Best Coffee Carts
You’ve just finished serving your dinner guests a sumptuous meal and everyone is now sitting in the living room. The time has come for coffee and dessert – your famous carrot cake and best dark roast Columbian blend. Suddenly, you realize that the coffee table is too small to accommodate everything you need to serve cake and coffee. If only you had a coffee cart!
A coffee cart is a handy trolley or cart, usually on wheels, that has a couple of shelves, perhaps a drawer, where you can place everything you need to serve coffee. It can be in a location other than the kitchen or dining room, like the den, living room or outside on the deck, or as an additional piece of furniture in a room as a permanent, designated coffee station.
If you’ve never considered using a coffee cart, or want to learn more, read on to discover some of the best coffee carts you can purchase online and see if one of them can make your coffee serving dreams come true.
1. Editor’s Choice: Safco Products Impromptu Refreshment Cart
Whether for an office meeting or luncheon or at home after a meal or informal gathering, serving freshly brewed coffee with cake, cookies, pie, pastries or other sweet accompaniments is an easy and inviting way to make anyone feel welcome. A coffee cart is an ideal way to display all of your refreshments in one place for your guests to be served or to serve themselves.
This model from Safco is a bit on the expensive side, but it offers up everything you need in a sturdy and stylishly designed coffee cart. The attractive unit is constructed from strong, commercial-grade steel, with shatter-resistant polycarbonate double doors that open into a space with one fixed shelf and a bottom shelf. The interior area is ideal for storing necessities such as plates, napkins, cutlery, coffee filters, mugs, and more.
The large 34-inch by 17-inch laminate top has a weight capacity of 100 pounds, more than sufficient to carry your coffee machine, milk, sugar and cups and saucers. The inside shelves have a weight capacity of 50 pounds each. The coffee cart is on four swivel wheels, two of which lock to keep the cart in place when needed. Stylish and functional, you can roll this coffee cart into any room of your home or office.
Pros:
- Sturdy steel construction
- Storage area with translucent doors
- Four swivel wheels, two that lock
Cons:
- Expensive
- Cannot adjust the fixed shelving
- Assembly is difficult
2. Runner Up: Nathan James Carter Rolling 2-Tiered Serving Cart
This elegant-looking coffee cart is less expensive than our top choice and is a great option for serving coffee and dessert to your guests. It’s also versatile and sturdy enough to switch it up a bit and use it to serve cocktails and drinks.
The cart has a strong metal frame with a nice-sized handle that makes it easy to push and maneuver around a room. The top is made from tempered glass, the perfect spot for a coffee maker or urn, sugar bowl, creamer and cups and saucers. A raised edge with a railing all the way around ensures even tall items will stay in place and on the cart if it gets jostled. There is also a wooden bottom shelf with a raised railing around it where you can store cups, saucers and other accoutrements,
The coffee cart has four caster wheels, two of which that lock to keep the cart from moving when you’re serving. It does need to be assembled, which takes around 25 minutes.
Pros:
- Built-in rails
- Tempered glass top
- Metal locking casters
Cons:
- Not swivel wheels
3. Best Commercial Quality: Crayata Coffee Transport Cart
If you own a commercial establishment – banquet hall, hospitality suite in a hotel or convention center – or if you just do a lot of entertaining in your home, then you need a sturdy coffee cart that can stand the test of time and handle rigorous use.
This coffee cart from Crayata is built to endure a lot of activity. Suitable for transporting, storing and serving coffee, tea, other beverages and food, it has an open design and is made from heavy duty plastic with three levels – top, middle shelf and bottom shelf — steel legs and a sturdy plastic handle. The four-inch wheels – two that lock — are made of thermoplastic rubber (TPR). They won’t scratch the floor or squeak during movement, making for a quiet rolling operation.
The coffee cart has two handles – one to push, one to pull – and the whole cart measures 40 inches long by 20 inches wide and 38 inches high and needs to be assembled. While this is not a décor piece, it is a durable and functional option for the home, office or hospitality industry and has a total capacity weight of 400 pounds.
