If your oven has a bottom drawer stuffed with random pans, lids and maybe that waffle iron you forgot you owned, you’re not alone. For most of us, it’s become the kitchen‘s unofficial junk drawer — a hiding place for chaos in cookware form. But here’s the twist: That mystery drawer might have an actual purpose you never knew about. And no, it’s not just for stashing stray baking sheets.

Depending on your oven model, that drawer could be doing more than collecting clutter. In some units, it’s a warming drawer meant to keep cooked food hot until you’re ready to serve. In others, it’s a broiler drawer-perfect for charring veggies or crisping up casseroles. And yes, in some cases, it really is just storage. If you’ve never checked your oven manual (or long since lost it), now’s the time to find out what that drawer was actually designed to do.

Now, if you’re scratching your head thinking, “Wait, what?” don’t worry — you’re not alone. Most of us have never opened the oven manual unless it was to fan a smoke alarm.

But fear not! We’re not about to assign homework. No dense instruction manuals here. We’re breaking it down for you in plain, delicious terms. Here’s how to decode your oven drawer’s secret identity and how to use it without accidentally slow-roasting your muffin tins.

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3 functions of your oven’s bottom drawer

1. Warming drawer

A warming drawer is easy to identify. Take a look at the buttons on your oven. If one of them is labeled “Warming Drawer” then that’s exactly what you have. Anytime you need to warm a pie or a loaf of bread — or you just want to keep dishes warm while the rest of the meal finishes cooking — pop it into the warming drawer and push the warming button.

2. Broiler

If you have an oven heated with natural gas, the drawer is typically a broiler. To be sure, pull open the door. If it looks more like a retractable pan than a drawer, then it’s a broiler. 

Think of the broiler as an extra cooking area. It’s best for toasting or browning foods like casseroles or breads. Any item placed in the broiler will burn quickly, though, so check on it every couple of minutes.

3. Storage drawer

If there isn’t a warming button and the area looks like a deep, empty drawer, then you probably have a storage drawer. As per a recent Reddit discussion, many people are unsure about what to keep in this space. This is a good place to store cast iron pots and pans, because the warmth from your oven will help keep them rust free. Just be sure not to store plastic items in this drawer, because they may become warped due to residual heat. 

Likewise, some older ovens have little insulation and may heat your metal cookware when the oven is on. As a precaution, always use oven mitts to remove cookware during or after your oven has been in use.