There's An Easy Way To Tell If Your Oven's Bottom Drawer Is For Storage Or Heating Food

There's a debate cooking on the internet around a mysterious compartment lurking in just about every kitchen: The oven's bottom drawer. Is it just an extra storage compartment, meant for nothing more than space optimization? Or is it a functional appliance feature that you have been missing out on your entire life? The answer isn't a matter of opinion. What the drawer under your oven is for just depends on the type of oven you have. The way to tell is surprisingly simple, no internet commentary required: Go straight to the source — your oven's user manual.

Some oven models put that drawer to use by making it a covert broiler, while others equip it with warming mechanisms to keep your dishes ready-to-serve or even help dough rise. If the drawer in your kitchen offers these functions, they'll be clearly outlined in the oven's manual. It's a good thing to know, not only so you make the most of your oven and all its bells and whistles, but also to prevent damaging the bottom drawer and the contents you store inside it if it's equipped with heating elements. And who knows, you might just come across other oven functions you probably aren't using but totally should.

If you can't find the manual, there's a good chance it's available online. Just search by make and model number. The model number is most commonly found behind the control panel (especially for gas ovens), on the door frame, or inside that sneaky bottom drawer.

Still no user manual? No problem. You can deduce whether the bottom drawer of your oven is a warming, broiling, or storage drawer sans manual by becoming a detective. Look for clues on the oven, keeping in mind that they will vary by make and model. First, have a peek inside that bottom drawer for a temperature-control knob. If yours has one, it should be immediately clear whether your drawer is intended for warming or broiling. If it doesn't, inspect the oven's main control panel. You might be surprised by a button or mode you've overlooked all these years. If there is a broil button on the control panel, you'll need to figure out where the broiling feature is located to determine whether yours is a broiling drawer. These are most common on gas ovens and older models, while many new electric ovens utilize a broiling element at the top of the oven's interior.

If it turns out your oven drawer is just for storage, it's still valuable space worth utilizing to organize your kitchen like a pro. Keep in mind that the drawer can still get quite hot thanks to its proximity to the oven, even if it's not designed as a warming drawer. Play it safe and only store heat-resistant items in there — flat cooking sheets, pizza stones, and oven-safe pans are all great options.