Drink, Anyone? The Bar Cart Edit

Blu Dot describes the Longday as "the stuff of soirees and Wednesdays," and we couldn't agree more. It's quirky enough to feel casual, but a bold statement piece for entertaining, with oversized wheels that give you maximum portability. The aluminum frame is available in both White and dark Carbon, each playing nicely off those striking teak wheels. The shelves fit a cutting board, a nice array of bottles, and maybe even a few snack bowls if your guests play their cards right.

Hey, I'm as surprised as you are: UO is one of the last retailers I imagined would make a quality bar cart. But its golden, circular Selene Bar Cart is flat-out gorgeous – and I've gotta say, the price is right. It's one of two budget options on our list, but looks nothing less than high-end. That's thanks to elegant glass shelves, the angular handle, and a genuinely inventive silhouette.

As one of our favorite purveyors of outdoor furniture, Article naturally makes a bar cart that can stand up to all the elements. Made from solid teak wood and powder-coated aluminum, the Hulst will get you through any backyard bash you throw at it. Bonus points for the handle that doubles as a towel hanger, and the modern, utilitarian finishes on top of it.

Birch Lane makes several carts in this classic rectangular shape, but it's the elaborate accents on the Algiers cart that make it feel like a real antique. The fluting above the wheels, the ridging in the handles, plus that gorgeous bronze finish make this a knockout centerpiece for any dining room or study. Plus it's got three whole shelves, opening up a world of storage beyond your liquor collection.

I almost went with the Sava cart here, since its stacked-circle design is a welcome surprise, but the Reiner's removable tray shelves put it over the top. As beautiful as this cart looks all put together, one of its advantages is how modular it is. You can make cocktails on the tray top and then carry them right to your guests – all while leaving that burnished gold frame intact.

This cart stands out for a few reasons. First, the marble shelves: a welcome departure from wood or glass that makes those drinks feel colder just by looking at it. But it's also a compact little cart, making it a great contender if you're working with less square footage. The brass frame is another standout, all the way down to those four brass caster wheels. It's those details that matter, and we're paying attention.

The other low-priced steal on this list, World Market's Walnut Midcentury Bar Cart is totally unique in shape. Vaguely resembling a treble clef (music theory nerds wya?), the slight diagonal angle of its columns gives a sense of forward motion. Caster wheels keep it comfortably in place, though, while the walnut wood gives a rich darker hue that's begging to house some bourbon bottles.

Let's finish with the grand dame, shall we? In both shape and price tag, Burke Decor throws down the gauntlet here with an opulent, arched design that's groovily 70s-inspired. The shelves are narrow, which helps with overall footprint, but pack a surprising amount of storage. And that rattan frame brings an almost beachy, tropical element into the mix, which we're never mad about when happy hour rolls around. In fact, I'm looking at the clock right now…