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Trolleys are things that we see or use almost every day, but often don't even notice, because they are a means to an end. They come in many different forms but essentially they're wheeled frames which are used to make life easier by enabling people to move things around in relatively short distances from one place to another.

Some homes and many restaurants will have a trolley for food, on which dishes full of hot food can be taken conveniently from the kitchen to the dining room. And many restaurant diners are tempted by the delicious contents of dessert trolleys after their meal. Such trolleys are usually quite decorative, and some are very ornate, with gilded finishes. Behind the scenes in the kitchen there will be a range of more workman-like industrial trolleys for holding ingredients and plates of cooked food.

In offices industrial trolleys are commonly used by post-room staff to transport letters and parcels around the building, and some offices have caterers taking trolleys of refreshments like tea, coffee and snacks from one office to another at set times of the day. Similar trolleys are seen on trains and aeroplanes for carrying meals, drinks and duty-free items like cigarettes and bottles of spirits.

Another kind of industrial trolley is found in libraries, where trolleys are used to gather returned books, after which a librarian can then easily wheel the trolley loaded with books around the shelves and put the books back in the right place.

Hospitals have yet another range of specialist industrial trolleys, are used to transport patients from one area to another. These trolleys, also known as gurneys in North America, are narrow beds on wheeled frames. Their height may be adjustable, and they may have straps to secure the patient. There are special collapsible types for use in ambulances.

Trolleys are also an essential part of the world of movie-making. Also known as dollies, they are used to enable moving shots to be taken, and for carrying filming equipment around movie sets.

In supermarkets, shopping trolleys are commonly used by customers inside the shop to transport their items to the check-out counter during shopping, and then to their car after paying. Customers are usually allowed to leave the trolleys in the car park, for supermarket staff to gather together and take back inside.

Behind the scenes, industrial trolleys are used to move boxes of products from the warehouse to the retail area. In fact, almost all warehouses have industrial trolleys in them for this purpose, regardless of the type of items being stored.

If you're buying industrial trolleys, there are a number of things to look out for. Are they easily manoeuverable? Do they have smooth rolling wheels? Is the trolley shelving adjustable, strong and long-lasting? Another important point to consider is hygiene and cleanliness, which is particularly important in kitchens and hospitals. Here, the best choice is a chrome-finished trolley which is easy to keep clean and free of germs.