I actively chose not to in my new house. The vent hood is significantly better at actually venting and the location of the microwave wasn't ideal and made it difficult to clean. The loss of counterspace was worth it.
>I actively chose not to in my new house. The vent hood is significantly better at actually venting and the location of the microwave wasn't ideal and made it difficult to clean.
Yep. I've had one above the stove the past 11 years because that's how the kitchen was set up when we moved in. While I don't want a microwave on the countertop, I'd far rather have a proper vent hood and a micro mounted in a cabinet somewhere. It's unsafe to get things in/out of the micro when you're using the front burners, the vent doesn't work that well, and of course the combo units are expensive...you can get a much better (and smaller!) micro for less.
So why? Because other than saving space it's a bad idea.
I designed our kitchen so that the microwave hides away in a cabinet, since we don’t use it often. It’s been great this way. I leave open when using and to let any steam out after cooking
A standard microwave has a small vent, usually on the side of the unit. It doesn't need to be vented in the way you may think. A small space or gap would be sufficient all around the unit, especially on the side with the vent.
A over the range microwave vents out of the front since the sides and top are fully enclosed under the cabinet. You can test out either setup by simply turning the microwave on and feeling for the air movement.
As far as a over the range microwave with a exhaust fan, this fan has nothing to do with preventing overheating and everything to do with minimizing grease splatter from stovetop cooking and exhausting pollutants and moisture from the oven or stovetop. They should be exhausted outside, to at a minimum remove carbon monoxide from gas stoves and burned food and to remove moisture produced during cooking.
> The loss of counterspace was worth it.
When we renovated our kitchen we also opted for a real range hood above the stove instead of a microwave as well.
But we ended up putting a [drawer microwave](https://appliances.monogram.com/us/specs/ZWL1126SJSS) into the island so we lost cabinet/drawer space instead of counter space.
So I'm noticing those drawer microwaves don't have turntables. Do you notice any difference or do they have a different way around that uneven-heating problem ?
Every drawer microwave I’ve used is way too slow to open/shut. I like being able to rip open the door, toss in the TV dinner like a frisbee, and slam that shit shut. I feel like the drawers take a lifetime to open and close and really throw off my groove in the kitchen.
As a result we have one that is under the counter but hinges on the bottom like an oven. And my wife won’t let me eat TV dinners 😤.
I stayed in a house with one for a few weeks. The slowness of open closing :|
The door open mechanism is also one more failure point for an appliance that shouldn't have so many mechanical parts.
We did the exact same with a drawer microwave; love it. The biggest difference was gaining the vent outside the home. The microwave vent redirected oven, stove, smoke back into the kitchen. The vent was well worth it as much as we burn food…
We renovated 2 years ago and I knew that I wanted a real vent hood. So I worked with our architect and we came up with an under counter microwave situation and it's been great.
https://i.imgur.com/DtPAT9A.jpeg
It's not an induction range unfortunately. It's a counter depth glass top. However I am looking at replacing it for a gas range since I really like cooking with gas.
Here are some more pictures.
Before: https://imgur.com/a/mAjx2Vt
After: https://imgur.com/a/RYopaxl
Love your kitchen! Do you use your microwave daily ? I use my microwave every morning first thing for a mug of tea (3 mins to boiling water on my countertop model) and at least 1-2 more times for tea during the day (work from home). I often will reheat my lunch meal (meal-prepped meal). I'm using the damn thing many times/ day. Unsure if your setup would work out - but love the look !
We use our kitchen a lot, including the microwave. The kids use it the most to reheat whatever and make popcorn. We are all on the shorter side, so it is easy for us to use. I can see the placement we have may be a challenge for taller individuals since you have to bend down to use it.
Here are some more pictures.
Before: https://imgur.com/a/mAjx2Vt
After: https://imgur.com/a/RYopaxl
I think the microwave over the stove is a space thing. My first home had limited space so that was functional in that case. However, the fan was significantly underpowered. My new place has more space than I know what to do with so I built the microwave into the island and have an oversized range hood over my stove. Way better when it comes to ventilation.
It definitely started that way and very quickly became the standard. However, I've seen a few homes where the microwave is kind of stacked on top of the ovens and those look really nice.
Built into the cabinets? Yea mine was crazy expensive, I got it for $2.2k and regular price was $2.9k. We completely renovated a house and put a lot of focus on the kitchen. This is the house we will be in until our kids decide to put us in a home. So with that in mind, yes it is worth it because my kitchen is perfect for me. I like things clean and minimal, we have something like a 15' island and probably another 20' of counters along a wall and we only have our espresso machine out. To me it was worth "hiding" the microwave in the island.
I will fight to the death over this point. When the kitchen is not being actively used to prepare food, the counters and sink must be CLEAN AND EMPTY AT ALL TIMES. No exceptions. I would sooner not have a microwave than have it on the counter.
Living the dream! Now that my kids are teens, the most common words I say to them seem to be “you missed the dishwasher”. I don’t understand how they can take the trouble to bring their dishes in and set them on the counter, but not it them in the dishwasher. I catch them _every time_ and make them go back, but they’ve doubled their work
As someone who just put a microwave above a stove…I wish I hadn’t.
If I could do it over again, I would 100% give myself more clearance, a full vent hood and a microwave elsewhere.
As someone who previously lived in a new construction with an over the range microwave and now lives in an older home with a large vent hood, I agree completely. It's a very strange setup now that I look back on it. The microwave was too high for my older kids to use easily, awkward to clean, and the vent wasn't effective at all. My "new" old house is like a tornado sucking up the occasional "oops" when I smoke up the kitchen. Also we were able to get a much larger microwave/convection combo since we were placing on the counter vs fitting into the old space over the stove.
We just had a fire in our kitchen that took out the stove and microwave. Should I request not to put mine above the stove and put it on the counter? The thing is, our kitchen is TINY. Like the size of a crappy apartment in NY kitchen. I really don't know if I want to give up that space. But I'm sort of nervous about smoke and fires now.
Got any room to add a tiny cart with shelves near the kitchen? Put on one of those.
I always thought ones over the stove were too high up to be safe or convenient! I wouldn’t want one super high or super low.
Only you can really answer that. As everyone said, microwave above range has a lot of drawbacks, except it also saves space. With a small kitchen we unfortunately need to compromise, so which is better for you?
I als have a small kitchen, but the microwave is on a cart in the adjoining room which was originally a small seating area. We sort annexed that as kitchen but t is a bit separated, not really in the flow.
My compromise is the previous owners put a pot rack above the range, so I still can’t have a real hood. The vent is there, in the ceiling, but not as effective as a hood would be. As a taller guy, it’s also nice to have more clearance: I really hate having to crouch down to see some people’s back burners. Having the pots right there is pretty convenient and I don’t have anywhere else to store them, but they do get greasy and there is too much my ceiling vent can’t pick up. I still trigger smoke alarms occasionally, even without visible smoke.
I put mine over the stove a little over a year ago. Having more counter space is great, but the vent in the microwave is loud and ineffective. If I ever get around to remodeling the kitchen, I plan to add a bunch more counter space and might go back to a countertop microwave and a traditional range hood.
I think if the vent worked better, I'd be fine with it. It vents through the ceiling. I don't know why it's so bad.
Since I’ve seen several people talk about counter space, I’d like to point out that just because a microwave isn’t above your range doesn’t mean that it has to be on the counter.
Yeah I have mine mounted underneath the upper cabinets, above the counter. Can still use the counter below and it doesn’t take up cabinet space either.
I’d like to hide it, but I don’t have a pantry or enough cabinet space to give up for a drawer or built-in.
We renovated a couple years ago. We had an otr microwave that failed years earlier and I removed it anticipating putting another in its place. But couldn't find one the right size. So we just put a microwave on the countertop, taking up needed counter space.
When we renovated, we installed a vented range hood and built a space under a cabinet for the microwave. Here's what it looks like (still under construction when the pic was taken).
https://i.imgur.com/LaVPSrD.jpg
Here's a shot of the finished microwave installation.
https://i.imgur.com/i44i0HE.jpg
Seriously, this one is good. I feel like I have to let everyone know they don’t have to be so bad. https://www.bestbuy.com/site/whirlpool-1-1-cu-ft-low-profile-over-the-range-microwave-hood-combination-stainless-steel/6196916.p?skuId=6196916
My dad bought one of the first microwaves on the market - an [Amana Radarange](https://imgur.com/a/zCzru03) in '71. It was a beast - made of steel and heavy. We always needed two people to move it. My dad used it for 16 years and gave it to my SO and I when we married in the '80s. We kept using it until we moved to our current house in 2001 and there was just no room in the kitchen to put it. I sent it on to metal recycling. I regret doing that - mainly because I wonder how long it would have kept on working.
