Christmas dinner goes wrong at about quarter to two. The turkey’s resting, the sprouts are done, the carrots are done, the gravy’s thickening, and the potatoes need ten more minutes. By the time everything’s on the table, half of it’s lukewarm.
A buffet server is a plug-in base with lidded trays that keeps cooked food warm. I think it’s one of the most useful things you can own for a big family meal, but only if you use it for the right jobs.
The Quest 16520 Compact Buffet Server is the one I’d point most people to. It’s simple and it’s been on Amazon UK for years.
What you get
Three stainless steel trays that hold 1.2 litres each, all with clear lids so you can see what’s in them. There’s a thermostat dial on the front so you can turn it down for delicate things and up for dense ones, and Quest says it heats up in seconds. It’s 200W, so it won’t strain your sockets while the oven and hob are going. The whole unit is 59cm by 30cm and has non-slip feet.
The bit I like most: take the trays out and the base becomes a warming plate. Put your plates on it while you carve, or stand the gravy boat on it so the gravy doesn’t grow a skin before seconds.
How I’d actually use it on Christmas Day
- Turn it on when the turkey comes out. That’s when the oven’s free for potatoes and the hob’s at its most crowded.
- Load up the veg as each one’s ready. Sprouts, carrots, red cabbage, stuffing. Lids on.
- Swap to plate-warming when it’s time to serve, or keep it on the table as a self-serve station so people can help themselves.
What it won’t do
Roast potatoes. Put crisp roasties in a lidded tray and the steam turns them soft within minutes. Keep them in the oven until the last moment. If you must hold them, leave the lid off.
It also isn’t a cooker. Everything that goes in should already be piping hot. The Food Standards Agency’s guidance is that hot food should be held at 63°C or above, so don’t use it to warm up cold leftovers slowly. Heat them properly first, then let the server hold them.
And 1.2 litres a tray is plenty for sides for six or eight, but it’s not huge. For a crowd of twelve you’ll be topping up.
The rest of the year
For one day a year, maybe not. You’ll use it more than once, though. Think Boxing Day buffets, a curry night with three dishes, or a big weekend fry-up for guests where the bacon’s done long before the eggs. If you host more than a couple of times a year, it earns its cupboard space. If you’re also battling greasy gravy on the big day, sort that first, then let this keep it hot.
