Nope. At 5"1, I greatly dislike them!

I have an open upper cabinet with 2 shelves. The micro sits on the bottom shelf. Haven't decided what to put on the shelf above-cookbooks or maybe a wine rack set up. I used to have an OVR micro and it was ok but I like this better.

I don't love OTR micros, but really sometimes in small kitchens there's no better option.

In our new kitchen, we have more countertops than we need, so the microwave will sit out on the counter. Not fashionable right now, but practical for us.

I had quite a lively discussion with DH about the over the range microwave models when we first got started. He wanted one. He came to realize that it would require someone saying "excuse me" when another person was already using that space and we've made a vow not to have an "excuse me" kitchen. Additionally, I find that microwave use in my household is to cook veg, rice, etc. and to heat up leftovers and coffee and to defrost things. None of these needs to be in vicinity of range and would be better done closer to a serving area.

Before my kitchen remodel, my microwave was above the range. It was ok for me as I am 5'7". But it wasn't good for my younger kids and I think it is a dated look. That being said, during my remodel my husband put the microwave on a shelf so it sat about 1 foot up from the floor. I absolutely HATED it. I am so glad I didn't put in in my base cabinets. But, I did make a huge mistake. I ordered an Advantium oven and have that installed in a upper cabinet about 18-24 inches above the countertop. It is a nightmare. I just didn't think about the fact that the door opens down and how high it really is. I would somehow incorporate your microwave oven into a space 36" -50" above the floor. If you are thinking of doing a microwave in your base cabinets, find out exactly where it would sit and put your microwave on a platform that is exactly that high and use it for awhile and see if you like it. The end of my story is that I ended up getting a cheapo microwave at Target and now for the time being will have a microwave on my counter. Function over beauty I guess!

Aesthetically I really wanted a cool hood. I really wrestled with the un-coolness of not having a cool hood for my remodel. Ultimately though, as I am hurting for countertops and lower storage and storge in general I decided to not give in to being completely cool. I can see how the setup for very short people would be difficult but for me at 5Â4" (sort of short) it has never been a problem. When it came right down to deciding if I wanted to knock out windows and the nook and have my budget blown to smithereens just to have a hood and a different place for the micro/convection combo I decided against it. Truth is I sort of the fact that I can multi task all in one place and I have never ever caught on fire or had an accident with this setup. I have burnt my hand a few times though in my range oven but IÂm not about to eliminate my range oven because of it. I would like a second micro though for when IÂm using the over head combo as a second oven. My hall pantry is too small for even a little one but I did find a tiny one that was taller than wide and had the dials on bottom, it was 11" wide.
If you can swing another location for the micro instead of over the range thatÂs good, but if you canÂt donÂt beat yourself up over it.
This is the setup I had with the old kitchen. In the new kitchen everything is getting moved over a foot to the right to get me out of the corner area, the 2nd pantry to the right is out and there will be long awaited countertops there with big pot drawers on bottom and storage on top as well as pull out spice racks on each side uppers of range.
Old Kitchen
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I like an over the range microwave when there is no better place to locate it in the kitchen. I find the location convenient for infrequent cooking, defrosting, etc. I have no children and we are both tall enough to find the location comfortable. I do hate the ventilation (it essentially does nothing) on my current (10+ year old) microwave, though I wonder if some of the new exterior venting microwaves do better. For the type of cooking I do, I would rather have an over the range microwave with mediocre ventilation than give up storage space or countertop space if the kitchen is on the small side. However, if I can possibly find a different location in the future (maybe a drawer microwave?) I will definitely go that route so that I may have a proper ventilation hood.

Currently my microwave is over the range. I'm definitely going to move it.
1. The venting is awful. With the fan on ''full'', you can sort of barely detect a light breeze right at the vent openings.
2. I'm always having to step away from the saute while SWMBO or others use the microwave.
3. I killed the first microwave with an excessive flambe - don't think that should have killed it, but it did - and the replacement was expensive - over $500. What's a standard sit-on-counter microwave, $100 maybe?

I plan to have the next microwave sitting in a cabinet with a door that can conceal it.

I don't mind how they look, but I don't like the poor ventilation and capture area, the "excuse me" factor, and the reduced height for accessing pots.

A long time ago in another kitchen, we had a behemoth of a 1970's recirculating OTR that had cheese-grater-like mesh screens that angled downward toward the back. I couldn't see into the pasta pot and was forever bloodying my knuckles when stirring on the back burner. We don't need a large micro so our very tiny unit sits on the counter, in the corner. It's white, the back-splash is white, and so it doesn't stand out too much.

I don't like them.... :) Ours will be in the pantry.

My mom has one and I don't like using it. I can't just reach in and stir something and I worry about spilling hot liquids when taking thing out of the microwave. FWIW I put mine in my island. I have only used it a few times (we're not moved-in yet), but so far I much prefer bending over to reaching-up.

My BF has one, and I was shocked at how poor the ventilation is. Boiling/steaming veggies on the front burner... the steam went straight up, the hood was sucking NOTHING. The front of the microwave got totally steamed up. And then she turned it down!!

I bent over backwards to find a spot for the microwave so I wouldn't have to have one, but I can certainly see how they are popular when space is an issue.

