cindy, I eagerly await responses to your question. Mine have been ignored!

Every time I think I have decided on an OTR microwave, I read a report of that model bursting into flames when not in use or some such thing.

I can say that a friend of mine has had a 30" white Kenmore Elite for 2 years and she loves it, hasn't had any problems with it. She bought all her appliances from Sears at one time, so got a package deal.

I have a GE 1851. It's a little more expensive than your price range (I paid about $380 for it), but it was well-reviewed by users on various web sites. It has a sensor. Haven't used it a lot yet, but I've heated soup, made popcorn, heated water for tea, etc. and I don't think I've noticed the fan coming on...

charlikin, are you sure it is 1851 not 1850? The 1850 was a possibility until I read the reviews. Maybe your is different. Does it actually pop all the popcorm kernels?

Others out there?
Thanks,
Cindy

Kitchenaid..the link is to mine. I love it. I've had it since June or July 08

Here is a link that might be useful: My microwave

We have the Sharp R1874 OTR for 15 months and its been great
I'm afraid I haven't used it to its potential with convection (LOL) but microwaving has been great. Fans relatively quiet and the only thing besides the price is I wish the keypanel had backligthing for late evening snacking

This is like pulling teeth, isn't it? So few want to admit they have one of these. :) I'm thinking of getting the GE Spacemaker JVM1740. Maybe this would be good for you, Cindy? It's in your price range (check Sears) and has mostly good customer reviews. Comes in black, white, bisque, and stainless.

Please let us know what you decide!

We have one. It's just not over a range (or rangetop, or cooktop, etc) and is not externally-vented.

The 1850 and 1851 are basically the same microwave - the difference is the 1850 is externally vented vs recirculating for the 1851. I'm in an apartment and can't vent, so I got the 1851.

As for reviews - I read bad things about all models of microwave. :-) I was going for an overall impression - how many good vs. how many bad. The 1850/51 was better than many. :-)

Oh, and no, not all the popcorn kernels pop. I'm okay with that. My last m/w didn't have a sensor, and I had to set the thing for 4 minutes and then stand there while it was popping so I could turn it off when it stopped popping. I can't tell you how many times I ate burnt popcorn! So I guess I'd be happy with *any* m/w with a popcorn sensor. :-)

There was an OTR micro post over on kitchens a while back that generated quite a few answers and recommendations.

There are a few kenmore microhoods that really are good hoods in your price range. Feel free to give me a call at 920-738-8646 and i'd be happy to go over them with you. Ask for Ryan when you call....thanks

Have a great day!

We have the OTR Whirlpool MW. It's been great! But I'm wanting to change it out for a drawer MW b/c we're getting new countertops and backsplash and I want the height of my backsplash back.

lkennedy79 I just looked a whirlpool at Lowes. Which one do you have and if you have the fan recirculating does that work well? Is the fan adequate/noisy. Does the popcorn get all popped?

electronicbase Yours is convection, but I will look at other Sharps--We will have convection in our new Frigidaire dual fuel range.
Thank you; I'm so glad to get a few responses on this but there sure is not an overwhelming choice here.

bump
I went looking today and like the looks of the Pro Frigidaire either plbmv188hc (I think only availble at Lowes) and the plmvz169gc. The 188 vents to the top and is 18.5 inches deep; the 169 vents out to the top front and is 17 inches deep. Also the 188 (the larger one) has the controls along the front bottom of the door rather than to the side of it. Should I be afraid of that type? I think it means the wires run through the hinge of the door.

The 188 is a newer model and I think the 169 has been around a couple of years. Do any of you have either?

Of course the most appeal is the look; I know I said it didn't matter if it matches the range, but the Pro Frigidaire range has a nice non fingerprint SS and so do these 2 microwaves.

I'm still open to other suggestions though.

Thanks,
Cindy

Cindy,
We have Whirlpool model MH7140XFQ. It's always worked like a dream. We had to add a vent up thru the ceiling, into the attic and out the roof for it. It is a bit noisey, but aren't they all? And yes, all the popcorn gets popped.

