Best Overall
Royal Gourmet PC3404S
- Height: 31.7 in
- Wheels: Two wheels, two fixed feet
- Worktop: 34 x 20 in stainless steel
- Shelf Capacity: 77 / 44 / 55 lb
Pros
- Separate load ratings for each shelf
- 34 x 20 inch stainless prep top
- Trash bag ring, hooks and bottle opener included
- Straightforward assembly
Cons
- Two wheels only; tip it back to roll
- Open shelves leave tools exposed
Three separate load ratings are what sold us on this cart: 77 pounds on the stainless top, 44 on the mesh middle shelf and 55 on the bottom. That is a maker telling you where things belong — a griddle or a pizza oven up top, a propane cylinder and cast iron down low — and it is far more useful than one headline capacity.
Of the carts we tested, this is the one we point most buyers to. The 34-by-20-inch brushed stainless top takes a cutting board, a tray of prepped food and a stack of plates without crowding, and the fitting-out is the kind you reach for mid-cook rather than admire once: a wire ring that holds a trash bag open, four S-hooks, a side rack for paper towels and a bottle opener on the frame.
It also assembles without a fight, which counts for something in a category where picture-only instructions are the norm. Two directional wheels and a side handle do the moving, and the front pair of fixed feet keeps the cart planted while you scrape a plancha. The mesh middle shelf has raised edges to stop plates sliding, though its grid means small tools want a tray or a hook rather than a loose pile.
There is no cabinet, so everything lives in the open and dust and rain get at your tools; a cover or a sheltered corner is worth arranging. Beside a mid-size grill, that is the trade we happily accept.