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Any warming drawers that take panels AND give moist/crisp optio

16 years ago

I'd like to get a warming drawer that will accept panels to match my kitchen cabinets, but on the ones I've looked at - Dacor, Wolf, Viking - putting on a matching cabinet panel eliminates the option to open and close the vent that adjusts for moisture & crispiness.

Anyone know of a warming drawer were I could have both?

TIA

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Comments (8)

teched
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
The Miele warming drawer! According to the features on both the regular and the integrated WD:

Moisture and humidity control damper - The humidity control adjusts the humidity within the drawer. The humidity control can be set anywhere between "Moist" and "Dry".
chipshot
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Also answered in kitchen forum.

Here is a link that might be useful: KitchenAid Warming Drawers
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The thing about warming drawers is that they're not so useful in the positions that most people place them. The best locations are just under the counter, either under or next to the cooktop, or in the vicinity of the dining area, or on the path between. Wall ovens, which don't need tending, are usually out of the way of the flow of food, and placing heavy pots and platters in a bottom drawer is a pain, plus stacking waffles or serving up dinner out of a bottom drawer isn't really practical, so people who are used to them only being in that awful position don't know how useful they can be and don't think they need them. I have ovens that can do warming just fine, but they're not convenient for that, and often I want to warm things when the ovens are cooking! You don't need electronics to make a warming drawer useful to you, and the least expensive one is probably just as good as any other. If you want precise temperatures, you can figure them out with a $10 oven thermometer, and a lo/med/hi dial. Here I'm quoting myself from 2010 (link below). The principles haven't changed and it's too late at night for me to write this over again: There are several features to warming drawers that might make the difference to you between one and the next. 1. Temperature range. I wanted plate warming, so a low temperature below 100 degrees. This is also appropriate for rising bread dough, but not for holding perishable food. At the top end, some only go just above 200 degrees, others go to about 240. Higher temperatures are needed to safely hold larger pots of dense food, but you probably don't need more than 210 or so for that. The higher temperatures are for things like crisping, I think, though I don't remember that as well. 2. Humidity. As I said above, moisture control is just a lever that opens or closes the steam vents. That can make a big difference, especially if you're holding made up plates of dinner. For a covered pot of stew it doesn't matter much. 3. Size. Do you need it to hold a large pizza box? Several? Do you want the bins Antss mentioned? (Mine came with them but I haven't found a use yet and it's a pain to store the bars they hang from.) Is it deep enough for your pots? 4. Sides. Miele and Gaggenau have open sides, making it easier to get things in and out when your warming drawer is in a difficult position. They're also expensive. Mine (Monogram) has sides, and I haven't had an issue. I've touched the sides accidentally and they're hot enough to make one draw back, but I haven't been burned. I think it would take more than a brief touch, and I rarely have mine on high. 5. Computer features. Mine is a simple machine. An on off switch and a dial for temperature. Some warming drawers have computerized controls that might make them more accurate, and give you features as well. Like a 4 hour shut off for if you forget what you have in the warming drawer. Which feature usually implies that there will be a Sabbath Mode, which overrides the 4-hour shut off. I, frankly, prefer the simple one. It has a red light to show it's on. That's a good feature. Many don't have that. 6. Appearance. Some warming drawers can be panelled to match or integrate with your cabinetry. The Monogram panel ready came with the stainless front, which one just removes to mount the panel (what they waste on the extra front they save on making a different unit). There's a little plastic lens to put on the hole in the panel over where the light is. Gaggenau's warming drawer has the glass over metal that the ovens do, so matches them. Similarly, manufacturers have different handles and details to match their ovens, though the warming drawers are mostly plain stainless and therefore easy enough to mix and match with other brands. Most warming drawers nowadays have the controls behind the door, though I think there are still a few that have the controls exposed. Manufacturers think people don't want to see controls. Also, if the controls are inside, you'll be reminded to remove that last bit of food when you turn off the switch, so it doesn't just rot in there for a week. These are all considerations I researched. My priorities, in the end, were size (deep enough for my favorite pots with the lids on), temperature range, price, integrated panel (appearance), humidity control, open sides.
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LWO--Kay's WD will not be 5" off the floor. She has a 10.5" drawer below the WD. So 10.5" plus 4-5" toe kick = 14.5-15.5" off the floor. The handle will be even higher than that. I DO use my warming drawer under my double oven stack. It's just above the floor in the no-no spot. I use it because I have a need. We do use it for waffles like you propose and for many other items. My waffles are crisp because mine has a "moist/dry" slider function. Once you get used to it, I think you'll be glad you have it. Yours won't even be at the floor like mine is so it'll be easier to get in and out of. Can you have your cab maker fabricate a panel front for it? I was surprised how little my cab maker charged me for my WD panel. I agree about watching eBay for a panel. You never now what will show up.
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peggross1
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I recently had my Dacor IWO27 installed. It is fully integrated and looks great. I was trying to check the specs real quick and found that my model has been replace with IWD27. I wrote the company and asked what the differences were, but I remembered your post and decided I HAD to know if this was the improvement. And indeed, it DOES do moist and crisp! Grrrrr - I may just have to look into returning the IWO for the IWD for this feature! I do NOT want soggy and warm when I can have crisp and warm!

