# Islands/Trolleys/Workstations!



## Stevie

Hey!

Who can recommend which islands/workstations/trolleys for their home coffee setup?

I'm looking for value as well as quality - its got to comfortably support 50kg of gear and be the correct dimensions. I envisage around 80/90cm tall, 1m long and 50cm deep - enough for espresso machine, two grinders, filter brewer plus scales/tamping room.

Currently liking the look of this, but its only 80cm long - which I don't think quite cuts it









http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/kitchen-products/kitchen-islands-trolleys/stenstorp-kitchen-trolley-black-brown-oak-art-70323025/

Thanks!


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## GCGlasgow

Keep an eye on Gumtree for butchers blocks. Sometimes they can be reasonably priced.


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## Stevie

I found one earlier and she sold it 3 hours before, after it was advertised for a week!


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## espressotechno

Stainless steel catering trolleys/tables are quite chunky & wobble-free.


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## Grahamg

^ yep, and good quality locking castors.


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## Sharkie

If you think you are ever likely to end up with a lever machine make sure you get something substantial as the action of pulling the lever will cause your trolly/block to move, especially if it is fitted with castors.


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## urbanbumpkin

Try Argos they do one with wooden cupboards. £83 heart of something. I put a new wooden block on mine.


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## urbanbumpkin

Try this one

http:// http://www.argos.co.uk/product/2663304


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## Stevie

I looked at the stainless catering trolleys but they have odd dimensions and don't have a flat surface (ridges around the edge or slightly sunk)


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## urbanbumpkin

What dimensions are you after?

If you can get the unit your after you could get an off cut of wooden work top from some where like Howdens and fix it to the top?


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## Stevie

Sounds a bit too DIY for me. Looking for about 90-100cm tall, 50/60cm deep and 100/110 long... I think less than 95cm long will mean I can't get my entire setup on it


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## johnealey

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/kitchen-products/kitchen-islands-trolleys/flytta-kitchen-trolley-stainless-steel-art-00058487/

currently supporting the weight of an L2 plus Mythos on the top surface, middle shelf full of brew methods, bottom shelf has bottled water plus a horizontal Brita Purity Quell 600. slight wobble when pulling the levers on the L2 if running out of volvic / waitrose essential that could benefit from a cross brace but to be fair to it, I don't think the designer had this type of equipment in mind when working out the strength of materials required (would be absolutely rock solid on anything less weighty







)

John


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## jimbojohn55

Stevie said:


> Sounds a bit too DIY for me. Looking for about 90-100cm tall, 50/60cm deep and 100/110 long... I think less than 95cm long will mean I can't get my entire setup on it


bit shorter 100 x 43 in wood £80

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/kitchen-products/kitchen-islands-trolleys/förhöja-kitchen-trolley-birch-art-80035920/

or right size in SS 98 x 57 £100 - oops just spotted above post!

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/kitchen-products/kitchen-islands-trolleys/flytta-kitchen-trolley-stainless-steel-art-00058487/

god bless the swedish


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## Kyle T

I recently bought this one from Ikea

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/kitchen-products/kitchen-islands-trolleys/f%C3%B6rh%C3%B6ja-kitchen-trolley-birch-art-80035920/

Its slightly shorter than you want but everything else is about right. I really like it, gives me plenty of space on top plus i have the 2 draws for bits and bobs and all of the space below for cups.


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## NickdeBug

depends on how much you want to spend really.

I bought one of these which is perfect for my needs and has the added benefit of drawers and cupboard for storing beans and coffee paraphernalia.

Dimensions look to match your needs pretty well



*W1060 D440 H860*



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​


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## Stevie

johnealey said:


> http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/kitchen-products/kitchen-islands-trolleys/flytta-kitchen-trolley-stainless-steel-art-00058487/
> 
> currently supporting the weight of an L2 plus Mythos on the top surface, middle shelf full of brew methods, bottom shelf has bottled water plus a horizontal Brita Purity Quell 600. slight wobble when pulling the levers on the L2 if running out of volvic / waitrose essential that could benefit from a cross brace but to be fair to it, I don't think the designer had this type of equipment in mind when working out the strength of materials required (would be absolutely rock solid on anything less weighty
> 
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> 
> 
> 
> 
> )
> 
> John


I was looking at this one - have you got any photos of the setup? I'm worried it will look really out of place in my kitchen.

Needs to be strong enough to support a Rocket R60, EK43 and Mazzer Mini with tamping/scales.


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## johnealey

Ah now you see there is the problem, we don't have what most people refer to as a kitchen we have a coffee room that has a "kitchen corner" (ridiculously understanding wife as @MrShades can attest.

