Beneath the oven, that low, often ignored drawer is not a storage bin at all, but a warming drawer—designed to keep cooked food warm without drying it out or overcooking. When filled with pans, plastic, or flammable items, it can trap heat, interfere with airflow, and, in worst cases, melt or ignite what you’ve stored there. What feels convenient can quietly become dangerous, especially in busy homes where the oven runs often and no one thinks to check what’s below.

Used correctly, however, the warming drawer becomes a powerful ally. It can hold finished dishes at serving temperature while you prepare others, gently proof bread dough, warm plates so meals stay hot longer, or dry herbs at low, controlled heat. By clearing it out and treating it as a tool instead of a cupboard, you make your kitchen safer, more efficient, and surprisingly more professional.