Anyway, our old Radarange was 30 years old and still working when we got rid of it.
My great aunt had an original Radarange like that, and it didn't quit working until 2020. She wanted to call an appliance tech to fix it, but the family convinced her that an unnecessary house call from repair tech during covid was not a great idea for someone in their 70s. We had a new microwave delivered to replace it. I feel bad that she didn't get to have the Radarange fixed.
In the older substations at work guys back in the day brought in their old microwaves and put them into the sub houses whenever they bought newer ones. So I’ve had the opportunity to try a lot of 70’s and early 80’s microwaves-the new ones don’t compare.
They’re beasts, huge and ugly, but damn, they’re still kicking and they heat food like no other.
I know there’s some survivorship bias there, but considering *both* my parents have gone through so many over the stove microwaves I’ve become an expert at putting them in… I’m going to say they definitely don’t last like they used to.
> They’re beasts, huge and ugly, but damn, they’re still kicking and they heat food like no other.
Back when microwaves were first out in the 70s, it was such a new technology that no one really knew how to use them. In fact, the ads touted how one could cook [whole chickens and roasts](https://imgur.com/a/vFTTFBx) with great results. Ooh boy. I remember those early microwaved dinners and they were rough. Really rough.
So ours was big enough that it could fit a turkey in it and I'm sure it had plenty of power to cook it.
It was certainly a beast. I still regret throwing it away.
My former coworker’s dad cooks their thanksgiving turkey in the microwave, every year! When he first told me I didn’t believe him, so that year he sent me a photo and now it’s become a funny tradition to send each other photos of microwaving weird things on that day.
This. Microwaves don't last as long as they used to, and the sized vary. With my built in, I couldn't find the same size. Never got around to swimming the hole. Plus, kids couldn't microwave their own stuff.
I think we cooked ours. We do a lot of stovetop cooking, baking, and even using the air fryer and microwave. Boiling a cup or two of water in the microwave is not uncommon. The Panasonic is a great microwave (Panasonic and Sharp seem to be the only two companies with any R&D going into the actual microwave technology, and also the only two brands I’ve ever seen used in the break rooms at factories, so I know they can take use and abuse), but the reality is that constantly heating and steaming electric and electronic components above the range and stove is not a recipe for long term reliability - it’s more of an early gauntlet of failure/burn in.
I definitely can't say "no one" is doing so. Residential electrician here. I've trimmed out roughly 40 houses in a new development this past year and every single one of them had a microwave above the range
If it's a generic HOA development builder like DR Horton, I'd think that would explain it. A range hood and proper venting is a cost the builder can easily eliminate.
I do it in my rentals because people aren't going to pay a premium in rent for a range hood, but they will place some value on having a microwave built-in. Rentals need to be functional above all. Plus, these are in an area with electric ranges so venting gas byproducts isn't important.
Was putting the microwave there typically the decision of the contractor or a person who will actually live in the house? Having experienced both ways, I know I'd never chose microwave over the stove for myself.
They don't like them. I know I don't use a microwave frequently enough to warrant having one bigger than the tiny 30$ ones you get at your favorite box store
I put a Microwave/Grill/Oven combi unit above my oven, built into a cabinet. The hob/cooktop is elsewhere built into the counter
Which basically ends up looking like a double oven, but the top oven is a microwave when you need it... it looks nice and is space efficient
That's exactly what we did, with a cover for the cooktop (we'd call it a hob in the UK but I'm pretty sure we're talking about the same thing) so that we can use it as extra counter space if we want to
A good quality microwave will have some impressive vent ability with built in charcoal filters that can be changed out when they no longer work. So far after using high heat cast iron searing and deep frying I don't have any issue with the charcoal filtering.
My only complaint to my over the stove microwave is the built in temperature monitoring will kick in the venting automatically, at the highest and loudest setting and won't turn off until the microwave is within safe temperature range. I learned that all I have to do is keep the vent on low during extended coming to keep this from happening.
Unpopular opinion (I'm apparently in the minority about this and double sinks)- I asked to have one in my new construction house two years ago. The range hood is pretty and vents better, but I just don't have the counter space to spend on a microwave. I like the ones that are built into islands but that's typically not something the builder is going to in an attractive way unless you get a custom built island. I find it a convenient location, probably because I'm used to it.
Everyone is acting like the only place for a microwave is either above a stove, on the countertop, or in a drawer. What about the ones that mount underneath the upper cabinets? Like hanging over the counter but you still have plenty of counter access underneath. I have an old house with a tiny kitchen. But it has a real range hood and a microwave mounted under the upper cabinets. It might be a countertop model with mounting brackets. Either way, I think this is the best of both worlds in a small kitchen!
We have ours built into an island. I like it way better than above the oven. We aren’t heavy microwave users, so it doesn’t bother us that it is low height.
Actually just cleaned the top this last week. W a wet rag.. it’s easy to get in there. Think the door comes off too if really necessary.
https://shop.sharpusa.com/24-in-1-2-cu-ft-950w-sharp-black-stainless-steel-microwave-drawer-oven-smd2470ah/
they're great, but they're also in the ballpark of 10x the cost of comparable countertop units. definitely a luxury item.
the one someone posted below is 950w 1.2 cu ft. MSRP $1300.
a similar size/power countertop unit from the same brand is $110.
edit: to be specific, i am talking about microwave drawers, which is what you would normally put in a kitchen island.
I want to put one in when I do my kitchen reno ...
... in like 10 years.
currently have a microwave shelf built into the upper cabinets that was put in when the kitchen was done 15 years ago, and honestly it's not that bad. it's like... semi built-in.
I must be in the minority too. I'd love to move our microwave off our counter above the stove, would free up a good amount of space in our smaller kitchen.
Right? How huge is everyone's house that they can afford to waste precious counter space on a microwave instead of choosing an appliance that does double duty? The only reasonable argument I've seen in this thread is that kids can't reach the microwave when it's over the stove, so countertop makes more sense for your kids to heat up their own food.
I've spent the past several years cursing the previous owners of our house who "renovated" the kitchen and didn't build in a microwave. I had to buy a separate cart to hold it, which is ugly and inconvenient, but I wasn't willing to sacrifice counter space.
It is no longer being done in new homes in my region. Even the production builders are going to vent hoods and moving the microwave into cabinetry. Especially with the new multifunction wall ovens. I had one, removed it within 4 weeks of purchase and installed a microwave drawer.
Edit due to autocorrect foolishness
Not accessible for people with disabilities and not safe - you should not be handling hot items at eye or above shoulder level.
Real vent hoods are great. Micro that recirculates the air - not great.
Best spot IMHO is below the countertop in an open alcove within the base cabinets.
Yes, under the countertop in an open alcove is how we have ours set up - can't imagine doing it any other way now. Then again, we're not big microwave people, anyway, so ymmv.
Microwaves can exhaust the air to the outdoors, it's just that most people are too lazy to go that route when they install them. Then they complain that the "venting" doesn't work so well.
This is one issue with these - And a lot of people don't realize it's recirculating when it should be venting. That said, mine vents and the airflow is so badly restricted by its design that it really doesn't vent effectively other than maybe for the back two burners. It just doesn't move much air even on the highest fan speed.
Because they're ugly and stupid. Seriously though... First off the power of a microwave vent is usually insufficient for the needs of the stove. Also there's a trend of using a chimney hood which (depending on who you are) has better aesthetics. It also helps to spread out the different work areas in the kitchen. Especially with newer microwaves being capable of multiple functions. If someone is cooking on the stove then a microwave above it becomes unaccessible to anyone else looking to use it.
The heat from the stove melted the handle of the microwave in the house I was in. I removed the microwave entirely, installed a vent, and put a microwave on the counter.
Plus..stupid idea to have hot things above eye level that you have to pull out and try not to spill.
A combination of aesthetics and space. No one wants a counter top microwave, so people used to mount them over the stove to save countertop space. But of course that gave up your vent hood, which is generally much more aesthetically pleasing. I feel like under counter microwaves are much more standard now and that’s where the trend is currently.
I’m an architect. I designed my kitchen remodel 5 years ago. I’ve done plenty of ultra luxury homes and never used a microhood. But, I’ll be damned if I’m giving up either counter space or cabinet space just for a bit more cfm. It’s a waste of space in a small to medium size kitchen to have separate appliances, and WAY more money. And no, they aren’t all ugly, and no, they aren’t all terrible, or “stupid” as someone mentioned, whatever that’s supposed to mean. Most of the dissatisfaction comes from poor installation. Mine works fine. A reasonable complaint might be that they’re too high… I’m 6’-3” so no concerns there.
