Rolling kitchen islands have become the ‘it’ thing in kitchens today, especially in small sized kitchens. As they are mobile, they can be removed if one wished to use the space another way. This way, one can enjoy the advantages of having a kitchen island and on open kitchen at the same time.
A rolling kitchen can be compared to a trolley. But some of them are closed from all sides, so the wheels are the only thing that make the structure resemble a trolley. Such islands are just as sturdy and sometimes just as heavy as the conventional fixed islands. So they are in every way as functional and efficient as the secured island.
The trolley type rolling islands
Such islands are open from the sides. They usually have a sturdy counter top which can be used for cutting and as well as prepping. This surface is generally made up of wood or granite, although stainless steel models are also available. Such islands can be used to store some of the basic cooking materials that are used daily. Although these are not as sturdy as the closed islands, they are just as useful.
Such islands are available in wood, metal or ceramic bodies, although the last type used ceramics only in certain places.
The closed rolling kitchen islands
These resemble conventional kitchen islands in all but one aspect, the wheel. They have cabinets and compartments just like a normal kitchen island. Some of them have drawers and even knife holders attached to them. They can also be attached with rings for holding kitchen cloths.
These islands usually have a ceramic counter top and are made of wood. They are often heavy, so pushing them requires efforts. It is possible to use lighter wood, but the ceramic counter top adds much to the overall weight.
Such islands are usually built with wood, but a few metallic varieties are also available in the market.
Islands with legs, but no wheels
Although such islands are technically not rolling type, they are indeed mobile. They are not affixed in the kitchen and can be pushed away if necessary. Such islands provide more stability than the rolling types and can be made from heavier building material. But the actual process of pushing it away can be arduous. And this runs the risk or damaging the kitchen floor.
But with adequate precautions, these problems can be prevented quite easily.
While it may not be possible to attach sinks and taps on a rolling kitchen island, its usefulness cannot be denied. Such devices are the perfect way for some of the smaller kitchens to enjoy the benefits of islands. In fact, some of the larger kitchens also use them, just to have to option of shifting them away if the need arises.