Well, I think it's worth it.
I don't know how it works, but it's much, much better than my old method of storing bread (in my slow cooker on the counter).
I've been storing bread, tortillas, wraps and chips in there, and they definitely last longer than before.

C9Pilot...is there anything special about your bread drawer? Does it have a special insert that's supposed to help bread last longer? It seems to me that if it's just a plexiglas top on a drawer that it isn't worth the $300+ some cabinet lines charge...

Nothing special about a bread drawer, except: it has a huge amount of space
for everything from a box of saltines to chips, bread, breakfast bars, bagels, croissants, muffins, etc. all at one time. I have had a "bread drawer" in 5 different kitchens and would not know what to do without one! A bread drawer is simply a drawer that is big enough to accommodate your bread and related bread needs.

I had a bread drawer with a sliding top in a previous kitchen and after a few weeks, I never bothered to close it. I couldn't see that it kept anything fresher.

In this kitchen, I just keep all bread, bagels, muffins, snacks, crackers etc, in a regular drawer and it works fine. It's great to have them all in one place.

buehl,
There is nothing special about my drawer. It's a regular deep bottom drawer in my prep area.
It has a sliding wood cover with vent holes in it (??!!??). I have no idea how much it cost because it wasn't broken down in our contract with Scherr's.

I think it might have a slight advantage over a plain drawer if the drawers do not have shelves/dividers/not sure what they are called. Meaning, if you took all the drawers out, there wouldn't be anything dividing the volume from top to bottom. If something falls out the back of your top drawer, it falls into the drawer underneath. That type of cabinet arrangement (which I think most are) might have a bit more air circulation.

The only "change" I made in the layout is switching it with the drawer next to it so that it's not next to the range. I was worried about heat from the oven, but I probably didn't need to.
Also, I used to forget to close the slider, and the blumotion is not strong enough to pull the drawer shut unless the slider is closed (bumps on the back wall if opened). So it is an extra step closing that drawer. No biggie either way.
My in-laws use a plain drawer for all that stuff, including rice & pasta, and it keeps well.

I priced the bread drawer on KM 18 inch stack and it was 75.00 Decided just to use the drawer without the top.

I have three 'vintage' metal bread drawers in my kitchen: 1-18'' and 2-12'' drawers. I don't keep bread in any of them. The 18-inch is used for chips because it holds 4-5 bags and is conveniently above the cupboard that keeps the sack lunch supplies. One smaller drawer kept cookies, marshmallows quite well. It now has the odd mix of vitamins, meds, and hot pads just because I move things in my kitchen often, and it was conviennent. The third small drawer is in my Napanee Kitchenet (similar to a Hoosier cabinet). It is a nice deep drawer in which I keep rolling pins, hand mixer, and silcone mat. I wouldn't pay any extra for a bread drawer. I keep my bread in a large ceramic bread canister inside a cupboard - this week :-)

Thanks everybody. I'm trying to decide how to go with this.

I like the idea of the drawer for the bread but I have also been toying with getting the shelves with the wicker baskets. We are going with KraftMaid and they have the open shelves with big wicker baskets or with the ones that slide out - they are on a track I believe. Hearing you talk about the chips makes me want one of those for packing lunches and snacks.

Thanks C9Pilot!

mygar,
The best thing about the bread drawer is that it is a DRAWER that keeps our scavenging Golden out of the food :0) Baskets may work well for your use. I don't know if light has an effect on bread. We also keep cookies and candy in metal drawers. But, those treats never last long enough to go stale. I am attempting to reuse most of the original cabinetry in our new kitchen. Two bread drawer cabinets will be in the island.

Cotehele,
We have Yorkies so that wouldn't be a problem for us. :)

Am I the only one who keeps bread in the freezer for freshness?

Actually, I think a bread drawer DOES make a difference keeping bread fresher---at least the bakery type of breads in paper or waxed bags or plastic bags with many small perforations. I can keep fresh bread in the drawer for several days without sealing it in a plastic bag (sealing it destroys the crustiness.) I can't leave the bread on my counter in it's original bakery bag because it will be stale by the next day. I think the top on the drawer works much like the breathable bags--limits air circulation that dries out the bread but allows some so that the moisture isn't trapped to make the crusty outside soft.

I guess it depends on the type of breads you use. The drawer doesn't keep plastic-sealed bread any fresher but does keep bakery and homemade bread in a fresh state longer than counter top.

And I agree with others above. I love having a large space devoted to bread products. It's usually not full so ends up being a great place to store overflow chip bags when needed. And it's German Shepherd proof : )

I just have a deeper regular drawer. I keep alot of things in the freezer but store a few things that will quickly be consumed in the drawer - whole loaves, bagels, etc. I put things in a ziplock bag if I want to keep them from drying out.

I really like this drawer - a narrower, deeper drawer. I keep alot of things in there besides bread - toaster, coffee carafe, etc.

My bread drawer is one of my favorite things about my kitchen. It is huge and holds bread and chips and marshmallows (!!) and in the old kitchen, the bread took up half of an upper cabinet and the kids had to climb on the counter to make their lunches.

Don't know what it cost (probably way too much!) but it is worth it and I am glad I did it every day.

I started storing my extra bread in the freezer after reading up on this forum. The loaf in use goes in the bread drawer and the other loaf goes right in the freezer (I shop at Costco so I always buy two loaves plus a pack of wraps.) Also any bread that doesn't have preservatives either gets eaten by the next day or goes in the freezer.