Double Oven vs. Oven/Microwave combo

14 years ago

We're remodeling and the existing space is tight without a whole lot of room to get creative. We're not changing the footprint of the existing kitchen because we'd have to add onto the house which we can't afford. Currently our microwave is over the stove and we're moving it because I want a mantel hearth over the gas cooktop. So, either the microwave gets put into the island which will chew up the vast majority of my island space (island can only be 45" long total), or I get a wall oven/convection/microwave combo (KitchenAid has a nice one). I have a double wall oven now. Does anyone have a single oven/microwave combo? Do you like it? I hate to chew up all my space in the island with a built in microwave, but I'm not sure how I'm going to like a microwave/convection/oven combo. Any suggestions or preferences?

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Comments (5)

hgluckman
14 years ago
My biggest warning on the oven/mw combo is not to get a microwave that is so built-in that it is difficult and/or expensive to replace. We did that 19 years ago, and have had a series of non-matching microwaves in the spot (at least it wasn't a single unit) for about the last 15 years. In our remodel, we're going to a double oven, and building a space in an upper cabinet for a microwave to sit. Good microwaves are not very expensive, but finding one with a good trim kit that looks good above your oven can be.
golddust
14 years ago
We did the same kind of update a few years ago. I chose an oven and a Sharp high speed oven to replace my double ovens. It does everything an oven can do plus it's a microwave.

I did go with a warming drawer for large gatherings. It's worked out quite well for us. Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: Kitchen update photos (plus house)
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I have had the Kitchen Aid KEMS308S for 5 years. I had not noticed that the microwave power was low. I doubt that power will be an issue. I assume that many ovens have cool down features. They are not running when the door is open. It is ture that the fan makes some noise, but it isn't that noticable. When I originally purchased this oven I had been intending to get individual ovens, but it turned out that the individual ovens had been discontinued. I see no difference between your choices because they are all double ovens and when one fails, they both fail wheras individual ovens could be replaced individually. I have not heard of the microwave section showing a high rate of failure. You didn't even mention the advantage of the micro/convection. It is not just a microwave, but a real convection oven with a broiling (sort of) element. It is not a speed oven because it does not microwave and heat at the same time. Actually it CAN microwave and crisp via the broil element. Anyway it is a small second oven that can bake a pie or bread (or a small trey of cookies I suppose). It heats far faster than the regular large convection oven because it is small. I find it very useful. The only problem is it is occasionally in use when I would want to reheat a cup of coffee etc. I keep an old microwave in the garage for those cases. While I hope I have relieved your concerns, I believe that there IS an issue. I have had no problem with my oven, and it has been several years since the Main contingent of problems: similar models have encountered a higher than normal thermal fuse blowing during the large oven self cleaning cycle. Unfortunately, the fuse is located on the back of the oven and is a $50 item and shuts everything down. Of course, most people see no problem (myself included) and the problem is certainly due to excessive heat behind the cabinet that could probably relieved by making sure that there is a little more open space back there since you are still installing cabinets? In any case, this is probably a general issue. Other ovens have failed on self clean cycles. At this point, many people concider the self clean to be a marketing ploy and don't use it. Perhaps we just don't make enough spattering roasts, but I have easily wiped down the main oven. It wasn't stuck on hard. Perhaps the surface has anti stick coating? My self cleans have been done mainly to test the thermal fuse problem. By the way, the microwave interior is stainless steel and IS much harder to clean. In fact, that last sentence is probably my most important piece of information. I imagine it would apply to other convection microwaves.
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This is very interesting as I was thinking of a single wall oven plus a convection microwave as a second oven. We have a regular microwave as well. I really want the second oven for pies, keeping things warm etc but don't need 2 full size ovens as in a double wall oven. Consumer reports didn't seem to think much of the convection microwaves so that put me off. The microwave ovens would be on opposite sides of the kitchen which has some advantage. Any comments?
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It depends upon how you want to use that second oven. The microwave/convection oven requires you to choose between a glass base or a metal base, depending upon which process you're using. If you envision using the Advantium (I presume the other alternatives are similar in this regard) for an oven frequently and you also use a microwave frequently, I think you would find changing these out irritating. If, instead, you will only use it infrequently as an oven and frequently as a microwave, then it's easy enough to use. My Advantium preheats in roughly 5 minutes. It cools down very fast and I have not had any problem using it as a microwave right after using it as an oven. (I'm using it now on the countertop during the temporary kitchen phase. A real godsend!) If you go this route, you want to have a convenient location for storing whichever base isn't being used at the time along with the rack that isn't used during microwaving.
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I posted this in the appliance forum, but I am copying here in case someone else asks: Miele, Bosch and GE Café/Monogram/Profile make a version of what you are looking for. There are some differences but they all will accomplish 95% of what you are looking for it to do...and the 5% you can probably live without! http://mieleusa.com/Product/Details/1198 That is the miele speed oven. The higher end models have full broilers and can be ordered with a trim kit to match their ovens. Their menu is the most robust with a ton of options for all of their modes, plus some step up features like a probe for cooking. You also have options on there ovens depending how much you want to spend. The combo can range from about $8k to $10k depending on the pairing. http://www.bosch-home.com/us/products/cooking-baking/wall-ovens/combination-ovens/HBL8751UC.html?source=search This is the bosch one. It has a simpler control, less deluxe feature wise but still has a broiler and solid microwave. It does less in the "speedcook" department, but if you just bake/broil or microwave its a good option. This is also easier for install, its 2 units, but they install in 1 single opening to 1 single power supply. So if one breaks you can replace it and the other will work. This should be around $4k http://products.geappliances.com/appliance/gea-specs/CT9800SHSS The GE one comes a few ways. The Café is a one piece unit, with one power supply. The drawback to that is that if the control panel fails...both units will probably not operate since its a shared control. Otherwise they do some different things. They use convection and a halogen light heating element. So it doesn't have a traditional broiler, but the halogen works well for that. There is a lot more emphasis on speed cooking, as the menu is programmed with hundreds of different items that you can speed cook. Its an established design though they GE has been selling for years. The Café will be $3-4k and the monogram will be separate components so figure more like $5-6K
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donnakay2009
14 years ago
Golddust, thanks for the link! I looked through your photos and thought: another person who is doing Bianco Romano and Carrara marble! Great! It really helped me see it (we're just getting bids now...we'll start asap). Question: I have a 30" single basin ss sink, and am looking for a good grid that won't cost $90-110. Where did you get yours?
golddust
14 years ago
My sink is a Bates & Bates. The grids came from the same company. They were expensive but we did our kitchen in 2003/2004 and I can't remember what I paid exactly.