Will see what can do later but for now as it has "tea towel" handles on the short ends by the time you have draped various bits of cleaning clothier it doesn't look out of place in a kitchen, depends on what else you got in there I suppose. @NickdeBug one looks nice though and solid too

John

p.s. weight wise a Londinium L2 with the 14L water tank full probably weighs somewhere in the region of 80-85Kg and the mythos another 10kg (not enough room for the R120 and the L2, so it lurks menacingly in the corner...)


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## Stevie

Might have to pop to Ikea and have a look at them in the flesh for size.... the trolley does seem to match my dimension requirements...


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## Stevie

I love this. But its over budget - perfect for use though.

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/kitchen-products/kitchen-islands-trolleys/rimforsa-work-bench-art-40294048/


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## johnealey

Have added some additional weight detail to my last post which might help.

Height wise I wanted a little more so bought 2 Skogsta chopping boards for £10 each, Danish oiled them and they raise the L II up to almost std worktop height or you could buy a worktop and cut to fit.

Added bonus, if you don't like it where it is take the brakes off all 4 wheels and try it somewhere else (remembering to take all water pipes etc off first of course....







)

John


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## Stevie

johnealey said:


> Have added some additional weight detail to my last post which might help.
> 
> Height wise I wanted a little more so bought 2 Skogsta chopping boards for £10 each, Danish oiled them and they raise the L II up to almost std worktop height or you could buy a worktop and cut to fit.
> 
> Added bonus, if you don't like it where it is take the brakes off all 4 wheels and try it somewhere else (remembering to take all water pipes etc off first of course....
> 
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> 
> John


I live in a small house, and my coffee 'corner' is literally half my kitchen, and my EK is downstairs in the garage as there's no room!


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## "coffee 4/1"

Have a look at nisbets.co,uk for franke scission's 304 ss tables flat pack, strong money but will last forever,


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## Stevie

i think those franke ones are 'too commercial' and their pretty deep. I looked at their trollets before but they dont seem to have flat surfaced ones


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## urbanbumpkin

For our kitchen I got an old chest of bedroom drawers painted it with chalk paint. Put on new handles and added a wooden block top.


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## Stevie

I wanted to update you with what I ended up choosing. I went for the Ikea flytta but currently don't think it's suitable for my setup, it's not sturdy enough and a little wobbly. I under estimated the weight it needs to hold


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## johnealey

Wedge it in against the two walls, lock the wheels at right angles to the walls and put something heavy on the bottom shelf ( which was what was talking about with the bottles of water etc.

Failing that a pipe clip on the wall on the right should grip the trolley handle nicely, or one to "grab one of the legs?

John


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## Stevie

I'm unsure if adding more weight at all is a good idea. I think the casters are the most likely part to give out, I'm going to take them off once I get a rug to go underneath. I can't wedge it because of the skirting around the wall....

john does yours still have the casters on? I think it's the EK that's pushing it, as that weighs 27kg or something


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## johnealey

Hi Stevie

one of the issues you may have is one of all the weight on the top and none on the bottom hence the wobble (which is to a certain extent exacerbated by the castors).

I have way more weight on the top shelf than yourself however there is also a fair amount of weight on the bottom shelf to counter thus stabilising a little. The only issue I could see when looked to remove the castors was the loss of height leading to either fitting solid wooden feet or more boards to the top. An ideal solution would be to cross brace the sides not visible and surprised they did not do this however a pretty sure they were not expecting hoofing great coffee machines on the top









I don't think mine is any danger of collapse and given it has a 2 lever machine on the top is subject to being "pulled" against it's short axis 15-20 times a day, would have expected to see any failures prior to now.(we had the R120 on there as well for a while which has bit of a torque kick, but is really tight on space with the L2 on so moved it back putting the mythos on there)

John

Just a thought, try the castors in different directions i.e. 2 one way 2 the other, or all four pointing toward the next corner, might help in the meantime


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## chupulio

If this is still of interest to anyone, i am using an old workbench, something like this










It is sturdy as hell and compliments the simplicity of old school coffee-making well imho.

Gesendet von meinem SM-G925F mit Tapatalk


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## traidoco

This one looks like a cheap option. 120cm length should do the trick, they even have a shorter version (100cm) which is £15, you would need to add the table top and legs separately for this one. The table top is rated for 50kg and the legs seem sturdy with the triangle form. No racks or wheels though!http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/...innmon-lerberg-table-white-grey-spr-29000716/

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/desks/table-tops-legs/linnmon-lerberg-table-white-grey-spr-29000716/


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## nicholasj

I used this in our last place, it's also IKEA.


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## Cycleandespresso

Nice - As a very cheap option I bought one of these - just set up and seems reasonable quality. I will post a picture once my machine arrives

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201117481043?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&var=500892484392&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT


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