Kitchen Design Pros Promise This Appliance Upgrade Isn't Worth The Splurge

As you plan a kitchen renovation, you might find yourself thinking of more and more ways to turn the space into the luxury kitchen of your dreams. While that might be easy if you have Beyoncé money, most homeowners are working with some sort of a budget. Unfortunately, splurging on every high-end appliance that you've ever dreamed of might not be financially responsible. Luckily, there are many ways to keep your kitchen renovation affordable – such as only choosing upgrades that offer a good return on investment. 

Tasting Table spoke with interior design professionals to get their advice on kitchen upgrades that aren't worth the money. Melissa Schneider, co-founder and lead designer at Homes Innovation, said that the warming drawer "makes for an effective flex," but ultimately, it isn't worth the price. A warming drawer is a kitchen appliance that is typically installed along with your oven. It is designed to keep food at a low, consistent temperature so that it stays warm after cooking. This makes it a great choice for people who host dinner parties every week or have large families who eat at different times. 

As Schneider told Tasting Table, "If you're the kind of person hosting five-course dinners on a Tuesday, then yes, I fully support this purchase — and also, please invite me over." However, for the average household, the $1,000 to $3,000 cost of a warming drawer makes it more of a luxury rather than a practicality. Plus, while some kitchen appliances are worth the splurge, warming drawers are complex to install, and can end up being too bulky for smaller kitchens.

If you regularly need to keep food warm, there are creative workarounds that don't come with such a hefty price tag. For instance, there is a clever way to use your cast iron skillet to keep dishes warm on the stovetop. Because cast iron is so thick, it can retain heat at a low temperature. Just heat the pan up until it's warm but not hot, and put the pan on a trivet or dish towel on your kitchen counter. Put the pot or dish of food that you want to keep warm inside of the pan. This will keep the contents warm without burning them. You can also wrap food items like biscuits, chicken legs, corn on the cob, or baked potatoes in aluminum foil and put them in the cast iron pan to keep them warm. 

Another way to keep your food warm without the need for a warming drawer is to simply set your oven to a low temperature and put your food inside. Set between 160 degrees Fahrenheit and 200 degrees Fahrenheit, your food will keep warm without burning or drying it out. Some ovens even have a warming setting that you can use for this very purpose. Just avoid a common mistake when using the warming setting on your oven and make sure you're always using oven-safe pots, pans, and containers. However, if you have been wondering what the drawer under your oven is for, it could be a warming drawer — check out the manual for your oven model to find out.