I’m gonna hold your hand when I say this… that drawer at the bottom of your oven probably isn’t for storing sheet trays and 13x9 pans. I know. It's a lot to take in, and you’re probably connecting the dots and figuring out why your pans look a little bit crispier than they used to.
It depends on the kind of oven you have, but odds are, that shallow drawer is for one of the following purposes:
1. A Warming Drawer
You lucky duck! Having a warming drawer means that your oven is all-powerful. This feature is most commonly found in slide-in electric ranges and wall ovens, and it’s perfect for proofing dough and keeping casseroles, cobblers, and pies warm while you finish prepping for that big holiday meal. You'll know that your oven has a warming drawer at the bottom if you see a button or setting for a warming drawer near your oven dials/buttons/knobs.
This style of oven offers the best of both worlds in terms of cooking function, but it lacks the benefit of extra storage.
2. A Broiler
Almost all ovens have a broiler setting, but the kind of oven you have will determine where the heating element for the broiler is located. If you have an older or gas oven and the heating element is located on the bottom of your oven, that’s most likely where the broiler is as well, nestled inside that fun little drawer where your cooling racks currently live.
Consistently exposing your cooking vessels to high heat, especially when there is no food in them, will cause them to wear and warp much faster, significantly reducing the lifespan of your pans and eating a 13x9"-sized hole through your wallet. Find a new home for the pans you have in that drawer. Start using it to toast bread, melt a mountain of cheddar on top of your mac & cheese, or make the best broiled oysters you’ve ever had.
3. A Storage Drawer
HA! You knew it. I tried to gaslight you, but you knew the truth! The third and final answer is that the drawer under your oven is truly just for storage. The best way to tell if that’s the kind of drawer you have is through the process of elimination. However, since that drawer is attached to your oven (which gets very hot, obviously), it’s best to reserve that space for metal, ceramic, and glass baking dishes and pans rather than anything plastic.
Now you know! Pull this article up next time you want to argue with your Aunt Jessica about the correct use of her oven drawer.
