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I like the last one as it covers all your needs. I also like the stainless steel top as it would be cool for rolling pastry and such. I think the wheels would be handy because if you need it solid they are lockable but you could scoot it out of the way when it isn't needed.

Definitely make sure there's more to it than just the top. Storage space is a must! :)

We have the Monterey cart from Chefs and I have to say stability is not a problem. The granite top is very heavy and the wheels are strong. They lock in place and having them makes the cart very versatile. We've used it to "extend" our counter top on more than one occasion.

Whichever one you pick, get one with a shelf at the bottom. Otherwise you're pretty much wasting space. Unless you have something else in mind for taking advantage of it, of course.

We have a very simple, industrial stainless steel island with one height-adjustable shelf at the bottom, and we love it.

Mine has doors (hidden storage) which are essential—definitely makes things look cleaner than open storage.

Ikea has more options than that. In our tiny kitchen we got rid of the kitchen table and put in an Ikea dishwasher island as it is the only way we could fit a dishwasher. But it makes for great extra counter space with the hardwood butcher-block top. We love it.

we bought a restaurant quality stainless table with bottom shelf for ~$250 from a restaurant supply store. Simple, sleek and easy to clean. Plus NSF approved. Look for deals at your local supply store, ours was on sale I think.

I have an island that has a center cabinet with shelves on both ends. I have to say that if I were doing it again, I would look for one that had enclosed space. The shelves need to be dusted every few days (more often than the rest of the house) and it's really noticeable when they get dirty.

I know we're all in love with the Ikea PS cabinet. I found one on CL (and subsequently purchased it) that had a modified base, raising it from it's six inches off the floor to a counter height of thirty inches. I use it now as a chopping and prep surface and it is utterly indispensable for a small kitchen, where previously I had literally six inches up against the wall to prep and chop on.

I think you mean 'chic,' not 'chique.'

Oh, and I love the small cart/island I found at Ikea. 'Stenstorp' has wheels on one end, for easy moving around the kitchen where needed. It fits the small space I had for it very nicely, and it seems well-constructed, from the wooden top to the stainless steel shelves.

We just built our kitchen and after some thought, decided to add a 'kitchen island' by combining 3 Ikea Bekväm kitchen carts. They're amazingly sturdy and the quality is very good for 40€/ 60USD per unit.

My husband hacked it to include a Rationell drawer (with dampers!) in each unit (~30€/ 19USD) and swapped the legs of the units around. The original Bekväm carts have 2 normal legs and 2 legs with wheels; our units have 1) all 4 as normal legs; 2) all 4 as wheels; and 3) 2 normal legs and 2 wheels. This allows us to put our coffee machine on the unit with all wheels so that we can move it to the dining area or balcony for brunch!

I love it (and my husband for it!). For 200€/ 240USD we got something that looks good and is very functional!

I bought this one a few years ago when it was on sale through Home Depot for about $250:

http://www.allkitchencarts.com/Chris-and-Chris-1953-OP1003.html

What I like:

* The two shelves. I have giant rubbermaid containers of grains which fit perfectly three-aside on the bottom shelf. The middle shelf works great for bags of potatoes, onions, garlic, et cetera - non refrigerator veggies.

* The drawer. It's given me a place to keep sharps nicely separate from all my other utensils.

* The prep container/bag holder area. Chop, sweep the debris into a bag or container, take out to compost. Easy.

* The removable marble and wood tops. Easy cleanup. The wood side doesn't dull my knives; the marble side can be tossed into freezer for awhile to make rolling pastry easier.

* The caddy on the side. I keep cornmeal for dusting my bread/pizza peel here, along with a box of kosher salt and my pepper mill - small stuff I use often. There's also a towel bar and hooks for utensils to hang from - another way I can keep the bulkiest of my utensils out of drawer space (which is at a premium).

I would have happily spent $500 on this had I known it would become as integral a part of my kitchen as it has.

Cannot recommend Stenstorp from Ikea more highly, its a pain to assemble, but it is fabulous! one side has generous shelves and the other a deep well to allow bar stools to be neatly tucked away and create a wonderful new eating space. I must add that it took almost 6 months for the item to be in stock in Australia, but it was worth waiting for.