Discover the Pull of Microwave Drawers

Dena Does anyone know of a microwave drawer that is also a CONVECTION oven? Any brand, any price point, what's critical is the convection/micro combination. Thanks all :)

Becky Shankle Dena - there are several microwave+convection models listed on the AJ Madison site: http://bit.ly/MTyOxk

We've put many microwave drawers in for our clients - they love the lockable controls to keep little fingers from zapping unsupervised. It's also much safer than an over the counter microwave - not just because you're not reaching overhead to retrieve hot (and possibly liquid) contents, but also because you can more easily see what's in the oven - key point for many shorter folks.

Drawers are also handy because you can stir the dish contents without taking the dish out of the unit - & resume heating as necessary.

olldbobbi I wonder how difficult it is to remove a very liquid-y container from a microwave drawer? Has anyone done this? Is it easier/harder than a conventional microwave?

Mrs. G TV & Appliances Rachel, great examples of microwave drawers. They are a very popular at Mrs. G TV & Appliances in NJ. Here is a picture of a Wolf microwave drawer also featured in Mrs. G's Houzz projects http://is.gd/qE5F5x and Debbie's blog post about microwave drawers http://is.gd/HpyHwb. Thermador just recently introduced one as well announcing an industry exclusive with a perfectly flush installation in any standard depth cabinetry. That's a designer's dream!

Unfortunately Dena, there are no convection microwave drawers on the market as yet. We have been asking for them.

Mrs. G TV & Appliances Bobby P, it is so much easier. With a conventional microwave you would need to bend down and pull out the container. With the drawer all you need to do is lift the container up and out or if it's not ready a quick stir and back she goes.

jodir I had one installed in my brand new kitchen and absolutely love it.

cmathew Try the Miele Master Chef speed oven. The door hinges down like a regular oven. It is a microwave and oven.

mrsben Like anything else "to each their own", but personally I wouldn't want one installed at that level. If space was an issue, would prefer to see it switched-out with that you would store in a pantry cupboard and the oven in its place.

lauriann88 We had a microwave drawer installed in the kitchen island of our new house and absolutely love it. Frees counter space and we didn't like the look of a microwave above the stove, those get hot and we wanted a vent there. So many visitors comment on It! We thought liquids might spill but they don't; you just lift them out.

allyg584 Thinking of installing one in my new construction, my only concern is that liquids in bowls will spill when the drawer is opened. Does this happen often with the microwave drawers?

scarbowcow What about if you open the drawer and something in there releases a cloud of hot steam straight up into your face. Does that happen?

karenanywild We added a microwave drawer in our renovation. I was skeptical but had faith in all the online favorable reviews. This was my 'compromise' to get everything else where I wanted it. We are really glad we did this! It's so much better than an overhead microwave. Easier to stir. Easier to see. Easier to lift things out. Easier to clean. No worries of steam blowing on you - it's further away from your face than a regular setup. The only thing you can't do is the quick draw throw-in; swing the door open, throw something in and slam the door before it ever actually opened. You have to wait for it to open before you close it. This was actually my biggest concern, but I'm used to it now. Also, make sure there is enough room between the cabinet and whatever is behind it. You will want to be able to walk past when it is open. I was also worried about liquids spilling on open/close but it is not an issue at all. When we bought ours Sharp was the only one that had the larger size. Had to go for that one; wasn't willing to give up the interior space.

lgtennes How hard is it to reach the back corners inside the drawer to clean them? Often I microwave something and food splashes on the inside top of my conventional microwave. With a side hinge microwave that sits on the counter it is not hard to reach inside to clean the back corners.

dgbaker Dena - How difficult is it to clean these microwaves? Especially when something splashes all over?

shellbell56 We just constructed our new kitchen and included a microwave drawer by Wolf..absolutely love it.

annihunt I think Miele does one.

