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Appliances Design Dilemma Kitchens

Wall Microwave + Oven Combo or separate

Swapna Musunuru

last month

We’re remodeling our kitchen. Debating whether to go with a wall mounted microwave and oven combo or buy them separately.

They look great together but are more expensive. Also worried that if there’s an issue with one, we might not be able to use the other as well and maybe have to replace both. We use the microwave a lot every day. We just use the oven a couple of times a month

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Comments (7)

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Patricia Colwell Consulting
last month
Always 2 seperate ones MWs do not last forever . In fact I do not like buit in MWs at all since usually about the time the MW dies the size you had is no longer available . A shelf for the MW or even on the counter is a better choice IMHO.
awm03
last month
Patricia Colwell is right. I learned this the hard way. The attached mw fizzled after two years. Too expensive to repair, so I lived with a dead mw for another 15 years, waiting for the oven to die.
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We have an oven/microwave combo (KitchenAid). If I could redo my kitchen I might do that part differently. I did not know when I designed my kitchen last year that microwave drawers were a thing. If I had known I might have chosen that with a built in oven instead. I do not dislike our oven/microwave however I do have concerns about the microwave breaking. The fan was actually broken when we installed it, and we had to get it repaired. So if something happens to it, I know we will have to pull the entire unit out to get it fixed which is more of a pain than just fixing a microwave. The other issue I have with it is that microwave is a little higher than I would like. We installed the unit 1.5" higher than they recommend (so I could have a 15" drawer below) and since I'm only 5'3" the microwave is a little bit high for me. Even installing it at suggested height would still leave it higher than the ideal. A drawer would be a nicer height most likely. I definitely like having a separate gas rangetop and built in oven. There are many reasons I want them separate, so a range was never an option for me. But I probably won't combine the oven and microwave again if I did another kitchen.
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Hi everyone, We are planning a kitchen remodel including a new slide in gas range, single wall oven, and microwave. Does anyone have any knowledge or experience with the new Samsung Chef Collection appliances? We have an existing Samsung refrigerator we'd like it to match, plus I was wowed by the Flex Duo feature of the wall oven. A second question is if we should get the single wall oven with a separate, traditional microwave or if we should do the single wall oven and speed oven/micro combo unit. We have two small kids and use the microwave mostly for making popcorn and reheating food. We use our toaster oven almost daily to bake from frozen (like meatballs) or reheat things that I want to stay crisp (like leftover pizza). Does anyone have a recommendation or experience with the speed oven? Does it sound like that would be worth the extra money versus a traditional microwave and separate toaster oven? Thank you!
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Angel 18432
last month
Buy the micro first and have a shelf built for it. My micro broke down in the first couple of weeks and was replaced under warranty.
Cavimum
last month
last modified: last month
Buy separately. Our ca. 1985 GE Micro/oven wall combo lasted a long time,. Then the microwave stopped working.

Same thing happened to friends after 20+ years, both houses built around same time. (probably same model) Friends replaced with another microwave/wall oven combo, but the cutout was different and that complicated things, requiring some cabinet adaptation.

Ours triggered a massive kitchen remodel in 2012 (much needed, but I digress) and we decided to have a separate cubby/shelf for the microwave, which has already been replaced once after eight years. Even the kitchen designer suggested a separate cubby for the microwave.
Helen
last month
I have a wall oven and a microwave drawer.

The oven is Bosch and the microwave drawer is Sharp.

At least for me this is the perfect combination as the oven is perfect height and is also a side opening model which increases ergonomic functionality. The microwave drawer below is also highly functional - like you I use the microwave much more frequently than the oven.

I have a large storage drawer below the microwave as well as a cabinet above the oven with "slots" of various widths and so it holds an incredible amount of "oven" type of cookware including a large roasting pan - all much more readily accessible than if they were stored where they had to be stacked.
Stephanie
last month
Separate, more likely the microwave goes out before the oven. We just completed our remodel and had a GE cafe wall oven with GE microwave wall mounted above with trim kit to match.
kculbers
last month
I totally agree with Patricia Colwell about installing a microwave shelf in your kitchen. When I had my galley style kitchen renovated a few years ago, I included a shelf (25.5” wide and 22” deep) for a microwave. My current microwave is 21.5” wide and 18” deep.

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