From cool, to warm, to hot

They seem to have come from nowhere, but suddenly, the smallest built-in appliance – the warming drawer – has won the hearts of virtually every appliance manufacturer. We look at how and why, and the significance for retailers.

nce we get over their mischievous ability to conjure up images of self-heating underwear on frosty days, we are forced to acknowledge that warming drawers are becoming a very snug and important part of the kitchen appliances jigsaw. Warming drawers fit in – literally – as well as being wholly viable and versatile products that serve several great purposes and look jolly nifty into the bargain.
Some might say, they are the acceptable 21st century face to yesteryears’ hostess trolley.
But much more than one-trick ponies, warming drawers not only warm food but also crockery and dishes, as well as being useful for proving bread and performing other tasks. Design-wise, they slot beautifully into banks of appliances – perhaps especially compact versions  –  giving a perfectly streamlined finish and contributing to that sought-after linear kitchen appeal.
  Danny Lay, sales director at Caple, explains:  “Although price point is very important to consumers at the moment, the overall aesthetic of a combined group of appliances has now become a part of the purchasing decision.”
This view is echoed by Tim Hutchinson, md of V-Zug. “In the warming drawer you have a product that will deliver a good lifestyle angle alongside a healthy margin.
“Sales are certainly increasing as the original top end early adopters return to the market for the next generation of products,” he says. “At the same time, we have a new generation of people who have grown up with a warm­ing drawer and expect to specify one in their own homes at some point.”
But are warming drawers simply just convenient, or are they something more? Neff sales director Mike Jarrett has some interesting thoughts on this: “I suspect the real driver for warming drawers was to develop a ‘fill-in’ product, allowing for the installation of compact appliances in a standard single oven aperture. This encouraged the idea of the specialist compact product – and the concept of multi-cavity cooking, which is important in the UK – without the need for a change of furniture, especially in replacement situations.”
He says however, it is open to debate as to whether the warming drawer is a pro­duct in its own right.
 “It is the catalyst that has allowed the concept of blocks or runs of appliances, of varying size and specification, to develop. So in many ways the warming drawer is a means to an end where the actual function is secondary. It is a facilitator, opening up a variety of different installation and appliance combination options.”
Ruth Ferguson, Gorenje’s marketing manager, believes the appliance is a valuable addition to any sale. “With every compact, bank or stack there should be a warming drawer. It is ideal for installation below a compact oven or a coffee machine.
“The British love the double oven, but it has really lost out with the up and coming flexibility of compact ovens and now the add-on warming drawer.”
Guy Weaver, chief executive of Appliance365, agrees. 
“The market for warming drawers originated with a move away from double ovens to single ovens and microwaves.”
However, the drawer’s positioning in the kitchen is crucial, warns Ferguson. “Surveys have shown that those who place it as near to, or under the oven will use it constantly as it is close to hand. If it is installed away from the oven, it will become obsolete.”
It seems then that warming drawers have an addictive two-way effect on consumers. Many who own a second oven will buy a warming drawer; many who own a warming drawer will invest in a second oven or other appliances. Much like a prized charm bracelet, the urge to keep adding another treat can become quite sinful.
Dalia Haddad, product manager for built-in appliances at Whirlpool, says: “There is an increased and avid desire for additional products in the kitchen, and these lend themselves to being built in.”
The issue of kitchen clutter though – from lots of gadgets covering work surfaces – does not arise.
 “Appliances such as microwaves, coffee makers and steamers may have sat on the worktop in the past, but today they are being integrated for a sleek, minimalist look,” explains Whirlpool’s Haddad.
 “These products lend themselves perfectly to the addition of a warming drawer.”
The single oven is now very much the first choice of most consumers and accounts for the majority of oven sales. Single ovens sited side-by-side and banks of compacts are also the preference of creative designers. ATAG offers great flexibility for kitchen specialists to create genuinely bespoke combinations above or beside each other. The company’s oven sizes of 390, 450, 600 and 900mm are designed to be mixed and matched in any combination. For example, the 390mm can be matched to the company’s 210mm warming drawer, or the 460mm Max range of compacts can fit with the 140mm warming drawer. There is even a 70mm drawer for use with the 390mm compact.
Bill Miller, sales and marketing director for ATAG, says: “This is definitely the time for kitchen specialists to invest in individuality and create bespoke solutions for customers. Integrated contemporary kitchens with appliances including warming drawers, will be avidly sought after to make a lifestyle statement in the consumer’s home for the future; they are therefore driving design trends.”
Neil Pooley, group built-in product manager for Miele also highlights the way warming drawers are influencing kitchen style. “Rather than increase the desire to own more than one oven, warming drawers have changed consumer attitudes towards the best appliances to achieve the high standards they are looking for.”
What these latest must-haves offer then, is flexibility, greater layout choice, good looks and of course convenience for the consumer as well as the opportunity to upsell for the retailer.
Richard Walker, sales and marketing director for De Dietrich, concludes: “For retailers, a warming drawer adds value in a number of ways – by increasing margins on sales and as a display appliance. It provides an additional talking point in the showroom when featured within a bank of appliances. A warming drawer is an excellent ‘and finally’ way to illustrate how well a number of different sized options can work together.”