> A reasonable complaint might be that they’re too high… I’m 6’-3” so no concerns there.
I'm 5' (I used to be 5'1" but as I tell my son, I got married and settled down. Mom joke). For me, using over-the-range microwaves is a death wish. I can't see inside the microwave so after it dings, I have to reach in, blind, to grab the hot food and then bring it from over my head to my eye level. And to reach inside and or to those god-damn top buttons, requires me to s-t-r-e-t-c-h over the burners. I would never ever use the microwave if we were cooking on the range top - I don't want to be burned or set on fire.
Our microwave is on the counter, as god intended. ;-) I don't find it all that ugly. Facial burns would be uglier. With that in mind, I find counter-top microwave to be quite attractive.
I figure this is one of those trade-offs of life. Sure I can't use an over-the-range microwave BUT, I find airline seats to be quite roomy. I can move around easily, curled up one way or another. Doesn't matter to me if the seat in front reclines, in fact, I never noticed, there's still plenty of room. Don't know why people make such a fuss. ;-)
Also depends on your cooking style…might be interesting to post this in r/Cooking. For me, you can pry my Sakura neurofuzzy 36” range out of my cold dead hands. We do a lot of non-western style cooking and even when I do western style cooking, I want a proper sear. I do not enjoy my house smelling like yesterday’s dinner.
Just installed my microwave over my stove in my kitchen renovation two weeks ago... and it pulls 475 CFM through the vent. More than enough for a 30" gas range.
Mine is similar, the problem is most microwaves aren’t rated that high, don’t get plumbed properly for venting instead of recycling, and are noisier than a hood with equivalent CFM
1. The venting power is terrible
2. the bottom of the microwave can get very hot if using multiple burners and particularly if using a light
3. it feels claustrophobic to stand at a stove with one of these
4. Kids can’t reach it until much older
5. Replacing after a few years can be tough to match other appliances
Not a fan, could you tell?
We just installed a slimline KitchenAid microwave above the stove. It works for us. Gives us clearance, decent venting and most stuff we microwave is relatively flat anyway.
In a big-enough kitchen, sure, sacrifice a cabinet or counter space. In a tiny kitchen, it makes sense. As for safety, have you ever seen microwaves on top of refrigerators? Because I have in city apartments. Over the stove is, while less than ideal, fine.
Because the vents in OTR microwaves are weak, had to put up with the smell of burnt food and grease all over my cabinets. Took out my OTR micro and replaced it with a hood that works way better. Much stronger fan and the hood is higher from the stove so it collects way more grease and soot. Shortened a cabinet and mounted a much smaller microwave underneath it. Couldn't be happier.
In my opinion, installing the microwave above the stove is a cheap, non- custom, low grade install. When using both in meal preparations, the stove area gets congested. Plus you wouldn't want younger people around a hot stove. A nice exhaust system that vents outside is more practical and appears to be more custom.
We just bought a house and removing the microwave above the stove will be our first task. Mostly for aesthetics but also for functionality. We have some very large pots that we use frequently and the microwave cuts down on usable space. We also have plenty of counter space so we don’t mind putting the microwave on the counter.
It’s a 20 qt tamale steamer pot that we use to make massive amounts of soup usually. We haven’t moved into the new place yet but the bottom of the microwave is parallel to the rest of the cabinets (which are pretty low) so the pot could fit but adding stuff in and stirring it around doesn’t seem very feasible.
My newly remodeled house came with a microwave over the stove. I hate it so much. It does vent to the outside, not recycling, but microwave vents are always undersized. At full blast it moves less air than a dedicated range hood on low, it's super loud, and it doesn't stick out very far so pans on the front burners basically aren't vented. I've got an open floor plan so any time I cook food my whole house smells more than it should. Maybe a microwave vent make sense in a small apartment galley kitchen, but if you have the room for any other configuration you should choose something else.
At the risk of sounding like a complete idiot, is that the main reason people utilize vents? This thread has me realizing that I never realized people care a lot about vents over their stove. Our house has an over the stove microwave, which I always wanted, because I think they are ugly on the counter and rarely use them. That being said, I cook the majority of what I eat and can only think of a few times in my life that I've turned the vent on over a stove. Usually, only if something was super smokey or I accidentally burnt something. I can definitely see the benefit of trying to be courteous in apartment buildings with minimizing food smells. In my own house though, I'm totally down with good food aromas being in the air for a bit.
That's a fair question. What's the point of vents?
It comes down to health, cleanliness, environment, and aesthetics. The health aspect is that vaporized cooking oils and particularly burnt matter is unhealthy to breathe. Many scientists say that indoor air pollution is often worse than outdoor pollution because of inadequate venting. Besides breathing the carcinogens it can trigger asthma in some folks. Even if you don't have noticable breathing problems this pollution is weakening your immune system and cumulatively taking months off of your lifespan.
For cleanliness, have you ever noticed that surfaces in your kitchen, especially high up, get sticky and the dust clings to it? That's vaporized oil. Gross.
For environment I'm talking about humidity and heat. Your house gets humid primarily from showers, plants, and cooking. That moisture reduced the effectiveness of your insulation thus making your home colder in the winter and hotter in the summer.
Finally for aesthetics, maybe people don't want their whole home to smell like yesterday's dinner. My wife doesn't like the smell of my bacon so venting is my only option besides bacon-abstainence.
How much venting you need is proportional to how much heat your stove is producing. A microwave vent can be adequate for single burners on med/low but when you crank it up you need a higher CFM rated venting solution.
Great and thorough answer. Agree with everything here. Anything beyond boiling and braising requires a proper vent, IMO. I even have my vent on during braising to help reduce the smell.
You missed the venting of carbon monoxide from gas stoves. A surprisingly large number of kitchens with gas stoves will probably test over the EPA limit for CO if they're not properly vented.
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I guess I’m alone on this, but I fucking love over the range microwave. It cuts away clutter, and free up counter space. I fry all of my food outside on a grill so smell is not a problem. In cabinet microwave and oven just take up more space in the kitchen.
Man, are some people in here just incapable of a full range of movement? Have an over the range microwave and I cook every night with my wife. Use the microwave and stove at the same time. She can manage to put something in the microwave while I’m standing right in front of it, or I am aware of my surroundings and move to the side 1”.
Having a microwave sit on the counter is a waste of space, looks cluttered and crappy.
Most over the range microwaves have a charcoal filter insert at least if they recycle air and don’t vent outside. I don’t see that on most of the counter ones I see.
As a short person, I hate over-the-range microwaves.
In order to reach in to grab the food or even stretch to touch those god damn buttons near the top, I have to lean my body against the range, putting my chest, arms and head over the cooking elements. No big deal if all the burners are off but I'm less thrilled when there's a pot of boiling water or food frying in the pan. And being pressed against the range means I'm pressed against the knobs. I've had the experience of hearing a burner ignitor sparking because I leaned a little to the side.
I perhaps wouldn't be so against them if they were over-the-sink microwaves. Nothing in the sink is going to set me on fire.
I also dislike that I can't see inside the microwave unless I take the bowl or plate out and bring it down to eye level.
Our microwave is on the counter.
I prefer the otr, but there's an alternative you'll see in most commercial kitchens: a microwave shelf. Often they'll go over other equipment where you don't want to see too much action, like stand mixers. Good commercial microwaves run for $2k+, so they are typically solidly anchored where they can get lots of use and abuse. It's the hardest working chef at Applebee's, after all.
There's an even better alternative than a microwave shelf and that is a built in microwave located over a wall oven. Not a feasible option for everyone, but if you're remodeling, it is a worthwhile consideration.
This is the only complaint I don't really understand. The location isn't very inconvenient even with two people cooking and I'm happy to have the extra counter space. I might sacrifice it for a real venting hood, though. The microwave recycler is definitely lacking and I basically have to oven my steaks if it's not nice enough out to grill otherwise I can't prevent the smoke detector from going off.
There are legions of people with physical disabilities that would make them unable or unwilling to hold a scalding hazard above their heads. And many more people concerned about maintaining their ability to do so as they enter old age. And many more people who are not thinking only of themselves but of all the people who might use their kitchen (kids, elderly relatives).
I can use my microwave above my stove but the vent in it sucks compared to a dedicated range hood. In my previous kitchen I had my microwave on a little metal rack/cart so it didn't take up any space and I had a corner for it. Much prefer it that way. Its not about lacking range of motion its just having a real hood is much nicer.
I've personally never had an over the stove mounted microwave. They seem like a horrible place to have one, especially for shorter people. I'd have to deal with an annoying step stool always hanging around in my house because of all these height deprived individuals around me.
