Microwave built in an Island, does this work?

15 years ago

I need help deciding if I can put a microwave built in my island or over the range.

I currrently have my MW OTR, with my new range and existing cabinets I will only have 12 inch clearance for cooking. So I am considering putting it in my island, I have the space, I just don't know, do they look ok that low? is it functinal to lean over?

I would like the mw to look built in but do not like the costs of the builts in's ($800 plus seems crazy for a simple microwave).

Any thoughts on range hoods?

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Comments (9)

justmeinsd
15 years ago
I prefer mine low but not everyone feels that way. I hated my over the OTR MW when I had it.

Here is a picture of ours. while it isn't in the island, it will give you an idea as to what it looks like. BTW - this is just one we bought at Costco for less than $120. We could have added trim but decided that we didn't need it.

This picture was taken before the kitchen was complete so it is missing the false panel above the MW.
Buehl
15 years ago
I guess you don't want a MW Drawer then...cost-wise.

How tall are you and your family? (How tall will they be in the future?...if you have children, that is!)

I'm one that would not like an under counter installation of a standard MW...I would not like the bending over and peering inside or just reaching in to bring something out to stir, etc. But, I'm 5'10" and the shortest person in my family. My personal preference is somewhere b/w the counter & the upper cabinets. Probably the best is a shelf-mounted one beneath the upper cabinets (the cabinets above would be shorter than the other upper cabinets b/c they would start further above the counter than the others).

To me, if you have to mount under counter, the drawer is the best solution.
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Have had ours since 2008 and I've never regretted it nor have I had any problems with it! In fact, I'm starting on designing/planning our retirement home to build in the future and I plan to include a MW drawer. With the exception of my (very) old Montgomery Wards Convection MW oven, it's lasted the longest. When we remodeled, the MW drawer cost the same as a built-in MW with trim kit. I've had no problems cleaning it. If food is stuck on it, simply boil a cup of water + vinegar for several minutes in the drawer and then wipe clean - the food should be loosened up and wipe off with a swipe. Yes, you do have to lean over and peer into it to see if it's clean, but... I'd much rather have to do that once every week or two compared to having to lean over/squat to use the MW several times a day! A regular MW in an alcove under the counter is not easy to use - you have to bend over or squat to use the controls and to add/remove dishes/food - usually reaching blindly into the MW and trying balance the hot dish as you're struggling to remove it from the MW, balance it to keep it from spilling, and standing back up - all at the same time! Regular/counter top MWs are not designed to be used under the counter - they're designed to be used at counter height or higher. Note that MW drawers have a "child lock", so if you're worried about your children getting into it, lock it when not in use! Oh and having a child lean on the door of a "regular" MW means potentially bring the MW down on top of the child - so be careful. No amount of child locking can prevent that! [I had a friend over a couple of weekends ago who kept trying to push the drawer all the way in and pull it all the way out - without letting the drawer do it's thing (automatically opening w/a gentle pull / automatically closing with a gentle nudge). Not sure why he didn't understand when I explained it to him, but his forcing the drawer open/closed did not damage the drawer in any way.] Sharp makes all MW drawers, so I would stick with a Sharp-branded drawer rather than pay $$$$ for a re-branded MW drawer with a higher-end name - it's the same MW! Here's a thread from 2008 about them. BTW...the concern that someone had 8 years ago about them being short-lived has not panned out. They're becoming more and more popular! http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2688345/microwave-drawer-pros-and-cons?n=42 .
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I have a countertop model microwave on a shelf on the working side of my island. We don't use it all that often so I didn't want it to be more prominent or expensive. I don't really mind the gaps, you just have to clean them out periodically but it's not difficult. (We left extra room on the sides for venting purposes, you don't want a tight fit with a countertop model.) one of the cons that you didn't mention is that it can be difficult to see the numbers/controls when it's at a lower angle. That wasn't something I'd realized until after we made the decision to treat our microwave this way. However, we don't actually find it to be all that inconvenient... it was worse when the microwave was new to us, but we pretty much use the same buttons over and over and you get it memorized quickly and there's no real need to actually see the controls. I'm sure there are others who use their microwaves for more functions, but we are not one of those households so this works very well for us. If I had the chance to do it all over again, I would have still made this decision for microwave style and placement, but I still wanted you to be aware of that additional con. :)
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meetmeinthegarden
Original Author
15 years ago
I do like the drawer, a lot, just not the price. I am the shortest in the family 5', my dh is 5'8" and kids are still shorter than me (for now). Counter space is a good real estate to have in a kitchen, I don't want to loose that.

