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Harold K.
December 31, 2015
A very useful, solid choice for extra counter space
I've been in the market for something like this for awhile, but always deterred by the high prices they typically go for at some of the high end chain stores -- $300-$500 range. Having just moved into a 750 sq ft apartment, I was desperate for counter space and decided to buy this on the cheap as a temporary solution to my problem. Once I put it together and started loading it up with my appliances and pots/pans, I was immediately impressed by the sturdiness and aesthetics.Pros:- Sturdy materials. Metal and wood parts are actually metal and wood. E.g. Not chromed plastic or particle board.- Truly 'tool-less' build. It took me about 15-20 mins to assemble once I unpacked and laid all the parts out. Admittedly I did have to use a pipe wrench to separate 2 parts that I accidentally mis-threaded (my fault), but otherwise, no tools needed.- Minimalist aesthetic. It's not bulky or overly decorative. You can load it up with stuff and it just kind of disappears.- Can be easily disassembled and/or moved around. When I inevitably move again, I will not be dreading taking this with me.- Quite a lot of storage space, with adjustable shelves. My Kitchenaid Pro6 mixer, crock pot, and Lodge enameled cast iron dutch oven sits comfortably on the bottom, with other baking wear. in the middle. The top being utilized as a wet bar and snack area. I hung a set of heavy stainless steel pots from the hooks up top without issue.Cons:- Being in California, there is always concern of tall things falling over. If you want to anchor it to your wall, then you need to acquire a strap...it doesn't come with one.- For the height and potential load-bearing nature of this thing, the supplied plastic feet are very small. In my opinion, they're by far the flimsiest and cheapest-looking part. I will be watching them closely during the next earthquake. They're perfectly functional for leveling, though.- I wish the shelves were a little deeper. As I said, it's more than adequate to store my huge kitchenaid mixer down below, but I would not feel comfortable actually using the mixer on the top shelf.In summary, I'm very very pleased with it and have since purchased two other pieces of Whitmor-branded 'furniture.' I think for anyone desperate for extra kitchen storage like I was, it is a good, solid solution. Just be realistic about what you're getting. It's not a butcher block. It's not a fancy, heavy duty permanent piece of furniture, but it also doesn't cost $500!
✔ Verified Purchase
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Joyneau
November 17, 2022
Excellent product, well made, and easy to assemble!
This shelving unit is quite pretty when you get it set up!I was impressed with the sturdy cutting board and all the weight that these shelves can hold! When they say strong, they weren’t kidding! It fits flush against any wall, and really frees up my counter space, and I love that all the shelves are adjustable for whatever my needs are at the time! Easy to change the height of shelving and easy to slide on the floor, but once moved into place doesn’t slip all over like some I have tried!You may want to order more hooks to hang utensils or pans , than what it comes with.No complaints and will def order again!UPDATE!Almost two years later, still sturdy and beautiful as ever! I’ve used this shelf for pasta and bread making mainly and of course to store my machines and platters. And even with the board being wet or damp almost every day for a few hours, no warping, no chipping, no problems. I have scrubbed the board in between product very well each time, and it holds up marvelously!I have purchased extra hooks for it, and have hung my mugs all along under the very top shelf and this can take quite a bit of weight.Well worth the price and am purchasing again because my son and daughter in law fell in love with it as well!The picture doesn’t do justice. It is truly a solid lovely piece!
✔ Verified Purchase
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Adam J. Lee
June 29, 2018
Excellent for home use
This unit has served its purpose well, which is to maximize space in a small kitchen. Pretty sturdy for what it is, though definitely not commercial grade. I use the top shelf, but found that if I put things like sauce bottles up there, they do sometimes fall when I open and close the microwave door (which sits of the wood shelf). To alleviate this issue, I just put different things up there that are not cylindrical and/or things which have a wider base or lower center of gravity, and it's fine. Easy to assemble. The hooks come in handy. I imagine that the wood shelf could be used as a cutting board, but I don't use it for that, so I don't know how the finish would hold up - still, a nice thick piece of wood. I probably have 40-50 lbs. of stuff on the rack in total, and it seems to support that easily, but I would not feel comfortable about trying to stand on it or use it as a stepping stool, to give an idea of about how sturdy it seems, which is 'medium sturdy' in my opinion.If I had any complaints, they would be: A typical counter top is about 36" high, and I wish the top shelf were the same height, but it's only 32" high. I wish the top shelf had more of a 'fence' (I don't know what you'd call it) around it - it has about a 0.5" high fence, but it this were 2-3" instead, it would be a more useful shelf for me....and the chrome finish makes it look a little 'cheap', but you can't have everything. Once again, I would not recommend this product for commercial use, but for home use it does the job very nicely.
✔ Verified Purchase