Stephanie Orr i love this microwave and have had it in my kitchen from 2006, but be careful, when the open close button break there is nothing you can do but replace the entire microwave.....they have not prefected this flaw and considering its the only way to open and close it.....be prepared to replace it

cad222 I'm also thinking about adding this to my new kitchen. What about the fact that these drawers don't have carousels in them. I'm kind of worried I'll miss that. Do they still cook evenly?

tigermommy Installing a microwave over a cook top is dangerous. Reaching over hot burners could be a safety issue. Thinking about this I do not like microwaves installed over a cook top and I don't have mine there.

karenanywild Re: questions about cleaning - piece of cake. The drawer opens out completely and so no problem reaching. The only part to clean that doesn't pop out for cleaning is the 'ceiling'. When it does get dirty it's easy enough to reach. But the new microwave technology seems to work better. We've had ours for 8 months and nothing really seems to 'explode' like in our other microwaves. Regarding the open/close button - Sharp fixed that problem. You can now open and close with the button OR push and pull on the handle. I use the handle much more often. Also, not sure if it still the same as when we researched ours, but it used to be that ALL mw drawers were made by Sharp. So, no matter what 'brand' you buy, you are getting a Sharp. It just depends which name and cover plate you want on it. We bought the Sharp. They were the only ones that sold the larger side. -- sorry for the long posts, but feel like I need to tell how pleasantly surprised we are with how much we like ours.

lauriann88 Hi again. I commented above, but with all the questions, thought I'd address them. Let me first say again that I absolutely love my drawer microwave - best microwave I ever had. Everyone who visits oohs and ahhs over it but asks all the same questions you all had... The one I have is a "Sharp Insight Pro". Cleaning has not been an issue guys - you just wipe it out. And I find less "splashing" than my counter microwaves, but I have no idea why that would be. And the steam isn't in your face, it's lower than that. The carousel question is a good one - I had the same concern but it heats evenly without it every time. I generally use only 2 of the buttons - the "Minute Plus" that most microwaves have, and the "Sensor Reheat". I don't know how this little machine does it but if you put leftovers in there and press that, it reheats to the perfect temperature every time. Evenly too. The only "con" is the one Karenanywild mentioned above which made me laugh out loud. Yes, it's true you can't do the "quick draw" as she called it, you actually have to wait like an entire second for the drawer to open before you can close it again! I hope this answers most questions (except the initial one - sorry Dena, I have no idea if they make ones that are also convection ovens). I think most people will love this type of microwave.
Edit: After I posted this, I saw that Karenanywild had beat me to it right above my post! Apparently we both are pretty passionate about our microwaves! :)

patscats2 A microwave drawer was our only solution for our microwave and we love it.
Cleaning is not a big issue for us because we cover everything we put in it either with the plastic plate cover or a damp paper towel. I do close the drawer as much as possible to reach in and clean the top and it's not usually that dirty so I feel confident I'm doing a good enough job cleaning it. As far as spilling liquids, I am careful to not fill any continer too high and to open and close the drawer more slowly than I would otherwise. I too was concerned about missing the carousel, but I don't. Everything cooks evenly and they are very powerful so they cook really quick. I have a SHARP model. I always take things out to stir and remove covers so I don't have the steam issue to deal with. If you decide to get one you won't be sorry.

ebea Kitchen #2 - the white one - looks like my dream kitchen. Beautiful!!!!

margyarena Funny story: We bought a new home that had been lived in for about 8 months. Bachelors (father and son). I knew I would need to clean the house well before we moved in, and hired some cleaners even before I got started myself thinking they'd get the hard and gross stuff out of the way. When cleaning the outside of the cabinets of my island I was at eye level with my new drawer microwave. I opened it up to make sure the inside had been cleaned, and to my surprise, found what looked like an entire pizza baked to the inside top! Nasty! Guess the first cleaning crew never bent over to take a look. It was hard to clean until a friend suggested putting vinegar and water in a bowl and microwaving that on high for a few minutes. After, it came off pretty easily. So, just remember you'll need to take a peak at the top every once in while to keep it tidy!!

taureg I never understood over the cooktop microwaves so I am planning on an "appliance garage" with the microwave on a shelf behind a door. My concern about microwave drawers is how accessible they will be as I age. Bending over gets to be hard. Thoughts?

Artisan Kitchens LLC As a designer especially I love the micro drawers because it gives me freedom and flexibility to place appliances where they work best and sometimes where they make the least visual intrusion.