Since we are remodeling I need to contact WP and ask if the venting can be redirected to the front b/c I want to move it from OTR. If it cannot, then I'll be looking for a new MW. Make sure you have a stud in the wall where you are going to hang it. These things are heavy.

Not having ever had one, don't these hang from the cabinet above?

That Whirlpool model is not listed on the whirlpool sight so it may not be available anymore or maybe just for a big box store. Thanks for the reply. Cindy

They do hang from the cabinet. There is a bracket that screws in and then the microwave is attached to it (at least on mine). I think it is also attached to the wall at the back.

I went looking in some B&M stores the other day, also, and though I was thinking we'd get stainless, I think it's going to look really bad with our white range. So I guess it will be white plastic for us again. Why can't manufacturers make NICE white appliances, in painted metal or some more durable material? I, for one, would pay extra for it.

On some of the cheaper ones I saw in the store (a Best Buy), the plastic handle had already broken off. I can't remember the brand (wasn't GE -- I was checking out those especially because the size is the best for our kitchen).

I was just shopping again and in our area Best Buy is the only store that actually has them plugged in. Some are so much more intuative than others. I wanted to love the Frigidaire, but it has more steps to go through and you can't even use the timer while microwaving. The GE's are the most straight forward. I tried the 1750 and liked the features. I hope it will look good above my Frigidiare pro slide in. I guess I can't get too conerned about that.Does anyone have either the GE 1750 or 1851?
Thanks,
Cindy

Our Sharp has had no problems in the last 5 years except for the plastic valence trim piece at the bottom which has been replaced twice due to warping. The part costs about $35.
Our model has a 'virtual turntable', no physical turntable, but the heat is rotated under the dish being warmed.
Prior to that we had a Maytag. Two service call to fix the handle and it still remained broken.

I had a GE Spacemaker that mounted on brackets, not on the cabinet itself. It worked fine.

I have a Whirlpool at my weekend lake place. I've had it for almost two years now. The model # is MH2175XS. I think it was around $300. I like it fine but I really think they're all about the same. It has a turntable and an option to stop it from turning - they didn't all have that. It has the option to vent to the outside. The only thing I don't like about it is that is hangs rather low compared with the one I replaced. If I were to do it again I would have paid more attention to the dimensions. I figured they were all kind of standard but that is apparently width, not height.

WE have had a Samsung that vents 360 CFM and it has been great. It's been just over two years and no problems at all. (I believe that the particular model we have has been discontinued but I think there is an updates compararble one.) It can vent outside or recirculating, which might as well be.... Ours goes right out the back wall and the air can literally blow you away when it is on high. However it is noisy and we hate running it on high. Since we have virtually no exhaust pipe length, we almost never do run it on high.
At the time we got it, we were replacing a vent hood that moved quite a bit of air and were concerned. The noise factor is the only difference. We gained so much counter space in return.I was also looking at a Panasonic that moved the same or a bit more air but could not find one locally to look at and will not buy anything sight unseen.
Ours is stainless with a bit of black and came from Lowe's at a reasonable price. I'd have to look up the model, if you're interested....

greengirl: Yes, please let me know the model number. Samsung is the #1 in consumer reports, but you don't hear much about it. That model is SMH718STG. It is 1.8 vol. and 1000 watts. I was at Lowes and they have SMH7187STG which is 1.8 and 1100 watts with a 400 CFM fan. Of course you can't try them at Lowes. Does your have a timer that works while microwaving? (seems silly but we use that feature all the time on our current one). How does it pop popcorn? Does it have a sensor cook feature? Thanks,
Cindy

The LG ( can't remember the model) is the one we picked for our son's apartment. His stove is in the island but we just put it in an upper cabnet. It's really neat - the door pulls up so you don't have to worry about the door swing. check it out

cindy49
I have an LG microwave & I am happy with it. It has a rectangle plate instead of the round one or turntable so I can heat up food in a microwaveable pan. It has also 5 vent settings on it.