Need help finding a kitchen island/prep table that meets our needs
January 6, 2018 3:58 PM Subscribe
This is probably the dumbest question I’ve asked on here and super first world problems caveat, but here goes. My husband and I moved into a new apartment and there’s basically zero counter space. However, there’s room for a huge kitchen island/table. We are having trouble finding something big enough that isn’t thousands of dollars (and we tend to hate how those expensive ones look anyway). Add’l details below. Thanks in advance.
In a perfect world, we’d spend less than $500, and get a prep table or kitchen island that is 60” x 30” and counter height (i.e. somewhere around 36” tall). We are happy with something new, or used and have been trawling craigslist, googling like crazy, and even visited several local restuarant supply and typical home goods stores trying to find this unicorn. The table doesn’t have to be fancy - we’re okay with something like one of those stainless steel prep tables, such as this one on Amazon, or this this Webstaurant one which we randomly found while googling. We are afraid to get either of those because the amazon one has poor reviews, and we have no idea who that other retailer is and their shipping and return policy seems restrictive.
Do we have no other options? Everything seems to be 40” or 48” long and that’s too short. We’ve tried googling “kitchen island”, “kitchen cart”, “kitchen prep table”, “work bench”, “outdoor prep table”, you get the idea and mostly have only come up with the two linked options above.
In case you are wondering, our taste runs more modern, we don’t really like that country cottage type look for example, but with the options dwindling, I’d be willing to entertain whatever you guys know about.
If anyone has ideas for a better googling phrase, a retailer that may work, or even local options (we are in Portland, OR), we’d appreciate it. If you have experience buying from that random retailer we found, Webstaurant, we’d also appreciate you letting us know how that went. Thanks!
In a perfect world, we’d spend less than $500, and get a prep table or kitchen island that is 60” x 30” and counter height (i.e. somewhere around 36” tall). We are happy with something new, or used and have been trawling craigslist, googling like crazy, and even visited several local restuarant supply and typical home goods stores trying to find this unicorn. The table doesn’t have to be fancy - we’re okay with something like one of those stainless steel prep tables, such as this one on Amazon, or this this Webstaurant one which we randomly found while googling. We are afraid to get either of those because the amazon one has poor reviews, and we have no idea who that other retailer is and their shipping and return policy seems restrictive.
Do we have no other options? Everything seems to be 40” or 48” long and that’s too short. We’ve tried googling “kitchen island”, “kitchen cart”, “kitchen prep table”, “work bench”, “outdoor prep table”, you get the idea and mostly have only come up with the two linked options above.
In case you are wondering, our taste runs more modern, we don’t really like that country cottage type look for example, but with the options dwindling, I’d be willing to entertain whatever you guys know about.
If anyone has ideas for a better googling phrase, a retailer that may work, or even local options (we are in Portland, OR), we’d appreciate it. If you have experience buying from that random retailer we found, Webstaurant, we’d also appreciate you letting us know how that went. Thanks!
Response by poster: To head off add’l answers at the pass - local stores we’ve checked have included ikea, target, Home Depot - all the usual big stores, plus the local restaurant supply stores off 99E. Tables were not big enough. Thanks.
posted by FireFountain at 4:03 PM on January 6, 2018
posted by FireFountain at 4:03 PM on January 6, 2018
Do you have a Habitat for Humanity ReStore near you? Sometimes they get good stuff.
My immediate impulse would be to purchase three bookshelves at a little under the right height, arrange them in a C shape, then bolt a custom countertop on top. Huge island, low cost, lots of storage. Or get the largest Ikea piece you can, get a bookshelf to add to the end, and get a countertop extension.
posted by blnkfrnk at 4:07 PM on January 6, 2018 [5 favorites]
My immediate impulse would be to purchase three bookshelves at a little under the right height, arrange them in a C shape, then bolt a custom countertop on top. Huge island, low cost, lots of storage. Or get the largest Ikea piece you can, get a bookshelf to add to the end, and get a countertop extension.
posted by blnkfrnk at 4:07 PM on January 6, 2018 [5 favorites]
I got a stainless table like that at Costco many years ago. The one the have on the site now looks better than mine.
