Hello everyone,

There's some space in my apartment for an espresso island, and I've decided that it's time to get the three machines and two grinders off of the kitchen counter. This got me thinking that if I'm going to have an island for espresso equipment, I might as well have all of the filters hiding under it, cut some holes for water supply, and maybe even add a small cold water sink tee'd off of the filters. Here's my preliminary idea:

Ikea Varde sink cabinet with countertop: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S39821390
Small cold water only bar sink for rinsing and to fill the lever machines: http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?par ... -866-22856
Whichever cheap faucet I can find at Lowes/Home Depot
Home depot 5gal bucket as drain for espresso machine and sink (just like the ones at the NERBC!)

I would drill holes in the wooden counter for the sink, power wires, water supply, and espresso machine drain. I'll need to take exact measurements to check that I have space for the sink with everything else on the counter, and while the sink isn't a necessity, it would be a nice touch (and a good learning experience). I wouldn't need to install a drain line or trap, because the bucket would be directly underneath.

Thoughts/suggestions? I did see Dave's thread on installing a set of cabinets with a counter on top, but my skills aren't quite up there (and I'd like something more portable that can move out of the apartment with me). Thanks!

Nice island. Question: If you're going to install a water supply line to the island, why wouldn't you also install a drain line?

I will run a plastic 3/8" OD tube from a tee under the sink, out of the cabinet, along the floor, and into the island cabinet (where the filters are hiding), a total run of about 6-8 feet. Because of this distance, plumbing into a real drain won't be an option, unfortunately. The only option would be running a drain line along the floor back to the trap under the kitchen sink and tee'ing into the dishwasher drain, but then I would have a 8 foot long "trap" filled with drain water, waiting to be displaced by more water added at the drain inlet.

I'd spend some money on a decent faucet, if you can. It is something that you'll be using constantly and one that not only has a good cartridge valve, but also lead-free or low-lead innards, and, perhaps most importantly, a high enough swiveling spout to get anything you might want under it will keep you from swearing at it in the future.

A raised edge also helps you use the available space better; you wouldn't put stuff at the very edge of a bar to prevent it from falling off, but you would if there was a ridge.
With three machines, two grinders and a sink, you'd need the available space.