Our GE is on a shelf between our two pantry cabs. The open space around the micro was then covered/filled by a wood panel with a cut-out for the micro (almost like a picture frame), and then the micro trim kit was attached to that wood panel. Here's a picture, it'll show it better than I'm explaining:

We have our microwave in the custom cabinets with our built-in refridgerator. There is an 15"x24" opening on each side of the refridgerator and a pull out shelf below each opening to use when needed. We have our microwave on the left side and our toaster oven on the right side. I do not plan to trim out the opening to cover any gaps that exists as the insides of the opening were stained to match the outside of the cabinets.

Here is a picture:

We put ours under the counter in the island and LOVE it there even more than we thought we would. It's out of sight, out of the way, doesn't take up any counter space, but is easily accessible. I had an opening made above a large drawer. The opening more than accommodates my small microwave because I had it made to the specs of the Sharp microwave drawer, just in case we ever decide to get one. In the meantime, I store cutting boards on end in the extra space next to the microwave.

One of my favorite microwave cabinets is from athomedad:

{{!gwi}}

His has the lift up cabinet door covering the microwave and the handy counter underneath, all right next to the fridge.

ours combines several of the above concepts - it will be in an 18 inch deep cabinet that comes down to the counter top, at counter top height, behind a hideaway door that flips up and slides back.

So we:

1. Get it our of sight
2. Keep it at counter height (we considered below counter height but believe that is too low)
3. Make it easily accessable but also very easily hidden

My wife was against a Microwave Drawer and the GE Spacesaver (PEM31) is the only cabinet depth (12") I could find. Decided against the under cabinet hanging kit (want my undercab lights on one switch) and I'm having my cabinet maker build a cabinet to the dimension of the microwave. He said he'll add trim if needed. I'll know in another week, if this works out!

Please excuse our construction mess and yet-to-be-properly-aligned cabinet doors over it, but here is our new microwave. (I resized this to make it smaller, but it's huge on 'preview.' Hopefully, it will post the right size!)

I have the GE Spacemaker II mounted in an upper cabinet with a trim kit - the cabinet is custom made - pictures on my home page but it looks a lot like cat_mom's. We had to recess it slightly into the wall to make it flush with the cabinets.

Mollie, I am hoping to not have to put the micro over the range,also. I have been collecting some pictures of different installations so email me if you would like me to send you the pics. Zoey

Molly,

We put our GE Spacemaker II on a shelf with an overhead garage door to keep it off the counter.

I also want to mention that good ventilation is important around a microwave. We had a burnt microwave at work a few years ago after an employee leaned the paper instruction manual along the side of the microwave, too close to its vents, and it overheated. The building smelled for a week.

Our microwave cabinet is linked below. For the closed door version, tab back one shot.

Here is a link that might be useful: Microwave garage

Ours is sitting in a cabinet. I think the cabinet is about 17" deep. Our first mw lasted 15 years. The next one lasted 3. I like having a flexible space so that I will have a wide variety of choices next time around.

{{gwi:1574846}}

Mine is similar to Zelmar's [great kitchen by the way!].

No trim kit, just a regular countertop micro, not a built in; but I did blow up a microwave that filled the shelf too well-- wasn't enough air space. A bazillion times better than over the range, though

I guess I should have clarified that ours is just a counter model, too...for the same reason Zelmar mentioned: easy and relatively inexpensive replacement options. We have one that's 23 yrs old and still going, but it's smallish, low-powered, and without a turntable, so we've had others in recent years. But they don't seem to last very long.

I have the GE Profile Spacemaker suspended from an upper cab next to my fridge. Not the best pic.

I'm having the cabinet made very tight to the dimensions of the GE Spacemaker. Didn't want the built in kit - adds lots of surround and, especially almost 4" depth. Hope we won't be blowing this MW up!