Pros:
- Handle has non-slip grips
- Storage trays in each handle for small items
- Large rubber wheels
Cons:
- Not a décor item
- Some users had difficulty with assembly
4. Best Unique Design: LVB Modern Wood and Metal Portable Coffee Cart
Some coffee carts are made to be functional, some are made to be décor pieces, while others manage to combine both into one useful design. While it doesn’t have a huge load weight capacity – around 90 pounds – this beautifully constructed rolling coffee cart from LVB will look lovely in any space, whether it’s nestled in a corner of the dining room or being wheeled out onto the terrace.
The cart has a black arc-shaped frame equipped with two handles and two eco-friendly natural-grain MDF engineered wood shelves for a rustic, farmhouse vibe. The four caster wheels provide easy rolling and maneuverability, and the two rear wheels have brakes that you can employ when you want the cart to stay in place.
For greater versatility, the coffee cart also comes with a wine rack where you can store up to three bottles horizontally. Since the rack is placed out of the way under the top of the cart, it leaves you plenty of space to put anything else you need to serve coffee and dessert.
Pros:
- Unique design
- Rustic farmhouse look
- Has an integrated wine rack
Cons:
- Wood shelves do not have a railing around to prevent items from fall off
5. Best Foldable: Origami Folding Kitchen Cart on Wheels
Living in a small apartment or condo calls for creative thinking in terms of furnishings and entertaining. Just because space is limited, it doesn’t mean that entertaining friends and family is off the agenda. Quite the contrary. These days there are many products specifically designed with a small footprint to accommodate tinier homes.
This folding coffee cart from the Oragami Store is a perfect example. Versatile and practical, the three-tiered structure has enough carrying and storage space to accommodate what you need to hold and serve coffee, tea, snacks and drinks. Like many rolling trolleys, this one has four flexible wheels, two of which are lockable. The cart itself has a black, silver or white powdered-stainless steel frame, with a 2-inch solid wood butcher block and an integrated towel hanger.
The cart comes almost fully assembled and the best part? It folds, so when it’s not in use, it will fit nicely in a closet, under a bed or in a storage locker. When open, it measures 25.3 inches long by 20 inches wide by 36.2 inches high with a load capacity of 1o0 pounds per shelf and when folded, it measures 6 inches long by 20 inches wide by 36.2 inches high.
Pros:
- Affordable
- Folds up
- Three-tier construction
- Three different finishes
Cons:
- No handles to pull or push it
- Small size
- Minimal side rails
6. Best Budget Pick: AKSG Coffee Cart with Storage
Living on a budget – and sticking to it – is a fact of life for many of us. However, that doesn’t mean we don’t have friends over for a meal or coffee and dessert. This coffee cart from AKSG is priced within the reach of many budgets and the great thing is, it can be used as a rolling coffee cart or as an extra storage space in your kitchen.
Measuring 22 inches wide by 15.8 inches deep and 29.5 inches high, the coffee cart has a three-tier structure. You can put a coffee maker, plates, creamer and sugar bowl on the top, and store plates and other necessities on the other two shelves. It comes with a 10-piece set of steel hooks to hang all of your coffee cups conveniently out of the way.
Made of 15mm thick particleboard and a black powder-coated metal frame, the shelves have a weight capacity of up to 110 pounds. The trolley has four flexible wheels, two of which lock, so when you’re not using it to serve your guests, the cart can stand in a corner of the kitchen as a coffee station, freeing up space on your countertop.
Pros:
- Affordable
- Comes with 10 steel hooks
- Up to 110 pound load capacity
Cons:
- No handles to push or pull
- No side rails
7. Also Consider: VASAGLE Coffee Station
Having a rolling coffee cart is so convenient: you can keep it in the kitchen or dining room with the back wheels locked and when company calls, it becomes your best companion to help serve coffee and dessert in any location in your home. But sometimes you might want a coffee cart that remains stationary, a place just for coffee paraphernalia and perhaps storage for other kitchen items.