posted by bongo_x at 4:11 PM on January 6, 2018
posted by bongo_x at 4:11 PM on January 6, 2018
I don't understand why you're not ordering the Web Restaurant one. It's 16 gauge, meets your criteria, and is well reviewed?
posted by DarlingBri at 4:18 PM on January 6, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by DarlingBri at 4:18 PM on January 6, 2018 [3 favorites]
If you're ambivalent about your more industrial finds this could be achieved by a small diy project. In that case I would head to IKEA and find shelving/storage units of your choice as underpinnings and then I'd acquire a kitchen counter top cut to your desired measurements and bolt that on top.
posted by koahiatamadl at 4:29 PM on January 6, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by koahiatamadl at 4:29 PM on January 6, 2018 [2 favorites]
Make it out of kitchen cupboard units with an IKEA benchtop or similar on top. We investigated a ton of options and that was the most flexible for size and the cheapest. It's what IKEA itself does for most of its showroom islands
posted by lollusc at 4:37 PM on January 6, 2018 [6 favorites]
posted by lollusc at 4:37 PM on January 6, 2018 [6 favorites]
Best answer: I've ordered from Webstaurant Store. It really is restaurant supply, and the stuff I ordered was well packed. I'd imagine the shipping costs will be pretty high for a big hunk of steel like that, and I wouldn't be surprised if it showed up as freight and not UPS. I would expect that the actual product will be exactly as described.
posted by fedward at 4:55 PM on January 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by fedward at 4:55 PM on January 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
To echo previous suggestions for Ikea, it doesnt even have to be a DIY project. You can go there, consult with an employee, pick the size of countertop you need, the cabinets to go under it, and have Ikea deliver and assemble it for you.
posted by mrmurbles at 5:01 PM on January 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by mrmurbles at 5:01 PM on January 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
Seconding fedward. I have also purchased from Webstaurant, in particular some shelving. IIRC shipping costs are high, but everything was good quality.
posted by 2 cats in the yard at 5:21 PM on January 6, 2018
posted by 2 cats in the yard at 5:21 PM on January 6, 2018
How about a tool chest?
Here's another about the right length and closer to your price.
posted by BlueHorse at 6:33 PM on January 6, 2018 [2 favorites]
Here's another about the right length and closer to your price.
posted by BlueHorse at 6:33 PM on January 6, 2018 [2 favorites]
Not quite 30" deep, but we bought a commercial grade john boos work table (which are way less ridiculous than their consumer grade for pricing) : . We paid less than listed here through our local kitchen supply store. See if any of your local kitchen supply stores are suppliers for them? This is counter height and fit our magic unicorn space like a dream. They have various other options.
posted by annabear at 7:31 PM on January 6, 2018
posted by annabear at 7:31 PM on January 6, 2018
I have a stainless table very like the one you're considering, and I love it. The only caveat I'll mention is the feet, which are quite sharp. If you load the table with any weight, the feet will cut into your flooring. Choose and use casters/foot protectors with care.
posted by MonkeyToes at 7:44 PM on January 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by MonkeyToes at 7:44 PM on January 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
local stores we’ve checked have included ikea, target, Home Depot - all the usual big stores, plus the local restaurant supply stores off 99E. Tables were not big enough
Home Depot and Ikea sell kitchen cabinets, you can order these in any configuration you want as base cabinets for the island and put an appropriate countertop (which can be ordered in any size) on top of them.
Most kitchen islands are cabinets with a counter on top of them.
posted by yohko at 8:10 PM on January 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
Home Depot and Ikea sell kitchen cabinets, you can order these in any configuration you want as base cabinets for the island and put an appropriate countertop (which can be ordered in any size) on top of them.
Most kitchen islands are cabinets with a counter on top of them.
posted by yohko at 8:10 PM on January 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
If you don't have a dishwasher you might look into the ones that hook up to the sink. We use the top of ours as a work station and it's great and it's on wheels.
posted by Mr. Yuck at 2:07 AM on January 7, 2018
posted by Mr. Yuck at 2:07 AM on January 7, 2018
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posted by Freedomboy at 4:00 PM on January 6, 2018 [4 favorites]