Warming Drawers for Your Kitchen

Warming drawers are best described as a cook’s best friend. A warming drawer is a must-have for cooks who entertain often and need to keep meals warm before serving. Warming drawers can also be used when you have run out of countertop space and need to place food that is ready to serve. Warming drawers have other benefits besides warming food. Warming drawers can also keep food crispy and the right texture until the food is ready to serve.

So how does a warming drawer work, you say? It’s simple. A warming drawer gets its energy from electricity. It uses much less energy than an electric oven uses to warm and heat food. Most warming drawers have three different heat settings: low, medium, and high, a rack to place food, and the ability to sense and control humidity. This is especially great when baking yeast-based breads and certain candies, such as peanut brittle. Unlike microwaves that stay warm for just a short amount of time, warming drawers can keep food warm for up to four hours. Most warming drawers stay at an internal heat of 450 to 600 degrees to keep your food warm and safe to eat. Keep in mind that hot foods need to stay above 140 degrees to stay out of the danger zone. Alternately, you can use the higher humidity setting to maintain the moisture of your mashed potatoes or a crispy setting to get the crispy, crunchy French fries just how you like them. Most warming drawers are available in stainless steel, white, black, or biscuit.

And if you so choose, you can add other features to your warming drawer to make it more customized. You can add a timer feature that will keep your dish warm for up to four hours, several different warming racks, most times sold as accessories, a higher proof setting, and drawer fronts that are compatible with special-made wood panels that will match the color of your cabinets. There are a few manufacturers that offer special colors.

The sizes of warming drawers are either 24, 27, 30, or 36 inches wide, which are the basic sizes of kitchen cabinet spaces. Warming drawers plug into a standard household 120-volt electric outlet. And, they can hold up to six full-size dinner plates of food.

When warming drawers are closed, they look like any other appliance or drawer in your kitchen. Alternately, the warming drawer can be mounted right under the oven for convenience and less heat loss. And for safety reasons, the controls are kept behind the front cover, which must be opened to access.

Prices vary from $600 to $1,700, with the average being around $800 to $1,000. Warming drawers are a great accessory for the master chef or for anyone that entertains frequently or entertains large groups and makes big meals.

Warming drawers are a great accessory for the frequent chef of large meals. They can help put together a large meal that would otherwise go cold waiting for all the dishes to be ready. If you frequently cook large meals, consider getting a warming drawer to make your cooking life a little easier.

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