I have a Sharpe micro/conv under the counter. Our cabs were custom made so I have one very deep drawer under and a bead around the painted opening for the micro. I did not want to use trim as I wanted to be able to lift the micro out for cleaning.

Oh, now that's a thought! Thanks.

Kitchenaid makes an undercounter microwave with a drop down door.... architect series.

Thanks, I'll check it out.

ikea has two models like that.

Can you train your husband to put one of those microwave plastic covers over the beans or is it too late for that ;)?

You are actually bringing up a good thought . . . my husband cooks steel cut oats til they explode and boil over!

LOL.....he actually does use covers on the food. It's just that he puts so much time on it that it gets so hot (the food) practically explodes, raising the cover/lid, and spewing contents everywhere. I cannot get it through his head that once food has reached boiling point, you're not really getting the food any hotter (for eating purposes!) and that it doesn't take all that long to heat things. It drives me crazy.

I put a GE Monogram undercounter-

{{gwi:1397524}}

I like having it out of the way, but truthfully, that is the one thing I would change about my kitchen. I don't like the undercounter set up at all- just my opinion!

Tracey,

I had the same dilema, and I wouldn't give up my double ovens for anything!

It is low, and it is not easy to clean, you better make sure dh keeps his bean covered!!!

In my last house we had a shelf about 18 inches over the countertop, with a small cabinet over, for the micro, and that was a perfect setup. I wanted it out of the way, in this kitchen~ I've actually been looking for a very small 2nd micro I can put in our pantry for heating a cup of water for tea, or small heat ups.

The reason for the drawers popularity has more to do with how it opens than actual performance. For the same reason dishwashers don't have side swing doors yet most microwaves do lends to installing microwaves high and dishwashers low.

However, Miele Speed Oven, GE Advantium, and Electrolux Icon all have a pull down (oven style) door. But, these are also ovens.

If you are building or remodeling, I would highly recommend one of these as an option in lieu of a second oven. If you are not, you may want to reconsider the drawer if installing under the counter is your only option. I have cleaned the interior of one and it's not that hard.

Regarding your husband, when food has reached the point of being cooked in a microwave but the unit just keep on nuking, the beam reflects back into the magnetron tube and will cause it to eventually overheat, pop, fail and die. Tell him that to get him to be more careful.
The popcorn setting is specifically on a microwave to avoid this from happening

Thank you, aprince, for giving me something to tell my husband SCIENTIFIC (he's a scientist) about over-heating his food in the MW.

I have considered the Advantium, and it's not out of the question, but it's fallen into second place.

I have found another, plain, MW that is hinged on the bottom--it's a KitchenAid Architect series.

Thanks!

We have the KitchenAid architect plain microwave with the drop down door. We liked it because it felt more solid than some of the other microwaves and also because the drop down door gave nice access with under the counter mounting.

One really nice thing we have found using it is the Meal Reheat function. Put your leftovers in and push the button. It uses a sensor to reheat until the meal is hot. That might help with your husband's problem.

Oh thank you, Cloud swift! Just what I wanted to hear :-) It sounds like yours is under-the-counter mount? I figured it'd seem like getting something out of an oven and offer maybe a little piece of mind in case a plate starts to slip out of your hands (with the open door being under it instead of swinging to the side, out of the way).

I'm hoping that with my husband having to stoop down to program the microwave, if I can just show him a button to press (meal reheat), I won't have anymore bean explosions to clean up. [Hmm...."bean explosions"...."husband's problem"--doesn't sound good].

Thanks again. Unless I have an epiphany tonight (that I don't actually need double ovens--and I don't really, after all, I've made it this long without 2), I think I know what I'm going to do.....maybe. Aaargh.

Tracey

Dang, just read a couple of unflattering reviews (only ones I've found so far) on this MW. Mostly it was about the "cooling down" feature and a fan running a lot even if you open the door to let it cool out. Reviews were about 2 yrs old, though--maybe KA has changed it since then. What do you think about it, Cloud swift?

Thanks.

I have the Kitchenaid Architect and am pleased with it. It has a good solid feel to it and works just fine.
Yes it surprised me too when I heard the cooling fan for the first time. It does run for a while, but doesn't bother me anymore. It runs for about 30 sec or so after being on for a few minutes.

The only time that it really stays on for a while is after something like baked potatoes or when I make a big pitcher of iced tea using Cooks Illustrated method of bringing the tea and 6 cups of water to a near boil.