Lately practically every kitchen I do has a micro drawer and my clients LOVE them!

maricie Can you install a wall mount microwave below the countertop or must you use a drawer microwave?

lucindalane For most people, this sounds very convenient. As a person with back problems, I can tell that it would not be convenient for me-no bending over and lifting things out, even if they aren't that heavy.

Julie Gaines LOVE the microwave drawer. Just installed about 2 months ago. Nothing explodes, easy to lift out food items. Love the seamless look instead of having it be a focal point under your upper cabinets. Highly recommend. Also, we did the Sharp brand. Sharp makes the Dacor and one other high end brand. The Dacor was twice the price.

Rachel Grace @maricie According to this installation it appears as if you can install wall mounted microwaves in an island.

This would require more bending than the drawer variation though!

Cindi Albright I would absolutely love it. We are in the process of painting kitchen cabinets and looking to add a microwave. Our home is 27 years old and didn't come with a microwave. In the past we had replace our vent-a-hood with a microwave/vent combo, it was fine, but I didn't like the height over my stove top it felt confining. When the microwave died, we didn't replace it. We will go back to the vent over the stove top and we are planning to add a microwave under the oven, it will be easy to do by just removing the large drawer under the oven, then sliding in a microwave. So...where do I locate these wonderful little microwave drawers?

jrbr I also have a microwave drawer, and cleaning it is simple. You look right down into it and wipe it out. The ceiling is the toughest part to clean because you have to bend over to see and hold your hand up to clean it. The best part about having one is it's very easy to view whatever you're cooking to see if it's done.

kidzmom3 So interesting reading these informative posts--many of same concerns/questions. But do still wonder about the bending over part. Never thought I'd have to be concerned about it but I can't seem to stop getting older! Any new comments from bad back friends?

theoriginalshashi kidsmom, that's my same concern - and what about tall people/husbands? Do they complain?

april0019 I have heard that the bottom of microwave drawers can actually shatter if ,say, you were setting a bowl inside and it dropped. Has anyone else heard this?

lauratarn I loved the idea and ordered the large Sharp drawer before seeing it in person. Mistake!! As soon as I opened the cardboard box and pulled the beautiful drawer open, I immediately knew it wouldn't work with a busy, young family. It's a huge appliance but the interior is tiny. The drawer space is only about 6" high so even a bag of popcorn is likely to hit the top. And the most horrifying thought came to me when I slide the drawer open. Imagine splashes and spills that hit the roof and go OVER the drawer sides and get into the sliders. I couldn't figure out how to get my arm to bend to reach the corners and top because the drawer front on the Sharp didn't fold down like an oven. I noticed the corners of the cooking area were square and seamed which is a food trap, combined with low clearance and the inability to bend my arm to clean it, I closed the box and had it returned within minutes of receiving it. Also, the drawer front is heavy and SLOW moving. My kids would have pushed, pulled and probably have it broken in a week. And, besides, smaller kids still can't reach in and lift food up unless it's sitting on the floor! Look for one that the door folds open more like an oven for easier cleaning and bigger interior room and no drawer sliders to gunk up!

patscats2 Sorry you didn't like your new drawer microwave. It definitely is not for children. As far as cleaning, I just make sure I never let anything splatter by keeping everything I fix in it covered. As for as the height, there is plenty of room for a bag of popcorn and then some.

I'm responding ot your review of the oven because I don't people to get the impression it is a horrible appliance, because it is not. It's just not suited for everyone.

ebea Keep the comments coming. A kitchen remodel is in our future. Want to hear both sides of this. Also would like to hear whether a warming drawer is really worth the money.

taureg If I go with one of these, what happens when it needs to be replaced? Will there be problems finding one to fit seamlessly into the space (I.e., are they standard sizes)? And while it would be ideal if we never splashed anything, despite covering, sometimes things happen - so how do you clean the top?

Finally, is that Miele oven/microwave a regular or convection oven? Has anyone used it?

I am planning a kitchen renovation, so this is very timely!

patscats2 taur, I don't know for certain but I'll go out on the limb and say I would think Sharp and other manufacturer's of the drawer oven would keep the same dimensions on the outside because if they didn't just think of all the repeat customer's they could possibly lose.

