The con is that it puts the microwave too high (which is very dangerous when getting out a bowl of hot soup or similar) and the lower oven too low to be comfortable (basically on the floor). The pro is that you have everything together.

I would consider putting the MW elsewhere and just have the double ovens stack, or doing a range + MW/oven stack. Of the two I prefer the former and would do a normal countertop microwave on the counter or a shelf somewhere. This is because the MW is usually the first thing to go and you don't want to be stuck with replacing a MW/oven combo, or if it's not a combo, finding a MW that matches the oven. Usually I don't think appliances have to match, but if they are in a stack like that it's a different story.

That's a good point about stacking appliances needing to match. The big problem I'm working with is lack of space, so I don't really think I can do a double wall oven and a separate microwave. If I want a double oven it's going to have to be in a double oven range, or a wall double oven with microwave in the same wall. Unless there's a solution I'm not thinking of, which is entirely possible. :)

As for the microwave being high, it wouldn't really be higher than an above-the-range microwave, would it?

Thanks very much for your response. :)

You're right, rearranging things doesn't give more space per se, but if I can deal with a high microwave then I can have more reachable space for something else.

I'm assuming the price of a range with oven and a separate wall oven/microwave would be more expensive than other options, though maybe that is not the case.

I will definitely post a layout at some point and see what sorts of ideas people have! Thank you again!

I have a smaller kitchen and I love to bake. So I went for the (dreaded) otr microwave so I could have double ovens. We use the micro mostly for popcorn and melting butter, so it was the best option for us. I don't find it too high or in the way when I am cooking. It has a lot more cfms than my old hood, so that isn't an issue for me either.

What about an advantium mw oven and wall oven. The 220v one is basically a speed oven, convection oven and MW in one. So in a pinch the advantium easily BAKES sweet potatoes (in like 8 minutes) convection bakes that sheet of cookies etc, or works as a regular MW too.

I'm currently looking at squeezing a wall oven with the advantium into my kitchen plan. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

This post was edited by iheartgiantschnauzer on Tue, Jul 30, 13 at 16:05

We solved that problem by adding a microwave drawer in our small island. We have a very narrow brownstone l kitchen with an island, but I really wanted double ovens.

I am doing double oven with micro in the lower cabinet of the island.

If you aren't willing to do a range + MW/Single Wall Oven stack, then I think the next best thing is the Advantium/Wall Oven arrangement as was suggested above.

Get a convection oven for the lower oven and an Advantium for the upper oven. This way you combine the second oven with the MW. Unless...if you use both ovens a lot and use the MW at the same time (or plan to), then this will not work b/c when the Advantium is being used as a MW, it's not available as a second oven; when it's being used as an oven, it's not available as a MW.

I strongly discourage you from getting a MW/Double Wall Oven stack. They look nice in advertising materials or static pictures of kitchens (like Houzz), but as others have said, the reality is different...the MW is too high and the lower oven is too low! The latter is especially bad as it completely defeats the purpose of wall ovens - to have them higher off the floor so there's less bending, not more! As to the MW, unless you & your entire family are very, very tall (like 6'6"+), it will too high to use safely. If you have children - it becomes even more dangerous if they have to use a step-stool or chair to access the MW.

We had the same dilemma and solved it with a MW drawer in one location and a double wall oven stack elsewhere. We love the MW drawer! Even my 6'6" DS has no problems using it!

Oh, and btw, a wall oven mounted below the counter is almost as bad height-wise as the MW/Double Oven stack.

When we toyed with the idea of separate wall ovens w/one below the counter, our KD insisted we go someplace to experience one at that height. She knew they were too low, but we had to see for ourselves. She was right! One look and attempt to use an oven mounted that way and we knew it wasn't for us. A wall oven mounted below the counter is generally closer to the floor (lower) than an oven in a range. If you and your entire family are very short, it might work...but not if any of you are average height or taller.

Here is my setup. Both ovens and microwave on the same wall. I love the height of the double oven, the bottom is not to low, unlike the double oven plus microwave stack. The perfect (to me at least) height of double ovens without a microwave above them is very appealing. We use the upper oven most and the height is just perfect.

The microwave is not really any higher than an above the cook top arrangement.

I'm putting in wall double wall ovens and a MW over a bank of drawers. Here is a post with my layout.

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0718140524236.html

I think our space and our budget are going to be the limiting factors here. No space for an island, no budget for something like an advantium. Probably we will just end up with a freestanding range that has a double oven and then a separate microwave, either in a below-counter-level shelf built into a cabinet, or on the counter, depending on whether we can more readily spare the cabinet space or counter space.

Thanks for all the input. :)

Function is primary. You will be happier in the long run with your MW at an easily accessible level, so your plan for below or on counter MW is a good one. I put a small MW on the counter. When it died 18 months later, it was no problem to buy another (of a different brand). I would have preferred a shelf, because then the counter above would be landing space. I wish I had put in a pull-out shelf above the drawer stack under the MW, because it would have been nice temporary landing space. I love my double wall oven, but a double oven range is a very efficient use of space. The only problem is that I don't think anyone makes one with induction. But if you prefer gas, then that's a great option for you. If you want induction, you could do a cooktop with a single/double oven below it, depending how often you need two ovens.

Thanks for sharing, Ginny. Just to clarify, when you say you wish you'd put a pull-out shelf above the drawer stack under the MW, you mean a little shelf right under the counter that basically (temporarily) makes up for the counter space that the microwave is taking up? I definitely wouldn't have thought of that, but it seems to make good sense!

Yes, exactly. MW's all hinge on the left, so you really need landing space on the right so you can just set stuff down and close the door. My MW is at the right end of the run, against the wall, so a pull out shelf under the counter right there would have been good. If you have landing space to the right, then it isn't needed. A pull out shelf only takes about an inch of the vertical space.