The 5 Best Kitchen Carts of 2023

A kitchen cart is a portable organizing solution that provides extra storage and counter space in your kitchen.

We researched dozens of kitchen carts, assessing their sturdiness, portability, capacity, and overall value. The best kitchen carts were those products that offered a combination of work space and storage space, smooth-rolling wheels, and style that could blend seamlessly into kitchens of all shapes, sizes, and aesthetics.

Best Overall: Andover Mills Raabe Kitchen Cart

Sleek and versatile, the Andover Mills Raabe Kitchen Cart would make a seamless addition to just about any space. It’s crafted from solid wood, with a 32-inch wide butcher block top that will expand your counter space in no time. The cart also boasts two spacious shelves, which you could easily line with must-haves, plus a built-in rack for tea towels, cloth napkins, and more.

Unlike some other options on this list, this cart only has wheels on one end—while this allows for more stability, you’ll have to lift the cart slightly to move it (not ideal for those with mobility issues). For those who prefer to go without, the wheels are also detachable; this could work well if you want to transform the cart into a beverage stand while entertaining. This cart also requires assembly, though it should be a fairly straightforward process.

Best Budget: Basics Kitchen Cart

Searching for a well-rounded kitchen cart that won’t break the bank? We love the Amazon Basics Kitchen Cart. At 3 feet tall, the cart is big enough to offer ample storage space—but not so huge that it’ll disrupt your space. And since it comes on four rolling wheels, you can easily move it around your space until you find a spot for it that’s just right.

The kitchen cart is crafted from durable chrome-plated steel, and it’s topped with a removable slab of wood that you can use as a cutting board. This stylish cart comes complete with two metal shelves, as well as a series of built-in hooks you can use to hang pots, pans, towels, and more.

Best Small: The Container Store Origami Kitchen Cart

The Container Store’s Origami Kitchen Cart offers a small space-friendly way to add a little storage to your space. At 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide, the cart is compact but still large enough to be meaningful. And, its built-in transport wheels make it easy to move around your space.

The kitchen cart boasts two metal shelves, which can handle 50 pounds of weight apiece, and is topped with a thick butcher block slab that can handle a whopping 100 pounds of weight. The coolest thing about this kitchen cart isn’t its efficiency, however—it’s its foldability. The cart can be folded in half whenever it’s not in use, so it’s a great space saver for smaller kitchens that could use the extra room for kitchen island sizing.

Best Butcher Block: Kitchen Island

IKEA’s Vadholma Kitchen Island is more of a portable kitchen island than a kitchen cart—but it’s still one of the sleekest options on offer. Crafted from a blend of particleboard and solid wood, it’s topped with a seriously stunning (and thick) butcherboard slab.

Since the island is 3 feet tall, nearly 3 feet wide, and 2 feet deep, it will demand a fair amount of space in your kitchen. But in return for this precious real estate, you’ll get two shelves, a drawer, a towel rack, and some extra counter space that will match

Best Drop Leaf: Bamboo Rolling Kitchen Cart

If you’re trying to save space anywhere you can, a drop-leaf kitchen cart is an excellent choice. Take Urban Outfitters’ Bamboo Rolling Kitchen Cart, for example, which is crafted from solid bamboo. At 3 feet tall and nearly 2 feet wide, it should give you plenty of storage space to play with.

The cart comes equipped with two shelves—a built-in shelf, and a removable shelf that doubles as a tray. It also boasts a drop-leaf countertop that you can expand any time you need some extra counter space to freely add that one small kitchen island idea you had.

What to Look for in a Kitchen Cart

Size and Counter Space

When you’re adding storage to your space, size is a key consideration. For starters, you want a kitchen cart that’s small enough to fit into your space. But you also need something that’s big enough to give you the storage and counter space that you need. If you’re working with a small kitchen, you may want to consider a more flexible kitchen cart—like the drop leaf Urban Outfitters Bamboo Rolling Kitchen Cart—to free up space.

Storage Set-Up

Though all kitchen carts are designed with storage in mind, many of them boast different kinds of storage features. When shopping for kitchen carts, you’ll see everything from cabinets and drawers to hooks and racks. And figuring out what you need to store before shopping can help you determine which of these features to prioritize. If drawer storage is a must, we recommend The Container Store’s Elfa Platinum Mesh Kitchen Cart.

Material

Kitchen carts can be crafted from a range of different materials. On the budget-friendlier side, you’ll see lots of metal. And at the higher end, you’ll find everything from solid wood to the granite options like Andover Mills Elsie Kitchen Cart. Each is a durable option, however, so you really can’t go wrong. Just be sure to consider what the rest of your kitchen looks like, and decide which materials best suit your space.