I think you will love this combination together. We still like it and it's 5 years old. We did light granite when *everyone* was doing dark, it seemed. We retrofitted new appliances and countertops in our existing 70s cabinets. LOL!

They are well made custom jobs and we've never been sorry. It gave us a real updated look and allowed us to build in our refrigerator. At the time, we had only Viking and Sub Zero to choose from. Now others are making cabinet depth refrigerators. Still, we're glad we did what we did. Our entire 'update' cost around $14,000. We feel like we got a lot of punch for our DIY dollars.

It's much better than the hideous floral wallpaper and harvest gold formica, sinks and appliances. (The kitchen was seriously harvest gold everything!) LOL!
letter100
14 years ago
Whatever you choose don't get a double oven unit where one is a microwave. Get a separate microwave or whatever combo you want, but not as one unit. We are going to replace our combo unit now with the full kitchen remodel... It was original to the house, not our choice. The microwave died 6 years ago but the oven is still working (after a $30 part brought it back to life when it died a year ago). We couldn't replace the microwave because it's together with the oven. So we got a 2nd microwave on the countertop. The dead one has been simply taking up space all this time. Now we will be getting separate units, with the microwave not built in, so it can be replaced easily. Microwaves don't seem to last as long as ovens...

If you put one as part of your island wouldn't it be too low under the countertop?

Double Oven vs. Oven/Microwave combo

Comments (5)

hgluckman

golddust

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donnakay2009

golddust

letter100

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