The 14 Very Best Kitchen Carts

Material: Steel, polyester powder-coated | Design: Three tiers, movable middle shelf, leveling (non-locking) wheels | Size: 13.75” x 17.75” x 30.75”

The multipurpose Råskog takes the “best overall” blue ribbon for its endless versatility. “It’s the Ikea cart that’s doing the most in small-space kitchens across New York City,” explains Brittany Nims, associate director of e-commerce partnerships and business development at Vox Media. The “junk drawer on wheels,” as she describes it, has served her as a dumping ground for kitchen linens and cleaning supplies. Similarly, when Gury lived in a tiny Brooklyn apartment, the Råskog gave her much-needed (and cheap) storage space. Jammed with spice jars and rolling pins, she would “roll it up to the stove then tuck it away in a corner, post-cooking.”

There’s a reason it’s a top seller: The Råskog is really a no-muss, no-fuss solution, which I found out for myself when the company sent me one to test. Assembly is easy enough — just a few screws. The tiers are secure and the wheels are steady. I have a hodgepodge of things in mine, including honeys, hot sauces, and almost-ripened avocados.

But you can also use it in a more focused way, like Vanessa Dina, author of The Art of the Bar Cart, who has transformed her Råskog into a martini-making station. In our guide to the best bar carts, the Råskog won the title of “best bargain” with Dina applauding its durability. And for an extra $12, you can buy a cutting board designed specifically for the topmost shelf to have a surface to make your drinks.

Of course, the Råskog is helpful outside the kitchen as well, and has appeared in our archives a number of times. Jeni Aron, founder of Clutter Cowgirl, cited it as one of her favorite dorm-room storage solutions, as it can double as a nightstand (and then work just as well in a student’s first apartment). Strategist writer Lauren Ro used it to furnish her firstborn’s Montessori-inspired playroom, where it holds construction paper, coloring books, and Play-Doh.

Material: Steel | Design: Four tiers, mesh-like shelf design, non-locking wheels | Size: 6.7” x 17.3” x 38.3”

Billed as a laundry cart, this metal mDesign option is a favorite of Nicole Abramovici, owner of Genius Organizing. It has one additional tier compared to our best overall pick. “The more the better, especially when maximizing vertical space,” Abramovici says. You could even stock it with small appliances that aren’t used often but you don’t want to lose track of. She finds it to be especially useful for small items that can be hard to find a place for, like bottles of supplements. And since it’s taller rather than wider, it can slide into narrower spots and won’t take up too much floor space.

Material: Steel, wood | Design: Slim-profile, three tiers, side handle, two swivel wheels and two rigid wheels | Size: 5.1” x 18.7” x 31.7”

Yamazaki has made appearances all over our archives — unsurprisingly, the brand turned up again while I was reporting this guide. This extra-slim cart is meant for those corners and tight spaces that might otherwise go unused. Heidi Lee of home-organization service Prune + Pare stores hers in a little nook between her appliances. She especially likes the cart’s “out of sight, out of mind” quality, as it stays tucked away until she turns on the stove and pulls it out to grab things from it while she cooks. It’s ideal for those who don’t have a pantry, according to Lee, who stores spices, canned foods, wine bottles, oils, and vinegars on the cart, organizing it with a “like goes with like” philosophy. “It’s great for small living with limited space,” Lee adds.

Material: Steel, synthetic rubber | Design: Three shelves, handles, swivel wheels (one locking) | Size: 19.3” x 15” x 32.1”

There’s an elegant minimalism about this cart — it features clean lines and comes with practical additions like hooks (for pot holders, tongs, or a fish spatula) and a slim handle (which you can use to hang a dish towel). Jessie Sheehan, author of Snackable Bakes, likes that the modest cart sort of “disappears” when full of equipment — she stores cookbooks and cutting boards on the top and a stand mixer on the bottom — and rolls easily from one end of her galley-style kitchen to the other. In contrast to the Råskog’s higher sides, this cart is completely open concept, with not even a small lip around the edges of the shelves. When Yamazaki sent me one to try, I found that this design made the shelves easier to access — and more difficult to keep looking neat. (Sheehan’s trick is to organize with smaller items in the front and taller ones in the back.) You could also use the cart for serving, carrying whatever you need for a dinner party so you don’t crowd the table.

Material: Steel | Design: Three adjustable-height shelves, leveling feet, removable wheels (two locking) | Size: 13.4” x 23.2” x 32.75”

“It’s shockingly sturdy,” says Rebecca Firkser, freelance food writer and recipe developer, of this “professional-looking, home-kitchen-friendly” cart from Amazon Basics. Though Firkser recently upgraded to a more stationary island (the Belmont from Crate & Barrel, if you’re curious), she fondly reminisces about this cart that previously helped her organize her kitchen. The bottom tier housed her stand mixer on one side and sheet pans and cutting boards on the other. The middle tier carried bins with everything from serving utensils and citrus juicers to funnels and a stack of liquid-measuring cups. And the topmost tier held a number of condiments including chile crisps, flaky salt, and finishing oils. She even packed in a pile of towels and hung tongs and ladles on an edge of the cart. (“Whew, can you see how I outgrew this?” she jokes.) Despite the weight of those essentials, however, the cart was easy to move around — as long as the wheels were unlocked. “When locked, it wasn’t going anywhere,” Firkser says. She adds: “I also find furniture assembly very complicated, but this gave me no trouble at all.” She still uses the five-tier version elsewhere in her apartment.

Material: Stainless steel, chrome finish | Design: Metal basket-style shelves, removable wheels (two locking), side hooks | Size: 20” x 38.62”’ x 36”

If you don’t mind a more industrial look, Gury frequently recommends this Miriam cart to her own clients — her tip is to add touches like fresh flowers, fruit, or stacks of cookbooks to make the stainless steel feel more domestic. The cart includes three shelves (if you count the top), two of which mimic metal storage bins, with several hooks “for easy-to-grab items, like wooden spoons and dish towels,” Gury says. It also comes with removable wheels, unlike some of the others on our list — take them off to give the cart more of a kitchen-island look.

Material: Mix of solid and manufactured wood | Design: One drawer, two shelves, locking wheels, tower rack, side rack | Size: 19” x 32” x 35.5”

Those who need more cabinets but don’t have much floor space should consider the Loden. Founder of the New Baguette Alexandra Shytsman depends on the cart — using it to hold all her silverware and pots and pans because her galley kitchen has tiny drawers and very little cabinet space. Shytsman has also been able to store her toaster, water-filter pitcher, and food processor — her three most-used appliances — on the cart, along with a large Dutch oven on one shelf. There’s just one caveat: Though it has a wooden block on the top, it’s not the sturdiest surface if you’re doing a lot of chopping. “I wouldn’t do any major prep work on it,” she says, adding that it’s better for small tasks, like cutting up a banana for granola.

[Editor’s note: This cart is currently out of stock, but you can sign up to receive a notification once it’s back.]

Material: Wood | Design: Two cabinets with two shelves, locking wheels | Size: 33” x 22” x 33”

This small-but-mighty cart is where I keep a toaster and an espresso machine, along with a few mugs, tea accessories (sweeteners, strainers, samples), and those serving platters I don’t have another place for. The top shelf is probably best for small appliances, as you can hide the cords behind the cart if you position it against a wall (there’s no slot to pass through wires elsewhere). The middle shelf can almost act as a curio cabinet — you can stack up and show off your porcelain and know it won’t topple off the back. And the cart is structurally sound — I bought it two years ago and it’s still sturdy and scratch-free.