Ask anyone in foodservice and they’ll agree that the right equipment can make all the difference between a not-so-great service and one that goes off without a hitch. From cafeterias to fine dining, commercial drawer warmers are one such equipment type that helps ease the workload of a stressful service. That’s especially true when the back of the house is running at full steam, and staff are struggling to keep up with the high demand out front. But how do you know if it’s the right move for your establishment? Let’s look at the top six questions to ask before taking the purchasing plunge.
1. What’s the best application for a drawer warmer?
A drawer warmer is an excellent solution for a wide variety of applications. But the “best” application depends on your particular needs, pain points and space. Want to hold hot ingredients so they’re primed and ready for the kitchen to add to menu items at a moment’s notice? Tuck one beneath the prep counter. Do you need a freestanding or a built-in unit? Looking for a hot holding solution near your expo station or to-go area? That works great too. Catering gigs, grab-n-go menu items, you name it — drawer warmers are an excellent solution for really any application where access to warm, pre-cooked food or hot-holding storage would make for a better workflow.
Just remember, there isn’t one application that’s necessarily better than another; it just depends on your needs, what inefficiency or challenge you’re trying to solve, and where you have floor space to incorporate a drawer warmer. No matter the application, one thing is for certain — these foodservice darlings are sure to bring the convenience.
2. Does a drawer warmer work well for staging food ahead of time?
Yes, most definitely. A drawer warmer can be especially handy because it allows operators to stage food ahead of peak serving times. With staffing shortages everywhere, businesses are practically begging for employees to join their teams. And while a drawer warmer can’t round up new employees (at least not yet), it can help take some of the pressure off of your current staff. The high-volume capacity of a drawer warmer gives operators a way to safely hold large amounts of food until it makes its way to the customer. With a drawer warmer, it’s no sweat if a couple of ten tops roll in during your busy time. You’ll be ready with enough spicy buffalo chicken wings or delicious chickpea samosas to please all your guests.
Uniquely designed to maintain foods’ optimal texture and temperature, drawer warmers provide that “just prepared” taste, so your customers always receive the best quality — never overcooked or soggy menu items. In addition, many drawer warmers have time and temperature controls, giving staff even more multitasking power.
3. Can drawer warmers hold multiple types of food?
It isn’t just staff that can multitask; commercial kitchen equipment can too. Need to keep nachos hot and crispy, but at the same time maintain the moisture and temperature of your famous chicken curry? No problem. Look for commercial drawer warmers that empower operators through not just thermostatic controls, but zoned thermostatic controls. These specific controls allow you to set and regulate different heat levels for each drawer, which means you can accommodate a variety of food products with varying temperature and texture needs in one unit. Talk about flexibility!
Furthermore, if you’ve purchased the right drawer warmer, you won’t have to worry about heat transfer between drawers. Individually insulated drawers keep heat levels where they need to be. What’s more, some drawer warmers have cutouts in a removable frame, allowing different-sized pans to fit in each drawer. So, a half-pan of vegetable fried rice, a quarter-pan of edamame and another quarter-pan of seared baby bok choy all fit nice and snug within one drawer. The benefits and variability this one unit brings to a kitchen are seemingly endless.
4. Will food dry out when held in a drawer warmer?
Maintaining food’s texture is vital for customer satisfaction. Certain hot-holding units might keep things warm, but can compromise the texture of food products. There’s nothing that gets sent back to the kitchen quicker than dried out chicken piccata or Brussels sprouts.
That’s one reason why some drawer warmers accommodate different humidities. For example, certain drawer warmers offer the option to include a pan (or similar container) that you can fill up with water for moisture-loving products or leave it dry to keep things crisp. In addition, various drawer warmer models allow operators to tweak the humidity levels through adjustable vents. Keep the vents wide open to let humidity escape or close them tight and keep the moisture trapped inside.
But word to the wise: However you end up using a drawer warmer, you’ll still need to be mindful of holding time because any food that’s held for too long isn’t going to hold up and shouldn’t be served — even with a drawer warmer. Some models provide an easy solution with an optional timer for each drawer that monitors the holding time of products. This way, no matter how busy your operation is, the safest and best quality foods will always end up on your customers’ plates.
5. Are drawer warmers easy to clean?
Staffing shortages and a busy operation mean “easy” is the keyword to look for when it comes to cleaning new kitchen equipment. Commercial-grade units are typically certified by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) or Underwriters Laboratories (UL). This means that NSF or UL equipment must uphold a specific standard for quality, safety and sanitation, and needs to be designed with fewer hard-to-clean areas. That’s one reason cleaning a certified drawer warmers is that much easier.
Check with the manufacturer’s specific instructions, but typically all you have to do is turn the equipment off, lift the pans out of the unit and simply wash them in your dish machine or three-compartment sink. Then, finish by wiping down the rest of the unit with a damp, non-abrasive cloth. And if there’s a hard-to-remove food stain, use a non-abrasive cream cleaner to get it squeaky clean. It’s a pretty simple process that takes very little elbow grease.
6. What about drawer warmer installation? Is it a pain?
When it comes to drawer warmers, installation is generally pretty easy. Once you’ve determined how you’ll use the drawer warmer (the application), survey your current kitchen setup and determine the best option for placement. Where will the new equipment fit within the existing or new floorplan? The variety of configurations drawer warmers come in is one of the reasons it's such a valuable unit for commercial kitchens. Choose between narrow models, standard width, single, multi-drawer, mobile, built-in, freestanding and more. There's a model on the market that's sure to work for the different space requirements of each unique operation.
What’s the next step?
It’s no wonder drawer warmers are an industry favorite. Now that you’ve got the low-down on drawer warmers, what’s the next step? Well, of course, now it’s time to learn more about Hatco’s high-quality drawer warmers! Take a look at our handy infographic, Seven Benefits of Hatco Drawer Warmers to get started.
