I kind of agree with you. It would be great as a retrofit for oversized drawers but I wouldn't want to do it on purpose!

I do agree with your KD in that they are cool. But it's kinda like a pullout when you could have a drawer! Extra steps.

So GW people: do you have one and is it good or bad?

I'm considering this for under my cooktop. There's a chance that my 3rd drawer won't be able to be a functional drawer and that's where I'm planning on putting my spatulas, etc. for cooking. So, if that won't work, my backup plan is to have a 2 drawer unit with a shallow drawer inside the one drawer. I would prefer not to have to put out a drawer to get to a drawer, but this might be the only way to do it to keep aesthetics reasonable and have the functionality that I'm looking for.

I don't have one and don't plan for one. I also think it'd be more trouble than help. It might work fine for a pot/pan drawer with a shallower one above it to store lids. For something like that it might be ok.

something like this? but probably wider with a more shallow upper.

Check out my recent post and michoumonster picture inside. It can be a way to distribute weight so I might modify my big drawer this way.
But otherwise, I don't see a reason to open one drawer to then open another drawer.
Andrea- we thought we could put a drawer under our cooktop but could not Check the manufacturer instal guidelines to see clearance needed.

I am doing one next to my stove, very similar to the one that desertsteph posted. It is a 12" cabinet, with a top drawer and a pullout with an interior rollout shelf, like the picture. I will use the top drawer for pot holders, matches, etc... On the bottom, I didn't want a pullout with two fixed shelves because I think you can never really see what is in the middle or the far side. In my case the far side will be in the corner too. This way I can see the tops of all the bottom shelf content and grab what I need and pull it straight out, no maneuvering. The rollout shelf above will be things used less frequently then the bottom.
Well, at least that is the plan :)

Is it less expensive since you only have 1 cabinet front, instead of several drawer fronts/multiple handles?

MamaP, that is perfect! I assume you don't use the sterling every meal so it's not objectionable to have it tucked away, but it's not tucked away so much as to be a hassle. I think it makes sense when the stuff on the bottom doesn't need to be quite as accessible.

I can also see where it would sometimes be good from a design standpoint--sometimes a zillion drawer fronts aren't the look one wants.

I have one. My pots/pans are in the deep one and the inside drawer contains my less used items as it's a pain to open one drawer to get into another.

I just wonder why deep drawers have such low sides you can't really utilize the full depth of the drawer because there are no side supports.

I use these often for pots and pans when working with framed cabinets instead of frameless. I use a system that allows pots and fry pans to be stored on their sides between dividers.
With a framed 3 drawer base the vertical clearance is so much less (using standards). To get a fry pan in vertically (tilted actuallY0 the dividers have to be further apart.
So a 2 drawer base where the top drawer has a rollout allows for sauce pans in the main part of the top drawer; utensils, lids or even fry pans flat in the rollout and the bottom drawer now has enough room to lay in the fry pans, pasta set, etc.
All the brands I use for this have full height drawers sides.
Cost is the same as a 3 drawer basein most cases.

I should have known there was much to learn on this subject -- thanks for all the helpful information! I totally get the use in mamadada's photo, and I'm wondering if I should be thinking of bringing the silver up from the basement. I'd love to have such a convenient place to stash it. I also see exactly what jakuvall is using the drawers-within-a-drawer for. My cabinets are going to be frameless, so I'm not sure this would be the space saving solution for me. In any case, I know a lot more now than I did before. Thanks, GW!

jakuvall, do you have a picture of this? It sounds really neat.

Mamadadapaige....can you post a photo of the other side you described, with the half divider? The cabs we're considering only offer one type of base drawers and they're pretty deep and wide. I'm wondering if they're too big for things like silverware.

I think it might make sense from an aesthetic point, like if you have a row of doors nearby and dont want adding a drawer to interrupt your lines. I like the idea also for garbage pullout for the drawer to store supplies. Or if your cab is located where you might like to stand and prep so that a drawer pull sticking out would bother you?

My cabinets have not arrived yet, but I ordered such a cabinet to put under the induction cooktop. In case, the cooktop drops lower than we planned, we can always leave the top drawer out and will not need to make any modification.

love to dream,
sorry, i took the picture for you days ago and am just now getting caught up on the computer since it was a big birthday weekend here coming right on the heels of halloween. busy times!