Waring Pro BFS50B Professional Buffet Server and Warming Tray

I purchased the Waring Pro Buffet Server and Warming Tray in anticipation of Thanksgiving this year. It is very well made and a high-end looking appliance. I compared similar buffet servers in several stores, and none seemed as well made as this one. I used the buffet server for vegetables (mashed potatoes, corn, green beans) and everything stayed warm and appetizing. The server made an attractive addition to the buffet serving line, and I wasn't worried about the food staying at a safe serving temperature. The clear lids for each pan made it easy for guests to see the food, while helping to hold in heat. Cleanup was easy and I'm looking forward to using the server at Christmas! One issue some people may have is the size of the unit; it is large and will take up a significant amount of storage space, so keep this in mind if you have limited storage ability.

First, let me start, that yes, like other posters, when I first turned it on, I turned it to a high temp and the switch did start to smoke. So, not giving up on it, I turned the heat off, then started over, turning it up a little at a time. I was able to successfully get it to full temp. So the trick I found it not to put it on full blast all at once. Now, for the set it self. It is aluminum. Each of the service units does hold a lot. I have served a party of 20, and it held enough to serve everyone through. Put the food in hot, do not expect this to heat your food. I would have the unit turned on to medium, (I've not had to have this on High to keep the food warm if preheated). When the service trays were warmed, I added the hot food. It stays very warm with the lids on. I have used this for Thanksgiving serving two types of dressings and two vegetables. For Christmas Morning, I served sausage links, hash browns, scrambled eggs, and biscuits. I prepped each pan with a little spray Pam, and I had wash the pans to keep them shinny. I love this unit, I'm very glad I bought it.

The heating tray is more than adequate to keep food warm but has a problem. The unit is designed to maintain a small air space between the tray and the food containers so that frequent stirring is not necessary. However, once the tray heats up, it warps slightly upward, touching the containers and causing the food to stick and dry out. In addition, the containers are pushed upward by the warping tray and no longer set securely in place. Not a deal breaker, but not well designed and tested.

I bought this for a Christmas Eve buffet I was having. People would be stopping by at different times and the food had to be kept warm for a couple hours. This warmer worked great! I only wished I had bought two, as I had more things to keep warm! I also had a warmer that used sterno, but I do not like sterno, its unpredictable and the heat is unreliable, you can't tell it's gone out until the food is all cold! This electric warmer was perfect, easy to clean and I did not have to worry about the food burning in it. Will be getting a second one for the next party!

Keeping food warm for parties is becoming an issue for me because of guests arriving at different times. I've looked buffet servers in the past but was skeptical about purchasing yet another appliance that didn't live up to my expectations. This server was just purchased in time for my Christmas dinner, and it exceeded my expectations after an entire evening of use. The food was kept quite warm at the lowest setting, and guests had no issues with serving themselves because the covers and trays fit snuggly inside the frame. The unit and parts cleaned up easily, and it didn't look "used" afterward. The true test will be how well the unit performs over time, but I have to say that this server saved me a lot of time by not needing to reheat the food and it's substantial looking. The cord length on most small appliances are usually quite short, but this one was just a bit longer which allowed me to easily rotate it 90 degrees on the counter.

We really liked the design and flexibility of this model after my sister let us use it for easter dinner. So we decided to buy one. The first one arrived in a damaged box with one of the lids having a cracked cover. We turned it on high and smoke came pouring out of the control knob hole along with a bad smell of melting electronics. Amazon was great in returning the unit and sending a replacement quickly. The second one arrived in much nicer shape. We plugged it in and set the thermostat to high and once again smoke came pouring out of the control knob hole. Checked the manual and it mentioned you may get some smoke and to run the item on high for 10 minutes so we brought the unit outside and ran it on high out there for 1/2 hour. After about 20 minutes I did not see anymore smoke but did still notice the burning electronics smell again. The next day we decided to try it again, and once again smoke came pouring out of the hole. I called Waring and spoke to a very nice person who wanted me to send the unit to the factory and have them send a replacement but at this point I did not want to chance getting another bad unit. Decided to cut my losses and look into other brands. Other reviews on Amazon indicate other purchasers have run into this same smoke problem. On something like this where it could become a fire hazard its just not worth chancing it with a product I have very little confidence into the quality of the electronics/heating element.

It is exactly what I wanted. It looks beautiful, is high quality, and kept the food at a perfect temperature. I love the variable temperature settings and that it can be turned off with the knob. The lids have an opening for a serving utensil which eliminates the mess of having the utensil left on the table. It also eliminates the build-up of steam. I also like that it can be used as a warming platter. It is worth every penny.

Very pleased with these warmers.

Doesn't appear to be any better than the $50 model. Who ever the shipper was used it for a football!