Microwave Location Advice

16 years ago

First, thank you to all of you with your helpful advice regarding my OTR MW vs. Custom Hood question. So far I've decided to go with the Custom Hood Vent.

Now, I'm rethinking the placement of my MW in my layout. In the attached layout the MW is placed in my peninsula in a 24' cabinet next to a 15' Bev Refrig. I'm not nuts about having to bend down to use the MW. I've seen a lot of MW placed in the upper middle of a tall pantry. I was thinking of now placing the MW in a shelf in my 26' wide pantry around eye level. The only down side I see is a loss of pantry space. The upside is that I can now get a 24' Bev Refrig and a 15' set of drawers in my peninsula. There are a lot more choices for BRef in 24' width and I would sure like more drawers!

What's your expert advice? Is it worth the loss of space in the upper pantry? Thanks!

Barb

Here is a link that might be useful: Kitchen Layout

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (10)

fran1523
16 years ago
If I had the option, I would put it in the pantry at waist to chest level, not eye level. That being said, I had to put mine under the counter and have to bend down to use it. It's fine.
rhome410
16 years ago
I'd lose the pantry space for the gains you'll get in using the mw and in other ways. Mine's in the bottom shelf of an upper cabinet...So at about 54" off the floor. If I was able to put it something full-ht, I think I'd put it about 9-12" lower than I have it now. That should leave you great, easily-accessible storage above and below.
Related Discussions
Microwave Drawer Location
Q
Comments (1)
I am tall and don't have any trouble reading the controls on our drawer. It sits just below the counter and I don't think you'd want to put it much higher since at some point you have to start reaching over the sides or front of the drawer. If you put the oven so that the bottom was near counter height and the drawer below that, the heights should be good for both. That would be a little lower than the upper oven of my double ovens, and that would be fine. What I can't tell you is what support or separation you would need to deal with weight and heat issues. You don't want the control panel of the micro to overheat, so if the wall oven vents at the bottom, you might want some separation -- maybe a shallow drawer that will hold pot holders, baking parchment, waxed paper or such.
...See More
Microwave location? Please help!
Q
Comments (6)
Thanks for the replies. Brian, the microwave is well used in my house -- with three kids, there's no end of oatmeal, popcorn, and reheating leftovers. I like the idea of a hutch-like cabinet to house it on the counter, and I think my option #4 in my original post would function very much like this. The device is large for a microwave; sitting on my countertop right now, it basically fills the space between the base and wall cabinets and is nearly as deep as the base cabinet. So reaching over it to get to the wall cabinet above might be awkward. My option #4 involves removing the countertop and the top drawer of the base cabinet it's sitting on; that will move it down 8 inches or so. John, I've seen the drawer microwaves and don't fancy them. Not sure why, but just not my thing. I have visions of hot oatmeal sloshing around a drawer that's opened too aggressively by a child.
...See More
location of microwave
Q
Comments (4)
Carnivore -- try the reheat setting. You can also use it to put a frozen entree or such in and reheat to eating temp. I also find that the quick minute or added minute starts are right for so many things that I use one or two minutes for more things that the other controls. My defrost typically has a stop half way -- at which point ground beef is still pretty solid, so I just turn it over and continue. If you don't use the auto defrost, you can defrost manually at a low power setting. Patty cakes, I am tall nad have a bad neck, so putting a regular micor under the counter nd bending down to reach inside the mini-cave was not going to work for me or my 6'3" sons. DH didn't like the idea either, though I think the dogs would love it. We did a micro drawer and having the drawer open and being able to turn, flip or stir without removing the dish is very handy. Lifting things out is much easier than reaching into a box down low and they work well. I would have gone with a micro in an upper location, but we found that trying to keep that arrangement was taking away cabinet space and dictating the size and arrangement of the few uppers we had. Trying to keep balance (symmetry wasn't working) and function meant the drawer solved huge layout issues for us. I resented the price for a microwave but saw it as a bargain for a layout solver. Now, I prefer the drawer and wonder why no one did it sooner. I've heard of micros with a flip down door. If you can't swing a drawer, you might want to compare that to a side swing door. Just think back to college days and how much you enjoyed looking in that dorm fridge or how much you enjoy digging in base cabinets now. The more you say no to those things, the more a drawer is worth it.
...See More
Help needed: where is the best location for the microwave?
Q
Comments (10)
Annette - we use it multiple times a day in various ways. DH "steams" veggies in it, I use it for last minute thawing of items, reheating left-overs and making cups of tea. Traffic will mostly go through the fridge aisle, I've attached a whole house drawing that should clarify traffic patterns. mama - you definitely have a point there. While I'm planning on using the sink (Kohler Prolific?} as the primary prep area, I'm pretty sure, that I'll use the island for prepping on lovely, sunny days, or when we have company, as that allows me to see people and see through the oversized family room windows into the backyard. The windows on each side of the cook top look out at the neighbor's house, so no view. practigal - that was my 2nd choice, before moving it closer to the fridge. The concern being again, that it is too close to a person working at the sink. But yes, if I turn it towards the stove, it might work. Once I have made the decision to put the MW in the island, I'll be able to make a last minute decision as to where exactly to put it, while everything else is already in place. We're using Ikea, so last minute changes are not a big deal and I imagine, the island will be the last thing that'll go in.
...See More
gizmonike
16 years ago
If you put the MW in your pantry, how close will it be to your refrigerator? Besides pantry items, the MW is used mostly with R/F items to heat or cook them. Yes, it would be nice to have the MW at countertop level, but it should be positioned well in your kitchen too. You can always find other space for seldom used pantry items. I would not put a MW at eye level--too high for hot foods and kids can't safely use it. We put power in our walk-in pantry and have our bread machine & toaster there.