Thank you Buehl

And Thank you justmeinsd, your micro looks great!
needsometips08
15 years ago
We got the Sharp drawer on Craigslist for $350. Less than 1/2 the cost, and even if it kicks the bucket in a couple years (since it has just under 2 yrs usage under it's belt already) , it was worth it to save $400 in the here and now, especially when already shelling out so much money for the reno.

If you have the time, you may be able to watch for a used one. Our seller sold it because they sold their house and the new buyers wanted the storage space back.
teacup_princess
15 years ago
I had this same issue when planning my kitchen. The only place to put the MW was in the island or OTR. I ultimately decided on the below island option for the following reasons.

1). I don't cook with the MW on a regular basis. Mostly only reheat leftovers with it.

2). Kids use it often. With an OTR MW, the kids would be climbing on the counters to use it. I didn't want to risk them breaking the glass cooktop or the edge of the soapstone countertop. I know other people who have had their granite edges broken by kids climbing on their tops.

3). I'm the tallest in my family at 5'9, but I didn't feel the bending over would be a big deal.

My kitchen's not done so I don't have any pictures to post :(
holligator
15 years ago
We put our MW in the island because I didn't want it on my counter, and OTR was not an option for us. I love the idea of the drawer, but I was already over my budget, and for the amount we use our MW, I just couldn't justify the cost.

I had my cabinet maker build a shelf to the specs of the 24" Sharp drawer, in case I decided to put one in later. He didn't understand that I was going to have a smaller unit on the shelf in the meantime, so the inside of that shelf area is not finished to the same color of the cabinets (this is on my list of things for him to change for me). Other than the different finish, I love everything about my MW shelf.

I'm 5'11" and the bending hasn't bothered me a bit. If I used my MW several times a day, I might feel different about it, but we only use ours 4 or 5 times a week, usually to heat something out of the freezer. For us, this location is perfect.
caryscott
15 years ago
I would be surprised if 12" meets the manufacturers specs for most OTR micros. Practically I think 18" is generally the recommended clearance above an electric cooktop for ease of use so I don't think an OTRM is probably a good option.

Like buehl for me an under counter installation just would not be practical or desirable.
kpaquette
15 years ago
I'm in the same boat - besides my island I have 18" of counter on either side of my range and 24", 36" on either side of my sink - so I was going to eject the microwave completely before I put it on my valuable counter space. Ours will also be in the island, in a 24" base cab, with a piece of filler above to make it look like the cab was built for it. (Don't have pics yet, still under construction.) But I'm short (5'4") and even though DH is 6" he doesn't mind bending down - the only time it gets used is to heat his oatmeal in the morning and the occasional freezer meal.

Another option which wasn't available to us b/c of our teeny kitchen is to have it in a wall cab, sort of like a wall oven - I've seen people here with them, maybe they'll post pics.
alku05
15 years ago
Ours is under the counter as well, and we really like it there. We use it only for reheating, and we're a shorter family (I'm 5'4" and DH is 5'9"). I atually find it more convenient to lift things out of the micro and set them on the countertop, then to lean across a range and use an OTR one.

BTW, I am currently 8+ months pregnant and I STILL don't find the undercounter micro awkward to use- that's gotta count for something!

Our micro is just a $75 countetop model:

Microwave built in an Island, does this work?

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justmeinsd

Buehl

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Microwave built in an Island, does this work?

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