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KA vs Sharp warming & microwave drawers

Peke
10 years ago

I have spent the last four hours looking at info on warming drawers and microwave drawers. My brain is mush, but I will attempt to make sense.

Kitchen Aid- I think I would use the slow cooker function a lot. I know I would use the warming part. KA only goes up to a 30" width I think. Can a KA microwave drawer be placed above it in an island?

Sharp- warming drawer #KB6100NK and microwave drawer #KB6525PS. I found info on the microwave on sharpe's website, but nothing for the warming drawer (on Sharpe's site.)

Sharpe makes all the microwave drawers. So if I buy a KA microwave drawer will it match with a KA warming drawer or will it look like a Sharpe microwave?

Does anyone have a Sharp warming drawer? I know several of you have and love the KA warming drawer. I just want them to match since they will be stacked on the island.

Sharp's downside is no slow cooker function.

Since my cabinet guy (sort of a relative) has 5 more kitchens to do I don't know when he will get to my island. I know those are bigger projects than my island and utility room sink. I just wish he would have finished mine first. I am paying him after all.

Yesterday when I asked when he would finish my cabinets, he told me he is also going on vacation.

So since he is not working on my cabinets, I thought I might rethink the island and add a warming drawer. I am still not sure about a built in microwave though.

Pros and cons of KA vs Sharp?
Pros and cons of microwave drawer?

Thank you for any suggestions! Peke

Comments (15)

  • Peke
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Well, now I have more questions. It looks like Jenn-Air also makes a warming drawer that slow roasts (not slow cooks). Same thing!

    It also looks like the Jenn-Air #JWD2030WS does the same things as the KA. It also looks like I have to buy the front SS panel separately.

    Last question. If you have one of these warming or microwave drawers can you post your usable interior dimensions? Cubic feet doesn't help much. Still need the height, etc.

    Thanks, peke

  • deeageaux
    10 years ago

    From the install instructions a warming drawer may be installed below a wall oven. It says nothing about installing above an oven, since you will be using slow cook option I would consider that an oven not simply a warming drawer.

    You could use a heat shield between microwave and warming drawer but that is at your own risk. If Sharp came to do warranty work on your MW that may void the warranty.

    Sharp makes all microwave drawers but they make unique door skins for each brand. So mismatched warming drawer/microwave drawer brands will not match exactly.

    You already identified the advantage of KA.

    Negative of MW drawer? Cost and you can't place super tall items like a whole chicken. I have never ever desired to do that in my entire like, some people who live in deserts claim to do just that.

    Benefit. No countertop clutter. Can close with bump of hip leaving hands free to grab dish with both hands. As far as actually warming things up a MW is a MW. This is pure luxury. A large premium for no extra cooking performance.

  • deeageaux
    10 years ago

    Whirlpool makes both KA and JA.

    Dimensions for interior of MW drawer is 16.5" x 16.5" x 8.5"

  • Peke
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Dee, thank you. I had worried about the microwave being built in. I like how you put it....a MW is a MW....

    So now I have to find a great price on a warming drawer.
    Peke

  • Peke
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Kitchen vs Jenn-air warming drawer. I know Whirlpool makes both. (thanks, Dee)

    For those of you that have one of them...or another brand under $1000.00...please let me know the likes and dislikes.
    Thanks,peke

  • Peke
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    More information needed please.

    According to my research, slow cookers cook at 200 degrees on low and 300 degrees on high.

    So if a warming drawer can heat up to 250 degrees, why can't warming drawers be used like slow cookers. Why is kitchen aid (jenn-air) the only one who advertises it?

  • Peke
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Tell me what you think about these warming drawers.

    Kitchen aid kews105sss. (105sss is older I think.)

    Thermador wdc30jp or wdc36jp

    Dacor ewd30sch or ewd36sch or

    Bosch hwd3050uc

    I think they are almost the same, except kitchen aid advertises the slow cooking aspect. Peke

  • cookncarpenter
    10 years ago

    Had the Thermador WD for 27 years and it worked great, no problems. Have had the Viking WD for a few months now, and does the same thing equally as well, but seems to take a bit longer to warm up.