As for cleaning the top, I just close the drawer 3/4 of the way and reach in and wipe it down. I put a cup of water with lemon juice in it to boil a minute or two to loosen any dirt, then it wipes right off so there is so scrubbing involved. It's just my husband and I and we don't have little kids to worry about warming things without being covered, etc. so for us upkeep is simple. The little bit of splatter we have is very minor and easy to wipe off.

taureg Thanks, patcats2. A friend had to replace a SubZero and her choice was to buy another one or re-do her kitchen, so I am especially aware of buying standard sizes.

I am now wondering about a wall mounted microwave oven of sufficient size that I don't need another oven. I have to see if that exists.

remarkable1 I believe the GE Advantium ovens are micro and convection. I know several people who have them and absolutely LOVE the convenience, especially for a smaller family or a couple. You can find info on the GE website under "speedcooking".

Brenda Greer Having seen them I have wonder what happens to the splashes from over heating? The top of the micro is open. I don't cook much but micro everything. Also worried about spills on my hands when I pick up the dish and accidentally tip it. I can see burns coming and the bottom of the micro is difficult to clean. Decided I don't want one in my new home.

olldbobbi The microwave on my counter takes up so much room! I really want one of these drawer micro's, and my husband works for a company that makes them so we can get one half price. But I have no where to put it!!! AGH!

dhuff26539 All m/w drawers are made by Sharp. Designer brands put their name on the exterior and double the price. They come in two widths, but the cooking interior space is identical. The wider model has a larger exterior box to line up with a wall oven, if you want the stacked look.

Building 313 I concur with all the points the writer has made and simply want to add emphasis! I just completed a new home for my family to also use as a show home for my work. I put in a microwave drawer and I now recommend them to all my clients. They free up valuable counter space, they're easier for children to use, they're easier for ADULTS to use! It's sooo much easier putting things in and taking them out than with a regular microwave. I have never been a fan of microwaves with the vent hood as well as wall units placed too high. It's dangerous taking hot liquids out (especially for kids). Having had neck and back problems in the past I can attest to how much more ergonomic the drawers are. You're holding items closer to your center of gravity instead of having to hold heavy items out away from your body. Also, when you need to stir something you don't have to remove it, just open the drawer, stir, close and start it back up! I can absolutely not think of a reason NOT to have one (other than possibly cost). This is also not something you can just pop into an existing kitchen. Special cabinet needed and counters need to be off for installation. But if you're remodeling or building, GET ONE!

simone7000 I've never seen one in action... Can you peek at something while its cooking? An example I think of is melting butter to just the right point. It seems like you would have to bend down to see in?

remarkable1 Simone, you just bend over a little and look inside the front door - the interior is lit when in use, just like the standard ones. It's just below the counter, so it's not like you are doing deep knee bends to the floor to see in...

We are in the process of finishing a long-anticipated kitchen remodel, and I lobbied hard for this drawer (and got it). Our island appliances (m/w drawer and cooktop) are operational and I have to say, even my husband (who was concerned about the time lag for opening/closing the door) is a convert now. It is easy to use, perfectly big enough, and handsome to boot.

zyzxyzxy Yes, they look sharp. But research on the reviews indicates 3 things: 1, all of the units are manufactured by Sharp (even the high end ones like Viking and Wolf) and 2, they appear to have VERY poor maintenance records. Especially numerous are the complaints about the door opening mechanism. And 3, they are way expensive, at least x2 to a comparable wall unit. There may be a time for these, but not yet.

remarkable1 I'm wondering if zyzxyzxy is posting from experience...is this ^ post meant to be a cautionary tale? Clearly the microwave drawer option is not for everyone - it's OK if you don't want one.

For those who are working on or considering a kitchen remodel, do your homework. Those of us who have know that Sharp builds them all, and it's already been stated here several times. I don't know what your sources are for the maintenance issues, but like most things, people typically report problems and we never hear from the many many many others who experience no problems at all. Actually that's not entirely true; I have read many reviews of satisfied customers whose microwaves are working just fine years later.