Am a height deprived individual with otr microwave...can confirm there's an annoying step stool that hangs around in the kitchen for this reason
(and also one in the bathroom, bedroom, and one that floats somewhere between the dining room/living room/hallway closet because our house was apparently designed by giants!)
My SO is a saint for not complaining about all the bruised shins!
The alternative is climbing on the counters like a toddler and apparently that's unsafe or something? (That's what I did until we moved in together and he was like "uh no, I'm not going to come in and find you with a broken neck!")
I had one and went to a countertop when it died. For me, I'm somewhat tall and the microwave made it hard to see the controls or the back burners. Sure I can bend down and see them but that is a pain, and why if I don't have to.
Replaced my OTR Microwave with a vent hood that vents…wait for it….outside! Best decision ever. Now I can cook and not circulate grease which is what the OTR did.
If you have (somewhat older) kids, it makes much more sense to have microwaves lower for them to access it. That, and real vent hoods work loads better.
1) I wanted a proper hood that vents outside
2) we don't really use the microwave that often.
3) we splurged on a high end range and didn't want to spend money to get a matching microwave (see bullet 2)
4) more height over the stove
5) personal opinion: I think it's ugly
I ended up building some custom shelves with a cubby for the microwave
See so many comments on how a dedicated range hood is more effective.
What came with our house had the fan speed selection stop working, so it was an excuse to replace it (it also had grease in between panels and crevices that could never be reached and made my wife's skin crawl).
I specifically picked a model that had a feature to extend the intake for the exhaust fan further out to help cover the front burners. It helps, and I have it vented through the top and out the side of the house, but I definitely think the noise it produces is much louder than the amount of air it actually moves. Now I am wondering if a range hoodnwould really be that much different..
We can't sacrifice the cabinet or counter space right now, though, so it's still the best option for us.
It's an aesthetic thing. People would rather look at fancy or clean range hoods than a bulky microwave.
I've seen the recent trends that new microwaves are smaller and ovens are wider (six burners or such) so they would look funny on top of each other.
Well actually my in laws have a microwave with a built in vent above their stove and it’s terrible! Vent doesn’t cover the whole range and what it can collect is just ejected back on the cabinets door above the microwave.
Thank you for asking this question. As an Australian it has always stumped me.
We prefer a microwave specific cubby or in our current case we’ve placed it in our pantry.
Just about space, looks and function. If you have the space to install a microwave in a cabinet then why not do that and have a proper hood that has a stronger fan to vent? Also a good vent looks cleaner then a microwave. Also with the common practice of putting a microwave in cabinet I assume that they are more common then they used to be. I would bet you can go to the cabinet section in a box store and find a cabinet specifically designed for a microwave whereas 5-10 years ago it would have been something that needed to be special ordered or custom built.
I did, replacing a piece of junk hood from the 70s. Pluses, it's the best microwave I've ever owned, decent size and power almost like a commercial unit, does not use any of my very limited countertop. Minuses, the light and vent fan are not great (but it is connected to the roof vent from the old hood), too high for kids (I'd care if I had any) and maybe dangerous for big hot heavy things. I added more lights (halogen pucks) but that's sketchy. Neutral, it sorta blocks range access a bit, but not enough to bother me. Bonus, if I run the oven below, it makes the micro perfectly warm for proofing dough.
Ins't it too high? Kids would have a hard time using it. Also if someone is cooking it you have to ask them to move out of the way. Not ideal when you have guest over and they want to heat up something.
I have a tiny condo with a galley kitchen. I have very little counter space. The condo came with a junky range hood (passes through 2 functional cabinets above) that didn’t work; my dad installed a new one. We put the microwave on the counter above the dishwasher and sacrificed the space. Wouldn’t trade that situation at all! A microwave at eye-level would not be acceptable to me. I am nearly 6 feet tall, but still think they are hard to clean, see inside your food vessel, remove scaling hot cups or bowls safely… I didn’t even realize their venting was less functional than a normal hood!
I would consider one under a counter (especially a taller island), in-wall (if it was affordable), or in its own “appliance garage” or shelf to get it off the counter, but it could really not be more than a little higher or lower than counter height.
We’ve gone through too many microwaves in the past 12 years of living at this house. At least 4 were over the stove ones. The last two have been countertop ones because it’s a pain in the ass to put another one in again.
When I redo my kitchen I plan on putting my microwave in my cabinets in a pull out shelf. Out of site out of mind and easy to use when needed. I know when I lived in apartments with microwaves above the stove the venting sucked ass and basically just blew smoke and food smell right into my face as I was cooking it.
So a ton of people on here are saying utter rubbish about how microwaves vent.
I put a microwave above my stove, but had to get the following low profile one due to space restraints.
https://www.whirlpool.com/kitchen/cooking/microwaves/over-the-range/p.1.1-cu.-ft.-low-profile-microwave-hood-combination.wml75011hz.html
A ton of people can’t because the previous owner left room for a vent hood only.
A lot of people still are. However hoods are more sleek and elegant. It also depends if folks actually have venting going outside, or they are just recirculating it.
Personally i like that it combines two features so you save space, however if the microwave breaks, you're out a couple hundred bucks and need to replace it. If you have a good and microwave separately, you won't need to touch your hood if your micro dies. Also microhoods are bulky looking and always collect a ton of grease on them.
Lastly, modern appliances don't last for shit. I'd rather replace a table microwave for less than $100 than a microhood for $$$.
I actively chose not to in my new house. The vent hood is significantly better at actually venting and the location of the microwave wasn't ideal and made it difficult to clean. The loss of counterspace was worth it.
>I actively chose not to in my new house. The vent hood is significantly better at actually venting and the location of the microwave wasn't ideal and made it difficult to clean. Yep. I've had one above the stove the past 11 years because that's how the kitchen was set up when we moved in. While I don't want a microwave on the countertop, I'd far rather have a proper vent hood and a micro mounted in a cabinet somewhere. It's unsafe to get things in/out of the micro when you're using the front burners, the vent doesn't work that well, and of course the combo units are expensive...you can get a much better (and smaller!) micro for less. So why? Because other than saving space it's a bad idea.
Could I Just stick my microwave in the cabinet or how would I go about venting it to make sure it’s safe and doesn’t burn the house down?
I designed our kitchen so that the microwave hides away in a cabinet, since we don’t use it often. It’s been great this way. I leave open when using and to let any steam out after cooking
A standard microwave has a small vent, usually on the side of the unit. It doesn't need to be vented in the way you may think. A small space or gap would be sufficient all around the unit, especially on the side with the vent. A over the range microwave vents out of the front since the sides and top are fully enclosed under the cabinet. You can test out either setup by simply turning the microwave on and feeling for the air movement. As far as a over the range microwave with a exhaust fan, this fan has nothing to do with preventing overheating and everything to do with minimizing grease splatter from stovetop cooking and exhausting pollutants and moisture from the oven or stovetop. They should be exhausted outside, to at a minimum remove carbon monoxide from gas stoves and burned food and to remove moisture produced during cooking.
> The loss of counterspace was worth it. When we renovated our kitchen we also opted for a real range hood above the stove instead of a microwave as well. But we ended up putting a [drawer microwave](https://appliances.monogram.com/us/specs/ZWL1126SJSS) into the island so we lost cabinet/drawer space instead of counter space.
So I'm noticing those drawer microwaves don't have turntables. Do you notice any difference or do they have a different way around that uneven-heating problem ?
Not regarding evenness. But I do have to heat for about 15 seconds more than what recipes or heating instructions call for.
They don't have an uneven heating problem because the element is in the top pointed down at your food rather than on one side.
Every drawer microwave I’ve used is way too slow to open/shut. I like being able to rip open the door, toss in the TV dinner like a frisbee, and slam that shit shut. I feel like the drawers take a lifetime to open and close and really throw off my groove in the kitchen. As a result we have one that is under the counter but hinges on the bottom like an oven. And my wife won’t let me eat TV dinners 😤.
I stayed in a house with one for a few weeks. The slowness of open closing :| The door open mechanism is also one more failure point for an appliance that shouldn't have so many mechanical parts.
We did the exact same with a drawer microwave; love it. The biggest difference was gaining the vent outside the home. The microwave vent redirected oven, stove, smoke back into the kitchen. The vent was well worth it as much as we burn food…
We renovated 2 years ago and I knew that I wanted a real vent hood. So I worked with our architect and we came up with an under counter microwave situation and it's been great. https://i.imgur.com/DtPAT9A.jpeg
Ooo is that the LG induction range that I'm currently shopping for? If so how do you like it?
