Catskill Craftsmen Kitchen Trolley, Black Base/Natural Top

This is a really nice kitchen trolley (or microwave stand, to me) for a very reasonable price! Most of it is still pressed board, but it seems very well-built and feels like it should last quite a while. The doors are a bit flimsy (there's nothing on the bottom behind the doors, so you can push them in a bit ... another magnetic door latch on the bottom would solve it ... I'll probably do that, eventually), but otherwise, the rest is great. Be prepared to spend a while putting it together, since it isn't quite as easy as your typical DIY Walmart special (that's a GOOD thing). Also, be prepared for it to smell pretty awful as you put it together. The paint used has some nasty fumes that DO go away after a day or two (don't worry!). The drawer is a bit loose for my taste as there's quite a bit of play, but that's minor, too. If you're a DIY-er, it would be a quick and easy job to beef the drawer up with some nice drawer slides that wouldn't allow any play. I may do that, yet, too.Otherwise, it's a good amount of room. My large microwave fits perfectly on top. I have a large crock pot in the open area, and all my coffee and tea-related stuff stored in the drawer and cabinet. Saved me a TON of cabinet space! :D

I have no experience assembling furniture. There are no written instructions for this cart, just a picture sequence. You need a phillips head screwdriver and a small mallet or hammer to tap in the fastener covers; the allen wrench is provided in the bag with the screws. I sorted all of the fasteners before I started, and then fit all of the pieces together, set by set, to be sure I understood everything before I started the assembly. I just matched up the pieces pursuant to the pictures, making certain I had the pre-drilled holes facing proper directions, and referred to the screw and bolt diagrams to be sure I used the right fasteners in the correct locations. Everything fit together like a dream. It took me about two hours to put this cart together because I was being so very careful to fasten the pieces together where they belonged, mimicking the photos. The pamphlet warned not to tighten any fasteners until the cart was entirely assembled, so I tightened every fastener at the end of total assembly. The result is an extremely sturdy cart; no wobbles, no gaps, no problems. I think waiting until assembly is complete to tighten the fasteners is the key to this cart's sturdiness. If I can put this together so well, anyone can.

i bought a Catskill Craftsmen kitchen island a few weeks ago and it's sturdy and very good looking. So I was stunned when I saw this cart. It is flimsy and cheap. There are several imperfections in the paint and a ding in the side of the "hardwood" top. This is not made by skilled Catskill craftsmen out of sustainable hardwoods. It is of very sorry quality and the description is misleading to say the least. Don't buy this cart!

It took me well over 2 hours to assemble this but when I was done there were no parts and no hardware left over and I was left with a nice sturdy cart that will easily accommodate my microwave and my small convection oven. I'm deducting 1 star because of the extra time it took to identify each part (nothing is labelled) and the lack of any written assembly instructions or care instructions. (I have no idea what I can or can't use to clean it.) For the most part the step-by-step assembly illustrations were pretty clear but it was particularly difficult for me to figure out how and where to position the clamps on the underside of the top so it wouldn't move around. On a brighter note, with some patience and focus this cart can be successfully assembled by one person, although it would probably go faster with two people. (Or you'd wind up killing each other :-)I looked at a LOT of carts before choosing this one and I'm glad I did -- the wood is nice and thick, the matte finish is attractive and it's a vast improvement over the beat up old white cart that it's replacing.

This is a cute and useful little cart of average quality. Good for the price. One of the front doors was not finished like the other, so I called the manufacturer. They sent me another door immediately, but it was worse than the original. I use it for a coffee cart and it meets the needs. I use a basket in the middle section for extra hidden storage, and there is lots of storage space behind the doors.

Easy to put together, but that's about all of it's good qualities. There's no drawer stop, so when pulling the draw out, be carefully not yo pull it out too far, least it falls on your foot (ask me how I know that). It looks nice too, another good quality- don't expect yo own for a long time- it will not hold up.

I needed a small cart that I can place my microwave oven. It is perfect size to fit right next to my refrigerator and not to block the small passage.The product is sturdy and looks nicer than the ones I checked from other stores.Assembly was very easy (it took less that 2 hours), although I could use a little bit more detailed instruction.In previous reviews, some mentioned the bottom part lacking shelving. However, I find it much useful than having small compartment. I can put upright paper towel holder and tall cookbooks. If I need, I can put small containers for other storage. One minor problem is upper drawer. I wanted to place foils and wraps, but it was a little too shallow. Only note pad and small items can fit. Other than that, this product is really nice, especially considering the price.