to have a vise, I recommend getting something like the B&D Workmate. I have one which my parents gave me more than a decade ago, and after much abuse and one or two running repairs, it still gives good service whenever I need something held. (Before I had the Workmate I relied on the 3rd world technique of holding the workpiece with whatever limb wasn't busy doing something!)

a few winters back I bought a biggish toolbox for my sister. big plastic affair with wheels at one end and a fold out handle at the other. you could haul it about like a suitcase on wheels.
the top had a sort of vice setup very similar to the black and decker workmate, but not nearly as robust.
the good thing about the box was you could sit on it while working on stuff in the vice.
the bad thing was constantly getting up to open it and get out another tool.
very handy for apartment life as long as you have a bigger closet somewhere.

I suppose you could just throw a top on it and use it as a coffee table if you lacked the storage space!

A flameproof top. We used to have soapstone that we salvaged from a laboratory but it was too heavy to move. We wish we still had it. To substitute, firebrick (careful salvaging this, as it may have been associated with asbestos)

A shock resistant top or mat for cutting with razor, rotary knife or exacto, pounding eyelet holes, etc. I got mine at Tandy years ago.

A thick flannel top or mat that can fasten to the table, and remove for washing, for sewing and ironing.