  • Debbi Branka
    10 years ago

    I have a KA warming drawer. I use it more for the slow cooker part than the warming part. I love it! I'm at work and can't measure anything for you right now. But I have no complaints whatsoever. I chose KA originally because I wanted a drawer front panel on mine to match, and because of the slow cook option. The warming drawer is the center, top (largest) drawer with 2 pulls.

  • Peke
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Deb, my island will look like yours....a T shape. Can I see a picture of the whole island? I have been leaning toward the kitchen aid so I am glad to hear you like it.

    Ctycdm, 27 years is a long time. Thermadore is my second choice.

  • Debbi Branka
    10 years ago

    Peke - here's the whole island. It's not REALLY a T. The lower part is our table part so it's 4.5' wide instead of 3' wide like the rest. Dimensions are: Tall part 6'x3'; table part 5'x4.5'. I made the seating area low so that my grandsons could reach it for helping with baking and cooking.

  • Debbi Branka
    10 years ago

    Here's a view from the other end (without the chairs). This was during installation.

  • breezygirl
    10 years ago

    I think I posted on another of your threads that I have a 24" Sharp MW drawer and a paneled 30" KA WD. I enjoy having both appliances. I've never used the warming feature on the MW as I have the actual WD and am pretty sure I wouldn't use that feature even if I didn't have a WD. I'm not sure how the warming works on the MW, but I think it must turn itself on and off over and over. This would bother me for two reasons. One, the MW wouldn't be available for use for anything else. Two, and most importantly to me, the noise of the MW cycling on/off would be unpleasant for me. I'm noise sensitive. I don't like hearing my ovens or my MW working. I turn both off as soon as possible to avoid extra noise. The WD is completely silent. In fact, now that I have the ON light covered by my drawer panel, it's almost impossible to tell if it's on or not.

    Another important difference with my KA WD and MW is the WD's ability to keep moist food moist and crisp food crisp. DH usually doesn't pay attention to this when he plops food in the WD and sometimes ruins the food. Crisp waffles put in a WD on the "moist" setting makes.....well, moist waffles. Yuck. A MW drawer can't distinguish between moist and crisp food.

    You can accomplish most of the work a WD does with workarounds in other appliances. My Wolf ovens go low enough that they can proof, but I do it in the WD as its a much smaller cavity to heat and is therefore faster and uses less energy. One could heat plates in a regular oven, but you have the size, speed, and energy usage issue again.

    One of the reasons I bought the KA WD is the slow cook feature, though I have yet to use it. I just plain have never gotten used to crock pot cooking and, frankly, haven't been very impressed with most foods I've eaten from a crock pot. I can do better by cooking the same food other ways. BUT, I would like to try to find and learn a few quality crock pot recipes this summer to lighten my cooking load.

    As for the MW, I don't cook in it for food nutrition degradation reasons. Any dish, cup, or bowl I've tried to put in it has fit without issue. I appreciate the defrost and melt settings very much.

    I don't have time to do this for you now, but if you run an Internet search for this site and the name "Plllog" and the words "warming drawer" you'll find a few very informative posts. Plllog is a master at explaining appliances and her posts on WD's helped me decide which models to look for when I was buying. The bottom line is that most warming drawers are basically the same. The few slight differences come in the presence of moist/dry feature, presence of auto off, and the way the sides are constructed for access. It seems as if you've narrowed the features you want, and I agree with your list. I would now look for the best deal you can find on any of those models and buy. That's what I did. I found a great deal on my KA on ebay. I also purchased my MWD as a refurb model on...

  • Peke
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Deb, that is a perfect height. My table will be like that, except turned 1/4 turn to make an upside down T. I haven't decided whether to keep it a real wood topped table or use granite on it.

    Breezy, I have decided on the same ones you have....if I can get a deal. I just need to keep looking for the deal I cannot pass up.

    Thanks for everyone's help. Peke

  • Peke
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Microwave drawer and warming drawer have been ordered. Bought from two different places for $1522.99 for both.
    Kitchen Aid KEWS105BSS
    Sharp KB6525PS

    Whew! One more thing off my list.
    Breezy, thanks for telling me what you had...twice. I tend to not remember that I have already asked a question. I try searching, but only a few of my older posts show up when I search for "peke".