# Over the Range Microwave and Cabinets



## cjenkins08 (Nov 27, 2011)

The microwave I am looking to purchase is 17.5" deep.
We are putting in new cabinets, and was looking for advice on what the best way to handle the difference of the 5.5" overhang.

Has anyone built the cabinets at 17.5"? Or do you just let it overhang?

Any pictures would be greatly appreciated.

The wall will be 9.5" with a 30" pantry on each end, counter top in the middle with bottom cabinets. The stove will NOT be under the microwave. Looking for ideas on the design of the top.


----------



## CodeMatters (Aug 16, 2017)

Picture below shows what I usually see. Space is built into the upper 
cupboards for any reasonably sized microwave.


----------



## MTN REMODEL LLC (Sep 11, 2010)

As CODE SUGGESTS^^^^^^^^^^ an idea I like...

Plus not having that micro up high and pulling/lifting down hot plates is a safer oeration also.


----------



## cjenkins08 (Nov 27, 2011)

CodeMatters said:


> Picture below shows what I usually see. Space is built into the upper
> cupboards for any reasonably sized microwave.


Isn't that a counter top microwave?
The package I am buying comes with an over the range style.


----------



## Canarywood1 (May 5, 2012)

They come in 3 sizes that i know, counter top, range mount, and flush mount.


----------



## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

You don't necessarily need 17.5" deep cabinets over a 17.5" deep microwave. I have (nominally) 12" deep cabinets (which I believe is pretty much standard) and a 15.5" deep microwave. It looks fine.

First, 12" is the inside depth of the cabinet. Plus backplate, plus door is the total thickness. The microwave sticks out a little, but is designed to look proper under standard 12" cabinets, so it does look proper. 

17.5" makes me wonder if it was designed to fit under 12" cabinets. I suggest you pull down the installation instructions off the internet, and review them. Fair chance it states what size cabinets are needed over it, or was designed to fit under. Might even give a maximum depth of the cabinets if it needs venting out the top front.


----------



## Todd82TA (Mar 20, 2018)

cjenkins08 said:


> The microwave I am looking to purchase is 17.5" deep.
> We are putting in new cabinets, and was looking for advice on what the best way to handle the difference of the 5.5" overhang.
> 
> Has anyone built the cabinets at 17.5"? Or do you just let it overhang?
> ...



If I could make a suggestion, what "CODEMATTERS" suggests below is a far better design.

It is QUICKLY becoming "out of vogue" to have a microwave mounted above a push-in stove/oven combo. If you can mount the microwave somewhere else like CODEMATTERS has it, and then have a nice hood vent above your stove... it'll look so much nicer.


----------



## MTN REMODEL LLC (Sep 11, 2010)

I realize you may have bought or want a certain micro.... but just as info... GE makes a model for under cabinet mounting.... it hangs off your cabinet above the counter.

It is not as large as some other cabinet top models... you're not going to cook TG turkey in it..... but I've used it in several homes and it looks good.

GE is the only micro to hang UNDER the cabinet that I have ever found.


----------



## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

Many OTR microwaves jut out a few inches because if you run the vent in recirc mode, they have to vent the air out. (OTRs also require a dedicated circuit)

Sound to me like you do not want an OTR model but an under cabinet model.

GE and whirlpool both make them, possibly others.


----------



## CaptTom (Dec 31, 2017)

I'm very happy with my OTR microwave. And yes, it's designed to be a little deeper than the 12" cabinets. It stands a few inches proud; I wouldn't be surprised if it's 17.5" deep.

I've never been "in vogue" so I'm not really worried about that aspect.


----------



## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

We'll now, glad I showed up so I could give you my vast but novice
experience. :biggrin2:
Firstly, I am a woman, so I know exactly what I want, and refuse to
settle for less. :smile: And one thing I didn't want was a micro
hanging out way past the cabinets.

We put in a new kitchen in 1985 with a GE over the stove micro.
So, I have this type micro for 33 years all together.

Then ten years ago, we put in another new kitchen and replaced
the GE for a zenith. So, the second time around I knew exactly what I
wanted.
Note that the zenith does not have a grilled vent in the front,
the vent is on the top. The grilled front vent on the GE would get greasy
so, I would have to unscrew it periodically in order to clean it in the sink.

This micro vent on this microis on the top, I just sponge it off a few times a week.
This micro works great, and it vents straight out directly to the outside.

Now for the size...this Zenith micro is 15 1/2 " deep. We built our own cabinets,
so, I designed the cabinets flanking the microwave to be 14 1/2" deep.
There is 1" of the side (door) of the micro showing ( which is stainless steel--beyond the 1" the side of the micro is black...the black would have driven me
nuts) 

I'll post pic's ...the cabinet above the micro is about 13" deep...just so that
you don't get confused, that's a mirror over the stove ( above the small tiles)
so, it's reflecting the the other side of the galley kitchen.
I'll get the pics...
Joann


----------



## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

I had to locate where the pics were...I just reread your post and realized
you're not putting this above a stove? I'm confused now...are we talking
about the same kind of microwave?


----------



## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

close-up


----------



## cjenkins08 (Nov 27, 2011)

Two Knots said:


> I had to locate where the pics were...I just reread your post and realized
> you're not putting this above a stove? I'm confused now...are we talking
> about the same kind of microwave?



Original Poster here....... Yes, this is what I am looking to do. I want to mount it just like you did, but I won't have a stove under mine, just a counter top. We need more counter space and less cabinets, which is why I am looking to go this route.
We are getting black stainless Whirlpool brand, and I don't see an "Under the Cabinet" version, just an "over the range".

