Elite Gourmet EWM-6171 Triple 3 x 2.5 Qt. Trays, Buffet Server, Food Warmer Temperature Control, Clear Slotted Lids, Perfect for Parties, Entertaining & Holidays, 7.5 Qt Total, Stainless Steel

We used these for our thanksgiving and it was so worth it! It kept our sides warm and ready for dinner. It was easy to set up and turn on. It was such and easy clean up and overall really helped. 10/10 would reccomend

HAd the family here for the holiday and my wife needed something to help keep the food hot. This was the perfect choice.It kept the food at the exact temperature that she wanted and did not vary at all.It has 3 fairly large dishes of stainless with plastic covers. There is a surround to hold the dishes in place. Remove the surround and dishes and you have a nice sized heat plate for just about anything. Controls are easy to use and it is about 15x25 inches in size.Reading the reviews we see that a nuber of folks had damage issues. Not us, ours was packed well and no damage was found. The metal of the hot plate is rather thin so it might dent easily if not cared for. The lids over the dishes are plastic and we are sure that they will not last long is abused at all. These lids have a serving utensil opening.Ours worked flawlessy and we are pleased with it. We did keep the original box and will store it securely in our attic when not in use.

*** Why I need these ***I purchased two of these 3-container, 7.5 quart electric buffet warmers. We often host holiday dinners, and these allow me to get a lot of the meal ready before they arrive.*** Electric vs. steam ***I had previously been using steam chafing dishes. They held the same amount of food, but they were a giant PITA. IMO, these electric Elite Gourmet warmers are far superior for the following reasons.=> Steam versions use cans of expensive liquid/gel fuel, which only last two hours. With these, as long as you have electricity, you’re good to go.=> Steam versions don’t have individual lids. Guests had to pick up a giant stainless-steel lid, and spill a half cup of water that had no doubt collected under the lid. This electric warmer not only has individual lids, but they’re see-though. They even have a little cut-out so you can leave the serving utensil in the container.=> This Elite Gourmet setup is smaller and easier to store. I was careful to keep the original box(es) that these came in, and I took pictures while unpacking. Now, when we’re done, I pack everything exactly as it was. These take up less than half the space my steam decks used.=> These electric warmers can be used with or without the included containers. Or you could use one or two, and add your own. Or you can use just the warming plate with a giant disposable aluminum foil baking pan. These are much more versatile.*** Why I chose Elite Gourmet ***There are a few manufacturers that make this style of buffet warmer, and based on Amazon reviews, none are perfect. The metal is thin, the lids are relatively fragile, and the cord is short. So I looked at cost, and the little differences where Elite Gourmet beat the others.=> The lids. The Elite Gourmet lids have actual handles, whereas some others have no real handles, just recesses in the molded plastic where you can pinch the lids to lift.=> These are 300 watts, vs others with only 200 watts. That means these can get hotter than the others. Food needs to stay at 140 F to be safe, and although I didn’t test the actual temperature of food in these, it does seem to stay hot.=> The frame that holds the containers on the hot plate is riveted instead of spot-welded. It looks better, and I believe it will last longer.*** Bottom Line ***At this time, I think these Elite Gourmet triple tray buffet servers are the best deal out there. There’s no liquid fuel to buy, no water dripping everywhere, and you can use the hot plate part of it with or without any number of the included pans. You can see what’s in the pan with the lid on, and leave the serving utensil in the pan with the lid on.I hope this helps.

this is great! I want to get another. It keeps food warm and is big enough. Need more of them! the only thing I did not care for was the plastic cover. wish it were in glass. but still love it

Having read the reviews, I was prepared for this to be a little flimsy. I knew the pans would be thin - too thin to use in the oven. I knew the lids would be delicate plastic and that the tray-holder would be flexible and sharp (yet I still cut myself). I even expected the warming tray base might not sit flat, but mine did. For the price & the functionality, this was fine with me, and I was pleased with it when it arrived. It looked nice and was stable enough. It's made for home use, not restaurants.I plugged it in to test before unpacking everything, and it warmed up great. I notice some reviewers of warming trays are upset about smoking & burnt electronic smell when 1st turned on, but I also read in one of the manuals during my research that this is common briefly when 1st turned on, as a coating on the electronics burns off. This unit didn't smoke or smell, though.I cleaned everything as per the instructions and then set it aside for a couple of days until my party when I used just the warming tray base. I placed mini quiches on it to keep warm, and it worked really well. It barely got dirty. That night I cleaned it again as per instructions - soapy sponge, then wet sponge to remove the soap, then dry. I put it away, and when I pulled it out a week later it had surface rust spots. They're evenly distributed across the whole top surface where the food goes, not in a pattern from the food. I'm guessing the towel I used to dry it left some moisture that I didn't notice.I tried rubbing them off with a dry cloth. I tried with a damp cloth. Nothing worked. I uploaded a picture. This product is supposed to be stainless steel, but if it gets rust spots from a minor amount of moisture left on it, then it's very low quality or there was a manufacturing issue.I emailed the manufacturer twice (the second time with a photo), but they haven't replied. Amazon customer service helped me, though, even though I no longer have the box. A+ to Amazon & F for the manufacturer.I'm really disappointed about this because otherwise I really liked it. Again, not a high-quality durable product, but attractive and functional if it's not going to get hard use. It was perfect for my needs. But with the rust spots I can't place food on it again, and I wouldn't want the rusty surface to show.If you want to be able to place food directly on the warming tray, as I did (as the instructions indicate and the product images show), then don't get this unit.It may be a good (if less functional) choice if you don't need to place food directly on the warming tray. In that case, don't even clean the warming tray - maybe a light wipe down & carefully dry it thoroughly. I didn't use the pans, but they seemed to like they'd be stable enough. But be really careful when cleaning. I noticed that the stainless is incredibly easy to scratch, even with a soft sponge or cloth. (Again, cheap)I'll be shopping for a new one.UPDATE: A manufacturer rep got back to me and said that their warranty doesn't cover cosmetic issues like this. I'd say it's not simply a cosmetic issue when a food surface rusts. I told her I'd find one from a manufacturer whose "stainless" doesn't rust.

I use the product for a family gathering. Good fit and did what it was expected to do.

These are great warming trays for holiday/family meals. I loved the first one so much. I ordered a second one!