Can't decide on combination of steam oven, wall oven, microwave

10 years ago

We are looking for some advice and input. We have room in our island for a 24" microwave drawer or I assume a 24" steam oven like the Miele combi-steam would fit there as well. We also have a spot on the other side in a tall cabinet for stacked double-ovens. We're trying to decide between the following options:

1. Miele combi-steam in the island, with a microwave-and-oven combination in the tall cabinet (considering the Thermador Professsional microwave-and-oven combination or the Electrolux microwave-and-oven combination). Not sure I like the look of the Electrolux wave touch - seems to look so contemporary for our tranditional kitchen.

2. Sharp microwave drawer in island, and then the Miele combi-steam in the tall cabinet along with a 30 inch electric oven, and after looking today, I think only the Miele oven would look good stacked with it. The Miele single oven with the MasterChef features seems so expensive!

We are definitely over where we had hoped to be on our appliance budget. But I'm pretty certain that we want the Miele combi-steam. What do you think our best configuration will be with that in mind?

Other appliances - Viking free-standing french door fridge with trim kid, Miele panel-ready Classica dishwasher, 36" 6 burner Blue Star range top.

Featured Answer

J K

6 years ago

We decided on a microwave drawer in the island and a 30" electric wall oven with a steam oven above it. I don't like the idea of "cooking", even with a microwave, in the pantry. It is for food storage only in my mind. The microwave drawer is easy to get items in and out--so much easier than above the range. Be sure that the oven height in the cabinet is set so the bottom of the upper oven is no higher than the recommended height of the upper oven of a double wall oven. We had to have a cabinet re-built because the cabinet designer had the steam oven so high, it was a burn risk with the door open.

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Comments (7)

kristianco
10 years ago
We are going to put a "cheap" microwave in the pantry to save cost and have our steam combi and regular oven stacked in the kitchen. That will save us space and a little expense, and since the microwave is really just for reheating beverages and cooking bacon, it won't be missed (we hope), with the steam oven used to reheat left overs. We can also put it at a shelf level more conducive for our young daughter to use it (without the expense of a drawer unit). I'm not sure if that would work in your situation but wanted to throw out an out of the box idea.

Regarding your #1, combination appliances scare me. If one unit stops working properly, I'm always afraid of replacing both.
jett254
Original Author
10 years ago
I agree 100% with the concern over combination appliances - I'm now leaning against doing the microwave-oven combination in the tall cabinet. I feel like that forces me to go with the Miele 30" oven, sigh....
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J K
8 years ago
Hi jett254, I'm going through a similar decision process. Just wondering if you finished your kitchen, what decision you made, and how you like it. Thanks!
dbabrams
8 years ago
I'm doing Miele combi steam + 30" convection. Will hide a regular microwave somewhere, but plan on using steam to reheat food anyway.
indygirl98
6 years ago
kristianco was curious how the microwave in you pantry has worked out for you? We are considering doing the same so that we can save a little. We use our microwave on a dail basis right now, but will be doing a steam oven and possibly reducing its usage.
vonzie
6 years ago
Here are my comments. Miele Combi Steam/Convection Oven - great choice. I would stay away from ANYTHING Thermador makes - expensive to repair, frequent repairs and poor customer service. I don't have experience with Electrolux, but the micro/oven combo I like is the GE Profile Advantium upper with a 30" convection lower (Combo is about $4,000). That Advantium oven does a MUCH better job than a regular microwave. Would not buy Viking, period, for the same reasons as Thermidor above. Viking took over the old Amana refrigerator plant. They are a great marketing company, but a poor product and service company. I'd suggest a KitchenAid 22CF panel-ready French-door cabinet depth R/F or possibly a GE Profile similar model if you're not going to put in a built-in refrigerator (SubZ et al). Miele dishwashers are great as are Bosch and KitchenAid, who now have the same type of filter system as Miele and Bosch do (they got rid of the built-in garbage disposals which make dishwashers much noisier). BlueStar Rangetop is fine. Personally I like Capital Culinarian - 25K Btu on 5 of the 6 burners and I think a 12K Btu simmer burner. Getting back to your oven situation, i'm in a remodel now where I'm putting in a 6-burner Capital Culinarian all-gas range with a Miele XXL Combi-Steam oven. No need for a 30" convection wall oven or a built-in microwave. Our microwave (which we just use to reheat beverages primarily) will be an under cabinet GE Profile model (cheap - $350). the Combi-Steam oven does a much better job of re-heating leftovers than microwaves do and it's great for steaming, roasting, baking bread, etc.