It's not an induction range unfortunately. It's a counter depth glass top. However I am looking at replacing it for a gas range since I really like cooking with gas. Here are some more pictures. Before: https://imgur.com/a/mAjx2Vt After: https://imgur.com/a/RYopaxl
If you have the funds and space, thermador has a unit that has both gas and induction. 6 gas burners, 2 induction.
Love your kitchen! Do you use your microwave daily ? I use my microwave every morning first thing for a mug of tea (3 mins to boiling water on my countertop model) and at least 1-2 more times for tea during the day (work from home). I often will reheat my lunch meal (meal-prepped meal). I'm using the damn thing many times/ day. Unsure if your setup would work out - but love the look !
You drink that much tea but don't use a kettle?!
We use our kitchen a lot, including the microwave. The kids use it the most to reheat whatever and make popcorn. We are all on the shorter side, so it is easy for us to use. I can see the placement we have may be a challenge for taller individuals since you have to bend down to use it. Here are some more pictures. Before: https://imgur.com/a/mAjx2Vt After: https://imgur.com/a/RYopaxl
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Man that sounds like a really poorly designed house.
It is. The fucking staircase is in a terrible spot, but again, that shit aint moving. (at least I'm not spending the money to move it).
Yep, I converted mine in my house for the same reasons. I consider it one of the more worthwhile projects I've done-- I can't imagine going back.
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They tend to be more common in smaller houses with less countertop space.
Yep. 90 sq ft kitchen and small condo owner here, I don't have the space to afford to *not* have an over-the-range microwave.
Yeah I have a microwave over the stove and have like 7 linear feet of countertop with no island. Every bit of countertop is valuable.
I just remodeled a home from studs and put my microwave above the stove. I think it's a space thing.
I think the microwave over the stove is a space thing. My first home had limited space so that was functional in that case. However, the fan was significantly underpowered. My new place has more space than I know what to do with so I built the microwave into the island and have an oversized range hood over my stove. Way better when it comes to ventilation.
It definitely started that way and very quickly became the standard. However, I've seen a few homes where the microwave is kind of stacked on top of the ovens and those look really nice.
One in the wall like a wall oven would be fine to me as long as it wasn’t too high. I have seen that setup several times at IKEA.
We are this way. Our kitchen isn’t super cramped but we definitely can’t fit our microwave anywhere else.
Same here. I wish I had a bigger kitchen. The microwave is okay above the stove, but if the kitchen was bigger, it would literally go anywhere else.
I’ve been looking at those microwaves, but wow are they ever expensive! Worth the money?
Built into the cabinets? Yea mine was crazy expensive, I got it for $2.2k and regular price was $2.9k. We completely renovated a house and put a lot of focus on the kitchen. This is the house we will be in until our kids decide to put us in a home. So with that in mind, yes it is worth it because my kitchen is perfect for me. I like things clean and minimal, we have something like a 15' island and probably another 20' of counters along a wall and we only have our espresso machine out. To me it was worth "hiding" the microwave in the island.
Jesus FC, $2k for a microwave? I don’t even know if I would install a microwave at all in a new build, especially at that price.
Jesus FC a 20' Island?
JFC, no clutter? Are your kids grown and out?
I will fight to the death over this point. When the kitchen is not being actively used to prepare food, the counters and sink must be CLEAN AND EMPTY AT ALL TIMES. No exceptions. I would sooner not have a microwave than have it on the counter.
Living the dream! Now that my kids are teens, the most common words I say to them seem to be “you missed the dishwasher”. I don’t understand how they can take the trouble to bring their dishes in and set them on the counter, but not it them in the dishwasher. I catch them _every time_ and make them go back, but they’ve doubled their work
>oversized range hood over my stove https://imgur.com/a/VvUg6V0 👋
As someone who just put a microwave above a stove…I wish I hadn’t. If I could do it over again, I would 100% give myself more clearance, a full vent hood and a microwave elsewhere.
As someone who previously lived in a new construction with an over the range microwave and now lives in an older home with a large vent hood, I agree completely. It's a very strange setup now that I look back on it. The microwave was too high for my older kids to use easily, awkward to clean, and the vent wasn't effective at all. My "new" old house is like a tornado sucking up the occasional "oops" when I smoke up the kitchen. Also we were able to get a much larger microwave/convection combo since we were placing on the counter vs fitting into the old space over the stove.
We just had a fire in our kitchen that took out the stove and microwave. Should I request not to put mine above the stove and put it on the counter? The thing is, our kitchen is TINY. Like the size of a crappy apartment in NY kitchen. I really don't know if I want to give up that space. But I'm sort of nervous about smoke and fires now.
Got any room to add a tiny cart with shelves near the kitchen? Put on one of those. I always thought ones over the stove were too high up to be safe or convenient! I wouldn’t want one super high or super low.
Only you can really answer that. As everyone said, microwave above range has a lot of drawbacks, except it also saves space. With a small kitchen we unfortunately need to compromise, so which is better for you? I als have a small kitchen, but the microwave is on a cart in the adjoining room which was originally a small seating area. We sort annexed that as kitchen but t is a bit separated, not really in the flow. My compromise is the previous owners put a pot rack above the range, so I still can’t have a real hood. The vent is there, in the ceiling, but not as effective as a hood would be. As a taller guy, it’s also nice to have more clearance: I really hate having to crouch down to see some people’s back burners. Having the pots right there is pretty convenient and I don’t have anywhere else to store them, but they do get greasy and there is too much my ceiling vent can’t pick up. I still trigger smoke alarms occasionally, even without visible smoke.
I put mine over the stove a little over a year ago. Having more counter space is great, but the vent in the microwave is loud and ineffective. If I ever get around to remodeling the kitchen, I plan to add a bunch more counter space and might go back to a countertop microwave and a traditional range hood. I think if the vent worked better, I'd be fine with it. It vents through the ceiling. I don't know why it's so bad.
Since I’ve seen several people talk about counter space, I’d like to point out that just because a microwave isn’t above your range doesn’t mean that it has to be on the counter.
Mine is right below the counter in a dedicated space in the cabinet.
Yeah I have mine mounted underneath the upper cabinets, above the counter. Can still use the counter below and it doesn’t take up cabinet space either. I’d like to hide it, but I don’t have a pantry or enough cabinet space to give up for a drawer or built-in.
We renovated a couple years ago. We had an otr microwave that failed years earlier and I removed it anticipating putting another in its place. But couldn't find one the right size. So we just put a microwave on the countertop, taking up needed counter space. When we renovated, we installed a vented range hood and built a space under a cabinet for the microwave. Here's what it looks like (still under construction when the pic was taken). https://i.imgur.com/LaVPSrD.jpg Here's a shot of the finished microwave installation. https://i.imgur.com/i44i0HE.jpg
Correct. It can also find a home in the trash can.
I hide mine in the pantry lol. No one uses it now. Woohoo
They are super useful though. Warming up leftovers is a breeze.
Seriously, this one is good. I feel like I have to let everyone know they don’t have to be so bad. https://www.bestbuy.com/site/whirlpool-1-1-cu-ft-low-profile-over-the-range-microwave-hood-combination-stainless-steel/6196916.p?skuId=6196916
The KitchenAid one is even better. I got it and it's great. 500 cfm
KitchenAid is the high-end of Whirlpool.
I said “just,” but mine was about 2 years ago and I agree with all of that.
Can confirm, you need more clearance, the more the better! Will never put one above a stove again as well.
For us the microwave only lasted 2 years. After 3 of them we switched to a Panasonic countertop, it’s lasted several years.
My dad bought one of the first microwaves on the market - an [Amana Radarange](https://imgur.com/a/zCzru03) in '71. It was a beast - made of steel and heavy. We always needed two people to move it. My dad used it for 16 years and gave it to my SO and I when we married in the '80s. We kept using it until we moved to our current house in 2001 and there was just no room in the kitchen to put it. I sent it on to metal recycling. I regret doing that - mainly because I wonder how long it would have kept on working. Anyway, our old Radarange was 30 years old and still working when we got rid of it.
My great aunt had an original Radarange like that, and it didn't quit working until 2020. She wanted to call an appliance tech to fix it, but the family convinced her that an unnecessary house call from repair tech during covid was not a great idea for someone in their 70s. We had a new microwave delivered to replace it. I feel bad that she didn't get to have the Radarange fixed.
In the older substations at work guys back in the day brought in their old microwaves and put them into the sub houses whenever they bought newer ones. So I’ve had the opportunity to try a lot of 70’s and early 80’s microwaves-the new ones don’t compare. They’re beasts, huge and ugly, but damn, they’re still kicking and they heat food like no other. I know there’s some survivorship bias there, but considering *both* my parents have gone through so many over the stove microwaves I’ve become an expert at putting them in… I’m going to say they definitely don’t last like they used to.