I would rather have drawers next to a beverage refrigerator than a MW. That MW position does not sound convenient.
houndhandler
16 years ago
At our old house we put it on a cart, probably the cart was 24" tall. I thought it would be a problem bending down as I am very tall, but no problem.
In the new house I initially put it in the pantry which is in the kitchen, but we use it too much, it was inconvenient and we needed the pantry space. So it's now on the counter.
Next house I will install it in a recess in a base cabinet.
Buehl
16 years ago
Since the 26" pantry is right next to the refrigerator and on the periphery of the kitchen, I would definitely put the MW on a shelf in that pantry. This location is ideal:

* It's in the kitchen next to the refrigerator/freezer for warming/defrosting/cooking food

* It's easily accessed from the DR/LR/rest of home for snacking w/o interfering with work going on in the kitchen

As to height, I think the ideal height is b/w your waist and chest...easy to look in & stir and easy to take out w/o bending over. If you have younger children, it's at a height that will work for them around the age when they're old enough to use it.

The only downside I see with this location is the lack of immediate landing space...if you need to take something out to stir you will have to either walk over to the peninsula or go around the refrigerator. I like to have landing space right there for a MW, but that's a personal preference.

It sounds like there are other advantages from your point of view as well...
donna214
16 years ago
How about a microwave drawer in your peninsula? That takes away the need to bend down to use it.
bbtondo
Original Author
16 years ago
Thank you all for your advice. The MW would be next to the refrig if I put it in the pantry, (By the way, it's a pantry cabinet, I'm not sure I was clear about that, sorry).Buehl: I agree with everything you said! I was thinking of using the peninsula for the landing area of the MW. When I said eye level, I realize now that I didn't mean that high! I would definitely put it at a reasonable height. Although we don't have any children, dh and I sure do like to snack!

Thanks again! I'm now going to update my layout.

Barb
teresa_b
16 years ago
I echo donna 214's idea of a microwave drawer. We love ours and nothing needs to be removed to stir it.

Teresa
bbtondo
Original Author
16 years ago
Is a microwave drawer specific to lower cabinets? Or can you also put them in upper cabinets? I haven't looked at them, but I will now. I'll have to see how wide they are. Interesting...
Barb
donna214
16 years ago
The Sharp comes in a 24 inch model.

Microwave Location Advice

Comments (10)

fran1523

rhome410

Related Discussions

gizmonike

houndhandler

Buehl

donna214

bbtondo
Original Author

teresa_b

bbtondo
Original Author

donna214

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Microwave Location Advice

Comments (10)

Related Discussions

bbtondoOriginal Author

bbtondoOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

bbtondo
Original Author

bbtondo
Original Author