Here is a link that might be useful: New Dacor Fully Integrated Warming Drawer
peggross1
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I just noticed that my link does not take you to the manual, which is where you have to go to read about the crisp/moist abilities - kinda dumb, since it seems they should be shouting this feature from the rooftops!
clean_freak
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
smarge - are you sure the moist/crisp feature is available for the integrated Dacor drawers? The manual talks about the feature but it looks like the humidity vents are part of the manufacturer's drawer front only. If you look at the installation instructions it doesn't appear that there are any humidity vents in the integrated drawer front model. Without those, how would you manage the moisture levels? It seems like putting a wood drawer front adjacent to humidity venting holes might cause warping or moisture problems in the wood. I guess it isn't a problem with dishwashers though...
vitta_2008
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I am thinking of getting the Dacor IWD27 intergrated warming drawer. Is there much of a difference between 27' and 30'.
peggross1
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I copied this from page 4 of the user manual for the IWD models, which are integrated models. The diagram showing where the vents are didn't copy, so if you want to see it, check the manual.

FWIW, the manual for my current IWO27 specifically states that integrated warming drawers do not have humidity control. I didn't find that anywhere in the IWD manual, although you are right, it is the manual for other, non-integrated models as well.

I should be getting a response from Dacor early next week and will post what they state the differences are between the IWO and the IWD.
__________________________

Humidity Control
The warming drawer has two distinct humidity modes.
The "MOIST" setting seals the foodÂs moisture in the
warming chamber, maintaining the water content of
the food. The "CRISP" setting allows the moisture to
vent out of the sides of the warming drawer, retaining
the crispness of other food types. The MOIST Â
CRISP lever opens and closes vents located on the
inside of the drawer front.
Â Do not block the humidity vents any time you operate
your warming drawer.
Operation
The warming drawer is equipped with four temperature
settings and a timer that can be set for one, two, three
or four hours. The warming drawer can also be set for
continuous operation. See the table on the facing page for
suggested settings for different foods.
To turn the unit on:
1. Select the humidity level. Slide the lever located on
the back of the drawer face to the desired position.
To increase humidity inside the drawer, slide the lever
closer to the MOIST symbol. To decrease humidity
inside the drawer, slide the lever closer to the CRISP
symbol. The lever can also be positioned anywhere
between the MOIST and CRISP settings.
2. Push the ON/OFF key.
3. Push the key for the desired temperature setting.
4. Select the amount of time you want
the warming drawer to be on: Push the
SELECT key until the desired number
of hours lights up on the control panel.
or
Push the continuous key (â) to keep
the unit on constantly. Push the ON/
OFF key to turn the warming drawer
off, when done.
Warming Serving Containers
Â To warm plates, and other serving containers:
Â Place them carefully into the warming drawer and set
the temperature to PROF or LOW, depending upon
your personal preference. Do not drag plates across
the drawer. They may scratch the drawer surface.
Â Before using any delicate dinnerware in the warming
drawer, determine its maximum recommended
usage temperature from the plate manufacturer. It is
not necessary to preheat the warming drawer when
warming serving dishes.
Â You can also use plastic wrapping on plates to keep
foods hot and moist.
Seting Temperat ure*
PROOF 100Â°F (38Â°C)
LOW 140Â°F (60Â°C)
MED 175Â°F (80Â°C)
HIGH 200Â°F (93Â°C)
* Temperatures are approximate
MOIST CRISP
peggross1
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Sorry for the mis-information! I recieved the following reply from Dacor -

"We moved the heating element in the IWD27 to the bottom of the unit and we changed the control panel and timer in the new unit. We are sorry but the Integrated Warming Drawers do not include the moist/crisp feature."

This is not noted anywhere in the online manual that I could see, and I suggested in a reply that they make sure to make this distinction for future shoppers.

Again, sorry if I got anyone excited about the possibilities! (I already had my KD checking to see if the new one could easily replace my current model - oh well, soggy and warm it is...)

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