I also have a small kitchen and use my KA mixer constantly. I wish I could use your idea, but don't have a pantry. I think it will work great. The only caveat would be to make sure it is a really sturdy cart that rolls easily. This is not something I would scrimp on.

I'm interested to hear if others have tried this or have reservations about the idea.

I cannot speak to the mixer being on a cart, but even at 5' 4", I really appreciated the time I had my k. Aid mixer on a 30" high table. It was wonderful for putting in ingredients and seeing what was going on in there.

A cart for baking stuff "takes the cake" in my book. : )

Great idea! Those mixers are so huge and heavy that they end up taking up counter space which might be in short supply. My only concern would be the movement of the mixer will cause the cart to move, too. If the cart has good brakes that will stop the worst of the motion.

Those wire kichen carts are extremely sturdy. I use them in my business. It should work very well.

I think the moving cart is a fantastic idea! In addition to what has been noted above, make sure the wheels can lock.

The concern I might have with a cart would be wear & tear on the floor. What kind will you have?

Anne

Ooh, to go along with Anne's point, look at the material the wheel is made of. We had one black rubber kind that ended up staining our polyurethaned maple! It wasn't an instant marring, but it was some chemical reaction that happend over time. Switched it out for a different wheel that didn't stain.

In my end-state (tiny/vintage) kitchen, I am going to have a 24" 'portable island' with a mixer shelf embedded underneath, and marble top for baking. I do like the idea of the whole unit being on a cart for convenicne purposes, so I like your plan too!

my vote is for pantry!

So it's unanimous -- everyone likes the idea of the Kitchen Aid mixer disappearing into the oversized pantry via a cart.

- Good advice on choosing a top-notch cart.
- I wouldn't have considered locking wheels, but I do see that they're an absolute necessity.
- Since the cart won't be "out" regularly, I'll choose based purely upon function -- not looks.
- I'm planning on a tile floor: Pinwheel design with mottled beige and a soft dark red accent. I'd assume that tile would be less troublesome in terms of stains.

Thanks, all! I think that decision is made, though I do remain open to other thoughts.

{{gwi:2137375}}

[Traditional Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by Evansville Kitchen & Bath Fixtures WoodArt Fine Cabinetry

Is that what you were talking about? I think it's a cool idea. I don't really like the idea of rolling a cart around, but I also don't use my mixer as often as you. Mine is going to go in our appliance garage.

This post was edited by aimless07 on Sat, Jan 3, 15 at 12:11

Sturdy cart - but also one that can handle the motion of the mixer when in use. I know that my KA mixer sometimes "wiggles" a bit when I'm mixing something substantial (like cookie dough). It doesn't when mixing items that are less dense (like cake batter).

I would be sure that anything you get can take the weight and "wiggling" long-term.

Oh - and a cart that's easy to clean. Think of the flour dust that gets in the air and settles all around as well as any batter/dough that might splatter outside the bowl.

If you're really ok with strictly function over form, I would look at something like this, but with locking wheels -

Here is a link that might be useful: Rbbuermaid utility cart

I have a Hobart that is somewhat bigger than a Kitchen aid. For 3-4 years I had it on a heavy duty butcher block/stainless stand, but it rocked and rolled when I used the mixer. After we redid the kitchen in 2013, the mixer moved to a short span of countertop, between the refrigerator and the range. I can slide it back and forth on the quartz and it has worked like a charm. The butcher block now holds the microwave on the top and the bread machine on the lower shelf. This small (9x11) kitchen acts like a much bigger one. Of course, I do have a large reach in pantry that I just organized. Wow, this is all working so well, that we're not even considering moving to the new small development that is starting just down the street!!

I wish I had the lift up shelf, but this kitchen doesn't have one. Very spacious and lots of storage, but only a few of the convenient 'extras' were included in the cabinetry when the former owner updated.

I already had an Ikea butchers block top cart for my kitchen aid and am still using it. Works fine for me, I use the mixer maybe once a week, or 4-6 times a month. The cart moves easily from my adjoining laundry/pantry to one of two places in my kitchen - and it's plenty sturdy and movement free under my 6 Qt kitchen aid. I think my food processor is a similar weight to the mixer, I don't store that on a lower shelf. The food processor stays on the counter. The Mixer cannot, it's about 1/16th" too high to slide back under my upper cabinets. I have the space, not the height;)

Couple of coats of clear sealer on the top and no stains, scuffs, marks on the cart top in many years. Many. I think I've had this Ikea cart about 12 years, would only hope their stock now is as sturdy.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ikea wooden kitchen cart

Mobile mixer stand, available at any restaurant supply :)

Look at the Home Shopping Network for sturdy carts.

Here is a link that might be useful: origami-folding-kitchen cart

Also look at Boos carts - although not sure if they are lower.
I use my bread machine on our Boos and no movement of the cart or bread machine. I will try my KA to see how it works. The boos has brakes but I don't always set them. I have not noticed any damage to our wood floor.
My niece had her KA walk off her counter making bread so be sure it is secure.
I love my portable island and use it for everything. I have a niche at the end of a cabinet run. I thought I would put in the pantry and when I remodel the pantry, it might move in - but currently doesn't fit.