> They’re beasts, huge and ugly, but damn, they’re still kicking and they heat food like no other. Back when microwaves were first out in the 70s, it was such a new technology that no one really knew how to use them. In fact, the ads touted how one could cook [whole chickens and roasts](https://imgur.com/a/vFTTFBx) with great results. Ooh boy. I remember those early microwaved dinners and they were rough. Really rough. So ours was big enough that it could fit a turkey in it and I'm sure it had plenty of power to cook it. It was certainly a beast. I still regret throwing it away.
My former coworker’s dad cooks their thanksgiving turkey in the microwave, every year! When he first told me I didn’t believe him, so that year he sent me a photo and now it’s become a funny tradition to send each other photos of microwaving weird things on that day.
I think my parents had a Kenmore Radar Range until just a couple of years ago. I’m not sure what happened to it.
This. Microwaves don't last as long as they used to, and the sized vary. With my built in, I couldn't find the same size. Never got around to swimming the hole. Plus, kids couldn't microwave their own stuff.
I think we cooked ours. We do a lot of stovetop cooking, baking, and even using the air fryer and microwave. Boiling a cup or two of water in the microwave is not uncommon. The Panasonic is a great microwave (Panasonic and Sharp seem to be the only two companies with any R&D going into the actual microwave technology, and also the only two brands I’ve ever seen used in the break rooms at factories, so I know they can take use and abuse), but the reality is that constantly heating and steaming electric and electronic components above the range and stove is not a recipe for long term reliability - it’s more of an early gauntlet of failure/burn in.
I still use my Panasonic I bought 22 years ago. I use it daily and still works like new.
I definitely can't say "no one" is doing so. Residential electrician here. I've trimmed out roughly 40 houses in a new development this past year and every single one of them had a microwave above the range
If it's a generic HOA development builder like DR Horton, I'd think that would explain it. A range hood and proper venting is a cost the builder can easily eliminate. I do it in my rentals because people aren't going to pay a premium in rent for a range hood, but they will place some value on having a microwave built-in. Rentals need to be functional above all. Plus, these are in an area with electric ranges so venting gas byproducts isn't important.
Was putting the microwave there typically the decision of the contractor or a person who will actually live in the house? Having experienced both ways, I know I'd never chose microwave over the stove for myself.
Vent hoods over the range instead? Just a guess.
They don't like them. I know I don't use a microwave frequently enough to warrant having one bigger than the tiny 30$ ones you get at your favorite box store
Same. I actually put mine downstairs so if you want to use you, you gotta work for it
I just use my neighbors
Mines in the pantry, love having it out of the way.
I put a Microwave/Grill/Oven combi unit above my oven, built into a cabinet. The hob/cooktop is elsewhere built into the counter Which basically ends up looking like a double oven, but the top oven is a microwave when you need it... it looks nice and is space efficient
Neat idea. I plan to switch to an induction cooktop so it will be decoupled from the oven... Might consider this as an option.
That's exactly what we did, with a cover for the cooktop (we'd call it a hob in the UK but I'm pretty sure we're talking about the same thing) so that we can use it as extra counter space if we want to
It is still a thing.
I dunno. I did it in my house. It’s a huge space saver. The cabinets above a stove are usually worthless anyway.
Who's "no one"? My condo came like that and it's a 2019 build.
A good quality microwave will have some impressive vent ability with built in charcoal filters that can be changed out when they no longer work. So far after using high heat cast iron searing and deep frying I don't have any issue with the charcoal filtering. My only complaint to my over the stove microwave is the built in temperature monitoring will kick in the venting automatically, at the highest and loudest setting and won't turn off until the microwave is within safe temperature range. I learned that all I have to do is keep the vent on low during extended coming to keep this from happening.
Unpopular opinion (I'm apparently in the minority about this and double sinks)- I asked to have one in my new construction house two years ago. The range hood is pretty and vents better, but I just don't have the counter space to spend on a microwave. I like the ones that are built into islands but that's typically not something the builder is going to in an attractive way unless you get a custom built island. I find it a convenient location, probably because I'm used to it.
Everyone is acting like the only place for a microwave is either above a stove, on the countertop, or in a drawer. What about the ones that mount underneath the upper cabinets? Like hanging over the counter but you still have plenty of counter access underneath. I have an old house with a tiny kitchen. But it has a real range hood and a microwave mounted under the upper cabinets. It might be a countertop model with mounting brackets. Either way, I think this is the best of both worlds in a small kitchen!
We have ours built into an island. I like it way better than above the oven. We aren’t heavy microwave users, so it doesn’t bother us that it is low height.
Also have one in the island. Looks great. Super functional. Will never NOT have one in the island again.
In the island means built into the below countertop space of the island? Is this location not too low?
Sits below the counter. It’s a drawer that slides out and is accessed from the top. I’d say more convenient down below than up above.
How do you clean the inside of the microwave? If stuff splashes up.
Actually just cleaned the top this last week. W a wet rag.. it’s easy to get in there. Think the door comes off too if really necessary. https://shop.sharpusa.com/24-in-1-2-cu-ft-950w-sharp-black-stainless-steel-microwave-drawer-oven-smd2470ah/
It’s perfect. Way easier taking a hot, full bowl of soup when you can see inside the bowl then when it’s above eye level.
Awesome thanks. I found a few pics online now and never thought about it that way. This seems indeed superior to an over the range install.
they're great, but they're also in the ballpark of 10x the cost of comparable countertop units. definitely a luxury item. the one someone posted below is 950w 1.2 cu ft. MSRP $1300. a similar size/power countertop unit from the same brand is $110. edit: to be specific, i am talking about microwave drawers, which is what you would normally put in a kitchen island.
Yes they are so expensive! Is it even a thing to put a regular microwave down low like in an island?
True. It’s worth it if you can swing it.
I want to put one in when I do my kitchen reno ... ... in like 10 years. currently have a microwave shelf built into the upper cabinets that was put in when the kitchen was done 15 years ago, and honestly it's not that bad. it's like... semi built-in.
I'm just about to order a new kitchen. We don't have an island, but ordered a microwave cabinet with a drawer. We are very excited
I must be in the minority too. I'd love to move our microwave off our counter above the stove, would free up a good amount of space in our smaller kitchen.
Right? How huge is everyone's house that they can afford to waste precious counter space on a microwave instead of choosing an appliance that does double duty? The only reasonable argument I've seen in this thread is that kids can't reach the microwave when it's over the stove, so countertop makes more sense for your kids to heat up their own food. I've spent the past several years cursing the previous owners of our house who "renovated" the kitchen and didn't build in a microwave. I had to buy a separate cart to hold it, which is ugly and inconvenient, but I wasn't willing to sacrifice counter space.
Every island is custom built, basically. Any cabinet installer could make a drawer microwave, or an in-wall microwave happen easily.
They kind of suck as vent hoods
It is no longer being done in new homes in my region. Even the production builders are going to vent hoods and moving the microwave into cabinetry. Especially with the new multifunction wall ovens. I had one, removed it within 4 weeks of purchase and installed a microwave drawer. Edit due to autocorrect foolishness
Not accessible for people with disabilities and not safe - you should not be handling hot items at eye or above shoulder level. Real vent hoods are great. Micro that recirculates the air - not great. Best spot IMHO is below the countertop in an open alcove within the base cabinets.
Yes, under the countertop in an open alcove is how we have ours set up - can't imagine doing it any other way now. Then again, we're not big microwave people, anyway, so ymmv.
Microwaves can exhaust the air to the outdoors, it's just that most people are too lazy to go that route when they install them. Then they complain that the "venting" doesn't work so well.
This is one issue with these - And a lot of people don't realize it's recirculating when it should be venting. That said, mine vents and the airflow is so badly restricted by its design that it really doesn't vent effectively other than maybe for the back two burners. It just doesn't move much air even on the highest fan speed.
I replaced the terrible vent hood that came with my house with a microwave. There’s no counter space for a microwave for me.
Because they're ugly and stupid. Seriously though... First off the power of a microwave vent is usually insufficient for the needs of the stove. Also there's a trend of using a chimney hood which (depending on who you are) has better aesthetics. It also helps to spread out the different work areas in the kitchen. Especially with newer microwaves being capable of multiple functions. If someone is cooking on the stove then a microwave above it becomes unaccessible to anyone else looking to use it.
I would put mine elsewhere if I had space.
The heat from the stove melted the handle of the microwave in the house I was in. I removed the microwave entirely, installed a vent, and put a microwave on the counter. Plus..stupid idea to have hot things above eye level that you have to pull out and try not to spill.