Yes, cost is a factor and even the Sharp (which we bought) is significantly more than a non-built in microwave. In my case, it was important to maximize available counter space and so we chose the drawer and compromised elsewhere.

Finally, the drawers have been around since 2004 - I wouldn't exactly say that their time has not yet come, and I look forward to enjoying mine for years to come.

Building 313 I will confirm something that IS true. When I bought mine (a Sharp) I was told by the salesman that the Jenn-Airs and Dacors were built by Sharp. BUT, they were built out of higher quality materials, so they were still a better product than the lower priced Sharp. That's not to say that the Sharp was a poor quality product! I was looking at the 24" Jenn-Air, but I allowed enough space for my cabinetry to accomodate a 30". It turned out that I found a 30" Sharp in the bargain back room for $400 (the other I was planning to purchase was about $1200) so I jumped on it. I was told the only thing was that they didn't service the Sharps there, so if I had problems I would have to call Sharp directly. For that savings I was willing to take my chances. And so far I have not had a problem with it. I will add that I don't know about the other brands. To date the only companies I know of that make microwave drawers are Sharp, Jenn-Air, Dacor, and Viking. Upon a little bit of research it appears that now KitchenAid makes one as well. Hope this helps!

remarkable1 Hi Building 313 - you know, sometimes those salespeople tell you half the story...!

I checked with my resident engineering expert (DH) and the only thing different about the other brands is the cosmetics; so if that is where they put the other materials that bump the price by hundreds of $ and slap a different name badge on there, then so be it. The guts are the same in ANY microwave - a magnetron tube and the microprocessors. There are no 'higher quality materials' in the electronics. It's the trim/cosmetics that are different.

Love my Sharp - so glad we bought it.

Building 313 Well thanks for that info! Honestly there are projects where I would spend the extra money if I were trying to match all the appliances. However, with my house, I ended up looking for the best option for each appliance and making sure that they all looked good together even though they weren't the same brand. And they do! With the micro drawer though, the place I got mine doesn't even carry the Sharp . . .it was just sort of a fluke that they even had it. Again, part of the deeply discounted price. So I guess someone was just looking out for me. ; ) Glad I got mine, too. : )

threewest GE Monogram Advantium is a convection microwave drawer with speedcook and warming options too!! This one has it all. Found it on www.us-appliance.com but over $2500!! I will have to look into the miele option. Otherwise, we are seriously considering the sharp convection microwave RF930CS. It got great reviews from home depot and best buy and only $450 on sale at best buy right now. Wish I had more time to wait for more manufacturers to introduce a microwave convection drawer option. Does anyone have this sharp model and if so, comments?

Murray-Kristine Huxtable We moved into a house that has a regular microwave at counter height and our toddler kept turning it on with nothing in it or trying to cook her toys. The drawers with child locks are way safer.

jbmasin New home, moved in June, Had a nightmare with two sharp drawer microwaves - caustic odor that penetrated the entire island. Sent first one back, get the second one, same disgusting smell. It was the KB6001ss, Sharp says they have none in stock and are reviewing my case for reimbursement. Design gets a thumbs up, but stinky magnetron gets the boot!

kmcl212 Building313 commented above that the counters have to be off for the MW drawer installation. If the MW breaks or needs to be replaced, do you have to remove your countertop?

Mrs. G TV & Appliances No you do not have to remove the counter tops if you need to replace or have sevice on a microwave drawer.

Building 313 I'm sorry about that! I apologize for posting incorrect information . . .I do now realize that you could remove or replace it with the countertops on. It would just be EASIER to do so with them off. I know that mine has a couple of screws on the front (with the door open) that hold it in place in its cabinet. To remove I would simply need to remove those screws and pull it out. However, mine is plugged in inside it's own cabinet and it would be a bit of a juggle to pull it out far enough to unplug it before removing fully. When I installed mine, the counters were not yet on, so it was plenty easy enough to just put it in it's spot, then reach in from the top to plug it in. In hindsight, I will mention that it would be easier for removal to locate the outlet in the adjacent cabinet. I wasn't able to do that in my instance, as the dishwasher is directly to the left of it and the cabinet directly to the left is a corner cabinet with a lazy susan and I wouldn't be able to reach. Again, sorry for misinformation!