Stainless steel is a preferred material for kitchen furnishings and is required in some commercial spaces by state and local health and safety codes. Stainless steel’s appeal comes from its durability and its resistance to bacteria and mold. The gleaming, sleek look of stainless steel also has an aesthetic appeal that suits both modern and country decors.

When paired with a steel or wood work surface, stainless steel base kitchen furnishings add aesthetic and functional value to any space. The popularity of stainless steel base kitchen islands and kitchen carts continues to grow every year with manufacturers continuously developing new styles to meet the ever-increasing demand.

Our Buyers' Guide to Stainless Steel Base Kitchen Islands and Kitchen Carts was developed to introduce you to the various styles of islands and carts with stainless steel bases that are available from top designers. The guide also explains the various terms associated with stainless steel to help you easily interpret product descriptions.

If you already know what style of stainless steel base is right for you, read over our introduction to stainless steel and then skip right to your desired style. If you're less certain of what will be best to meet your needs, read over the guide from start to finish before you shop.

Introduction to Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is a type of metal created by blending iron and carbon with various other metals called alloys. This mix of alloys with iron and carbon makes stainless steel resistant to rusting as well as tarnishing, allowing its surface to remain a brilliant silver color with very little upkeep required.

Most stainless steel kitchen furnishings contain steel that features chromium and either manganese or nickel as its alloys. This type of steel is very resistant to corrosive chemicals and can withstand temperatures that are typically found in both home and commercial kitchens. When shopping for carts and islands that have stainless steel surfaces or bases, you'll want to select products that are "food safe" or "food grade," meaning the blend of alloys has no toxic substances that can endanger the safety of food placed on its surface.

Caring for Stainless Steel

Having stainless steel in your kitchen offers a variety of benefits beyond its attractive appearance. Because stainless steel has no pores, microbes cannot become trapped below its surface, nor can cleaning agents become absorbed by it. The smooth surface is simple to wipe and can be cleaned with a dry microfiber cloth or a cloth moistened with mild dish soaps or a mild abrasive cleaner.

Stainless steel does have the potential to become scratched, so use caution when transporting your cart. If you choose an entirely stainless steel cart or island, place a cutting board on the work surface to minimize the risk of scratches. Choosing a cart or island with a wood or butcher block top is another option to avoid risking blemishes on your work surface.

Shallow, small scratches in stainless steel bases can be removed using a nylon scouring pad. If you attempt to remove scratches yourself, make sure you brush with the grain of the steel and apply only a moderate amount of pressure. Deeper scratches in stainless steel are best repaired by professionals.

Gauge

As you read product descriptions for stainless steel base kitchen islands and kitchen carts, you'll likely encounter the term "gauge." The gauge of stainless steel is a universal method of describing the thickness of the metal and is used by all steel manufacturers. The gauge system features a series of numbers, each of which corresponds to a specific thickness, measured in millimeters. The thickness of the steel decreases as the gauge number increases. The most common gauges of stainless steel found in bases for islands and carts are 14 gauge (1.98 millimeters), 16 gauge (1.6 millimeters), 18 gauge (1.27 millimeters) and 20 gauge (0.95 millimeters).

For home kitchens, the gauge is typically not as important as in commercial settings, where carts and islands may be subjected to a large amount of weight. When comparing gauges, keep in mind that the thicker the steel, the stronger it will generally be.

Finishes

Every piece of stainless steel has a finish, the term used to describe how it reflects light and its overall appearance. The finish of stainless steel depends on the processes that steel manufacturers use after the metal is produced. There are four primary finishes of steel used as bases for islands and carts.

• Brushed finishes are the most common and do not reflect light. Sometimes, this finish is referred to as No. 4.
• Satin finishes reflect light in some areas, but not over the entire base. This finish is sometimes called No. 6.
• Near-mirror finishes reflect light across their surfaces, but are still brushed enough that the reflection is not completely uniform. The near-mirror can be referred to as No. 7.
• Mirror finishes fully reflect light across their surfaces, allowing you to see perfect reflections of objects. This finish is sometimes called No. 8.

When considering finishes, keep in mind that stainless steel becomes fingerprinted easily due to its metal surface. While these fingerprints do not typically reduce the cleanliness of the piece, they can make the surface appear dull and grungy. The more reflective the surface, the more fingerprints are noticeable, leading many people to prefer brushed surfaces.

If your cart or island does become fingerprinted, you can remove them with a microfiber cloth or purchase a stainless steel cleaner to wipe them away.

Styles

Manufacturers of stainless steel base kitchen islands and kitchen carts produce seven primary styles.

The seven styles found in today's stainless steel base islands and carts are:

• Stationary Islands typically offer the largest work surfaces and have a rectangular shape. Most island styles feature wood or butcher block tops and have open designed steel frame bases that contain shelves. A small number of styles have stainless steel tops as well. Additional storage elements like towel racks and drawers are available in some models.
• Rolling Islands are oversized carts that are suited for use in one area rather than shifting from place to place. Adding casters to the stainless steel base island design allows you to move the island when needed to clean your floors or make more space for seating in your kitchen. Rolling islands usually have open designs and storage options that are similar to their stationary counterparts.
• Kitchen carts have steel frames and are compact in size to make them easy to move throughout your kitchen space or to store in one location and use in another. Carts may be made entirely of steel or feature wood shelves. Some cart styles have the added convenience of folding for easy storage. The designs of carts place an emphasis on aesthetic appeal and often offer convenient storage options beyond open shelves, such as drawers, towel racks, hooks and side bins.
• Butcher Block carts are similar to traditional carts but have a thicker wood top called a butcher block. The butcher block top offers a smooth, sturdy work surface that is perfect for food preparation and preferred by many home chefs. Some varieties of butcher blocks can even be used without a cutting board. Like traditional carts, convenient storage and attractive style are at the core of the designs for butcher block carts with stainless steel bases.
• Commercial carts are large rolling carts that are designed for maximum strength and durability rather than aesthetic appeal. These carts are generally made entirely of stainless steel and feature only shelves without additional storage options. When shopping for commercial carts, you'll have your choice of styles with one handle or two handles, the latter of which allow two people to move the cart or to have your choice of what side to pull or push from.
• Decorative tables with stainless steel bases are sometimes used to double as islands in addition to serving as seating areas. Typically, these tables pair attractive wood with stainless steel to enhance their looks. If you want to use a stainless steel decorative table to double as a kitchen island, keep in mind that the ideal working surface for people of average height is 36 inches off the floor. As standard chairs usually require shorter surfaces, you'll want to use caution to select a style that is low enough for comfortable seating on high chairs or stools, but high enough so that you can work comfortably without straining your back or neck.
• Work Tables with stainless steel bases are designed to serve primarily as work surfaces, making them taller that many decorative table styles. Work tables may feature wood or steel tops and often have built-in storage, such as sliding or hinged doors, drawers and open shelves. For work tables that are placed against a wall, backsplashes are available to protect the wall area. You can also find work tables with stainless steel bases that have additional sidesplashes and frontsplashes to help keep liquids contained on the work top.