Microwave in island??

[minnie56]

We are in the final stages of a Kitchen renovation. The latest plans show the Microwave in the island and therefore lower than I am used to. I would have to bend to use...though I am not a big user really I am not sure if this will work for me?

I am told it's becoming popular to have it here..any thoughts or experiences with this placement?

Thanks

 

[mickeysgal]

We are in the final stages of a Kitchen renovation. The latest plans show the Microwave in the island and therefore lower than I am used to. I would have to bend to use...though I am not a big user really I am not sure if this will work for me?

I am told it's becoming popular to have it here..any thoughts or experiences with this placement?

Thanks

I'm interested in the responses you'll get on this question.

Right now, our microwave is in the traditional place over the cooktop. There isn't one new house that we've seen that still has it here. We're seeing them built into the island or the regular kitchen cabinetry or over a single wall oven.

 

[princess pooh]

I'm also interested in your responses. I was just discussing this with DH the other day and we're trying to decide whether to get a microwave over the stove or in the island.

 

[Beth76]

Not sure if this applies, but if it's lower, little kids can get into it. And by "into it" I just mean goof around with it not actually climb inside. Although you never know. I use my microwave a lot and wouldn't like it beneath the counter height.

 

[minnie56]

No little kids here so that's not an issue...but I am used to above the oven after all these years! I am having a wall oven but this designer keeps trying to get me to re-think the conventional!

I am wondering how it will be lifting things up and out rather than out and down...as well as the accessibility of the buttons?

Stay tuned..hopefully we'll all learn something!

 

[TimeforMe]

When we remodeled our kitchen, I had the option of putting it on our island. I just didn't (and still don't) see the logic to it. We put ours built into our cabinets over the stove.

 

[mickeysgal]

Another think to consider is the space that a microwave takes up when its part of an island. The cabinetry space that it consumes is larger than you think. You have to buy a different kind of microwave - a built-in model with a trim kit. A build-in microwave vents into the room vs. the ones mounted over the stove vent outside. Shoot - the trim kit pretty much costs as much as the microwave itself.

 

[decaff38]

I requested that it be put in the island. We moved in 5 years ago. My thought is that if I am paying big bucks for gorgeous cabnets, why would I break it up with a 50.00 appliance(ugly) Right under it is a deep drawer that we keep all the microwave popcorn etc... I love it. I have a decorative wood hood over my stove. I felt it is safer to lift something up to the counter rather than down from above the stove. I would never put it on my counter or above my stove. The bending thing is silly. How do you empty your diswasher?

 

[mickeysgal]

I requested that it be put in the island. We moved in 5 years ago. My thought is that if I am paying big bucks for gorgeous cabnets, why would I break it up with a 50.00 appliance(ugly) Right under it is a deep drawer that we keep all the microwave popcorn etc... I love it. I have a decorative wood hood over my stove. I felt it is safer to lift something up to the counter rather than down from above the stove. I would never put it on my counter or above my stove. The bending thing is silly. How do you empty your diswasher?

Decaff38 - Just curious. How deep is your drawer under the microwave opening? We just ordered a base cabinet for a built-in microwave/with a trim kit and the drawer underneath is rather shallow. From what I understand, the cabinet opening for the microwave has to be of a certain size to allow for venting and air flow in and around the microwave which is suspended up off the floor of the opening. I don't know how we could have tightened up the space anymore to get a bigger drawer out of it. Now, I'm talking about a true built-in microwave, not a microwave that sits in an open shelf opening that you can see in and around it. This microwave will look built-in, like a built in wall oven.

 

[minnie56]

Hmmmm decaff38, are you my Designer lurking here?

She has said all of that!

My Microwave (ordered) is pretty nice looking but I kinda felt that way too...that the Cabinet work these days is more like furnishings and did I want to disrupt the flow with all these appliances? I have a warming drawer below my wall oven..so as it is..if I insisted on it being above the oven it would be rather high?? I can of course put it in lieu of a cabinet, but beside the oven...just didn't look right. I also have a pretty deep drawer below the MW in the island if I end up deciding to go that route.

Too much choice....I am overwhelmed.

 

[mtemm]

mine is in the island, but its a stand-alone microwave instead of a built in (but has its own nook, like a built in). it was weird getting used to at first, but now I am.

 

[rie'smom]

My husband was a cabinet maker and wanted to put ours in the island. I told him no-it's just to uncomfortable to have to bend over like that and it won't get easier as we get older. Instead,we built a shelf in the pantry which is near the island. Close for the prep but hidden from view.