The drawer beneath the oven actually has a use besides storage. Take a look at any kitchen and you'll notice that the vast majority of people use the drawer beneath their ovens to store items like pots, pans and baking sheets. After all, that's what it's meant to be used for, right? Newsflash, it's not. Turns out you've been using that drawer the wrong way your entire life. It just so happens that it serves an entirely different purpose than to store your excess cookware. In fact, the designer of this feature included this drawer with a very specific functionality in mind. The real reason why has been under your nose all along and when you find out what it's for, you'll never toss your bakeware there again. There's a pretty good chance that you've been using the drawer beneath your oven the wrong way your entire life. Most people utilize this space to store their baking trays, muffin tins and even pots and pans. That however, is not its correct function. It turns out that there's a much more logical use for that drawer and it has nothing to do with the storage of cookware. So if that's how you're using it, you're going to want to reconsider it when you find out what it's really for. Are you ready for this? The drawer beneath your oven is actually supposed to be used as a warming drawer. Though some models have modified it so it can accommodate storage, the majority of them serve their original purpose. Make sure you check your manual just in case. But you can't just put any old kind of food in there. The intended purpose of the warming drawer is to keep certain dishes at a high temperature when hosting parties or family functions. This way if your oven itself is filled with roasts and baked goods, you don't have to worry about the food you've already baked getting cold before the rest of your meal is finished. Your appliance's manual will typically explain exactly how to use the warming drawer, but there's an incredibly important warning that all cooks and bakers should learn before doing this. First off, these warming drawers cannot be used to actually cook food. This is because bacteria can grow at an alarming rate when food is left between 40 and 140 degrees. That said, these drawers are only intended to keep already cooked food, that is, food that's already hot, from cooling down too much. A blog recently commented on the rising popularity of these drawers. Over the last few years, warming drawers have become accessible to everyone as prices have become more affordable than they have been in the past. Many free-standing and slide-in ranges sold today feature a warming drawer instead of a storage drawer underneath the oven. While there's nothing that demands that you use your warming drawer for its intended purpose, it's helpful to know that your oven includes this function. Still, if you just need a place to stash all your excess baking sheets and pans, no one will stop you. It's so strange to think that you could have been using something in your home the wrong way for so long. Thankfully, it's never too late to change. Guess this means it's time for more house parties and dinners, huh? Share this cool information with your friends below.