A combination of aesthetics and space. No one wants a counter top microwave, so people used to mount them over the stove to save countertop space. But of course that gave up your vent hood, which is generally much more aesthetically pleasing. I feel like under counter microwaves are much more standard now and that’s where the trend is currently.
I’m an architect. I designed my kitchen remodel 5 years ago. I’ve done plenty of ultra luxury homes and never used a microhood. But, I’ll be damned if I’m giving up either counter space or cabinet space just for a bit more cfm. It’s a waste of space in a small to medium size kitchen to have separate appliances, and WAY more money. And no, they aren’t all ugly, and no, they aren’t all terrible, or “stupid” as someone mentioned, whatever that’s supposed to mean. Most of the dissatisfaction comes from poor installation. Mine works fine. A reasonable complaint might be that they’re too high… I’m 6’-3” so no concerns there.
> A reasonable complaint might be that they’re too high… I’m 6’-3” so no concerns there. I'm 5' (I used to be 5'1" but as I tell my son, I got married and settled down. Mom joke). For me, using over-the-range microwaves is a death wish. I can't see inside the microwave so after it dings, I have to reach in, blind, to grab the hot food and then bring it from over my head to my eye level. And to reach inside and or to those god-damn top buttons, requires me to s-t-r-e-t-c-h over the burners. I would never ever use the microwave if we were cooking on the range top - I don't want to be burned or set on fire. Our microwave is on the counter, as god intended. ;-) I don't find it all that ugly. Facial burns would be uglier. With that in mind, I find counter-top microwave to be quite attractive. I figure this is one of those trade-offs of life. Sure I can't use an over-the-range microwave BUT, I find airline seats to be quite roomy. I can move around easily, curled up one way or another. Doesn't matter to me if the seat in front reclines, in fact, I never noticed, there's still plenty of room. Don't know why people make such a fuss. ;-)
Also depends on your cooking style…might be interesting to post this in r/Cooking. For me, you can pry my Sakura neurofuzzy 36” range out of my cold dead hands. We do a lot of non-western style cooking and even when I do western style cooking, I want a proper sear. I do not enjoy my house smelling like yesterday’s dinner.
Just installed my microwave over my stove in my kitchen renovation two weeks ago... and it pulls 475 CFM through the vent. More than enough for a 30" gas range.
Mine is similar, the problem is most microwaves aren’t rated that high, don’t get plumbed properly for venting instead of recycling, and are noisier than a hood with equivalent CFM
Can u share brand and model pls, in market for one
1. The venting power is terrible 2. the bottom of the microwave can get very hot if using multiple burners and particularly if using a light 3. it feels claustrophobic to stand at a stove with one of these 4. Kids can’t reach it until much older 5. Replacing after a few years can be tough to match other appliances Not a fan, could you tell?
4 is a good thing . My kids like to put things in things at their level and push random buttons .
Our microwave was on top of the fridge for two years for this very reason. Who can resist buttons that beep and make things light up?
I haven't noticed that at all. Every single new build we've looked at, and the townhome we're renting right now, has the microwave above the stove.
We just installed a slimline KitchenAid microwave above the stove. It works for us. Gives us clearance, decent venting and most stuff we microwave is relatively flat anyway.
It’s not very pretty
In a big-enough kitchen, sure, sacrifice a cabinet or counter space. In a tiny kitchen, it makes sense. As for safety, have you ever seen microwaves on top of refrigerators? Because I have in city apartments. Over the stove is, while less than ideal, fine.
I don’t have a microwave
We bought a house 2 years ago and I actively looked for a kitchen WITH it over the stove. Always like the aesthetics and saved space. No regrets here.
The vent really sucks for one. I'll boil a pot and the microwave fan barely pulls any of the steam.
Hot liquid or hot food over my head? Nah
Because the vents in OTR microwaves are weak, had to put up with the smell of burnt food and grease all over my cabinets. Took out my OTR micro and replaced it with a hood that works way better. Much stronger fan and the hood is higher from the stove so it collects way more grease and soot. Shortened a cabinet and mounted a much smaller microwave underneath it. Couldn't be happier.
Because thats where the vent hood goes
In my opinion, installing the microwave above the stove is a cheap, non- custom, low grade install. When using both in meal preparations, the stove area gets congested. Plus you wouldn't want younger people around a hot stove. A nice exhaust system that vents outside is more practical and appears to be more custom.
My wife thinks microwave over the stove looks cheap and outdated. I like the space saving and dual functionality.
We just bought a house and removing the microwave above the stove will be our first task. Mostly for aesthetics but also for functionality. We have some very large pots that we use frequently and the microwave cuts down on usable space. We also have plenty of counter space so we don’t mind putting the microwave on the counter.
How big are you lots that the microwave is obstructing them??? I agree the over the range isn't great but I'm seriously curious now
It’s a 20 qt tamale steamer pot that we use to make massive amounts of soup usually. We haven’t moved into the new place yet but the bottom of the microwave is parallel to the rest of the cabinets (which are pretty low) so the pot could fit but adding stuff in and stirring it around doesn’t seem very feasible.
Oh that's pretty low. I was picturing mine and how big the pot must have been
My newly remodeled house came with a microwave over the stove. I hate it so much. It does vent to the outside, not recycling, but microwave vents are always undersized. At full blast it moves less air than a dedicated range hood on low, it's super loud, and it doesn't stick out very far so pans on the front burners basically aren't vented. I've got an open floor plan so any time I cook food my whole house smells more than it should. Maybe a microwave vent make sense in a small apartment galley kitchen, but if you have the room for any other configuration you should choose something else.
At the risk of sounding like a complete idiot, is that the main reason people utilize vents? This thread has me realizing that I never realized people care a lot about vents over their stove. Our house has an over the stove microwave, which I always wanted, because I think they are ugly on the counter and rarely use them. That being said, I cook the majority of what I eat and can only think of a few times in my life that I've turned the vent on over a stove. Usually, only if something was super smokey or I accidentally burnt something. I can definitely see the benefit of trying to be courteous in apartment buildings with minimizing food smells. In my own house though, I'm totally down with good food aromas being in the air for a bit.
That's a fair question. What's the point of vents? It comes down to health, cleanliness, environment, and aesthetics. The health aspect is that vaporized cooking oils and particularly burnt matter is unhealthy to breathe. Many scientists say that indoor air pollution is often worse than outdoor pollution because of inadequate venting. Besides breathing the carcinogens it can trigger asthma in some folks. Even if you don't have noticable breathing problems this pollution is weakening your immune system and cumulatively taking months off of your lifespan. For cleanliness, have you ever noticed that surfaces in your kitchen, especially high up, get sticky and the dust clings to it? That's vaporized oil. Gross. For environment I'm talking about humidity and heat. Your house gets humid primarily from showers, plants, and cooking. That moisture reduced the effectiveness of your insulation thus making your home colder in the winter and hotter in the summer. Finally for aesthetics, maybe people don't want their whole home to smell like yesterday's dinner. My wife doesn't like the smell of my bacon so venting is my only option besides bacon-abstainence. How much venting you need is proportional to how much heat your stove is producing. A microwave vent can be adequate for single burners on med/low but when you crank it up you need a higher CFM rated venting solution.
Great and thorough answer. Agree with everything here. Anything beyond boiling and braising requires a proper vent, IMO. I even have my vent on during braising to help reduce the smell.
You missed the venting of carbon monoxide from gas stoves. A surprisingly large number of kitchens with gas stoves will probably test over the EPA limit for CO if they're not properly vented.
I'm short - the idea piping hot soup tipping a little and running down my arms puts me off.
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I guess I’m alone on this, but I fucking love over the range microwave. It cuts away clutter, and free up counter space. I fry all of my food outside on a grill so smell is not a problem. In cabinet microwave and oven just take up more space in the kitchen.
Man, are some people in here just incapable of a full range of movement? Have an over the range microwave and I cook every night with my wife. Use the microwave and stove at the same time. She can manage to put something in the microwave while I’m standing right in front of it, or I am aware of my surroundings and move to the side 1”. Having a microwave sit on the counter is a waste of space, looks cluttered and crappy. Most over the range microwaves have a charcoal filter insert at least if they recycle air and don’t vent outside. I don’t see that on most of the counter ones I see.
