Catskill CraftsmenMicrowave Cart

Assembly takes awhile and parts were not all labeled with small white removable tags. It would be nice to have directions coded to each piece (part A etc.) I did like the nice smaller bags of screws and nuts which were well labeled. I used a power drill to assemble but found myself often tightening down by hand to avoid overdoing it and stripping out screws. Directions suggest you use vegetable oil on the end of each screw, this does make it easier to screw in and avoids splitting the wood. The castor wheels were like industrial grade and compared to the old cheap plastic ones on the cart I replaced these were bomber. In fact the old wheels had been collapsing and actually ripped out when I removed the cart. I like the locking castors to keep the cart in place when rubbing down with Mineral Oil. (use food grade mineral oil) After oiling the wood is beautiful and looks like an expensive piece of furniture, not like the old heavy press-board white cart it replaced. I like the solid shelf tops and table top, as my old press board cart was falling apart from coffee pot moisture and the white surface was peeling back after a few spills over the 15 years I had that cart. I was worried my Panasonic microwave would not fit, but it slide in fine with a 1/4 inch to spare allowing for easy air circulation. Cart is a bit tall and top board could have been 3-4 inches lower since I now have a gap from the top of the microwave to the bottom of the top shelf and makes filling the coffee pot sitting on the top shelf a bit of a challenge each morning. (OK, I'm not six feet tall so it is a minor issue) Sides are press board, but have a quality feel. Not as deep as my old cart, so less storage space in the drawers and bottom shelf. Catskill does sell larger carts but you'll pay $150 more, so I'll live with this one. They do have a number of videos on their web site showing how to assemble the cart, so not to hard even for a novice, just time consuming.

Took about two hours to assemble. Everything went together easily. Instructions were clear. Sturdy, looks great, does it's job. I only have two issues. One of the doors rubs on the bottom, (probably just a spacer would fix it,) and even though we'll packed, the box was the same size as the back. The back is veneered press board and the corners got beat up during shipping. Not a deal breaker. Have to look hard to see it and it is the back. I will definitely purchase from Catskill Craftsman again if the need arises.

I was a bit apprehensive after reading the reviews about the assembly of this cart. My fears were unfounded though. The assembly was no more difficult than a Sauder product. The packaging was atrocious but nothing was damaged, broken or missing.Before starting on this task, I would recommend laying out and identifying all the parts. Then get yourself some small containers to sort out the hardware. This will be a big help during the construction. Read the instructions thoroughly as you start each step.I used a cordless screwdriver for assembly, I don't recommend trying it without one. Also use a bit of vegetable oil on the screws used for the hardwood parts. A small stool to sit on will make the task more comfortable also.From start to finish including the first coat of butcher block oil was less 2.5 hours, this includes frequent breaks for back relief.All in all, this is not a difficult assembly for someone with a small amount of mechanical skill and a bit of patience.The stand is very steady and does not wobble at all. I have no qualms about putting my microwave on the top.Hope this helps with your decision making.

We received our cart as part of a wedding gift card from Amazon. We were pleased to find American made products that advertised a solid hardwood product. Delivery was fast and efficient and we were happy we received it so quickly. However, we just opened our package to assemble it today, and we were very unhappy to discover that it was NOT 100% solid wood. The entire back panel, which is made of MDF or pressed board, was damaged. The crumbled bits were in the box. The back is a major piece of the cart. There were at least three or four other cart parts made of MDF/pressboard. While not highly visible, we are still not really happy about this. Given that the cart will have a microwave and/or coffeemaker on it, it is subject to moisture exposure. We have contacted Catskill for a replacement part for the back since it was damaged in transit or prior to shipping. Their flyer (enclosed with cart) states that their customer service is "tops" so we will see how that plays out. Pressboard aside, the cart is attractive and the wood is very nice and solid. If we can get our part and get it together, we will update our review.

Some effort had to go into putting this together. All the pieces and parts were there but it's mostly solid wood so it was a bit awkward to put together by myself. It's beautiful however and well worth the effort. The cabinet has an adjustable shelf and will hold a Mr. Coffee coffeemaker or food processor. I use the drawer for my cooking knives. The microwave sits in the middle section and the confection oven sits on the top. It all fits and it wonderful in my little kitchen. The towel rack can be put on either side and I added one to the opposite side. The castor wheels are strong and the unit is easy to place anywhere I need it even with all the heavy equipment that sits on it. The wood finish is ready to lightly sand and either paint or varnish. It's a quality piece.

This cart is all wood.....so much nicer than the pressed wood carts. Got this for my 90 year old mother and she loves it. One panel was damaged when it arrived, but Catskill Crafters immediately sent out a replacement. Awesome customer service. Would definitely buy from them again.

Needed something for a very large microwave. This worked fine. Assembly took a bit longer than expected. Mostly uses screws and bolts rather than Ikea type fittings but this also makes it seem more solid. Finish is good solid wood - much better than cheaper laminated/particle board alternatives. Left off a star because the drawer sticks a little (but still opens fine) on a screw with no obvious way to fix it.