Types of Food Warmers

Holding cabinets are large commercial kitchen appliances designed to hold large batches of food at safe serving temperatures. Foods can be prepared in advance and held until they are ready to be served, preventing bacterial growth and preserving moisture content so your food doesn’t dry out. Commercial holding cabinets work by creating an insulated, temperature-controlled zone where food can rest. They use digital or dial controls to adjust settings within the unit, and come in humidified or non-humidified options based on the foods you’re handling. Many commercial-grade holding cabinets also offer internal convection fans to circulate air.

• Types of holding cabinets: Standard holding cabinets, undercounter holding cabinets, pizza holding cabinets, proofing cabinets, countertop holding cabinets
• Best for: Keeping bulk cooked meals and ingredients warm in restaurants or commercial bakeries

Countertop food warmers are compact units that hold pre-cooked foods in limited batches. Their small footprint makes them ideal for kitchens with limited space, as they can be conveniently placed on countertops or other surfaces without taking up too much room. You can use them to keep entrees and side dishes at optimal temperatures until they are ready to serve, or to create a self-serve, buffet-style dining setup for your guests. Countertop food warmers function differently based on which type you choose. Some, like Bain Marie warmers, use heated water to keep foods warm, while others, like rethermalizers, rapidly heat foods using an induction system or water bath.

• Types of food warmers: Bain Marie warmers, soup kettle warmers, rethermalizers
• Best for: Buffets and limited on-site catering operations, food expos and service stations

Drawer warmers are cabinet-style warmers designed to warm food and ingredients in bulk. They feature adjustable thermostatic or digital temperature controls and are designed for even heat distribution, keeping foods at the right temperature with professional consistency. Drawer warmers are most commonly used to hold finished dishes, but can also be used to hold ingredients in bulk. They can be built into your existing kitchen layout or placed underneath existing countertops and prep surfaces to save space. Warming drawers typically feature powerful heating elements spaced evenly throughout the cabinet. Thick insulation provides steady temperature control, keeping heat and humidity from escaping while foods rest.

• Types of drawer warmers: Freestanding drawer warmers, built-in drawer warmers, undercounter drawer warmers
• Best for: Keeping plated meals warm for serving, high-volume ingredient holding

Heat lamps are overhead warming devices that emit low, controlled heat to keep foods from falling out of the temperature danger zone. Unlike most types of holding equipment, these lamps can be used both in the front and back of house. You can use them to create an eye-catching food display for your buffet or serving area, install them over a carving station, or keep them in your kitchen to keep orders warm before taking them to the table. While there are different types of heat lamps to choose from, most utilize a specialized infrared bulbs or heating strips to heat food directly. They should always be mounted directly above a heating area, and as long as food is placed under them, they should be kept at the right temperature.

• Types of food heat lamps: Freestanding heat lamps, clamp and screw-on lamps, hanging heat lamps, strip warmers
• Best for: Carving stations, buffet food displays

Steam tables are large heating units with pre-made openings. They feature a drop-in design that allows you to insert food pans into the table, creating an organized display while reducing the risk of cross-contamination. Different types of steam tables offer unique advantages. Some can be kept in your kitchen to hold bulk foods or ingredients, like steamed vegetables or pasta, while others can be used in your front-of-house area for buffet service or catering. They hold water underneath the pans, which is warmed by a heating element or gas burner to create steam. You can choose between open-well tables, which feature an exposed heat source for both dry and moist heating, or sealed-well tables, which use a covered heat source and are ideal for moist heating.

• Types of steam tables: Open well steam tables, sealed-well steam tables, mobile steam tables
• Best for: High-volume serving operations, like cafeterias, food halls, or buffets, quick service setups

Hot food wells feature a similar design to steam tables, with specialized compartments designed to hold large batches of food. The main difference between them is that while steam tables are designed to work with removable pans, food wells feature a permanent well that can be refilled with fresh food throughout service. Hot food wells also feature a smaller footprint, making them ideal for operations with limited space. Like steam tables, you can choose between dry or moist heating units, with dry units relying on an internal heating element while moist units use heated water to produce steam.

• Types of hot food wells: Drop-in food wells, soup wells, dual temperature wells, triple temperature wells
• Best for: High-volume serving operations

Heated banquet cabinets are large, heavy-duty heating appliances designed for high-volume warming. They are designed to hold large batches of prepared foods, featuring spacious shelves that can be stacked with food trays. These robust units are typically designed with mobility in mind, as they are most commonly used for large gatherings and on-site catering. You can wheel them on-site at weddings, banquets, conferences, and other busy events where you’re preparing food in bulk beforehand. Also called Queen Mary cabinets, heated banquet cabinets use internal heating elements and can easily be plugged into standard outlets. They utilize radiant heat to keep the cabinet warm without drying foods out and feature sturdy walls, as well as locking doors, to keep foods secure during transportation.

• Types of banquet cabinets: Electric banquet cabinets, canned fuel banquet cabinets
• Best for: Catering, high-volume food transport

Hot food display cases are specialized holding cabinets designed to merchandise prepared foods and snacks in retail or front-of-house settings. You’ll commonly find them at grab-and-go stations, convenience stores, concession stands, or grocery stores offering to-go meals. Their main purpose is to promote impulse sales, and because of that, they typically feature a large glass construction that makes it easy to see what is inside. A hot food display case can be plugged into an outlet near the counter for easy operation and utilize conduction, convection, or infrared heat, depending on the model or manufacturer. Use them for fried foods, baked goods, and quick snacks.

• Types of hot food display cases: Drop-in hot food display cases, self-service display cases, full-service display cases, pretzel warmers
• Best for: Merchandising snacks at concession stands, convenience stores, or self-checkout