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.

teched, We are still in the planning stage, but are considering the exact scenario as you. We use the microwave for the same purposes you listed, as wel as heating water for tea. Currently we only have a single wall oven plus a microwave. We have managed to cook that way for over 25 years. We sometimes use our currnt convection oven for warming, especially holding the plates of food for the late eaters. (I set the oven to 170.) It works well for us. While I am sure it would be nicer to have a double oven, plus the speed oven, plus a warming drawer, neither our space nor budget will accomodate that. I think it will still be the exception rather than the rule that we have both the full oven and the speed oven working as ovens. Those 4-5 times a year we cook a celebration meal. I also like the speed oven functions as a smaller oven for when I only need to cook a meat loaf. Seems like less space to heat up, and sounds like the meat loaf will cook faster, something we will especially appriciate on week nights when dinner is already running late. For us the question is now which speed oven. The Miele is high on my list. I examined the insides of the one in the living kitchen near me. I could certainly see grease type spots on the oven wall and etching in the plastic tray, but they were clean. Just did not look like new. We are also considering the KA and Advantium; the Miele will likley win.

So, Histokitch . . . what size fridge do you have that works for you? I could have written your post. I have the DH who commutes 1.5 hours each way, 4 kids to feed, top row all milk, tons and tons of fresh veggies and fruits that kill me on space and even meat for 3 days and I am out of room. I HATE my refridgerator. Nothing fits, I can't find anything, food rots because I can't see it pushed to the back (also hampered by the placement in the kitchen where neither door (sxs) can open fully so I can't see inside. I hate saying to DH -- this was really good when I first made it . . . of course now several hours later and microwaved it kind of s#$ks. So, I live for the day of a warmng drawer and the right size and format refrigerator . . . just need to figure out what size that might be.

Now's that something I hadn't thought of, Danvirsse! Chicagoans, that's exactly what I'm thinking of. I'm 5'9" and it's a long way to the floor. I'll do my first try at posting a picture. If all goes well, it'll show the very open floor plan of the kitchen. Living room is to the west, informal sitting area to the east with a tv in the back side of the sink island. Dining area is to the south. 4 ft between the islands with a bit more between the back counter and the islands. No uppers except on that back wall. Warming drawer either goes in the stack labeled "oven" - at the left end of the back wall, or it goes directly to the right of it. Drat! My rightside up photo is showing up turned 90 degrees!