Warming Drawers Stabilize Your Dinnertime

We're all busy people so our timetables are rarely coordinated or synchronized. And it's not just adults anymore: kids have more chaos in their schedule than most grown-ups. Therefore hardly anybody sits down together at the dinner table anymore; you can't just decide dinner is at six and let that be the truth. Meetings run late, soccer practice is cancelled, and the PTA meeting is tonight. So wouldn't it be great if there was an easy way to work around everyone's demanding agendas? Wouldn't it be nice if there was a modern appliance that could create flexibility in your family's dinnertime? Well, you're in luck. Simply invest in a state-of-the-art warming drawer for your home kitchen.

Preparation Management
A warming drawer can retrofit into any cabinetry system and is a convenient way to keep food hot for up to four hours. Set it to the desired temperature (it can range from 100-200 degrees) and set the prepared food inside. It will hold that temperature for as long as you need without burning or drying out the meal. Since they almost all come with humidity control vents which control airflow, these appliances can keep moist food moist, crisp food crisp, and tender food tender simply by adjusting it to the proper setting. It's a great way to keep an entire meal warm, but they're especially handy when it comes to holidays or parties. There's nothing worse than preparing several dishes at once only to have some things burn, others become cold, while a few remain piping hot. These appliances help balance and manage food preparation so everything comes out perfectly.

Warming Drawer Trimmings
Warming drawers are available with many modern features. They can come with removable pans, sectioned areas, and metal lids so that each dish, side, and serving can have their own heated home. Plus, you can have multiple racks which are easy to remove for quick cleaning. These appliances can also hold other cookware (pots and pans) and dinnerware (plates and bowls) if necessary. And for safety purposes, these machines arrive with an operating light and an automatic shut-off.

Upsides: Seamless Integration
Most models are made to fit into and act like a standard drawer; therefore, they tend to range between 27"-30" and gently slide on ball bearing glides. But since they're installed right next to your pre-existing cabinetry, it's important they match your home's decorative style. Therefore, they're available in all types of colors with any type of hardware in order to seamlessly integrate into your kitchen. They can be black and white to match your dishwasher or stovetop. They can be wood paneled to match your cabinet and drawer faces. They can be stainless steel to match the fridge and oven. Often the controls, thermostats, and timers are hidden from view, and many ovens come with the option to install these units directly below so the two appliances blend with one another.

Downsides: Size, Weight, Cost
The biggest problem is that they're a luxury item, which means that the price is a bit steep. They often run somewhere between $500-900 depending on the size, brand, and how many accessories you want. Also, it may require some rearranging on your part. They can be quite heavy (between 60-100 pounds) and so the cabinetry and compartments beneath may need to be specially reinforced to hold their weight. Also, though they look like a standard drawer, once installed these appliances can be a bit bulky and awkward in size. Therefore you may also have to modify and alter the surrounding units as well so everything has a nice, clean fit to it.