Over Range Microwave
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To say that it is a rule of thumb for just about every household that the kitchen will have a microwave in it would not be a stretch. In this modern era, it is hard for most of us to imagine living without a microwave. But when you are trying to lay out your kitchen either after you move in or when you are remodeling that limited space, sometimes the microwave can take up valuable kitchen countertop space.
Even a small microwave can take up a lot of counter space. Not only do you have to allow room for the base of the microwave, you must allow for room in front of it so the door can swing freely to open and close for moving food in and out of the oven. That is why alternative kitchen designs to find a place for the microwave to be that doesn’t eat up so much counter space are worth considering. One such design idea is to mount the microwave over the top of the stove area in that hooded area where the fan and light is now.
You don't have to give up your stove fan and light to put your microwave oven over the range of your kitchen. There are plenty of designs for microwaves to fit in that space that allow for those existing mechanisms to stay in place and continue to be functional. However, to accommodate a microwave over your stove, there are some preparations that are going to be called for.
To be realistic, if you do not already have an open space over the counter for the microwave, there is going to be some significant carpentry work to allow for it. To allow the microwave to exist up there, you need a sturdy shelf or cabinet that the microwave can reside within. But if you are already remodeling the kitchen or if there is a cabinet up there right now that you could remodel fairly easily, it is possible to work with your existing space to create a spot for the microwave oven.
In addition to the cabinetry, look closely at the power and venting needs of a microwave oven. If you simply adapt an existing cabinet that is over the range, there may not be an outlet in the wall at the back of that cabinet to plug the microwave into. Also, microwave ovens have fans that vent fumes and smoke from the interior of the microwave to the open air. You must accommodate those fans to safely install your microwave over the stove.
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By working with your kitchen remodeling designers, it is possible to take advantage of some underused space over the range to put a microwave oven up there. If that works out well, the microwave will be just as accessible and useful but you will redeem all of that kitchen counter space to be used for meal preparations. It is a nice solution to retain the value of your microwave oven to you and get your counters back at the same time. With the range top design, you can have it both ways.