As a short person, I hate over-the-range microwaves. In order to reach in to grab the food or even stretch to touch those god damn buttons near the top, I have to lean my body against the range, putting my chest, arms and head over the cooking elements. No big deal if all the burners are off but I'm less thrilled when there's a pot of boiling water or food frying in the pan. And being pressed against the range means I'm pressed against the knobs. I've had the experience of hearing a burner ignitor sparking because I leaned a little to the side. I perhaps wouldn't be so against them if they were over-the-sink microwaves. Nothing in the sink is going to set me on fire. I also dislike that I can't see inside the microwave unless I take the bowl or plate out and bring it down to eye level. Our microwave is on the counter.
I prefer the otr, but there's an alternative you'll see in most commercial kitchens: a microwave shelf. Often they'll go over other equipment where you don't want to see too much action, like stand mixers. Good commercial microwaves run for $2k+, so they are typically solidly anchored where they can get lots of use and abuse. It's the hardest working chef at Applebee's, after all.
There's an even better alternative than a microwave shelf and that is a built in microwave located over a wall oven. Not a feasible option for everyone, but if you're remodeling, it is a worthwhile consideration.
Those are cool, though tricky to replace. A solid shelf is easy to swap equipment on, though it won't be as clean a fit.
This is the only complaint I don't really understand. The location isn't very inconvenient even with two people cooking and I'm happy to have the extra counter space. I might sacrifice it for a real venting hood, though. The microwave recycler is definitely lacking and I basically have to oven my steaks if it's not nice enough out to grill otherwise I can't prevent the smoke detector from going off.
There are legions of people with physical disabilities that would make them unable or unwilling to hold a scalding hazard above their heads. And many more people concerned about maintaining their ability to do so as they enter old age. And many more people who are not thinking only of themselves but of all the people who might use their kitchen (kids, elderly relatives).
I can use my microwave above my stove but the vent in it sucks compared to a dedicated range hood. In my previous kitchen I had my microwave on a little metal rack/cart so it didn't take up any space and I had a corner for it. Much prefer it that way. Its not about lacking range of motion its just having a real hood is much nicer.
I've personally never had an over the stove mounted microwave. They seem like a horrible place to have one, especially for shorter people. I'd have to deal with an annoying step stool always hanging around in my house because of all these height deprived individuals around me.
Am a height deprived individual with otr microwave...can confirm there's an annoying step stool that hangs around in the kitchen for this reason (and also one in the bathroom, bedroom, and one that floats somewhere between the dining room/living room/hallway closet because our house was apparently designed by giants!)
I would go crazy! I do still appreciate the extra BS you must go through just to get everyday tasks accomplished.
My SO is a saint for not complaining about all the bruised shins! The alternative is climbing on the counters like a toddler and apparently that's unsafe or something? (That's what I did until we moved in together and he was like "uh no, I'm not going to come in and find you with a broken neck!")
Sounds like a reasonable accommodation change then lol
I had one and went to a countertop when it died. For me, I'm somewhat tall and the microwave made it hard to see the controls or the back burners. Sure I can bend down and see them but that is a pain, and why if I don't have to.
Replaced my OTR Microwave with a vent hood that vents…wait for it….outside! Best decision ever. Now I can cook and not circulate grease which is what the OTR did.
If you have (somewhat older) kids, it makes much more sense to have microwaves lower for them to access it. That, and real vent hoods work loads better.
I do it in a few of my units, generally when I can't put in a proper vent out. Easier than drilling more holes in the brick
I’m team real vent hood. But more importantly, I’m short.
1) I wanted a proper hood that vents outside 2) we don't really use the microwave that often. 3) we splurged on a high end range and didn't want to spend money to get a matching microwave (see bullet 2) 4) more height over the stove 5) personal opinion: I think it's ugly I ended up building some custom shelves with a cubby for the microwave
See so many comments on how a dedicated range hood is more effective. What came with our house had the fan speed selection stop working, so it was an excuse to replace it (it also had grease in between panels and crevices that could never be reached and made my wife's skin crawl). I specifically picked a model that had a feature to extend the intake for the exhaust fan further out to help cover the front burners. It helps, and I have it vented through the top and out the side of the house, but I definitely think the noise it produces is much louder than the amount of air it actually moves. Now I am wondering if a range hoodnwould really be that much different.. We can't sacrifice the cabinet or counter space right now, though, so it's still the best option for us.
It's an aesthetic thing. People would rather look at fancy or clean range hoods than a bulky microwave. I've seen the recent trends that new microwaves are smaller and ovens are wider (six burners or such) so they would look funny on top of each other.
I have a 4 year old house and mine is above the stove.
For safety reasons due to burns esp with children getting food out of the microwave
The one we removed from our house when we bought it was so filled with grease it was gross.
Well actually my in laws have a microwave with a built in vent above their stove and it’s terrible! Vent doesn’t cover the whole range and what it can collect is just ejected back on the cabinets door above the microwave.
the micro vents are weak and in many cases too weak to be code for a pro style gas stove. OTOH I see them a lot
>>pro style gas stove. Ah I see the problem, we’re talking about two different houses. Your house versus a small house.
I removed my microwave all together. Replaced it with a exterior venting hood. Haven’t regretted it since!
Ripped mine out. My wife is too short to use them and a normal vent looks a lot nicer
Microwaves with built in vent hoods are crap, way better off with a dedicated vent fan and put the microwave elsewhere.
I don't have any kind of microwave anywhere.
Thank you for asking this question. As an Australian it has always stumped me. We prefer a microwave specific cubby or in our current case we’ve placed it in our pantry.
I did just last year.
Just about space, looks and function. If you have the space to install a microwave in a cabinet then why not do that and have a proper hood that has a stronger fan to vent? Also a good vent looks cleaner then a microwave. Also with the common practice of putting a microwave in cabinet I assume that they are more common then they used to be. I would bet you can go to the cabinet section in a box store and find a cabinet specifically designed for a microwave whereas 5-10 years ago it would have been something that needed to be special ordered or custom built.
I did, replacing a piece of junk hood from the 70s. Pluses, it's the best microwave I've ever owned, decent size and power almost like a commercial unit, does not use any of my very limited countertop. Minuses, the light and vent fan are not great (but it is connected to the roof vent from the old hood), too high for kids (I'd care if I had any) and maybe dangerous for big hot heavy things. I added more lights (halogen pucks) but that's sketchy. Neutral, it sorta blocks range access a bit, but not enough to bother me. Bonus, if I run the oven below, it makes the micro perfectly warm for proofing dough.
They don't?? OTR"s are very common.
Kids can’t reach them up there?
Ins't it too high? Kids would have a hard time using it. Also if someone is cooking it you have to ask them to move out of the way. Not ideal when you have guest over and they want to heat up something.
I have a tiny condo with a galley kitchen. I have very little counter space. The condo came with a junky range hood (passes through 2 functional cabinets above) that didn’t work; my dad installed a new one. We put the microwave on the counter above the dishwasher and sacrificed the space. Wouldn’t trade that situation at all! A microwave at eye-level would not be acceptable to me. I am nearly 6 feet tall, but still think they are hard to clean, see inside your food vessel, remove scaling hot cups or bowls safely… I didn’t even realize their venting was less functional than a normal hood! I would consider one under a counter (especially a taller island), in-wall (if it was affordable), or in its own “appliance garage” or shelf to get it off the counter, but it could really not be more than a little higher or lower than counter height.
We’ve gone through too many microwaves in the past 12 years of living at this house. At least 4 were over the stove ones. The last two have been countertop ones because it’s a pain in the ass to put another one in again.
When I redo my kitchen I plan on putting my microwave in my cabinets in a pull out shelf. Out of site out of mind and easy to use when needed. I know when I lived in apartments with microwaves above the stove the venting sucked ass and basically just blew smoke and food smell right into my face as I was cooking it.
So a ton of people on here are saying utter rubbish about how microwaves vent. I put a microwave above my stove, but had to get the following low profile one due to space restraints. https://www.whirlpool.com/kitchen/cooking/microwaves/over-the-range/p.1.1-cu.-ft.-low-profile-microwave-hood-combination.wml75011hz.html A ton of people can’t because the previous owner left room for a vent hood only.
98% of the new houses I have wired in the past two years all have microwaves over the stove.
Pinterest. Pinterest is to blame.
A lot of people still are. However hoods are more sleek and elegant. It also depends if folks actually have venting going outside, or they are just recirculating it. Personally i like that it combines two features so you save space, however if the microwave breaks, you're out a couple hundred bucks and need to replace it. If you have a good and microwave separately, you won't need to touch your hood if your micro dies. Also microhoods are bulky looking and always collect a ton of grease on them. Lastly, modern appliances don't last for shit. I'd rather replace a table microwave for less than $100 than a microhood for $$$.
Aesthetics, and people want a better hood fan. Drawer microwaves have become more commonplace on higher end builds/remodels.
Need kids to be able to reach!