I got my wife a nice Kitchen Aid mixer but it's heavy for her to move on the countertop. Does anyone have any solutions for a very slim platform that it could sit on and she could easily roll it or slide it around? Bonus if it could somehow be locked so it didn't slide when she didn't want it too.

Ideally, so it can fit under the cupboard, if said platform was less than an inch thick that would be great. Any larger than that might just be too high.

The counter is a Formica top.

Sounds like a longshot but hoping someone here has some experience with this.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: BRL,

Those suckers are heavy. I have always had to get ours out and put it away for my bride, so I will be interested in any suggestions.

Could you use those furniture slider things?

Off looking for example.....

Example from Bed Bath and Beyond

quote:

Originally posted by ffips:
Could you use those furniture slider things? Off looking for example.....

That’s what I was thinking. Something like

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Waxma...ce-Slider/1000372527

Fuzzy cover for the hard surface countertop. No permanent change.

quote:

Originally posted by SigJacket:

quote:

Originally posted by ffips:
Could you use those furniture slider things? Off looking for example.....

That’s what I was thinking. Something like

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Waxma...ce-Slider/1000372527

Fuzzy cover for the hard surface countertop. No permanent change.

Good point, I agree, fuzzy might be better.

Use cauturn that it doesn't "walk" itself during use.

I'm interested in this as well.

I know that on high speed it really does require that weight on rubber feet with grip or it could vibrate right off the counter.

What ever ideas come up really need some sort of locking feature.

A quality heavy cutting board or chopping block, possibly by Boos Blocks to start with, to sit or mount the mixer to. Heavy maple or other such hardwood. Not that cheap crap wood from Asia. That should be a lot of weight and mass to absorb vibration and movement.

You could mount the mixer on this, that's 1/3rd the battle.

You could get a pair of good quality ball bearing drawer slides and roll it to the back of the counter top to store, then pull it forward easily to use. I've seen very small wheel assemblies that can be inletted to the bottom of the wood, wheels just barely extended out of the wood, easily rolled back and forth. I'm envisioning an attractive enclosure to house it while in the stored position and for the drawer slides to anchor to. I see bread and other storage compartments at counter top level whenever I peruse the kitchen cabinet displays at places such as Lowes, etc. It could roll back into this if desired. This would be the 2nd third of the project.

The last component to this would be a way to lock it at the open position so it does not move around while operating. Some sort of clamp would be easy to come up with, assuming she could handle the effort to clamp it.

I'm sure I could build such a thing in my home work shop, and even do it in an attractive manner. I'm also sure there are other woodworkers here who could make it.

Assuming this would be agreeable then it's a question of how much to spend and how elaborate and nice looking.

Do you have space for a roll around kitchen cart, with locking casters, that she could roll around as needed? You'd want one heavy enough with mass to absorb the vibration. You could securely mount the mixer. If you have the room this might be good. I'm also envisioning a cart with extra drawers for other stuff might be good.

Good luck to you.

Wife found a plastic two piece unit that we put our coffee maker on. Only about 1/2 inch and thick. Allows us to have it flush against the wall until needed. Pulls out about 18 inches. Think she got it at Bed Bath Beyond.

I know it isn't what you asked for, but would something like this work?

https://www.amazon.com/Rev-She...abinet/dp/B0042QB6M4

Piece of carpet cut to size or individual rubber foot flipped over so carpet side is touching counter. I’ve done this on many furniture pieces that sit on hardwoods or tile.

One of those thin flexible polymer type “cutting boards”. The ones you can cut food on then fold to pour food off in a controlled manner.

A kitchen towel, pretty much any fabric.

Coins under the rubber feet.

Cardboard.

Just a few ideas.

quote:

Originally posted by petr:
I know it isn't what you asked for, but would something like this work?

https://www.amazon.com/Rev-She...abinet/dp/B0042QB6M4

That’s pretty damn cool. Only problem is sacrificing the much used/needed cupboard space.

The small drawer slides recessed into a piece of wood might be nice but that would only allow for a straight in and out path. That might not be an option.

I might try the little furniture slides. A cheap enough experiment. Just not sure if it’ll sit still while it’s at work.

Would this work?


Bed Bath and Beyond Link

If you're a DIY kind of guy check out www.Rockler.com
They have a very good selection of solutions for cabinet, shop & furniture projects.

Look in the project hardware , if I remember correctly.

A friend of mine places hers atop a folded kitchen towel and it slides nicely on her countertop. Also cheap and can be the same color as other towels in kitchen.

We have a Kitchen Aid mixer also. Yeah, they are heavy but then if you have ever used one, you know they have to be. They will move around a bit, especially when making any kind of dough.

That rolling platform in the video looks like it may be a solution. Remember also that they can get messy when using flour so you will have to clean up a platform just as you do the mixer. More work but it may be worth it.

Try flipping a mouse pad over.

I'd envisioned something like the rolling platform that had a cam system to raise and lower the wheels or the platform. that might work but if I could find something like that which has swivel wheels to be able to be more flexible on where we put it on the counter and allow it to turn.

If I didn't see anything I thought about checking Rockler. They'd be more likely to have a very small ball bearing swivel caster.

https://www.globalindustrial.c...QY89X9xoCX5YQAvD_BwE

on a piece of board

I know you want a rolling platform but my wife got a 3 shelf Kitchen cart by origami carts, works well and she can throw other junk on it. Just a thought.

If you use any kind of sliding platform that doesn't lock in place, you're going to end up with the mixer sitting in the middle of a big dent in your floor.