Buying gear for the switch

Hi Everyone,
As the title points out I am making the switch to all grain. I have done several batches, but my current kettle doesn't have the volume for all grain. I am looking for two pieces of equipment: a cooler for a mash tun and a new brew kettle.
My concern is this. Currently I live in an apartment and there is a strict no grills, burners, etc. policy so I am relegated to stove top brewing. I am thinking about getting an HD canning element, but even if I get one I am still likely to limit my early batches to 3 gallons. However, I would like to buy equipment that will allow me to move to 5 gallons in the future (so I can move into kegging).
I will most likely buy a 10 gallon cooler (orange rubbermaid style). I am also looking at kettles in the 30-34qt range. I think these will both allow me to move to 5 gallons in the future. However, based on the diameters for the pots I have seen listed, it seems like my final boil depth will only be about 4 inches with a 3 gallon batch. Is this too shallow? Will the diameter of the kettle or cooler prevent me from doing smaller batches? I really want to make the switch to all grain, but don't want to buy new gear again in a few years when I move outdoors.
One last thing, I was thinking about using a Counter flow chiller. How much, if any wort, gets lost in one of those?
What do you guys recommend?
Thanks!

Cure for stovetop: Search "heat stick"
Cure for cooler: www.craigslist.com Save $ for other needs
Cure for boil kettle: see cooler

Very little wort gets lost in a CF. You could also check out brew in a bag mashing or search BIAB for more info. I think a lot of apartment dwellers do it. You'll probably get inspiration for other ideas searching that! Lots of good info. on HBT.

wow, thanks for the incredibly fast response. I have looked at the heat sticks and e-kettles. I am just not sure how keen I am on having that much electricity in such close proximity to the wort. Maybe I am a super pansy, but that seems like a bad idea. I will look into them more closely.
Totally didn't think of craigslist for a kettle though.
Thanks!

Why not get a 40 or 60qt aluminum pot, and do a brew in a bag?

make a heat stick, that along with your kitchen stove I would think would get everything to boil quick enough, then the stove should be able to maintain a rolling boil.

make a bag out of voile or buy a Home Depot paint strainder bag.

Then all you need is an immersion chiller to hook up to your kitchen sink.

Get 3/8" soft refrigeration copper tubing, get the 50' not 25' (I made that mistake and had to purchase the 50').

I have a 40qt aluminum pot, which does fine for 5.5 gallon BIAB. I wish now that I would have purchased a slightly larger pot.

Good luck,

Chris

Looked at some of the BIAB stuff. It looks very similar to the Partial Mash and Stove Top All grain methods posted by death brewer. That is how I have done my partial mashes. I would seriously consider this method, but I don't think I can heat that much liquid at once and I am very hesitant to use a heat stick. Also, I have a hood/microwave that is pretty low over my stove.
Does anyone know how a electric stove with an HD canning element compares to a stove top plus heat stick? There doesnt seem to be a ton of info on those heating elements on the site, but what is there seems positive.
Does anyone know if a canning element plus insulation on the kettle would allow me to do a BIAB or traditional full boil?