THINGS WE CONSIDERED: How long will they keep food hot? What are the safety features? How large are they?
Reviews Hannah Tribe
VonShef 4 pan buffet server, £54.99, VonHaus
This 65x38cm unit felt extremely large but was surprisingly slim and lightweight, so it was easy to pick up and store after use. When used with the included trays it has a whopping 6.5L capacity. The two large trays (2.5L) are a great size for main dishes and the smaller trays (1.25L) are perfect for sides. It has a manual dial to control the temperature with an output of 300w. The trays and tray rack are removable so you can use it to keep plates warm if you’re short on oven space. It’s a plug-in unit so will keep food warm for as long as you need but, it’s not recommended for use over 8 hours. The metal trays are dishwasher safe, but the lids need to be washed by hand.
Presto three tray buffet server, £34.99, Tower
Although smaller than the VonShef unit, we feel as though this 43x24cm food warmer was a good size for small gatherings. When used with the included trays it has 4.5L capacity with each tray holding 1.5L of food.
It needed to be preheated by setting the manual temperature dial to maximum for 10 minutes before use. The temperature range is between 70-120°C with a 200w output. When plugged in, it’s automatically on and the indicator light tells you when it’s heating up. We loved that the plastic lids had a small hole on one edge, this meant we could keep serving spoons neatly inside the trays. The trays and tray rack are removable too.
2 burner food warmer in Matt Steel, £35.50, Brabantia
The original version of this cult design was a favourite at 1970s dinner parties, and we can see why! The compact food warmer is a neat 18.8x35.5cm and is heated using two (included) tea lights – the heat from the flames is conducted across the aluminium plate. Double walled tea light holders protect your table from the heat and cool grips on the edge allow you to move it safely (after the candles have been snuffed). It’s available in Matt Steel, White and Black, and it also comes in a smaller size with one burner (£25.25) – ideal for sharing something cheesy across the table. We love that we didn’t have to worry about this unit adding to our energy bills.