We love the design of this coffee cart, since it has been thoughtfully constructed to accommodate so many needs. Yes, it doesn’t have wheels, so you can’t move it around easily, but where it lacks in mobility, it gains in everything else plus, its uses are totally customizable. The cart is made of durable particleboard with a sturdy metal frame. You won’t have any issue with storage space with this coffee cart, it has six designated shelves varying in size, a wire basket and six S-hooks.
Set it up as a coffee bar on one side with all the paraphernalia or use it as a decorative shelf in your home office – the options are endless.
Pros:
- Has a unique multi-tiered design
- Lots of storage space
- Measures 35.4 inches long by 15.4 inches wide by 52 inches high
Cons:
- No wheels
- No handles
- Minimal side railings
8. Worth Mentioning: SHA CERLIN Farmhouse Coffee Cart
The last pick on our recommendation list is worth mentioning for its decorative appeal and attention to detail when it comes to functionality. This coffee cart from Sha Cerlin is also a stationary model that does not have wheels but will an attractive addition to any space.
Reasonably priced, the coffee cart has some cool space-saving design elements that set it a notch above other models. We really love the space-saving sliding barn door with its high-grade metal handle that opens up the interior space that has shelves to store all the coffee paraphernalia you need. All the middle shelves can be arranged up or down 2.2 inches using two adjustable gears, so you can customize the interior to suit your needs.
The unit is constructed of waterproof and scratchproof MDF wood with a rustic farmhouse finish. Easy to clean, the coffee cart measures 31.5 inches by 15.7 inches x 32 inches, with a total weight capacity of 250 pounds and 33 pounds for each middle shelf.
Pros:
- Sliding barn doors
- Adjustable shelves
- Made of waterproof MDF wood
Cons:
- No wheels
- Needs two people to assemble
What to look for when choosing a coffee cart:
Having a coffee cart in your home is a bit like having an extra helping hand when you’re entertaining friends and family. These trollies on wheels make it easy to serve coffee, tea and dessert in any room in your home. Some coffee carts do not have wheels, but that doesn’t make them any less helpful. They are still a designated space to keep all of your coffee paraphernalia so your guests can serve themselves. Most coffee carts are versatile and multi-functional and can do double duty as a convenient storage space, too. And while it might seem like a bit of a cakewalk when it comes to choosing a coffee cart, there are some things to consider before making a decision that is best for you:
Wheels or no wheels: This is probably one of the most important factors to consider. Mobility is one of the main reasons people have a coffee cart, but it is not necessarily a deal-breaker. Of course, if your goal is to be able to move the cart around a table to serve your guests, or to bring it out from the kitchen to the dining room, den, living room or outside on the terrace, then a wheeled cart is the only way to go. A wheeled cart is also a necessity if you are using it in a large commercial space like a banquet hall, convention center or office environment. If you choose a model with wheels, make sure they swivel, since this makes it easier to maneuver. If the wheels don’t swivel and are fixed, then the cart will only go straight in one direction without much turn flexibility. Two of the back wheels, ideally, should lock. This way the cart will stay in one place when you need it to.
If you live in a small space, a coffee cart with wheels may not be important to you. Instead, what you need is a designated spot as a coffee station where you can keep all of your coffee supplies and associated accessories in one place. If this is the case, try to choose a model that is attractive to enhance your décor, but also functional enough so that it can serve as an extra storage and organizational space.
Details: Depending on your needs, there are some details you may want to consider to make sure you love the coffee cart you choose. Consider how and where you want to use it and then think about sturdy shelves, if they are adjustable or not, organizational and space-saving devices such as wire baskets and hanging hooks, side rails to keep items from falling out, a handle to push and one to pull and doors to conceal stored items.
Photo credit: Photographee.eu/Shutterstock