Six Shelf Cookware Stand

I am Woman hear me roar!After receiving the 60" Old Dutch pot stand in graphite from Amazon.com, I decided to wait a couple of weeks before I put it together since one reviewer seemed to have a difficult time with the assembly.Today was my day and I had absolutely no problems putting the pot stand together. The important thing is for everyone to take a moment to read the directions, which are clear, simple and precise.After opening the box and separating the parts, I sat down with a cup of coffee to review the assembly. I took my time, made sure that all parts were available (which they were) and within 45 minutes I had my new, beautiful pot stand. I say 45 minutes, because I occasionally sat down to take a moment for myself before I would start the next part. The pot stand is very level; not wobbly. The metal is nice and thick and the piece looks expensive.The only advice I would give you since I speak from experience putting together cast iron furniture is: don't completely tighten up all the screws until after the entire piece is put together. Once you're satisfied with your assembly, then go ahead and really tighten the screws.My pot stand is beautiful and sturdy! I put all my new beautiful color pieces of LeCreuset enamel cast iron cookware (which I also ordered from Amazon.com) on the stand and feel secure that it will remain sturdy.The stand is large enough that you can fit quite a few large casseroles. skillets and saucepans, but it's small enough that you won't be taking up a large corner of your kitchen or dining area. The stand has beautiful curleques on the top where you could probably put potholders or aprons...I prefer to keep it simple. I have seen similar stands like this at a very famous cookstore in upscale malls for hundreds of dollars more. Amazon.com's price is right, not to mention free shipping.The graphite color is beautiful...sort of a dark charcoal gray (almost but not quite black). The largest shelf starts at the bottom; the smallest at the top. My largest LeCreuset casserole is 5.5 quart but I feel sure that you could place a 9.5 or 11 quart casserole on the bottom shelf.The stand would also look great with plants, books or dishes stacked on the levels.Keep up the great work Old Dutch and Amazon.com!

OMG, I love this thing. I ordered it on a Friday, it was delivered by noon on a Monday. We pulled the box upstairs. I asked my partner if he wanted to help me assemble it. He muttered something about having work to do in his study and woosied out on me so this Medicard-carrying lady did it herself. Some of the assembly reports sounded a bit intimidating - I didn't find it difficult at all. Trust me, if I can do it, dot dot dot It's very sturdy once everything's tightened up. I did have to go back and reverse a few of the screw directions as they make a note of telling you to have them all face in the same direction. Just my little whoops on spatial directions. Everything was well-packaged, the directions clear. If you used a grooved set of pliers and don't want the nuts to scratch, then use a little paper toweling or something to prevent the scratches but frankly, anyone who is checking it out that critically doesn't get to stay for dinner.Pots look great - I no longer have to stand on my head to find the big paella pan at the bottom of the cupboard - it cleared up a lot of space for infrequently used items for that black hole of kitchen storage. Yes, you do have to invert some pot lids for the smaller pots - so what? Yes, I've stacked some things but I don't mind moving one or two things if I can frikkin SEE what I'm going for. And, if you feel a pot might fall because the surface it sits on isn't quite large enough, use the removable base of a cheesecake pan as a shelf stabilizer.Should have bought this years ago.

This thing took me about an hour and 15 minutes to assemble myself, and I will say that it was a semi frustrating balancing act. The whole thing is kinda wobbly as I assemble it but when I complete the assembly (before tightening the screws) it is more sturdy, but still wobbly. I then set it on the level kitchen floor, straightened everything out (eyeballing it, though it still looked slanted or leaning, but that may have been an optical illusion cause I used a level and it was fine). Well I pulled out my socket wrenches and a screw driver and got to work on tightening this thing. During this process one of the round screw covers broke off, plus even when using my socket wrench that I fit perfectly to the bolts, there was a decent amount of scratching of the powdered graphite finish (on the screw caps, not on the metal stand itself). There was also only so much I could tighten before the screw and bolt side would turn together. It seemed I could turn as hard as I could with both hands but it just wouldnt get super tight. I believe some sort of stress/pressure washers or even some rubber O-rings would have secured these joints better.Anyway, I assembled it and despite my complaints about not being able to tighten the joints as much as I wanted to, this was a solid and sturdy stand, not tilting or leaning (photo above with the red wall, window, and white fridge). I set it in my kitchen and loaded it up with my cast iron cookware. Bottom shelf was a "Camp Chef" 6 quart dutch oven, just barely fit through the stands opening, though when situated, had a good inch and a half of space all around. Second shelf from the bottom is a Lodge 12 inch skillet. Third shelf is a lodge 10 inch skillet. Fifth shelf from bottom (2nd from top) I am able to fit what claims to be a 9 inch skillet, I forget the brand name, but its a thinner cast iron than lodge. On the top of this I intend to keep a Lodge 6 inch skillet. The Skillets all require a diagonal tilt to fit through the stands opening, but they all sit centered nicely with one to about half an inch of space around the perimeter.Based on the much more expensive options out there, I would get this product instead. It may take a little time to assemble, but I will gladly give that time in order to save hundreds of dollars. Plus, it looks great, functions exactly as advertised, and is currently holding about 70 pounds of solid cast iron. Cant go wrong with that!Update May 2013: I endured a move recently and this shelf made it through unscathed. Still super sturdy, still holds all my cast iron. This was an excellent buy.