Shop Kitchen Islands & Kitchen Carts...

Styles
The style of a cart refers to its overall design, which is determined by examining the shape, materials and construction of a cart. Overall, two main styles exist: open and closed.

Open cart styles consist of a top mounted on rolling legs with open space between them, while a closed style has cabinetry below its work top and resembles a piece of furniture.

Open Carts
When comparing open and closed styles, you'll notice that most open cart styles are designed for easy moving. Their spacious bases make them light and easy to roll and ideal for situations where you will be moving your cart from one spot to another on a regular basis. For a more permanent cart that will remain in one spot within a kitchen day after day, some people find open styles less appealing as they do not hide stored items and can look cluttered when very full.

Manufacturers produce a few different types of open styles to include among their collections.

Butcher Block

Butcher block carts have a thick piece of hardwood on their tops and are designed as a heavy duty work surface. If you select a butcher block cart with a natural oil finish, you can even perform cutting tasks right on the surface of the cart without using a cutting board.

Natural oil finish carts require regular maintenance to keep their tops moisturized and in good condition; approximately ever four weeks, you'll need to re-oil or re-wax the butcher block. If regular maintenance sounds unappealing, you can opt for a Varnique semi-gloss finish on your butcher block cart. This finish never requires reapplying; however, you will always need to use a cutting board to perform knife work.

Both natural oil finish and Varnique finish carts can be used as working surfaces for rolling dough, mixing ingredients and operating table top kitchen appliances. The butcher block kitchen cart style is typically available with both wood and stainless steel bases.

Stainless steel

Stainless steel open carts feature work surfaces made from stainless steel and, typically, bases crafted from the metal as well. The silver-colored metal is a blend of iron, carbon and other metals called alloys. For most styles, the type used is austenitic or Type 304 steel. Safe for food preparation, this type includes chromium with either nickel or manganese. The Type 304 stainless steel is resistant to the range of temperatures that carts are typically exposed to, making them able to hold even hot pots.

The nonporous surface of stainless steel makes it resistant to bacteria, keeping the surface of your cart sanitized. Cleaning up after using stainless steel is a relatively simple task; simply wipe down its surface with a mild cleaner and let the top of the cart air dry. To prevent scratches on the stainless steel, you will always need to use a cutting board when performing knife work. If you do develop a scratch in the top of your stainless steel cart, you can try to repair it by using a nylon scrubbing pad. Always rub with the grain of the steel when trying to remove scratches at home.

Highly reflective stainless steel carts with mirror finishes become smudged with fingerprints easily. To avoid having to buff your cart's worktop regularly, opt for a brushed or satin finish. These are sometimes referred to as No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5.

Folding

For homes where both kitchen and storage space are extremely tight, folding carts are ideal. These styles can be collapsed when not in use and kept in an out of the way area, such as inside of a closet. Typically, folding carts are crafted from wood and feature one or two open shelves beneath their work surfaces. The surfaces require the protection of a cutting board when performing knife work, and its storage is usually only temporary; before you fold up the cart, all items will need to be removed from its shelves for it to collapse fully.

Table

Table open style stainless steel carts are rectangular in shape and typically have a much larger working surface than other types of open carts. Generally, tables are made from wood and are preferred by those who like to spread out while cooking or who want their carts to easily double as an area for seating. To keep room available under the tabletop so that guests can sit comfortably, table open cart styles generally have less storage than others.

Closed Carts

Homeowners that intend to keep their carts in a prominent area within their kitchen day in and day out often prefer the look of closed carts, as they resemble furniture. These carts also offer a large amount of storage space and keep most stored items hidden from sight. Their large sizes and heavy weights make closed styles difficult to roll and ill suited for use as a cart that must be moved frequently. Three primary sub-styles of closed carts exist.

Cabinet

Cabinet closed carts feature a working surface typically made from wood mounted on a wooden base with one drawer and two hinged doors. Additional storage options are also available in some models. Among closed styles, cabinets are the most portable and convenient for use when you are looking for a kitchen cart to remain in your kitchen but be rolled to another spot for more room while you work or to serve guests.

Island

Island carts are similar to cabinet carts, but generally feature at least two sets of hinged doors and two drawers with possible additional storage options. Usually, island carts are crafted entirely from wood and feature the largest amount of storage space. Because of their large sizes, kitchen island carts are generally kept in one space within a kitchen for the majority of the time. The casters on the styles make it possible to move the island to clean the floors or to create more space in a kitchen for special events.

Microwave

Microwave carts resemble a wooden hutch and feature a flat surface with an open wooden frame resting atop it. This frame is designed to hold a microwave, roaster, television or other large appliance or electronic device to be kept within the kitchen. Usually, one drawer and a pair of hinged doors are featured below the hutch top. Rolling microwave carts make it easy to shift the piece to access the plugs hidden behind it. Generally, their tall sizes and weights make it impractical to move microwave carts frequently within a kitchen space.

Features

Features of carts go hand in hand with their styles, enhancing the utility of carts. Many features are offered, allowing you to mix and match your favorite styles with the features that are most ideal for your home.

Drop Leafs and Cutting Boards

Drop leafs are hinged wooden panels mounted on one side of a cart's top. The drop leaf can be raised to expand the work surface on the cart and then lowered to make it easy to store once again. In some kitchen island styles, the drop leaf is designed for seating guests and creates a breakfast bar when raised.

Cutting boards slide in and out of kitchen carts and can be used as an extra working surface or placed against the top of the cart to protect it while you work. The cutting board can then be taken to the sink for easy rinsing.

Storage

Additional storage space for your kitchen is provided in almost all styles of kitchen charts. Most styles feature at least one open shelf as a standard feature, though a variety of other storage options are offered by designers. These include:

• Drawers
• Towel Racks
• Pot Racks
• Knife Racks
• Condiment Rack
• Hooks
• Wine Racks
• Wire Baskets