Well I don’t know what the norm is, but we would consider that MW unusable. I’m 5’2” and DH is 5’8”.

Thats a pretty normal height for microwaves. Works ok for really tall people. Not safe for shorties. I am 5 ft 3 and I can never use a microwave that is that high. I would never have an over the stove one in the first place. Too easy to get burned, when taking stuff out, and also when something is cooking on the stove. Better to have a regular stove, and a countertop microwave that is easily accessible.

If the purpose of the OTR micro was to serve as a vent, they are very poor at that job and usually just recirculate the air back into your house. If you have an island, consider an drawer micro there. I also prefer them to be outside the main work area so anyone needing to use it for snacks, beverages, etc., doesn't interfere with what you're doing. Locating it near the family room or dining room can also be a good spot.

I’m sorry I dont know many acronyms but what is “DH” (being 5’8) Door height ? bottom , top of ?

thanks

DH = dear hubby. DD = dear daughter. Etc.

OTR = over the range

@cat_ky: "Thats a pretty normal height for microwaves."

No, it isn't

The required distances for over-the-range microwaves are nearly identical across brands:

• The distance between the floor and the bottom of the cabinet that supports the oven is 66" or more
• The distance between the cooktop and the bottom of the cabinet is typically 30"

Of course the distance between the cooktop and the bottom of the oven will depend on the oven. The bazillion-seller GE JVM310x ovens are 15-3/4" high so the bottom of those ovens would be 14-1/4" above a cooktop.

At 19-1/2" above the cooktop, your oven is high unless it is one of the Whirlpool/Kitchenaid low-profile models which are only 10-1/4" high.

I would find the installation instructions for YOUR oven and adjust (i.e., lower) the height of the cabinet that supports the oven to meet those requirements. If the requirements are those above, the bottom of YOUR oven may drop 5" or even more, depending on the height of the oven.

The national Kitchen and bath association states bottom of microwave should br no higher than 54” above the floor ?

Contractors actually cut open another section (3” above) of an already existing wall vent after installing the much smaller new cabinet section above ( too high. So cabinet too small / short. Rather than getting proper size cabinet to put there , they butchered or wall & vent

so now micowave is higher as well.

They basically installed the type of cabinets they sell at Home Depot.

"The national Kitchen and bath association states bottom of microwave should br no higher than 54” above the floor"

If the minimum required distance between the floor and the bottom of the cabinet is 66", then it is not possible for the bottom of the oven to be 54" above the floor unless the oven is only 12" high...which is isn't.

@Stax "I am 67" Tall (Like the OP), my stove is 36" Tall (Like the OP), and my microwave is 18" over the stove (An inch lower than the OP's.)"

Well,

• 36" + 16"* + 18" = 70" which is greater than the 66" minimum height above the floor!
• 16" + 18" = 34" which is greater than the minimum 30" height above the cooktop.

So you hung your microwave 4" above the standard. Big deal.

Lol!

*Assumed oven height

In this case, i’m not sure that determining the norm is imporatant, other than to question the competence of the installer. If it is too difficult and/or too unsafe for you to use, it needs to change.

This one works for me (18.5 inches above range grill 20 inches above counter), but spinner is at about nose level:

But I accidentally did this in a flip, when a new cabinet provider made the upper too small for the microwave style I chose -- I wouldn't be able to use it, but luckily the buyer was tall.

Mine is installed 18” above the stove. Im 5’10, so I can see the top of the microwave, lol.

Our microwave is standard size. And standard template type. Nothing weird or foreign style

Our house is newer , already had a standard exisisting microwave wall vent hole (to the outside) before the cabinets replacement. But they didnt plan the cabinet bottom to reach down to the top of the vent. so had to compensate cut out another / more wall & vent , IDK seems backwards to me.

Contractor is now suggesting putting shimmiy blocks under the cabinet to lower the microwave. what ? And find longer screws somewhere to bolt screws into microwave into on top (not the ones it came with. But then they’d have to again re-cut / adjust the walvent hole. Nope not ok. Think I’d rather leave it the way it is. still got debris, dust, sheetrock particles comeing through microwave & down onto stove top from them butchering wall & wall vent.

all this could have been avoided if they did it right in the first place and cabinet bottom meet with the top of the wall vent.

I have my microwavevon a shelf. The bottom of the microwave is 55” from the floor. I am 5”7”, my husband is 6’2”. We like the height of the microwave positioning; no issues for us. I suppose if you are much shorter, it could be an issue.

Mine is above the range and the bottom of the microwave is 55" above the floor.