undercounter microwave

16 years ago

I need a good undercounter microwave that will be built into my base cabinet. I can't think of why I might need a convection model since I will have two ovens already in my 48 inch range. At first my husband wanted a speedcook oven, but none seem to be real clear on whether they can be built in under the counter. (Yes, I know that some folks here have done that anyway, but I'm still leery.) What do you suggest?

It's also going to be in a real prominent place, visible from several rooms. Would it be a better option to put pocket doors on the cabinet or something else so that it can be shut completely away? Would it need to be vented? I could vent it from the side. If anyone has done anything like that I would love to see pictures.

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Comments (10)

alku05
16 years ago
Our undercounter microwave is also located in a prominant spot, and we went with the pocket doors:

Open:

Closed:

As long as you have the recommended side and top clearance and keep the doors open during use, no venting is needed. We really like this arrangemnt and would choose it again over the pricy microwave drawer or built-in options.
footflash
16 years ago
Gosh, I guess. But I see part of that wonderful open burner cooktop in the kitchen, and you have, well, a microwave in a cabinet. I mean, why not put it in the pantry or something?

Take a look a the Sharp microwave drawers. Saves space, looks great. Plenty of room.
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ncamy
Original Author
16 years ago
You can't attach a panel to a microwave can you? Part of the problem is that the frig and dishwasher will have panels and the stove is going to be red or some other custom color. Then I'll have a microwave sticking out like a sore thumb that won't match anything. My pantry's too small to put it there. I really like the cabinet idea. alku, yours looks great! Thanks for the pictures.
chipshot
16 years ago
I personally find that height too low for a microwave. Love the foil behind the rangetop, though.
berryberry
16 years ago
Alku - AWESOME !!! I have been telling my wife thats what we need to do with out microwave. She has been a skeptic but now I have your pics to show it. nothing uglier than a microwave to me and your's hides it perfectly. thanks
alku05
16 years ago
I like our setup b/c we could use our old 10-yr old $75 microwave, and when it dies we can replace it with another inexpensive model.

If we had a well located walk in pantry, I would have been very tempted to put the microwave in there. However, we only have the pantry cabinet visible next to the microwave.

(Chipshot, our foil backsplash was replaced by tile. I just haven't taken new pictures of the microwave cabinet since then.)
chipshot
16 years ago
I'll bet your tile backsplash looks great, alku, and look forward to seeing a photo.

Now that we've decided to put an over-range 240V Advantium in our "breakfast station" (sort of a larger, countertop-up version of where you put your microwave) I've been trying to figure out what to do with the new 1250W Panasonic countertop microwaves we have sitting around. Maybe we'll put one in the laundry room and see whether pre-warmed detergent helps clean clothes better.
soonermagic
16 years ago
Here's a pic of the micro drawer (not great pic, though). Mine works great, but I also love the idea above of having doors that simply close over a standard microwave, especially when you consider the cost of the micro drawer.
jamesk
16 years ago
I don't use my microwave for much beyond softening ice cream and warming maple syrup, but I find it much handier having it at eye-level. Mine's in a walk-in pantry, which some might find inconvenient -- but then opening and closing little cabinet doors seems like it would be inconvenient, too. My biggest priority was getting the ugly little bugger -- out of sight. If you use the thing with some frequency, then having it close at hand might be more important -- in which case, the doors seem like a reasonable solution.

Soonermagic, do you find that you have to be extra careful when heating anything that includes liquid in your MW drawer? Seems to me that if you pushed or pulled the drawer to quickly, liquid would be likely to slosh. Also, does the drawer have a turn-table? Just wondering...
soonermagic
16 years ago
James - The MW drawer controls the speed of opening or closing (push button, opens kinda like a CD or DVD player), so nothing sloshes. The drawer does not have a turn table, but I find that it heats very evenly.