Microwave location? Please help!

12 years ago

Hi folks,

I'm in the middle of a minor kitchen renovation and have found this forum to be a tremendously useful resource. But now I'm confronted by a specific question for which I can't find an answer already provided.

My problem is where to put a Monogram Advantium built in microwave. I'm replacing our current OTR microwave with a proper hood, and so need to find a new home for a microwave. Our original plan had been to put it under the counter in the island, but now that I have the thing I'm worried that this is too low. The door opens down, and the controls are mounted vertically so I'll always be bending down to see the display and set it. (I'm not super tall -- 71" -- but still). So here are the possibilities:

1. Go with the original plan, in the island under the counter. I know this is against GE instructions, I'm okay with that. But it might be too low for good ergonomics.

2. Do a bi-level island and put it in the island, but higher -- around 46 inches to the top. The higher bit of the island would continue around the back and 1 side, and we'd get barstools for seating. The tradeoff here is that I love the open feel of the kitchen with a standard height island, and am a bit concerned that a taller island will close it off.

3. Put it in the wall cabinet run in a tall cabinet on the end of a run. This will mean replacing some wall cabinets, which I'd rather not do but will if I must. The tradeoff here is that a tall, deep cabinet will close off the eating area from the food prep area of the kitchen.

4. Put it in the wall cabinet run in a base cabinet, built higher than standard -- the top would be about 46 (again) off the floor. Good ergonomics and location; the only fly in the ointment is that it'd go under a wall cabinet that starts at the standard 54 from the floor. How funny will it look to have that counter with only 8" of clearance to the wall cabinet? It'd be 30" wide.

I'd value any wisdom or experience you could share.

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Comments (6)

brianadarnell
12 years ago
IMHO, Your options are:

in the island OR in a full height cabinet. I think putting it in the higher section of the island will look funny (if I am envisioning it correctly). I had a microwave in my island in my last house. I only used it once per day so I didn't find bending down too onerous. I struggled with the location for the microwave in my new house and ended up creating a hutch like cabinet to sit on the countertop that can hide the microwave. Is that something you could do? How often do you use the microwave? I think the use definitely makes the location more or less important. HTH
John Liu
12 years ago
How about a drawer microwave under the island counter? They are designed to be used in that position.
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I may have misread your plans but it doesn't appear that you have any counter space next to your stacked ovens. There's a pantry on one side and the refrigerator on the other. It's quite handy to have a counter adjacent to the oven. Maybe this isn't that important since you will have a range or perhaps you plan on just using the island. I'd also take another look at the placement of the refrigerator. It's a real step saver to have the frig on the same wall as the main sink, or at least the prep sink. In your plan you'd have to make a 180 turn just to take something from the frig to the sink- and that's a very common act. Just imagine making a salad - taking all the ingredients out of the frig and then washing, cutting, and dumping waste into the garbage disposer. The same thing goes for filling a pot of water and carrying it to the stove. pllog's right about sprinkling work areas around the kitchen. Visually it might look balanced but it will increase your steps. I don't know where you are in your plans but one way to see if your design works for you and the way you cook is to make a mockup. You can spread a roll of shelf paper out on your counters and then draw your appliances and cabinets on them, don't forget to include the island. Then 'play house' and pretend to make a meal. It may sound simplistic but it can be really helpful. This isn't appliance related - but if you only have one window in the kitchen I'd opt for the largest one that will fit. In our kitchen I couldn't wait to rip out the window over the sink and then we installed a bay window in maximize the light.
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#3 or Palimpsest's suggestion...but in #3, on a shelf that's a little lower than the upper cabinets. While Eoren1's looks nice, it looks too high for most people to operate safely...you have to reach up and in and when taking something out (or putting in), you have to be careful not to spill it b/c it will spill on your face or upper body, depending on your height. It looks higher than 18" off the counter. If it's not, then maybe it's OK. I like Jsweenc's location the best, I think (see your other thread Where is your microwave located?) Note that MW drawers have controls angled up so there's no stooping to operate the controls. It's also nice b/c all I have to do to stir something is open it and reach down...I don't have to take it out, stir, and put back in. At counter height, you can probably just reach in to stir, but if it's too far above the counter (like an OTR or mounted too high), you have to take it out to see what you're doing. We're a tall family (5'10" to 6'5" and still growing) and none of has a problem w/our MW drawer. As to cost...it cost exactly the same as the MW + trim kit I was originally going to get.
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We have a MW drawer and we're all very happy with it. We range in height from 5'10" (me - the shortest) to my DS at 6'6". None of us has had an issue with using it. No bending over to access food or to read/use controls. The inside is actually quite roomy...especially the newer ones (they're now tall enough for those tall cups of coffee). All my casserole dishes (round & rectangular and shallow & deep) fit in it without problems. The only thing that does not fit is the glass cover of my largest round casserole dish (b/c of the glass knob)...so I just use wax paper when I use that particular dish (or turn the cover upside down if the "food height" allows) Here are some recent (and one not so recent) threads that discuss MW drawers: Thread (2010 & probably the most useful): Microwave Drawer Pros and Cons? Thread: Who has a microwave drawer? Thread: Sharp drawer microwave - do thy fit a 10' dinner plate? Thread: undercounter microwaves - pics please?
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NobodySpecial
Original Author
12 years ago
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.
ironcook
12 years ago
oh, the durned microwave. i hate the thing, but it IS so useful isn't it?!

not sure if this is helpful, but if you look at noellabelle's kitchen, she put her microwave in a bookcase.

another idea is mounting it sideways against a wall if you have a place like this. it's awkward, maybe, but a better height. scroll down for the photo with the microwave next to the window

keep us posted what you end up doing! :)

Here is a link that might be useful: noellabelle's kitchen
natal
12 years ago
We put ours in the pantry.
harbormom
12 years ago
I vote pantry too!

Microwave location? Please help!

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brianadarnell

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Microwave location? Please help!

Comments (6)

brianadarnell

John Liu

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ironcook

natal

harbormom

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