Home Depot has a large selection many with shelving and drawers in them. :You mention you have a small kitchen so this idea may give you extra storage for bowls etc used for baking

Here is a link that might be useful: Home Depot carts

mine sits in the corner on the counter and has a little skirt made for it to hide it. it is just a spot in the corner where nothing else happens, and I use mine at least every other day. The more you use it, the handier it should be. You use it once a week, a cart might be an okay idea, but you gotta roll it out, plug it in, use it, clean it, reassemble it, unplug it, and roll it back. And then ya gotta pull the cart out when you want something in the pantry. And move it back. It is whatever you are comfortable with. More important is rule No.1 in my house: you use the mixer, the mixing bowl gets cleaned IMMEDIATELY and put back on the mixer, before stuff goes in the oven. And it's great if you clean the mixers too, and pop 'em back in the bowl.
dave

bifenton's link has me drooling for this one,
...if I only had room for it :(

Here is a link that might be useful: French country cart

The cart can have its own spot in the pantry, below shelves, and not have to be moved just to get something else. The lower shelves of the cart can hold the accessories, the flour, sugar, baking powder, I'm getting excited, I think I need to plan something like this to get my kitchen aid out of the basement where it is really hard to use!

Aimless, that type of pop-up was originally considering, but I don't want a large kitchen, and -- as much as I love my Kitchen Aid -- I don't know that I have 18" of space to devote to it.

Buhel, I was already on board with no-wiggles, and I was thinking about locking wheels and a no-wiggle rubber pad underneath it -- but I hadn't considered easy-to-clean. For that reason, I think I'm against the (pretty) wooden carts with slat shelves. Those would allow flour to fall on the floor. Easy-to-clean is absolutely one of my goals.

SJHockeyFan, I am definitely into function, but I don't like that honkin' big cord roll-up on the end.

I like the Home Depot cart and the metal cart -- they look like the right size. I'd like to look at them in real life.

I do agree with you, Bragu, that the more often an item is used, the more accessible it ought to be; however, I don't think it'd be particularly un-handy in the pantry. My pantry will open directly into the kitchen (so we're talking about pulling the cart about 5'), and the pantry will be about the same size as the kitchen, so I'll have PLENTY of space for a cart. I'd have the shelves "built in" around the cart's space so I wouldn't have to move it to reach other things.

Realistically, the options are

1. Put the heavy mixer on a cart in the pantry.
2. Keep the mixer on a 24" corner cabinet next to the stove.

I have a stacked appliance garage for my mixer and my microwave. We just moved in our new build and I love it! I have everything handy, but outta sight. Right now I also have the toaster and the blender in with the mixer, not sure if they'll live there permanently, still unpacking and sorting. First pic everything closed. I'll have to do them one at a time, sorry. :)

Microwave open.

Mixer, toaster, and blender. At least for now. I planned it for the mixer and toaster, blender is roommate by default. ;) But it still works out.

Sweet-tea... That is a really nice setup you have going there, I really like the idea of hiding the microwave.

Also, if you happen to live near Asheville NC, there is a cart maker that makes awesome custom carts. I almost sold my Boos when I saw them. He sells them in the futon store

SweetTea, I like that set-up . . . but do you have room to pull the mixer out and use it in that "in front space", or do you have to lift the heavy mixer over to the adjacent counter?

And as I type that, I'm hearing my daughters' voices saying, "Ugh, Mom. First world problems. My luxury kitchen appliances are so heavy."

surya55, thank you for the link. I think I am digging on that Origami cart. My wheels are spinning right now. Hmmm....

Thanks Jgopp, I love having the microwave hidden away!

MrsPete- I have space to use the mixer where it sits. I don't have to pull it out onto the other counter. We've only been living here for a couple weeks, but I've used it 3 times and not had any problems with it. It's working out great for me.

Sweet-Tea, to make it even easier to slide it forward, just cut a thin cutting mat to fit on the bottom and it will slide with ease.
I have this under my mixer, which sits on the counter.

Thanks for the tip jasdip, I'll try that out!

I would worry about it walking off the counter, if sitting on one of those mats.

We took a small set of the wire shelves that Lowes, Home Depot, and Costco sell. We added casters to the bottom legs. We cut out a piece of plywood to drop in the top rack to create a shelf. We created a jig with a few scrap pieces of wood and screwed them to the plywood. My husband uses it as a portable stand for his chop saw. It cost maybe $100 for all the parts. It's quite attractive. You could make a similar arrangement and drop a mixer onto it.

I've seen people use similar arrangements for microwave carts. I use a bigger version of the shelves as shelving in my pantry. When I need to clean the pantry, I unhook the casters and slide everything out.

I love the cart idea so long as the cart and mixer have a convenient permanent home. If that really cannot be accomplished, then I vote for a pull down or a pull up from an adjacent cabinet. I think that the mixer is too large to remain on a countertop in anything other than a very large kitchen...

Great idea!
It might also be nice to store the baking items (flour/sugar) in the lower level, so you could take everything out of the pantry at once.

Decision made: I was at Home Depot today, and I was looking at cabinets -- I went in for something else, but the siren song of the lovely-lovelies pulled me over . . . but I digress: I was looking at a cabinet not unlike SweetTea's, and suddenly I saw exactly the right thing:

That cabinet could be altered with a hinged side door, and the Kitchen Aid could easily be pulled out to the cabinet -- it's in a 30" deep cabinet run, so it'll work great.

If that didn't make sense, blame it on my poor description, but when I saw that cabinet in person, I knew exactly what would work for me -- exact same reaction I had when I saw my granite.

I knew

Thanks for working through the thought process with me!