How to Use a Kitchen Cart

The standard kitchen cart is designed to be an all-purpose storage and workspace for your kitchen. It can have drawers, baskets, cabinets or hooks for cooking utensils, kitchen towels, cookbooks and other essentials. It also commonly has a countertop surface to for extra prep space. The countertop can be laminate, granite, stainless steel, natural wood or butcher block.  

Kitchen carts are ideal for better organizing your kitchen and keeping your most-used tools within reach.  

A kitchen prep table, also called a utility table, is a mobile table designed for heavier-duty kitchen work, such as holding appliances. Prep tables are usually large and made from stainless steel. They may have a shelf for storage underneath the tabletop work area. Some prep tables have a butcher block surface so you can cut and prepare food directly on the tabletop. 

Prep tables are often used in commercial kitchens, but you can use them at home as a modern-look kitchen island, or use them anywhere you need an easy-to-sanitize workstation. 

Kitchen islands are standalone pieces of furniture designed to look like custom, built-in cabinets. They often have drawers and cabinets for storage and a countertop surface for prep work.

Both standard kitchen carts and kitchen island carts can act as bonus prep space. The difference is that kitchen islands are typically larger and can look like permanent fixtures in your kitchen, while standard kitchen carts are typically easier to move as needed. Kitchen islands may be able to accommodate seating, and while always moveable, they may or may not come with attached wheels. 

Kitchen islands are a great feature in kitchens, but they can also serve as a sideboard in an entryway or in a living room. 

Bar carts are a type of kitchen cart made for holding bottles and drinkware. They typically have multiple shelves and may include racks for wine bottles and stemware. They have decorative designs and come in a variety of styles to best suit your home decor. You can conveniently wheel them wherever the party is happening to serve and entertain guests. 

A microwave cart is the perfect type of kitchen cart for your microwave, allowing you to free up counterspace. These carts usually have drawers and a cabinet for storing dishware and utensils or other essentials.  

Microwave carts are an essential for dorm rooms, or they make a considerate addition to a guest room. Fill the bottom cabinet with tea, microwavable oatmeal and other welcoming snacks. 

Since there are so many different types of kitchen carts, there are plenty of ways to use them in your home. One of the most common ways to use a kitchen cart is as a serving cart. Deliver the next meal course from the kitchen to the dining room or wheel out snacks on the cart to guests in the living room or outside on the patio. 

A kitchen cart or island can double as a dessert bar in your kitchen or dining room. Serve the main dessert options and toppings on the highest level of the cart, while keeping utensils, coffee and tea at the ready on the shelves underneath.  

Use a kitchen cart or bar cart as a permanent bar station in your dining room or lounge area. A bar station will keep all your drinks, mixers and bar tools in one place. Plus, it will give you a space to pour, mix and serve drinks. 

Instead of relying on shelves, racks or china cabinets, use a bar cart in your dining room to display glassware, fine china and vintage bottles of wine. The cart will keep these items within reach when you need them, and you’ll be able to move the cart as needed. Additionally, a bar cart is typically less expensive and more flexible than a china cabinet or built-in shelves. 

Move your coffeemaker and accessories off your counter and onto a microwave cart or other type of kitchen cart. A coffee and tea station can hold your coffeemaker, electric kettle, mugs, sugar and other mix-ins, while also displaying your selection of teabags, coffee beans or coffee pods. Use your kitchen cart as a coffee station in your kitchen, guest room or office. 

A kitchen cart with cabinets is an excellent way to expand your pantry space. Use it to store dry goods, cans, pots and pans or anything else you normally keep in your pantry. If you have pets, consider storing your pet food and other pet needs in a kitchen cart rather than with your family’s food items. 

Use a kitchen cart with a granite or butcher block surface if you need more counterspace in your kitchen. A kitchen cart with wheels can be moved in and out of the main kitchen space as needed. Whether you need more space near your stove as you cook or closer to the sink as you wash and prep ingredients, a kitchen cart can move with you. 

In small apartments or homes without dedicated dining rooms, a kitchen cart can serve as a table for two. It also makes a great drink table for out on the deck or patio. Simply store it out of sight whenever you don’t need it.  

Instead of a full table or a built-in island, use a kitchen cart or moveable kitchen island as a breakfast nook or bar. Kitchen carts create the perfect space for enjoying breakfast and a morning cup of coffee. Depending on the size of the cart you choose, it can be large enough to accommodate a few people or small enough to fit into any space for just your personal use. 

A kitchen cart is also a good substitute for a desk, especially in small spaces. It can also accompany a desk, serving as extra organizational space for papers, pens and books. When looking for a kitchen cart to serve as a workstation, find one with a solid tabletop surface with additional drawers and shelves underneath for storage and hooks on the side for hanging a bag or backpack.  

Other kitchen cart uses include:  

• Arts and craft station and craft storage
• Children’s toy storage
• Learning station for children’s at-home schooling
• Showcase and storage for books
• Portable vanity