The fan is about as loud as the hum of the microwave itself so it is definitely noticeable. I suppose if you were eating in your kitchen it might be a bother.

But I'm not a huge cooker in the micro.... mostly just reheat and so it doesn't bother me and I'm hoping that this function will help prolong the life of the microwave by keeping the sensors/computer cooler.

Don't be afraid of asymmetry in your kitchen. Have you thought about buiding a "cubby" for it (no trim kit). Smaller footprint, you can put a small drawer under it. All of this above the counter. I've done this with much success, and use the small drawer for manuals or smaller items. A cabinet would go above the MW. I have a picture, but it's on my home computer. I can email you a link (it's also posted on a website) if you'd like to see it.

Check out the second and third pictures from the left on the top row. You can click on them to enlarge.

Hi Baver--I don't see a link?

My kitchen guy said there's been several MWs he's put in under counter, and what he does is uses a counter-top MW that comes with a trim-kit. Lots less expensive than one meant for in-cabinet.

Gbsim--Thanks for another good review on the KA. When it's needing to cool-down, how long does it take to recover before it's ready to go (cook) again?

Thanks so much!

tracey_b, Sorry, I meant to erase that last line. The link was to pics on a website for a small design business which I am indirectly involved with and I didn't want to get banned from GW because I posted that.

I still think if you use that MW a lot, you are better off having it above the counter or going with a MW drawer.

tracey_b, you've got mail.

The undercounters are designed to be usable from above. If you put just a regular one in a cubby below the counter, I don't think that the directions and buttons would be convenient to use from above. Also in most "regular" microwaves the buttons and the way the door opens might make it more difficult to use when approaching or standing on different sides of the microwave. You wouldn't have this problem with a drawer or undercounter that was designed to be used that way.
The fan doesn't operate in a way that prohibits you from using the microwave. Even if it's on you can still cook.

Thanks, baver--got it.

Thanks, gbsim. Okay, it's back in the running :-) So you like the microwave, regardless? I do "baked" potatoes in the MW, too--does the cooling fan happen during the longer length of time it takes to cook a potato and therefore increase its cooking time? I cant' believe I'm so hung up on choosing a MW--I'm wondering how in the world I'm going to be able to choose the other stuff!

Thanks so much.
Tracey

I've only had it for about 6 weeks... did baked potatoes once. It has a baked potato setting you can use (this was all new to me) which senses the moisture level in the potato and stops it when done. I'll say that they were better than when done in my old Amana.

No the fan doesn't affect the cook time.

I'll try and take a photo of the microwave tomorrow.

Thanks gbsim--I'd appreciate the pics....

and anything anyone else has to say on under-counter MWs (or plain MWs placed under-counter). I really don't have much available, counter-top-wise, or in/under the upper cabinets. Most my countertop space is the island.

Thanks.

Here you go Tracy.... have been waiting to post pics of our refresh until I get my backsplash installed next week.

We were replacing an undercounter Amana from the 80's (also with a drop down doon). The KA fit the old space almost perfectly and the drawer would have required some modification. As a result of this being a retrofit, it's probably and inch or so lower than we would have put it if we had been building from scratch.

I've liked having the mw undercounter for all this time.... very few upper cabs and I love the lower location. Always dislike lifting hot things down from eye level when I'm at other's houses!

Not sure if you can see, but in the last pics, I tried to show the "cheat sheet" that you can see when the door is ajar that helps you remember how to work the different settings.

Thank you so much for the pictures! I really like the way it looks. And I just noticed it doesn't have a keypad for numbers. Does the knob perform that function?

I appreciate you taking the time to post pics.
Tracey

When you push cook repeatedly you get increments of different numbers. Also there is an Add a Minute button. But you are right the dial pops out and spins to do the time also. The manual is on the kitchenaid website.... there is a bit of a learning curve compared to my old Amana.

gbsim, thanks so much for the photos. It really helps to see this installed in a real kitchen. Can you please tell --- is the control panel membrane or glass? This is the 24 inch microwave and not 27 inch convection micro -- is that correct? Thanks again!

Hmmmm.. not really sure about the glass vs membrane. I guess it isn't glass since the push buttons are on the same level as the surface. Doesn't feel flimsy though.... it feels like glass, but I guess it can't be.

Yes, it's the 24" ....

Thanks gbsim. I think the KA unit you have is just about the nicest looking of the undercounter-mountable models -- much more attractive than the drawer. Appreciate your letting us have a look.