I had an OTR microwave for years. Didn't mind it, it was just there. In our remodel we put the the microwave in a built in cabinet in the island. I like it a lot. A friend had told me I wouldn't like it because I wouldn't be able to see buttons to press and bending over. We use it for vegetables, defrosting and heating water. I love it, I like lifting from below instead of removing hot from above me. I can see the buttons fine and I put the childproof lock on when kids visit. No more over the stove for me.

In my small kitchen there was really no other place to put it. I could do without it though. I'm short so it's a PIA especially if I'm putting something liquid or heavy in the microwave, as others have said the ventilation stinks, I get steam on my microwave when I boil water (and a hot door handle!)and even though my large pots fit underneath it doesn't leave much room for stirring...but it's still better than not having a microwave at all and I need the counterspace so above the range is where it stays...

WeÂve had the microwave over the smooth top range for the last 18 years. IÂm tall, so the height hasnÂt been a problem. I have always worried that someone would drop a hot dish while removing it from the microwave and crack the cooktop. Fortunately that never happened, even with 2 kids growing up with that configuration.

However, with this remodel IÂm switching to an induction cooktop and do not want to tempt fate. I can already see that steaming bowl of Easy Mac slipping out of my shorter daughters hands and cracking my brand new cooktop. So weÂre going to move back to a countertop microwave that will be incorporated into some open shelving built on top of a base cabinet. They make trim kits for some of the countertop microwaves to make them look built in, but I donÂt think IÂm going that route.

These questions are rhetorical: How often have you had microwave failure? How likely is it to occur? How important will it be to replace it quickly? How expensive will it be to find a suitable built-in one? Does coupling it with a range fan make the replacement/repair issue harder and more expensive?

I just had a countertop microwave repaired, a week before Sears 1-year warranty ran out. Have killed at least 3 others in my kitchen over the years. Each replacement one was a different size, etc. and was smaller and had newer bells and whistles.
__

skitdel: induction range vunerability: good point!

I detest my MW over my range.

1. When I am trying to cook some fool teen child or
husband decides it is at that time they NEED to melt cheese
or some other annoying project and get in my way. I try to
drill a hole with my eyes into the back of their head but
they never vanish.

2. It does not pull the grease out of the air. And so
my kitchen still smells like Indian Curry that we had a
month ago.

3. It is ugly. Alright not ugly as it is new but it is not
look nearly as pretty as the Modernaire hood I so desire.

I too am going to set up a separate Microwave, Snack and
teen area in my kitchen A place to conceal the MW and
an area to store the popcorn bowls and velvetta cheese.
If you have an opportunity to put you MW some place else
do it, you will only regret it above the range.
Or maybe you like doing the wait in line to cook your
food on the range? That tango dance of excuse me I need
to reach across you while you splash curry on your face.

~boxer

Oops just re-read my post and wanted to clarify that moving the microwave to counter height was better for my shorter teenage DD. Yes, we do care about her safety - not just the cooktop! She would have been allowed to operate the microwave at a slightly younger (but appropriate) age if it had been at a safer level for her.

When you are short on space, short on countertop and its the only place that it can go. Well you deal with it and make it work. In the new kitchen even with gaining a little more counter space it still wasn't enough. So I bought OTR just didnt have a choice.

MadamG2U

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

I hate OTR micros.

Our microwave is in the pantry. We rarely use it anymore though. Water heats faster on the induction stove.

I rarely use the crockpot anymore either - the induction replaced that too!

I induction!!!

No. Mine is coming out as soon as I get a chance. It's also dead from the heat from the range.

I hated having it over the range. I even burned my breast once on the stove top once when taking out a casserole dish and placing it elsewhere (I'm very short). Please, do not ask how this is possible - it just IS.

And of course, they barely can capture the grease and steam which comes off the stove top which others have mentioned, so the house smells awful after cooking certain foods, let alone the clean up involved and how hard it is to get into the MW itself to clean.

So, in my new kitchen, it's going onto a shelf, in an area sort of dedicated to that and coffee area. There's a 27" cabinet above and below, with a landing area for the coffee pot and toaster oven below the microwave. I'll be able to store whatever is needed for coffee, tea and snacks there (there's a 9" thin upper cabinet to the right of it as well). It's on the opposite wall of my main cooking area, so it won't conflict with what I'm doing if anyone else wants to use it while I'm cooking, and near the refrigerator which has the water in the door for easy access for tea and coffee making.

I really dislike the OTR micro in our current kitchen. It makes it really hard to pour into pots because it is so close to the stove top...especially on the back burners. The venting is awful. I'm pretty short and it is very awkward. It poses a safety issue for my kids...I'm afraid they are going to dump hot food into their faces.

In my next kitchen I think I will put the micro in an island base cabinet or side by side with the wall oven.

I have a small kitchen and OTR microwave. No problems with cooking or microwaving. But, if my kitchen were larger, I would prefer it to be on the counter.

If you do the counter micro or under counter micro do get one with the child safty locks and watch that oven, 60% of all kitchen burn injuries are children under six with things counter height and lower.

Let me add...the house I just sold had an OTR microwave.... which broke a year after I built the house! It was a huge pain to replace, find the right matching size, etc. That, and it definitely did nothing for ventilation. The fan was pointless (as mentioned in a previous post above...) ... It didn't suck anything in it! More steam ended up on the outside of the micro. Finally, it was ugly :) Hence, why my micro will be in the pantry....

It wouldnt be so bad if it vented properly, but micr microwave over the stove sucks