NOTE – One thing I left out of the video is that that protective film I mentioned is on the bottom as well.  I left mine that way, no real need to worry about it in my view.  BUT there is a piece of tape on the bottom covering the intake fins and that MUST be removed so that air can flow into the heating element.

Today’s Item of the Day is from Vevor, it is their VEVOR Hot Box Food Warmer in size 25x15x24. (Remember to use code VVPROMO to get 5% off anything you buy from Vevor with my links)

Let’s start out with the fact that unlike a lot of my items of the day this one isn’t for everyone.  This is a great item for people that frequently or a few times a year cook a LOT of food for a LOT of people.  Essentially it is a high capacity, easily portable, low temperature oven.  Temp settings are from 100 to 170 degrees F.  Ideal temp for holding warm food is about 130-145 degrees and it will reach that temp range in about 20 minutes from start up, even if fully empty.

Please note this tool is not for cooking, it is a warmer to hold food warm.  Though there is an alternate use.  That is for doing what is commonly known as the “Texas Cheat” with BBQ ribs, brisket, shoulders, etc.  Holding at 150-160 for 10-12 hours will finish those cuts to absolute butter.  Ribs likely only need a few hours FWIW.

Otherwise this is the perfect answer for…

• Where to put all those side dishes on holidays like Christmas, Thanksgiving, etc.
• Large family parties and gatherings, and it is portable so you can take it to other family members
• Tailgating, etc. as long as you have access to 110 power
• Small food businesses, catering, small stores, etc. even farmer’s markets if you have power
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There are several sizes of these made by Vevor, but this one is the only one I was really interested in.  Why?  Efficiency of space.  None of the other models would fit a large size aluminum pan, or two small size pans per shelf.  This makes no real sense to me as the other sizes waste a ton of space with one small pan but can’t hold more.

This one though can hold 4 of the large standard 21×13 pans.  Note it will not fit the “deep” version of those pans, at least not with all four shelves.  It could hold say one deep pan and two shallows or two deeps.  It can also hold 8 of the small sized pans, or a mix of say 4 small pans and two large.

In other words an absolute crap ton of food. And we have all had moments where we just need more such space.  I have a 6 burner Weber gas grill and I can really only hold 2 of the big pans on it and that is not ideal as I can’t really do it with indirect heat.  With stacking I can manage 4 of the small pans with indirect heat.   Again still not ideal but it gets us by.

Click for Full Sized Image

No more, again 4 large pans or 8 smalls or any combo of them slide into this thing and then I can set a precise temp and it will hold it. On that I did run my Meater 4 probe thermometer system in it.  The image to the left was with it set at 150 once the temp was reached and the holding cycle began.  It is not unexpected that the bottom tray is hotter but the two top trays showing EXACTLY 150 degrees is pretty amazing.

We live in a high tech age and we expect precision in all things.  Well with heat in a box that is not going to happen, the area closest to the heat element is going to be hotter than the top of a box like this.  Still this is very precise.  Also I tested it empty, as I am not cooking for 40 people or more in the next few months, I just didn’t have warm food to put in it.

This item will preform a lot better when full with a thermal mass just as a deep freeze preforms better full than empty and holds its temp with less energy, so will a low temp oven.  And again food placed in a warmer should be warm when it goes in.

Next up is how portable this is.  Now it does have a sizable foot print but should easily fit in the back seat of any car and inside many trunks.  But this thing is not what I would call heavy.  While the shell is stainless steel the frame is aluminum, keeping weight down.  Any adult can easily pick this up and carry it with no assistance.  Specified weight is 47 pounds and I personally think that is a shipping weight including all the packaging, etc.  In any event I had no issues carrying it.

Lastly I want to point out the heating element in this product is really awesome.  I had expected that it would be a simple heating element, basically a single stove burner with a thermostat at the top and work with a simple on off function. This is why I didn’t expect the amazing temp control and consistency as such heating elements as they get VERY hot, push fast then completely shut off and cycle again.

The heating element in the VEVOR Hot Box Food Warmer uses what is known as a PTC heater, PTC stands for positive temperature coefficient. It is made of ceramic and functions like a semi conductor.  The basics are as it gets hotter it allows less power to pass though it.  This allows for precise temp control compared to a standard stove style element anyway.  More it actually uses LESS power as it gets warmer.  What?  Yep in the video you can actually watch the watts drawn on my Kill-O-Watt meter drop as the temps climb.  The big deal here though is it holds a precise temp with a very efficient use of power.

Now I do want to tell you that when you first plug it in, it will jump to right at 1000 watts, then soon drop into the 800s and will continue to fall from there.  So just think of it about like a start up surge when calculating power usage and other items plugged into a common circuit. Other wise you might find yourself tripping breakers.

So are there any negatives?  Well one is a real nit pick but I do wish the thing was perhaps 6 inches taller as it would let you use deeper pans, but that is indeed nit picking.  The other is a pain in the butt, but only one time.  This thing comes wrapped in that protective film that many stainless steel appliances have on them.  And it is put on the steel before the product is assembled and thus wraps around the back of the panels.

To deal with this take a sharp knife and cut the plastic right inside the seems, then remove and you won’t see the underside that remains and it will peel cleanly from the lines.  I also learned that if you heat the film a bit that it will peel much easier, so even if you don’t want one of these you may want to watch the video at the end for that tip alone, I explain how to do it.  We all have to deal with this film crap time to time.

Otherwise for just under 300 bucks I can’t think of a more efficient way to keep a ton of food at serving temps without over cooking it.  One more nice feature is that there is a small steel cup in the bottom, filling this with water keeps humidity up so you don’t dry out your food.  Vevor pretty much thought of everything on this one.

So if you ever have times you want to keep a ton of food warm, not over cook it, not dry it out and not have to constantly check on it, consider picking up the VEVOR Hot Box Food Warmer today.  Like I said it is not for everyone but for those that need something like this, it is absolutely perfect.

Check Out this Video Review to Learn More

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Remember My Discount Code Works for ANYTHING in the Vevor Store, just use my links to get there and use VVPROMO at check out for 5% off literally anything they sell.