Do you have warming trays or steam tables?

[fan-of-fans]

I remember years ago my grandmother had one or two of the Corning trays with the textured glass and patterns on them. Don't remember her ever using them though.

Myself, I have a newer stainless steel warming tray. It came with two small pans that sit on top, which sit on a metal frame. But I found the air space between them and the tray is too big for them to get warm enough. So I usually just place containers directly on the tray instead.

Also I have a Vollrath Commercial Food Warmer that fits one 12x20 stainless pan or I also have two smaller pans for it. I got a good deal on it but it's really too big for anything I need. It also takes a fairly large amount of water to fill the well enough. I'd like to put it to use sometime but can't really think of a use for it. Usually I just use my warming tray if I need one.

I have also seen at events at church that people use the roaster ovens and they have a buffet kit that sits in the roaster and then two or three pans sit on top. So it's basically a steam table, but smaller. I may get one of these eventually. I don't own a roaster oven though.

 

[tomturbomatic]

The glass warming trays with the textured glass were usually sold by Salton. Corning trays that I have seen were usually made of white Pyroceram although I have seen smaller warmers with the glass tops that were sold with Pyrex coffee warmers or, more rarely, with a casserole.

 

[perc-o-prince]

I shudder...

when I think how many of these we have! At least 2-3 each of the Corning and Salton, a Salton roll-around cart where the top is a warmer, chafing dishes where the hot water goes in the handle and flows down to underneath the pan to be kept warm, 2 warming drawers in the kitchen with s/s containers of different sizes, several of those racks that take gel fuel and disposable foil containers, a hot tray built into the corner cabinet in the kitchen (doubles as a countertop when not being heated)….

Funny story about the counter-mounted one that has a rotating dial in the front for adjusting the temp; when Rich was younger it seems his grandparents had company over, and this was at the time when many women's bags were vinyl. After a while they smelled something... you guessed it- someone had hit the dial turning on the warmer and purses were melting! When we did a small re-mod on that kitchen I re-wired that warmer so you have to flip a switch on the wall behind it to turn it on, then use the dial to regulate it!

Chuck

 

[xraytech]

I have a Corning Electromatic skillet and a Corning Electromatic tray I’ll use for serving.
I also have the buffet inserts for my Kenmore and my Nesco roasters, I don’t use the inserts often but use the roasters for holding bigger quantities for serving.

Mostly I use vintage Rival CrockPots, and will be adding a few full size chafing dishes to my collection

 

[fan-of-fans]

My grandmother's may have been Salton, can't recall although I do seem to recall the Thermotray name. Remember some had a special circle that would get hotter for gravies and things.

Had a look around eBay, some of them even had a drawer below, I suppose for breads and things.

Did these get as hot as the newer ones do? Like 140-180 F?

Neat on the built in warming tray. Don't think I've ever seen one, although we used to have a built in textured surface, not sure what it was for, maybe setting hot pots on, but seemed to be plastic, and therefore wouldn't be heat proof.

I don't own any crock pots, they work well for that too. I've been tempted to pick up some vintage ones when I see them.

Chafing dishes are nice. The only thing is you have to deal with the hot fuel cans, unless you get one of the electric element kits.