Local bakery's steam trick for crusty bread blew my mind

I stopped by the family-run spot on Elm Street yesterday to grab a loaf. The owner casually mentioned they use a pan of water in the oven for the first few minutes. Tried it this morning with my basic white loaf, and the crust came out perfectly crisp. It's such a simple fix for my usual soggy tops. What other easy oven hacks do you use?