Best Buy had the depth listed as 17.5", but everywhere else I look says 15.5".


----------



## BayouRunner (Feb 5, 2016)

Just another option. If I was not going to have a stove underneath this is the way I would go. A standard microwave with a trim kit










Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

Yes, that's what I would suggest, the option that Bayou Runner 
suggested. It looks wonderful. If your not going over a stove,
you don't need the over the range micro, as you don't need the
exhaust part and the under light feature.

If I understand you correctly now -- you'll 
have a cabinet flanking each side of the microwave, right? If that's
correct then Bayourunner's option is perfect. 
Also, 17 1/2" is quite deep for a microwave. Think about selection
a model that that is 15 1/2" deep or even shallower. The one that
Bayourunner has is beautiful. :thumbsup:


----------



## Todd82TA (Mar 20, 2018)

BayouRunner said:


> Just another option. If I was not going to have a stove underneath this is the way I would go. A standard microwave with a trim kit
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I 100%, whole-heartedly concur. This is really the way to do it.

I don't want to be snooty, but it drives me nuts when people mount a microwave over the stove. I do think the picture on the previous page with the OTR looks really nice... very nice kitchen and color combinations; however, it just kills me to see everyone going this route.

Through most of the 1960s and early 1980s... almost all quality homes were built with wall-mounted ovens, and dedicated stove-tops (with storage below). Many homes had double-wall mounted ovens. At some point it became much cheaper to sell the slide-in stove / ranges (like we're going back to the depression era stoves), and mount the "new" microwaves above.

You know, I'm not saying we bring back the 1977 Dodge Monaco Royale, or the full-size 1978 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz w/ Pillow Top cushions... but I do think we should "expect" more from our builders and home designers. Builders push heavily towards a slide-in oven / range, with an OTR microwave because it saves them SO much more in labor and installation costs, even though it adds little additional expense to the home owner.

This isn't Kazakhstan, this is the United States!!! We should demand more from our homes! Haha...


----------



## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

I agree Todd, especially if you have the room to build in a micro in
another wall. Our daughter has a huge kitchen that they remodeled
a few years ago. She has a professional wolf gas stove and a vent
above it. Nearby is a triple decker...:wink2: electric oven, electric warmer
oven and a microwave -- all built into the cabinets.
In our case we have -- a dinky galley kitchen. I needed to 
take advantage of the space over the stove for both an exhaust fan
and micro wave.

Our house was built in 1956 with a stainless steel wall oven and stainless
steel countertop range...who knew stainless was popular back then!?! 
We replaced it with white appliances, and then ten years ago with all stainless!
Oh well, that's show biz...What goes around comes around.


----------



## CaptTom (Dec 31, 2017)

Two Knots said:


> close-up


That's beautiful. You do nice work!

Good point about the door needing to stand a little out from the cabinet so it can open.

If I had it to do over again, I would (and still might) make the effort to run the exhaust vent outdoors, rather than recirculating back into the room. As pointed out, the vent can get dirty, plus it's sort of pointless to just pump the steam and whatever else back into the kitchen.


----------



## Talos4 (Aug 10, 2006)

IF I had the money to completely re-do the kitchen right now I'd get rid of the Micro OTR. 

We refreshed our new to us condo's kitchen with new appliances and had to go back to the OTR. But is was much better than the old Westinghouse Range Microwave combination it came with.


----------



## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

Talos, I'm confused, is that your old micro stove unit or the replaced one?
It looks like one unit. 
You have a nice clean and spacious kitchen layout. Good luck in your
new home.

CaptTom, Do it! you won't be sorry, it really works well. Our micro is on
an outside wall, so we were able to go straight out the wall directly to the outside. 
Ya know, what they say -- 
the fastest distance distance between
two points is a straight line...or as my main man says -- All delayed
projects are because of the Joann changes along the way! :biggrin2:

Our Fridge story was another adventure! But, the final outcome 
was a success. Our GE counter depth proline fridge broke,(a few years ago)
and I wanted to replace it with a bigger fridge...We stuffed a 23 1/2 cubic
fridge fridge into a 19 1/2 cubic feet space!
I really had to wracked my brains on this installation, as I didn't want 
the fridge sticking our far past the cabs...Where there is a will, there is a way!


----------



## Talos4 (Aug 10, 2006)

That's the old one. It was original to the unit. It was one unit. Built in 98. That's the MLS listing photo. We've updated everything except the cabinets and the floor, which is coming soon. 

Oddly enough I had a similar set up 30 years ago in a rental except that one had two ovens. One up top and one in the range. 

The best part though was that old one was avocado green!!!


----------



## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

My sister had that double oven stove. 
I thought that was a great idea as the small
oven heats up quick, and uses less energy.
It seems like a big waste to heat up a big oven
for many things that can be cooked in a small oven.

We bought the Wolfgang Puck oven a couple of
years ago and love it. It uses pressure and electric
to cook quickly. It's really true that you can cook a 
14lb turkey in 40 minutes. We usually cook a whole
chicken in 30 minutes ( with baked potatos too)
or a meatloaf in 30 minutes...it's a very cool thing.

Yes, I remember avocado, and harvest gold too...
we had all coppertone appliances and a coppertone sink too.
Pulled out all our stainless steel for coppertone, then pulled out
the coppertone for almond white...then replaced the almond with
stainless again! It's nuts! Back to the future!


----------



## CaseyClements (Sep 8, 2017)

CodeMatters said:


> Picture below shows what I usually see. Space is built into the upper
> cupboards for any reasonably sized microwave.


Well, that a best fitting area for microwave i think i should make a place like this in my office kitchen as i am short of space


----------

