With in a given price point MWs are more or less widgets.

Some brands do overcharge but most don't.

Any Sharp is a good choice.

I am usually against "matchy matchy" but this maybe a good time to match your wall oven.

What oven did you choose?

I am going with a Wolf wall oven and don't want to spend the money on a Wolf microwave. I was thinking Sharp but just wasn't sure which one.

I think the Sharp R426LS is very cool looking.

This is the one I am getting...

http://www.ajmadison.com/cgi-bin/ajmadison/R930CS.html

You can get this one with Dacor or a few other brands written on it if you want it to match other appliances.

A microwave is a cheap device that expires in just a few years. It is easily replaced for little expense. Built in models tend to be expensive but still croak after a few years. I put my microwave in a cabinet above my oven also, but the cabinet has doors which slide back. There is also a plug at the back of the cabinet to plug the microwave into. This way I can place any old mocrowave in the cabinet without spending a fortune. Of course, I did end up paying for a custom cabinet for this purpose.

My current Sharp MW is 6 years old.

My previous Sharp MW lasted 19 years.

My next MW is a Sharp drawer.

All made in the USA.

Memphis Tenn to be exact.

I guess I'm lucky, but I've never had a microwave "Croak".

The Litton Range that came with this house when new, was still going after 20 years. (Next door neighbor still has the Litton range and the MW still works--Since 1975).

The Litton was replaced by a GE and the MW on it was still going when we completely redid the kitchen in 2006. It was replaced by an Elux Speed Oven which has been trouble free (cept for a loose handle) since 2006 or (5 years now).

Gary

My favorite combo is the Sharp AX-1200K + 30" trim kit over a Dacor MOV130S and matching Dacor MWDV30S warming drawer.

The black center of the Sharp unit is the same width as the Dacor units in this case.

My reasoning: the Sharp supersteam microwave is so versatile and the Dacor "Discovery" oven is one of the best available. The Sharp microwaves, convection bakes, supersteams and combines convection/steam. I just reheated steak the other day and it was incredible - still juicy and flavorful and not over-cooked like standard microwave reheating or convection reheating would do.

Also, it's hard to compete with the quality of the food when steaming veggies, seafood, poultry, etc.

A lower priced alternative is the Bosch wall oven and warming drawer - also with matching width black glass center compared with the Sharp.

I personally own the Sharp supersteam oven, a Dacor "Renaissance" oven and a Bosch warming drawer.

@sales vet.

I didn't see how to ask you privately, but are you saying the black sharp oven with the stainless trim kit will line up with the Bosch oven's stainless sides? I'm looking at a 50% discount on a display oven but the poor microwave reviews from the same line are cutting into the decision. Just don't want it to look too out of place. So far no two items in our kitchen will be the same brand.

I have a top line Panasonic and I could not be happier, it was cheap ($200 and change), it has an available trim kit, it coooks unbelievably well, and if it breaks in 5 years I can go get another. I used it the day after Thanksgiving and I could not believe it. I put in a plate of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and a few other tasty items and hit sensor cook. If a few minutes it was done and everything was heated perfectly, the mashed were warm through and the turkey was moist and not overcooked. Ok, now I'm hungry.

I consider it a waste of money to buy a "top name" microwaves such as Wolf since they are usually made by Sharp, Pana or LG. I would go for a Sharp or Pana and pocket the $. The only reason I didn't go for the Sharp was that there was a lot of reviews saying they tend to die after the second year- it could be BS, but I think both are great MVs...

I have always hated the built in MW concept. Pay $1500 to get the same MW that you could buy from Sharp or Panasonic (since they build the guts of all these supposedly high end MW's) for $200. Totally agree with Emilner and others above in that respect.

I do think that there is a best of all worlds solution, which is to build a hidden MW nook in your cabinetry. We strongly wanted the ability to hide our MW, but also to buy an off the shelf unit. We built a niche above our oven, using garage door type hinges. It works great, and my fears of finicky hinges have been unfounded after three years of daily use.

This is a great old thread about this subject:

where's your microwave

Pictures of our setup are a few posts down from the top.

We currently have a GE Profile onen and GE microwave. The microwave seems to be on steroids because it heats faster than any other in our experience. My daughter had one too and we had noticed it was very fast before we got ours. Ours is going on 10 years and is just fine.

You're not in the midatlantic are you? I have a display Wolf micro and trim kit that is essentially new and not being used pending my long delayed renovation. Someday I'm going to have to out it on Craigslist.

We have a Sharp R1214T built-in microwave that fits over a counter and it is GREAT.. and inexpensive. See link at the bottom of this post.

It is a built-in microwave at the cost of a standalone unit.

There's no vent hood in this, it is at eye level, and it has a light underneath if you need it. We have it over a counter next to our double ovens.

Billy

Here is a link that might be useful: Sharp R1214T

Had to chime in here to say that my built-in microwave is almost 21 years old and going strong. In fact, ALL of my kitchen appliances are the same age. We may start replacing some proactively, as I dread having them all start faltering at the same time---almost as much as I dread having to choose what to replace them with. I hope that the assessment that microwaves today are basically disposable and must be replaced frequently is not correct.

I'm afraid I won't get the same longevity from my next bunch of appliances, but hope I'm wrong.

billy_g, I am considering a similar installation with the Sharp R1214T. Do you have any door clearance issues on the hinge side? Does the door open a full 90 degrees or does the adjacent wall get in the way?

Thanks.