Tell me I'm not crazy!

[minkydog]

We're in the midst of having our kitchen cabinets refaced. Part of the project is putting in a microwave over our existing stove. We were told it had to have a 17" clearance. Okay. So I come home today and the cabinet is already built and it has the required clearance. But it looks weird. The bottom of the microwave will be even with the other cabinets. The net effect is that there is a bank of white cabinets stretching the length of the counter. I had thought the microwave would be set about 4-5" higher, which would require a smaller cabinet above. Am I right? I think I've seen microwaves in other homes that they were a little higher than 17" over the stove, maybe 20" or so. I thnk this is going to look weird. Not to mention the fact that it's going to be hard to see the controls on the back of the stove. DH told the installer to put it lower so I can use the microwave easier. IT's not like I'm 4 feet tall. I'm a normal size 5'4".

 

[ncmickeyluvr]

I just measured mine. The cabinets are 18 inches above the counter. The microwave is 22 inches above the stovetop. I'm 5'4" and I don't have a problem reaching. Anything lower and I think I would whack my face against it.

 

[mamacatnv]

The bottom of our micro is at the same level as the bottom of the cabinets and then above the micro there is an additional small cabinet so that the top of the cabinets are also all in line

 

[Hannathy]

my micro isn't above the stove that is where the exhaust fan and light is and then a cabinet above. My Micro is in the row of cabinets and happens to be kinda above the dishwasher and a set of drawers BUT a long way of saying the bottom of the shelf it sits on is level with the bottom of the cabinets.

 

[LindaG4458]

My microwave is over the stove. It contains both the light to see the stovetop and the exhaust fan. It hangs about three inches lower than the cabinets, below a short (less than half the height) cabinet. The development architect designed it this way and it seems to work very well.

 

[Agri]

My advice is to sort of 'practice' cooking and see if the set-up is viable for you. If not, speak up ASAP.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Oh I will tell you the PITB when the micro hangs low, it is with cooking. You have to be very careful not to burn yourself if you have to empty grease or whatever because you have to bring the pan to the side because the microwave is too low to do it under.

I have the 17" clearance & it is even with the bottom of the cabinets.

 

[minkydog]

Thanks for the info. DH knows he messed up--he's going to ask them tomorrow if they can raise the cabinet so the microwave can go up. If it's going to be a $300 fix I guess we'll have to live with it. But I hope not cuz I know it's going to drive me crazy to have the microwave that low.

 

[Hannathy]

My advice is to sort of 'practice' cooking and see if the set-up is viable for you. If not, speak up ASAP.

I have to agree with this. If you don't like it in the next day or two you will never like it! If I have learned anything in all the years that I have owned homes is you never "learn" to like something. If you don't like it for as long as you live there it will bug you!. I have a door that I didn't like but my DH did and I went along with it instead of saying no I really don't like it and now 17 yrs later I still dislike that door.

 

[nancygirl1]

You're not crazy!

Our cabinets are 18" above the counters and the microwave is 23" above the counters/stove. We had to have it higher than the cabinets because it felt like the microwave was in our faces when we cooked. It was also dangerous because there wasn't enough clearance between the stove and the micro.

 

[kirstenb1]

OP, you're exactly right. We have 36 inch cabinets for most of the above ones, but then there's the microwave over the stove, with a smaller cabinet above it.

 

[Nelfamily]

My microwave is over the stove. It contains both the light to see the stovetop and the exhaust fan. It hangs about three inches lower than the cabinets, below a short (less than half the height) cabinet. The development architect designed it this way and it seems to work very well.

My microwave is the same way. I installed it, replacing the range vent to free up my limited counter space. The bottom of the microwave is 18" above the stove top, HVAC friend of mine told me that 18" above the stove top is standard. One inch lower I would imagine wouldn't make much of a difference tho.